我们经常说做事要看轻重缓急，有的时候不得不把正在做的事或计划要做的事先搁置一边。美国人把这叫做：to put on the back burner。Back就是后边，而burner在这儿的是指做饭的炉子。美国的厨房里，炉台上一般都有四个炉口，前面两个，后面两个。人们往往把很快能煮好的东西放在前面炉子上煮，把一些要慢慢煮的东西放在后面的炉子上。这就是to put on the back burner这个俗语的来源。下面这个例子是一个广告公司的老板在给会计下指示：
例句-1: Joe, I know you're working on the Anderson contract, but let's put it on the back burner for now. We need your help on the new Jones contract. It's worth more than five million dollars.
这个老板说：乔伊，我知道你现在正在处理安德森合同的事情，但是，让我们先把它放一放。我们要你来帮忙处理和琼斯签订的新合同。这个合同价值达五百万美元。
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每个家庭也经常会把马上想干的事推迟一段时间。下面是一个丈夫在对妻子说话：
例句-2: Honey, the boss told me today he can't give me that pay raise I was expecting. I'm afraid that means we'll have to put our plans to buy a bigger house on the back burner until next year.
这个丈夫说：亲爱的，老板今天告诉我他不能满足我的愿望给我加工资。所以我们想买栋大房子的计划恐怕不得不等到明年再说了。
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好多人在做一些事的时候会表现出拖拖拉拉，很不愿意的样子。美国人把这种现象称为：to drag one's feet。你听了下面这位母亲的话就会明白什么是to drag one's feet了：
例句-3: Billy and Sally always drag their feet when I tell them it's bedtime. They love to watch TV after dinner and they'd stay up till midnight if I didn't chase them off to bed.
这位母亲说：每当我叫比利和萨利上床睡觉的时候，他们总是拖拖拉拉。他们喜欢吃完晚饭后看电视，要是我不催着他们上床的话，他们可以一直看到半夜。
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下面的例子是一个百货公司的雇员正在罢工，要求增加工资。这个公司的经理说：
例句-4: The union is dragging its feet on agreeing to a settlement. They think the company is getting desperate to get people back to work because Christmas is coming and that's our busiest time of year.
他说：工会拖拖拉拉地不肯就解决方案达成协议。他们认为，公司一定会迫不及待地要雇员回去工作，因为圣诞节快来了。这是我们一年最忙的时候。
例句-1: Joe, I know you're working on the Anderson contract, but let's put it on the back burner for now. We need your help on the new Jones contract. It's worth more than five million dollars.
这个老板说：乔伊，我知道你现在正在处理安德森合同的事情，但是，让我们先把它放一放。我们要你来帮忙处理和琼斯签订的新合同。这个合同价值达五百万美元。
******
每个家庭也经常会把马上想干的事推迟一段时间。下面是一个丈夫在对妻子说话：
例句-2: Honey, the boss told me today he can't give me that pay raise I was expecting. I'm afraid that means we'll have to put our plans to buy a bigger house on the back burner until next year.
这个丈夫说：亲爱的，老板今天告诉我他不能满足我的愿望给我加工资。所以我们想买栋大房子的计划恐怕不得不等到明年再说了。
******
好多人在做一些事的时候会表现出拖拖拉拉，很不愿意的样子。美国人把这种现象称为：to drag one's feet。你听了下面这位母亲的话就会明白什么是to drag one's feet了：
例句-3: Billy and Sally always drag their feet when I tell them it's bedtime. They love to watch TV after dinner and they'd stay up till midnight if I didn't chase them off to bed.
这位母亲说：每当我叫比利和萨利上床睡觉的时候，他们总是拖拖拉拉。他们喜欢吃完晚饭后看电视，要是我不催着他们上床的话，他们可以一直看到半夜。
******
下面的例子是一个百货公司的雇员正在罢工，要求增加工资。这个公司的经理说：
例句-4: The union is dragging its feet on agreeing to a settlement. They think the company is getting desperate to get people back to work because Christmas is coming and that's our busiest time of year.
他说：工会拖拖拉拉地不肯就解决方案达成协议。他们认为，公司一定会迫不及待地要雇员回去工作，因为圣诞节快来了。这是我们一年最忙的时候。
