第一, 迷你对话
A: Many people don’t like to talk with Mark.
很多人不喜欢和Mark说话。
B: Have you noticed that? I dislike him, either.
你已经注意到了,我也不喜欢他。
A: Can you tell me why?
你能说说原因吗?
B: He always makes merry at another’s expense.
他总是以取笑别人为乐。
第二, 地道表达
make merry at one’s expense
1. 解词释义
Make merry at one’s expense的意思是“以别人的损失为乐”,引申为“以取笑别人为乐”。其中, at one’s expense是习语,意为“嘲弄某人”,“使某人受精神损失”,make merry的意思是“取乐,作乐,尽情玩乐”。
2. 拓展范例
e.g. She was always making merry at his boyfriend’s expense, so his boyfriend broke up with her at last.
她总是以取笑他男友为乐,所以最后他男友和他分手了。
第三, 咬文嚼字
make merry:取乐,作乐,尽情玩乐
e.g. When he's free, he usually goes to the bar to make merry.
他休息时通常去酒巴作乐。
e.g. Nana was struck, and did her best to make merry about it.
这很叫娜娜触目,她尽量在那里欣赏。
e.g. On the first of May every year, the villagers would make merry in the village ,dancing, singing and drinking.
每年5月1日,村民们都在村子里行乐:跳舞,唱歌,饮酒。
at one’s expense: 嘲弄某人,使某人受精神损失
e.g. They have a good laugh at his expense.
他们嘲笑他。
e.g. He attained his goal at the expense of others.
他牺牲别人来达到自己的目的。