抛招：When they first got to camp, the children were feeling their oats.

初到营地时，孩子们就兴致勃勃。

抛招：I thought I'd be too tired to do anything more than lie about, but I'm beginning to feel my oats already.

我本来感到很累了，就只想随处躺下歇一歇，但是我现在开始有精神了。

接招：在Catherine说到的两句话中，都用到了同一个词语——feel one's oats。它源于一个典故：在18世纪早期，养马的人认为“oats”燕麦是喂马的饲料中能量最高的，那么马吃了燕麦也就活蹦乱跳，精神起来了。因此，在当时feel one's oats是指马吃了饲料后的活跃的行为。后来就引申用到了人身上，用来形容一个人“feel frisky or animated”—— 一个人“精神饱满”“活跃快乐”的状态。时间在不停地走，语言也随着时间的流逝在发展，到了18世纪中叶，feel one's oats就又有了更深一层的意思，用之来形容一个人“display self-importance”——自命不凡，自负，自以为了不起。

接下来，我们就通过下面的例句来熟悉这个习语的意思和用法。我们先听到的3个例句中的feel one's oats是“兴高采烈”“精神饱满”的意思。

1. Two months after he left hospital, John became to feel his oats again.

John出院2个月后，就又感到精力充沛了。

2. A walk in the air will make you feel your oats.

你在新鲜的空气中散步会感到精神爽朗。

3. Your body works best when you have regular hours for sleep. You wake up, feeling your oats when you have regular sleep habits.

你定时睡眠，工作状况最佳。你养成定时睡眠的习惯，早上醒来精神就饱满。

接下来我们听到的3个例句中feel one's oats是自命不凡，自负，自以为了不起的意思。

1. He was feeling his oats, bossing everyone around.

他自己为是，到处使唤人。

2. A person who feels his oats likes to brag about his merits and accomplishments.

自命不凡的人喜欢吹嘘自己的优点和成就。

3. He is a talented writer, but he always feels his oats.

他确实是一个有才华的作家，但是不好的是自以为了不起。

好，亲爱的朋友们，我想今天的教您说“快乐”这一招——feel one's oats，您一定接住了，那么下回Juliet继续教您说“快乐”的招数，Juliet等着您来接招哦，我们下期再会。