A million to one 幾乎不可能

內容簡介

表達 “a million to one” 的字面意思是 “一百萬分之一”。如果說一件事情發生的可能性是 “a million to one”，那麼我們可能就不能對這件事情抱太大的希望。聽節目，學習這個表達在日常英語交流中的用法。

文字稿

（關於臺詞的備註: 請註意這不是廣播節目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能沒有體現錄制、編輯過程中對節目做出的改變。）

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

Feifei
大傢好，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”，一百萬分之一。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 說她贏得烘焙比賽的可能性是 “a million to one”。她用 “a million to one” 誇張地表達瞭她贏取比賽的機會 “微乎其微，可能性極小”。

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
你正在收聽的是 AYYBLOG英語教學的 “地道英語” 節目。以上我們給大傢介紹瞭表達 “a million to one” 的意思和用法。在日常交流中，我們可以用 “a million to one” 來表達某事 “極不可能發生” 或 “基本可以確定某人會不會做某事”。

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，表達 “one in a million” 和 “a million to one” 都可以用來表示 “某事發生的可能性是極小的”。但 “one in a million” 還可以指 “百裡挑一，十分出眾的人或物”。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!