- pass the mustard
- pass muster
- cut the mustard
意思是把芥末傳給我，重視餐桌禮儀的人會講這句話
但是有另外一種片語叫做 pass muster，它的意思就完全不一樣，muster是個軍中的用語，指的是召集士兵集合，接受檢查，如果你 pass muster就表示你過關，通過檢查。所以pass muster這個片語就表示符合要求，符合標準。
例句：
The new boss is noted for his severity. Any clerk who does not work hard can't expect to pass muster.新來的老板以嚴格出名，不努力的職員休想能讓他滿意。
They passed muster with the sentries.
他們通過了哨兵們的檢查。
Does the new manager pass muster?
新的經理還過得去嗎?
另外還有一個片語cut the mustard，意思又不一樣了，指的是令人滿意的表現，原則上這個片語較常用在否定句，比如說某人的表現 does not cut the mustard。就是某人的表現令人不滿意。
例句：
The manager thinks Mr. Leman just can cut the mustard.
經理認為Leman正好能勝任。
The boss fired him because he couldn't cut the mustard.
老板炒了他的魷魚, 因為他的工作表現不佳。
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新概念第二冊第三課
Lesson 3 Please send me a card 請給我寄一張明信片
英語中有些動詞可以帶兩個受詞(賓語)， 這些動詞大多具有“給與”的含義。如課文中第3行的句子“He lent me a book”中，動詞lent後面帶有表示動作結果的直接受詞(a book)和表示動作目標的間接受詞(me)。間接受詞在大多數情况下置于直接受詞之前，如果間接受詞在後，間接受詞前必須加“to’，(表示動作對什麽人而做)或“for” (表示動作為什麽人而做)，因此，課文中的句子也可以改寫成：He lent a book to me．
注意以下例句。 Instead of saying: We can say:
除了這種表述方法外：
He lent me a book.
He sent me a card.
He passed me the salt.
She bought me a tie.
She made me a cake.
還可以説：
He lent a book to me.
He sent a card to me.
He passed the salt to me.
She bought a tie for me.
She made a cake for me.
Exercise 練習
Write each of the following sentences in a different way:
改寫下列句子：
1 He paid the shopkeeper some money.
2 He handed me the prize.
3 The waiter brought a bottle of beer to the man.
4 He sold all his books to me.
5 The shop assistant found some curtain material for me.
6 He did me a big favour.
7 She showed her husband her new hat.
8 She promised a reward to the finder.
9 He gave his son some advice.
10 His uncle left him some money.
11 He is teaching English to us.
12 I bought this bunch of flowers for you.
13 Bring that book to me please.
14 He offered me a cigarette.
15 Read me the first paragraph.
16 I've ordered some soup for you.
17 I owe him a lot of money.
18 Pass the mustard to your father.
