4．7 Compare and Analyze比较与分析
After a long wait，the doctor called me into the office．I waited for him to ask me what was wrong．After a few minutes，he said ，“What＇s the matter，①the cat＇s got your tongue?”
“No，”I said．“I haven＇t been feeling well lately．I don＇t have a cat，and my tongue is fine．I have a sore throat and my knee hurts．”
“I was only②pulling your leg，”said Dr．Ruby．“I ＇m③all thumbs when it comes to jokes．”
“If you were standing over there，”I said，“how could you have pulled my leg？Anyway，my knee hurts; please don＇t pull my leg．And your hand looks fine to me，”I continued．“I see ten fingers，not all thumbs．”
“Oh，④what a pain in the neck，”said Dr．Ruby．“This patient is really⑤bullheaded．”
I answered ，“Is that why I have a pain in the neck，because it＇s turning into a bull？I thought the pain was from the sore throat．”
“You ＇re giving me a pain in the neck，”shouted Dr．Ruby．“Do you⑥have a chip on my shoulder or something？Just laugh!”
“I don ＇t have a chip on my shoulder．Nothing is broken．I told you I have a sore throat and a pain in my knee．”
“My knee only hurts when dance，” said the doctor．“That＇s because I⑦have two left feet ．”
“Your feet look all right to me，” I answered．Dr．Ruby shook his head and left the room．
“Is Dr．Ruby speaking English?” I murmured．“I can＇t understand anything he says．What a dumb doctor!”
As I said“dumb doctor” ，Dr．Ruby entered the room．
“You⑧put your foot in your mouth this time，young man!”he said．
“But I can＇t put my foot in my mouth because my knee hurts!”
Before I knew it，the doctor told me to get dressed，go home，buy some medicine，and stay in bed for two days．As he wrote his bill，he said ，“Just⑨keep your nose to the grindstone，learn some English，and you＇ll get by，even if it＇s only⑩by the skin of your teeth．”
As I left，I saw the doctor trying to pull his hair out．
等了许久之后，医生让我进了诊断室。我等他给我看病，过了一会儿，他问道: “怎么了，①为什么不讲话?”
“不是的，”我说，“最近感觉不舒服。我没有养猫，舌头也没有毛病。我的嗓子发炎，膝盖有点痛。”
“我只是②和你开玩笑，”鲁比大夫说，“我③笨得连玩笑都不会开了。”
“你站在那边，怎么能扯到我的腿呢?我的膝盖倒是伤了，千万别扯我的腿。”我继续说道: “你的手没事嘛，10个指头很正常，不全是大拇指呀。”
“哎呀，④讨厌的家伙。”鲁比说，“这个病人真是⑤顽固。”
我回答说: “我的脖子痛是因为撞到牛了?我想我是嗓子疼。”
“真让人讨厌。”鲁比大夫吼道，“你是不是⑥成心找不愉快?真是可笑!”
“我的肩膀没有屑片，没有骨折。我说了我的嗓子发炎，膝盖痛。”
“跳舞时我的膝盖才痛，”鲁比大夫说，“那是因为我⑦笨手笨脚。”
“你的腿看上去很好呀。”我回答道。鲁比大夫摇摇头离开了房间。
“鲁比大夫讲的是英语吗?”我嘟囔着，“我没法理解他的话。真是个蠢医生!”
在我说“蠢医生”的当儿，鲁比大夫走了进来。
“这回你可⑧讲坏话了，年轻人!”他说。
“可我没法把脚放在嘴里，我的膝盖有伤!”
我还没有明白是怎么回事，这名大夫就让我穿衣服回家，买一些药，在家休息两天。在写处方时，他说: “⑨刻苦学习吧，掌握了英语你就会明白的，只有这样⑩才行(会成功)。”
我离开的时候，我看见那位大夫生气地撕扯着头发。
Notes:
①“The cat＇s got your tongue”means“you＇re very quiet”or“you don＇t speak” ．
②“Pulling one＇s leg”means“joking or teasing” ．
③“To be all thumbs”means“to be clumsy or to be bad at doing something” ．
④“What a pain in the neck”is a slang，which refers to a feeling of annoyance or displeasure．
⑤The conceptual meaning of“bullheaded”seems to be literally related to a bull，but actually it has nothing to do with it．
⑥“Have a chip on my shoulder”means“to have an angry attitude” ．
⑦“Have two left feet”means“to be clumsy or not graceful” ．
⑧“Put your foot in your mouth”means“to say something embarrassing” ．
⑨“Keep your nose to the grindstone”means“continue working hard” ．
⑩“By the skin of your teeth”means“just make it” ．
This is a conversation between a doctor whose tongue is English，and a foreign student who is not familiar with English idiomatic phrases．Apparently，the foreign student ＇s trouble is caused by the idiomatic phrases listed above．He interprets them literally while the relationship between idioms and their meaning is arbitrary．