這是指一個人的痛處，創傷或瘡疤，如果被提起，會讓人生氣難過。( something irritates or hurts when mentioned) = sore spot
例如:Everyone can have a sore point in his/her life.
每個人在他(她)一生中，都可能有些痛處。
Don’s keep bringing up his sore points in our gathering.
我們相聚時，不要老提他的瘡疤。
When we get together, please don’t mention marriage which is a sore point with John.
當我們在一起，請別提婚姻的事，因為那是John的創傷。
(21) shrinking violet:
動詞shrink(時態是shrank, shrunk)本是退縮或畏縮；violet在這裡是俚語，指羞怯的人。所以這這句話，多半指羞怯或謙卑的女人(a shy or modest person, generally for a woman)，如果指男人，較不禮貌。
Mary, being a shrinking violet, does not want to socialize with people.
Mary是位羞怯的女人，不愛參加社交活動。
Ever since Lucy was a child, she has been a shrinking violet.
Lucy從小就是一位害羞的人。
A politician is definitely not a shrinking violet.
政客絕非一位羞怯的人。(包括男女)
(22) tin god:
tin本指錫或不值錢的金屬。所以這句話是指自以為了不起的人或自命不凡者 (one who is self-important)
(這句話是帶有諷刺人的味道，故不用在第二人稱)
例如:
Don’t be a little tin god; everyone should be respected and treated equally.
不要以為自己了不起；每個人都應該一視同仁受到尊敬。
Being a tin god, Mr. Chen is not well-liked by his co-workers.
陳先生自命不凡，不受同仁喜歡。
Many Chinese are prone to become tin gods when they hold high positions.
許多老中，一旦擔任高官職位，就易變成神氣兮兮。
(23) tongues wag:
動詞wag是搖動的意思；也就是議論紛紛，街談巷議或說長道短。(people will gossip)，因為談論必須要兩個人以上，所以tongues用複數。(wag的動詞時態是:wagged, wagging)
例如:
Tongues will wag when the 92-year-old man marries the 29-year-old woman.
92歲老人與29歲女人結婚的話，那麼就會街談巷議。
(其實tongues will wag 是基本說法，有些人把will省去)
Whenever there is a major US-China talk on Taiwan, tongues (will) wag(或are wagging) in Chinese society.
只要中美兩國談到台灣，老中社會就議論紛紛。
The Taiwan issue has set tongues wagging all over the world.
台灣問題已經讓世人議論紛紛。
(24) trial balloon:
本是測風氣球，後變為試探輿論的反應；也就是對有爭議性問題，試探別人的言論或行動(try to advance an idea or a plan in order to test others’ reaction)
(多半只是一種想法或計劃)
例如:A trial balloon can easily fool many citizens.
試探性的言論也很容易使許多人受騙。
Mr. C has floated a trial balloon on Taiwan seeking a UN seat.
C先生為爭取台灣的聯合國席位，而做出試探性的言論。
Some politicians are good at sending up (different) trial balloons about their ideas.
有些政客擅長作出不同的試探性言論。
也可當形容詞:
What will Mr. C do should his trial-balloon strategy fail?
假如C先生的試探策略失敗，他要怎樣呢？
(trial-balloon當形容詞，修飾strategy)
至於trial run雖然也是指第一次試試能否行得通，但後面多半有實際事情。例如
Mr. A is trying hard to go through a trial run with his invention.
A先生想要試試他的發明，看看是否行得通。(後面有發明這件事)
(25) Whispering campaign:
whispering本意是耳語或低聲。這句話，就是為中傷他人而散佈流言蜚語或造謠活動(trying to spread negative rumors to hurt someone)
例如:
Whispering campaign is unlawful because it may poison someone’s reputation.
散佈流言蜚語是違法的，因為那會傷害別人的聲譽。
In order to win the party election, some people are using whispering campaigns.
為了贏得黨內競選成功，有些人從事造謠活動。
Out of jealousy or selfishness, whispering campaigns appear to be common in Chinese society.
出於妒忌和自私，在中國社會造謠活動似乎普遍。
(26) poles apart:
本來是指南極和北極。這裡指兩個極端，完全不同的看法。(to have apposite views on matters)
(多半是有爭議性的事)
例如:
Some Chinese and Americans are poles apart on the definition of human rights.
一些老中和老美對人權的定義，意見完全不同。
/懷 中
/摘自世界周刊
