carrot and stick 胡萝卜加强棒;软硬两手
骡子一般被觉得是极其顽固的动物,可即便是骡子,只须在它前面吊上胡萝卜(carrot),同时在后面用棍棒(stick)抽打,骡子也必然会往前走。因此carrot and stick常被用来比喻软硬两手,有时也作the carrot and the stick。丘吉尔(Sir Winston Churchill,1874~1965)过去在1943年会见记者时用过这一比喻:We shall operate on the Italian donkey at both ends, with a carrot and with a stick.(大家将用胡萝卜加强棒使这头意大利蠢驴听话。)
forbidden fruit 禁果;欢乐(尤指男女偷欢)
源于《圣经创世记》惟有园当中那棵树上的果子,上帝曾说,你们不可吃,也不可摸,免得你们死。(But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.)有如此一句谚语:Forbidden fruit is sweet.(Proverb)(谚)禁果最甜。