昔日文章

The rainy season in Hong Kong typically takes place from April to September. Unexpectedly, the black rainstorm warning was raised in early October this year. The Hong Kong Observatory normally issues this signal to alert the public that very heavy rain, exceeding 70 millimetres in an hour, is likely to continue and bring about serious road flooding. While modern meteorologists design a rainstorm signal system in a scientific way, people described torrential rain as " raining cats and dogs " in the past.  A similar version of this phrase was first recorded in a poem written by British poet Henry Vaughan in 1651. There are various unconfirmed origins behind this idiom, such as adoption from the Greek or the French, or derived from Norse mythology.  The most popular story says that in olden times in Europe, cats and dogs liked to seek shelter inside the thatched roofs of the houses during storms. These domestic animals were washed out when heavy rain came.  Do you find this story a logical explanation? Many scholars think that this expression may have been created to bring nonsensical humour only.  香港的雨季一般是從4月到9月。出人意料的是，今年10月初就懸掛了黑色暴雨警告信號。香港天文台通常發出這個信號， 是提醒公眾每小時超過70毫米的豪雨可能持續，並且引致道路嚴重水淹。現代氣象學家以科學化方式設計暴雨信號系統；昔日人們卻用raining cats and dogs來形容豪雨。 這個語句的類似版本最初記載在1651年英國詩人亨利．沃恩所寫的一首詩中。這個習語的背後有多個未經證實的起源，例如借用自希臘文或法文，又或來自北歐神話。 最流行的說法是， 在古時候的歐洲，貓狗喜歡在暴風雨期間在房子的茅草屋頂裡躲避風雨。下起大雨的時候，這些家畜就被沖走。 你覺得這個故事的解釋合乎邏輯嗎？許多學者認為人們創造這個語句，也許只是為了產生荒謬的幽默而已。     捐款支持公教報  http://kkp.org.hk/donation  

Can you complete the second half of the proverb " you can lead a horse to water " ? Imagine you are a horse handler or rider. After a hot, long ride, you take your horse to a trough or give it a bucket of water. However, your horse turns its head away and does not take any water. You are very worried that it might get dehydrated, but you cannot force-feed it water.  The root of the proverb " you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink " appeared in " Old English Homilies " in 1175.  The saying means that you can give someone something that will benefit him or her, but you cannot force him or her to take it.  Teachers often experience this scenario in their teaching career. Teachers understand that they can lead a horse (student) to water (knowledge), but they can't make it (student) drink (learn). Therefore, they help their students to become self-motivated learners.  World Teachers' Day is celebrated around the world on the 5th of October. Let us send our heartfelt thanks to our teachers, who play an invaluable role in our lives.  你可否完成 you can lead a horse to water 這句諺語的後半句？設想你是一個馬匹訓練員或騎馬人。經過酷熱而長途的騎行之後，你把馬牽到水槽去或給牠一桶水。可是，你的馬轉過頭去，一點水也不喝。你非常擔心牠會脫水，但是你無法強灌牠喝水。 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink 這句諺語的根源於1175年在《古英語講道》中出現。  這個諺語的意思是，你可以送給人家一些會惠及他或她的東西，但是你無法強迫他或她接受。  教師經常在教學生涯中經歷到這個情況。教師明白到他們可以把馬（學生）牽到有水（知識）的地方，但是無法使牠（學生）喝水（學習）。因此，他們幫助學生成為自強上進的學習者。 全球在10月5日慶祝「世界教師日」。讓大家向我們的老師送上衷心的謝意，因為他們在我們的人生中佔有寶貴的位置。     捐款支持公教報  http://kkp.org.hk/donation

How to dress for different occasions can be a headache, particularly for adults. Can your parents wear the same outfits for a wedding and a funeral? Should they be " dressed to the nines " when attending your graduation event at the end of term?  The saying " dressed to the nines " means dressed very elaborately or smartly. However, etiquette experts advise that the dress code for a graduation ceremony is neat and thoughtful, but not excessively fancy.  The phrase is believed to be related to the shorter one " to the nines " , which meant to the highest standards. It was found in " Epistle to Ramsay " by the Scottish poet William Hamilton in 1719. The following extract means that the beautiful lines (of a letter) that you sent me made me perfectly happy.  The bonny Lines therein thou sent me,  How to the nines they did content me.  It's possible that " to the nines " originates from the Nine Muses. The Muses were Greek goddesses who gave artists, philosophers and scientists the inspiration to create.  Soon after the graduation event, the summer holiday will begin. May I wish you a relaxing and fun holiday.  如何在不同場合穿衣打扮可以是叫人頭痛的事情，特別是對成年人而言。你的父母可否在婚禮和葬禮穿著相同的服裝？他們在出席你的學期末畢業禮時應否「盛裝打扮」（dressed to the nines）？  Dressed to the nines這個習語的意思是穿著非常講究或時髦。不過，禮儀專家建議，畢業禮的衣著規定是整潔、有心思，但不過分花哨。 人們認為，這個短語和to the nines這個較短的語句有關。後者的意思是最高水平，1719年出現在蘇格蘭詩人威廉．漢密爾頓所撰寫的《致拉姆齊書信》。下文的意思是，你送給我的美麗（書信）文字使我十分高興。 The bonny Lines therein thou sent me,  How to the nines they did content me.  To the nines有可能源自「繆斯九女神」。繆斯是希臘女神，她們給予藝術家、哲學家和科學家創作的靈感。 畢業禮結束後不久，暑假就會開始。祝願你們有一個輕鬆愉快、有趣好玩的假期。    捐款支持公教報  http://kkp.org.hk/donation

Several years ago, a British newspaper, The Independent, raised the concern that the number of house sparrows in gardens was in decline. The news article had this headline: "It was once a common or garden bird. Now it's not common or in your garden. Why? " In the above headline, the expression "common or garden" is used idiomatically in the first sentence and then literally in the second sentence. This adjectival phrase is a jocular slang which means very common or ordinary. Its origin is related to gardening. Normally, the plants which are grown on commons or in gardens are considered non-exotic. Since exotic species come from other countries, they are unusual but may have a significant effect on the local ecosystem. This phrase first appeared in a book about the history of plants, herbs and flowers in 1657. The book was written by British botanist William Coles. "But the Common or Garden Nightshade is not dangerous." In modern English, this saying can be used to describe something which is not special. I want to buy a common-or-garden mobile phone because I can't afford an expensive one. 幾年前，英國報章《獨立報》關注到，花園裡家麻雀的數字下降。該篇新聞報導的標題如下：  “It was once a common or garden bird. Now it's not common or in your garden. Why?”  在上述標題中，common or garden在頭一句是習語，而在第二句是字面意義。這個形容詞短語是帶輕鬆口吻的俚語，意思是非常普通或平凡無奇。 它的來源與園藝有關。通常來說，生長在公地上或花園裡的植物都不算是奇花異草。由於外來物種來自其他國家，它們很特殊但也許對當地的生態系統造成顯著的影響。 這個語句最初出現在1657年一本有關植物、草本植物和花的歷史書。作者是英國植物學家威廉．科爾斯。 But the Common or Garden Nightshade is not dangerous. 在現代英語，這個說法可以用來形容一些並不特別的東西。 我想買一部普通的（common-or-garden）手機，因為我負擔不起昂貴的手機。    捐款支持公教報  http://kkp.org.hk/donation