地道英语

A million to one几乎不可能

内容简介

表达 “a million to one” 的字面意思是 “一百万分之一”。如果说一件事情发生的可能性是 “a million to one”，那么我们可能就不能对这件事情抱太大的希望。听节目，学习这个表达在日常英语交流中的用法。

文字稿

（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Beth
Welcome to Authentic Real English. I'm Beth.

Feifei
大家好，我是菲菲。

Beth
We have an expression that describes a very tiny chance of something happening. The phrase is 'a million to one'.

Feifei
“A million to one”，一百万分之一。Let's talk about how we use it.

Beth
Well, I've entered a baking competition. I really hope I get into the finals, but I'm not feeling confident – especially because I'm not very good! The chance is a million to one!

Feifei
A million people haven't actually entered the competition, but Beth says 'a million to one' because she feels her chance isn't very high. Beth 说她赢得烘焙比赛的可能性是 “a million to one”。她用 “a million to one” 夸张地表达了她赢取比赛的机会 “微乎其微，可能性极小”。

Beth
Yes. It's an exaggeration. I think the chance is extremely unlikely.

Feifei
Well, I hope you hear back soon. Maybe you could bring a cake in for us to try…

Beth
I can, but you'll have to get in quickly. It's a million to one that Neil and Phil will not have eaten it all before you even get near it! You know how much they love cake!

Feifei
True. It's almost certain they'll eat it before I even see it! Greedy.

Beth
Let's listen to some more examples.

Examples
Charlotte being on time is a million to one. You know she's always late.

They say that the chances of this software failing are a million to one – almost impossible.

It's a million to one that I'll win the lottery, but it doesn't stop me entering each week!

Feifei
你正在收听的是 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。以上我们给大家介绍了表达 “a million to one” 的意思和用法。在日常交流中，我们可以用 “a million to one” 来表达某事 “极不可能发生” 或 “基本可以确定某人会不会做某事”。

Beth
Now, this phrase looks similar to another phrase – 'one in a million'. They can have the exact same meaning, can't they?

Feifei
是的，表达 “one in a million” 和 “a million to one” 都可以用来表示 “某事发生的可能性是极小的”。但 “one in a million” 还可以指 “百里挑一，十分出众的人或物”。Can you bring a cake in tomorrow? You'll be one in a million if you do!

Beth
Well, when you put it like that… I might! See you next time.

Feifei
Bye-bye!