The devil wears Prada 《时尚女魔头》（四）

Andy: Hi.

Nigel: Hi. All right. Turn around, darling.

Andy: Oh, I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. The piece is called "urban jungle", right?

Nigel: Yes, the modern woman unleashes the animal within to take on the big city. Good. Go. Sometimes I can't believe I talk about this crap all day. Bobby, come here.

Andy: Oh, thank you. Thank you.

Nigel: Let me see. Make sure Miranda gets these as soon as possible.

Andy: Mm-hmm.

Nigel: And tell her I switched in the Dior for the Rocha.

Andy: Oh, great. Can't wait.

Nigel: Excuse me. Can we adjust the attitude?

Andy: I'm sorry.

Nigel: Don't make me feed you to one of the models.

Andy: Sorry. It's a busy day. My personal life is hanging by a thread, that's all.

Nigel: Oh, join the club. That's what happens when you start doing well at work, darling. Let me know when your whole life goes up in smoke. That means it's time for a promotion.

妙语佳句，活学活用

1. Take on

Take on 常用的意思有下面几种：

1) Undertake or begin to deal with，例如：I took on new responsibilities.

2) Hire, engage，例如：We take on extra workers during the busy season.

3) Oppose in competition，例如：This young wrestler was willing to take on all comers.

4) Acquire as, or as if, one's own, 例如：He took on the look of a prosperous banker.

5) Display strong emotion, 例如：Don't take on so.

在本段中，take on使用的是第三种意思，意思是"这套时装设计是表示现代女性们用野性来对抗城市的禁锢"。

2. Hang by a thread

这个片语也写作hang by a hair，意思是"depend on a small thing or be at risk"，例如：
His life now hangs by a thread. 他命悬一线。

这个表达来自一个关于Damocles的传说。Damocles是Syracuse国王Dionysius的一个大臣。国王厌烦了Damocles的阿谀奉承，邀请他前来赴宴，并让他坐在仅用一根头发悬吊的利剑下面，来警示他所处地位的危险。Damocles' sword 也成为一个表达，表示"即将到来的危险"，例如：The likelihood of lay-offs has been a sword of Damocles over the department for months. 部门可能要裁员的消息让这几个月来每个人都提心吊胆。

3. go up in smoke

想象一下，如果一个东西go up in smoke 会怎么样呢？这个东西就被完全毁坏了。Go up in smoke 的意思就是"To be utterly destroyed (by fire)"，它既指某物被火完全毁坏，例如：The whole house went up in smoke. 也可以引申为"某事被彻底破坏"，例如：All his plans have gone up in smoke.

这个表达也写做go up in flames。