PETS－2语法讲解(146)

　　You've excelled yourself.
　　对话
　　Al: That was an absolutely delicious meal.
　　Isabel: I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's a recipe I haven't tried before.
　　Al: Your cooking is always superb but this time you've excelled yourself.
　　Isabel: Sounds like you want to get something out of me.
　　Al: Don't be so suspicious, I really meant it.
　　Isabel: Well they always say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
　　艾尔：这顿饭真好吃。
　　伊莎贝尔：你喜欢就好了。这道食谱我从来没有试过。
　　艾尔：你煮的东西，一直都很好吃，这一次更胜过以往。
　　伊莎贝尔：听你的口气，好像是有求于我呢。
　　艾尔：别那么多疑。我是衷心的。
　　伊莎贝尔：嗯，常言道要抓住一个男人的心，得先从他的胃下手。
　　要称赞人家表现胜于平时，英文可以说：You have excelled yourself 。这和八月八日介绍的You have surpassed yourself意思差不多。例如(1)He excelled himself in the race and won the championship.（他在竞赛中表现的非常出色，赢得了冠军）。(2)You have excelled yourself with this feat of courage.（你这次，展现了相当大的勇气）。
　　Excel当然是excellent（极好）的动词，除了用于成语excel oneself，通常用于excel (somebody) at/in something的句式，表示‘在某方面表现（比某人）出色’，例如：(1)She excels her brother at/in swimming.（她游泳胜过弟弟）。(2)He excelled at/in chess.（他棋艺高超）。
　　伊莎贝尔见艾尔称赞她，打趣说：Sounds like you want to get something out of me。这一句也可以改为:Sounds like you are trying to get around/round me。
　　To get around/round somebody有‘哄人家答应做某事’的意思，例如:She is always able to get around her husband and get what she wants（她总能够把丈夫哄得服服帖帖，无论她要什么都答应）。
　　最后谈谈成语The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach。这是‘要男人爱你，就要做些美味饭菜给他吃’的意思，例如：She invited her new boyfriend to her home for dinner, reasoning that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach（她邀请新男朋友到家里吃晚饭，因为她认为要抓住男人的心，必须先从他的胃下手）