在解釋片語(yǔ)前，先把be動(dòng)詞的形式(form)溫習一下，以便造句時(shí)可按照句子的需要使用不同的時(shí)態(tài)(tense)。以下是verb to be的形式﹕
am, is, are, was, were. (單複數現在式和過(guò)去式)
am being, are being, is being, was being, were being. (單複數現在式和過(guò)去進(jìn)行式)
can be, could be, may be, might be, must be, shall be, should be, will be, would be. (現在和過(guò)去未來(lái)簡(jiǎn)單式)
have been, has been, had been. (現在和過(guò)去完成式)
could have been, may have been, might have been, must have been, shall have been, should have been, will have been, would have been. (這些都是未來(lái)完成式，多半用在假設語(yǔ)態(tài)，與過(guò)去事實(shí)相反時(shí))
(如要了更多的動(dòng)詞形式，可參閱拙著(zhù)「美國實(shí)用英語(yǔ)文法」動(dòng)詞篇。)
下面分別說(shuō)明be動(dòng)詞片語(yǔ)的意義和造句﹕
(1)be動(dòng)詞後面跟名詞或形容詞﹕
to be no (spring) chicken﹕
這是指一個(gè)人不年輕；年紀不小。(no longer a young person)
(也有人把spring省去)
(這句話(huà)對女人或老人，不是恭維語(yǔ))
例如﹕
As Bob is no (spring) chicken, he will slow down from his busy schedule.
Bob 不年輕了，他要從忙碌工作中放鬆一下。
(to slow down 是放慢、輕鬆)
When you reach 60, you will be no spring chicken.
當你達到60歲，你就不年輕了。
Don't treat elders like a piece of dirt；everyone could be no spring chicken.
不要瞧不起老人；每個(gè)人都會(huì )變老。
(to treat someone like a piece of dirt 視某人如草芥；看不起人)
也可以說(shuō)﹕He is not a spring chicken. (但a不能省去)
to be (a) nobody ﹕
指沒(méi)錢(qián)沒(méi)勢的小人物；無(wú)足輕重的人(a person without money, influence or importance)
例如﹕
Although Ed is (a) nobody, he always seems happy.
雖然Ed是位無(wú)名小卒，但他似乎總是高高興興。
(即使nobody和no one 意義相近，但一般不說(shuō)﹕He is no one.)
As a low-key person, Mr. A has always been (a) nobody.
A先生是位低調的人，總把自已當做小人物。
(也不能說(shuō)﹕He has been (a) no one.)
The president of the big company would not have been a nobody.
大公司的總裁，不會(huì )是微不足道的人。
反之，to be (a) somebody
就是重要的人或大人物。
例如﹕
Mr. A is (a) somebody, but Mr. B is (a) nobody.
(也有人把somebody或nobody前的不定冠詞a省去)
(勉強可以說(shuō)﹕He is a somebody = He is a some one; He is not somebody = He is nobody.)
to be nowhere﹕
指對某事表現失敗或毫無(wú)成果 (to exhibit no success or to be a failure at something)
例如﹕
Very few people want to be (a) nobody and nowhere.
很少人要成為無(wú)名小卒和毫無(wú)成果。
If you don't get education, you might be nowhere in the future.
例如你不受教育，你將來(lái)也許毫無(wú)成就。
Without your kind assistance on this project, Mr. B would have been nowhere.
要不是你對這個(gè)計劃的支助，B先生可能毫無(wú)成果。
Mr. A used to be nowhere, but now he works hard to get somewhere.
A先生過(guò)去失敗，但現在十分努力，已有成就。
注意﹕
反義語(yǔ)是to get somewhere, 通常不用 to be somewhere, 可見(jiàn)
to get somewhere = to accomplish something.
to be the order of the day﹕
這是指一種風(fēng)尚或流行；時(shí)常發(fā)生的事 (a trend or something frequently occurs)
例如﹕
The skyrocketing of gas prices, but not salaries, is the order of the day.
汽油價(jià)格而不是薪水的猛漲，是常常發(fā)生的事。
E-mails, not traditional letters, have been the order of the day.
電子訊息而非傳統信件已經(jīng)成為流行。
Many people still enjoy reading (printed) books, hoping that E-books will not be the order of the day.
許多人還是喜歡看印刷的書(shū)，希望電子書(shū)不會(huì )成為時(shí)尚。
to be worth its (或one's) weight in gold﹕
指某人或某物證明非常有用或有價(jià)值 (someone or something prove to be very useful or valuable)
例如﹕
Sometimes an out-of-print book could be worth its weight in gold.
有時(shí)一本絕版的書(shū)是很貴重的。
With good service and loyalty to his company, Mr. A has been worth his weight in gold.
A先生對他公司的熱心服務(wù)和忠心耿耿，是很受器重的。
If I had not given away my ancient vase, it would have been worth its weight in gold.
假如我沒(méi)把古花瓶扔了，那可能很值錢(qián)的。
