下面我们要讲的两个习惯用语都和back有关。首先我们要讲的是：to turn one's back on someone。从字面上解释，这是把自己的背对着某人。可是，实际上这是指根本不理会某人，或不肯给那个有困难的人任何帮助。下面这个例子是一个弟弟在抱怨他的哥哥：
例句-1: I won't ever forgive my older brother - he turned his back on me and refused to lend me any money when I lost my job.
这人说：我永远也不会原谅我的大哥。当我失去我的工作的时候，他根本不肯帮忙; 一点钱都不愿意借给我。
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这个哥哥也确实不太讲兄弟之情。不过，这恐怕也不是什么少见的事，有的时候父亲不认孩子的事还有呢。下面的例子就是一个儿子在说他爸爸：
例句-2: My father deserted my mother and me when I was five years old. But I can't turn my back on him now that he's old and sick. So I'm paying the rent for him on a little apartment in Los Angeles.
他说：当我五岁的时候，我爸爸抛弃了我妈妈和我。可是，现在我爸爸又老又病，我可不能不管。我现在在洛杉矶租了一个小公寓套房，我替他付房租。
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下面我们要给大家介绍的一个俗语是：to get on someone's back。To get on someone's back是指对某人唠唠叨叨没完。太太嫌先生不帮忙做家务，先生又嫌太太太唠叨。这个现象可能是没有国界的，哪儿都存在。下面两个例子表达了双方的观点，先听太太的吧：
例句-3: I really don't like to get on Henry's back all the time. But after twenty years, you would think he'd learn to pick up his clothes and hang them in the closet to help me keep the house neat.
太太的话听起来很有理。她说：我实在并不喜欢老是对亨利唠叨。可是，二十年啦，你想他总学会了把自己的衣服拣起来，挂在衣柜里，帮我把屋子弄乾净吧！
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先生倒也承认太太有道理，但是就是......还是让他自己说吧：
例句-4: Helen is always on my back to make me pick up my clothes when I leave them lying around the house. She's right, of course, but I wish she wouldn't get on my back so much.
他说：每次我把衣服随便扔的时候，海伦总是唠唠叨叨，让我把它们拣起来。当然，她是对的。可是，我就是希望她不要那么唠叨个没完。