今天的英语习语里都含有“bird”一词。

　　① a little bird told me

　　字面意思：一只小鸟告诉我的

　　实际意义：小道消息；内部消息

　　例句1-1：

　　A little bird told me that they were going to get married soon

　　小道消息说，他们很快就要结婚了。

　　例句1-2：

　　A: Do you have any plans for this week？

　　B: Well, a little bird told me that there would be a fashion show on the square this week, so I will check it out.

　　A: 你这个周末有什么计划吗？

　　B: 嗯，有人说这个周末广场将举行一场时装秀，我想我要去看一看。

　　★When you say a little bird tells you something, you mean that someone gave you some information, but you don't want to tell who it was.

　　② birds of a feather (flock together)

　　字面意思：长羽毛的鸟儿一起飞

　　实际意义：物以类聚，人以群分;

　　背景知识：feather n. 羽毛；重音在前，发音同“bread”。flock v. 群聚，蜂拥；发音同“lock”。

　　例句2-1：

　　They're birds of a feather - they both like football, snooker and drinking beer.

　　他们两人真是物以类聚，人以群分呀:两人都喜欢踢足球，玩斯诺克和喝啤酒。

　　例句2-2：

　　I'm not surprised they are fris. Birds of a feather flock together.

　　他们是朋友，我一点儿也不惊讶。物以类聚嘛。

　　★If you say some people are birds of a feather, you mean that they have similar interests, tastes or behaviour, and they t to group together.

　　③ the birds and the bees

　　字面意思：小鸟和蜜蜂

　　实际意义：繁殖与生育

　　例句3：

　　Some parents are complaining that it is no good teaching students the birds and the bees at middle school。

　　一些父母开始抱怨，在中学就教授学生们生育繁殖的知识是不明之举。

　　★The birds and the bees is usually used to refer to sex or procreation.

　　④ eat like a bird

　　字面意思：像鸟儿一样吃东西

　　实际意义：吃得很少；吃东西很挑剔

　　例句4-1：

　　You eat like a bird. No wonder you can keep yourself so slim.

　　你吃得如此的少，难怪你能保持身材如此苗条。

　　例句4-2：

　　He eats like a bird, refusing to take a bite of anything new.

　　他吃东西很挑剔，拒绝吃任何没吃过的东西。

　　例句4-3：

　　I never have enough food for my cousin. He eats like a horse.

　　我有再多的食物都不够我的表兄吃。他太能吃了。

　　⑤ give sb. a bird

　　= flip sb. a bird

　　= shoot sb. a bird

　　字面意思：给某人一只鸟

　　实际意义：向某人竖中指

　　例句5-1：

　　What are you giving me a bird for？I didn't see anything insulting.

　　你为什么要向我竖中指？我没有说任何侮辱性的话呀!

　　例句5-2:

　　Michael flipped the cop(policeman) the bird, which was the worst thing he did in his life.

　　Michael向那个条子(警察)竖了中指。这是他一生中最不该做的事情。

　　例句5-3：

　　The policeman flared up after getting the bird that Michael shot him.

　　那个警察在Michael向他树立中指之后勃然大怒。

　　★If someone gives you the bird, they make a rude and offensive gesture with one hand, with their middle finger pointing up and their other fingers bent over in a fist.

　　●其它常见的有关“bird”的习语还有：

　　一石二鸟to kill two birds with one stone

　　早起的鸟儿有虫吃The early bird catches the worm.

　　视野宽广，鸟瞰，俯瞰a bird's view or a bird's-eye view

　　像鸟儿一样的自由as free as a bird