何苗

There are many expressions using the word “bridge”. So today， lets talk about the stories of “bridge”.

英语中有很多表达中使用了“桥”一词，所以今天我们就来说说“桥”的故事吧。

A bridge is a structure that provides passage over something—such as a river， train tracks， a highway or a deep， wide opening in the ground. The word“bridge” can also be used to join things you cant touch， such as cultures or activities. For example， you could say music and art can bridge cultures. And language can be a bridge between two people.

桥梁是一种提供越过某些东西，如河流、铁道、高速公路或深沟等的上方通路的结构。桥梁还能用于连接一些触碰不到的东西，如文化或活动。例如，你可以说音乐和艺术可以搭起文化的桥梁。而语言能够成为两人之间沟通的桥梁。

But lets get back to the bridges you can actually cross or drive a tank over.

不过，现在让我们回到那些你真正可以行走，或驾驶坦克能通过的桥梁。

Bridges often play an important role in the war. An army that attacks across a river may decide to burn the bridge after crossing it. By burning the bridge， the army prevents its enemy from using it. However， the army also destroys its own chance to go back across the river. Burning a bridge leaves the army open to attack.

桥梁常常在战争中发挥重要作用。越过河流进攻的军队可能会决定在过桥后烧毁它。通过烧毁桥梁，这支军队可以防止其敌人利用它。然而，这支军队同时也断了自己的退路。烧毁桥梁会让这支军队暴露在攻击之下。

The expression“burning your bridges1” means to act in a way that destroys any chance of returning to the way things were. When you burn your bridges， there is no going back.

“烧毁桥梁”的意思是自断退路。当你烧毁了桥梁，你也就没有退路可走了。

Lets put this expression in the workplace. You decide to take a new job. Now， you must tell your boss you are leaving your current job. During that conversation you tell him how much you hated your job， how much you hated working for him and how glad you are to leave finally. You have just burned your bridge. You have destroyed your relationship with that boss. If things do not work out with your new job， there is no way on earth your old boss will take you back.

让我们把这个表达用于工作场所中。你决定换一份新的工作。现在，你必须告诉老板你要辞去你现在的工作。在谈话中，你告诉他你有多么讨厌你的工作，你有多么厌烦为他卖命，你有多么高兴你终于可以离开了。你这就是断了自己的后路。你已经毁掉了你和老板之间的关系。如果你的新工作不太顺利，你原来的老板也不可能重新用你。

This brings us to another common expression using bridge — “I will cross that bridge when I come to it.2” This expression means to not worry about a future problem， but rather deal with it when it happens.

由此我们来谈谈另一句涉及“桥”一词的常用表达——“船到桥头自然直”。这个表达的意思是不要担心将来的问题，到了事情发生时再解决它。

When it comes to dealing with the problem of quitting the job， some people certainly crossed that bridge when they come to it. And some burnt it to the ground. In fact， people now mix these two expressions in a joking way. They say， “Ill burn that bridge when I come to it.”

在处理辞职的问题时，有些人肯定是船到桥头自然直，而有些人则是破釜沉舟。实际上，人们常常用戏谑的方式将这两种表达混用。他们会说，“船到桥头，我自会破釜沉舟。”

Now， lets pay attention to the meanings of the expressions using the word “bridge”！

让我们一起来看看使用了“桥”一词的表达方式的意思吧！

1. burn ones bridge 自断退路；破釜沉舟

2. I will cross that bridge when I come to it. 船到桥头自然直。