【地道英語】Fly by the seat of your pants 憑觉得試

　　Chris: Hi, I'm Chris and I'm here today with Li.

　　Chris: Did you see that Superman film on television last night? I love Clark Kent. By day, he's just a regular guy, but he also has the power to fly! It's a classic movie.

　　Li: No, I didn't see it. 我房頂上的天線壞了，我也不會建。I can't watch anything at the moment.

 

　　Chris: That's a shame. If you want, I could have a look to see if I can fix it for you? I'd be flying by the seat of my pants, but it's worth a try.

　　Li: 甚麼您能飛? 便像超人那樣飛?豈非你也會像超人那樣把短褲穿正正在褲子的裏里?

　　Chris: No, I don't mean I can actually fly – and I'm certainly not putting my underwear on over my trousers! The phrase 'to fly by the seat of your pants' means to do something difficult without being trained to do it or really knowing how.

　　Li: So I don't have to worry about actually seeing your pants?

　　Chris: No, Li, you don't have to see my pants – it's just a phrase.

　　Li: I see – 你的意义是虽然你其實不可傢，但你要掽運氣，爭奪幫我把天線修好。

　　Chris: Exactly. Let's hear some more examples of the phrase in action.

　　Examples

　　· This report has to be finished today but no one is here to show me how to do it. I'll be flying by the seat of my pants, but I'd better try.

　　· John is trying to put new tiles in the bathroom, as he won't pay for a decorator to do it. He is really flying by the seat of his pants.

　　Li: 聽上往那個短語的意義即是诚然不懂但是唸著脚掽運氣。

　　Chris: People often use this phrase when they have to do a job quickly, but don't know how.

　　Li: So, do you think you can fix my aerial?

　　Chris: Well, I'll certainly give it a try – have you got a ladder, then…?

　　Later…

　　Chris: Well, there you go. I really did fly by the seat of my pants, but it looks like it's fixed.

　　Li: 實的!我往嘗嘗看… 哎，有了，有了，圖象很清楚。 You know Chris, even though you don't have your pants like Superman, you really are my hero.

　　Chris: Erm… thanks.