文／Dr.J.J.

有些事情不是不可能做到，而是難度實在太高，就好像在一堆乾草堆（Haystack）裡要去找一根針（a needle），困難度之高足以想見！

有趣的是，雖然中文裡有「大海撈針」這句成語，然而在英文卻是用乾草堆（haystack）來傳達同樣的概念。因此，若不想太直接的告訴對方「100％不可能」，但又想要表達出那幾乎如登天般困難的狀況時，就可以用〞looking for a needle in a haystack!〞這句話了。

Linda：I noticed that you’ve been sighing and frowning all day today. What’s the matter?

Linda：我注意到你今兒個一整天又是嘆氣，又是皺眉頭的。怎麼回事啊？

Jenny：Because I’m really struggling with this task.

Jenny：因為這個任務真的好難。

Linda：You mean like finding your Mr. Right before Christmas?

Linda：你是指要在聖誕節前找到你的白馬王子嗎？

Jenny：Ha ha, very funny but hey, I’m really not in the mood.

Jenny：哈哈，很好笑，可是我現在真的沒心情搞笑啦。

Linda：I’m sorry. I just wanted to cheer you up a little bit.

Linda：對不起啦。我只是想讓你開心一點。

Jenny：I’d appreciate even more if you could help me get this done.

Jenny：要是你能幫我一起完成這個任務，我會更感激。

Linda：Do tell me more and let’s get it done together.

Linda：多告訴我一點，然後我們一起把它完成。

Jenny：Actually, it’s not that hard. We just need to interview some people who are from the Fortune’s top 100 companies, and these people need to be the key decision makers for purchasing their office operating systems. Besides, they should have visited all the 3 major Trade Fairs last year.

Jenny：事實上也沒那麼難啦。我們只是必須要訪問幾個在財富雜誌列出的全球百大企業工作，負責採購辦公室作業系統的主要決策者，除此之外，這些人必須都曾經參加過去年的三大商展。

Linda：But this is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Linda：但這好比大海撈針一樣難呢。

自由時報-971203

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