Play Russian Roulette——拿自己的命來玩

** engage in a potentially fatal undertaking（從事潛在致命的任務）

~~玩俄羅斯輪盤賭博；拿自己的命來玩；孤注一擲；冒一切風險；以生命為賭注；與死亡擲骰子

~~ run a risk; take a chance; push one's luck; go out on a limb; play a dangerous game; live dangerously; risk it all; dice with death; gamble with one's life

!! This metaphor refers to a game played by Russian Army officers at the court of the Czar in World War I. Each foolhardy fellow used a revolver containing one bullet, spun the cylinder, aimed at his own temple, and pulled the trigger. Since the cylinder contained six chambers there was one chance in six that he could kill himself, a game of fatalism.

這個隱喻指的是第一次世界大戰中俄羅斯陸軍軍官在沙皇宮廷玩的遊戲。每個魯莽的傢伙都用一把只有一顆子彈的左輪手槍，旋轉圓筒，瞄準他自己的太陽穴，拉動扳機。由於圓筒含有六個腔室，因此六次中有一次機會可以殺死自己，這是一種致命的遊戲。

!! The word roulette (pistol chamber) in Russian roulette is analogous to the spinning wheel in casinos where bettors try to guess the “hole” where the little ball will stop at.

俄羅斯輪盤中的輪盤（手槍腔室）類似賭場的旋轉輪，投注者試圖猜測小球會停在哪個“洞”裡。

>> A very effective means to exact information out of a prisoner is to let him play Russian roulette without a real bullet. He'll succumb quickly.

有一種非常有效的方法可從囚犯那裡獲取信息，就是讓他在沒有真正子彈的情況下玩俄羅斯輪盤賭，他很快就會屈服。

>> In the days of selfie, taking pictures at a precipice is playing Russian roulette.

在自拍照的時代，在懸崖邊拍照就是拿自己的命來玩。

學勤進修教育中心英語專科導師

李啟文 教 授