名人教英文:bits and pieces
piece很多时候解作量词「块」或名词「碎片」,这个字也常见于惯用语。in bits and pieces 即「零零碎碎」,近似的说法是in dribs and drabs,例如:the government has been tackling the educational issues in bits and pieces,即是说教育政策零碎,头痛医头,脚痛医脚。我们也可以形容这做法为a piecemeal approach(零碎的做法),相反就是a comprehensive and long-term approach(全面而长远的做法)。
一些惯用语以 a piece of 开头,但都不能直译为「一块」或「一件」,以下有几个例子:
a piece of cake不单指「一块蛋糕」,也是惯用语,指「轻而易举的事情」,如:the exam was a piece of cake.(另一个说法是the exam was as easy as pie.)又例如说,一些有钱人未尝过民间疾苦,以为人生总是称心如意:some rich people have been brought up to think that life is a piece of cake.