美国习惯用语 | acid test

我有个朋友,做得一手好菜,每次朋友聚会她都专门负责掌勺。现在她考虑自己开饭馆,不过她做事很谨慎,想先试试自己有没有这个本事。这让我想到一个习惯用语:acid test。

acid test意思是“关键性的测试”。我朋友厨艺不凡,但开饭馆可不是厨艺好就行,她决定先承办一些公司或家庭宴会,看看自己有没有本事提供全套服务。

这对她开饭馆的计划来说,就是关键性的测试。这种测试在商业中常见,比如下面这个公司:

  • This company has been conducting surveys about their new product ideas. One of them is for an umbrella with a battery-operated light in its handle. Respondents expressed interest in keeping dry while being able to see where they're going in the dark. But would they actually buy such an invention? That would be the acid test.
    这个公司一直在对一些新的产品理念进行调研。一个理念是在雨伞把儿上安装用电池的灯。受访者都说,他们愿意打伞时一举两得,即不被雨淋湿,又能在黑夜里看到路。不过,他们会不会掏钱买这种新产品呢?那将是具有决定性的关键问题。

看来,对消费者心理的初期调研并不是那么重要,关键是要看产品预售的情况。如果卖得好,公司就会大规模生产和宣传,否则,这个产品理念就只能是空中楼阁。

在下面这段话中,一位政客的影响力将受到考验。

  • Representative Miller has been talking about stopping immigrants from working in the city. Those views have clearly helped her gain the support of conservative voters. Yet next week's primary election will be her acid test. That's when we'll find out whether she can appeal to enough independent voters to become her party's candidate for mayor.
    市议员米勒一直大谈不让移民进入本市工作。很显然,这种观点帮她赢得了保守派选民的支持。不过,下周的初选将是她政治前途的关键风向标。到时候,我们就能看出她是否能赢得足够独立选民的支持,代表她所在的政党去竞选市长。

acid test原本的意思是酸性测试。在19世纪中期,美国兴起淘金热。淘金者在找到酷似黄金的金属后,就会拿酸性物质来测试一下,看看别是铁或铜。所以,acid test后来就被引伸为“关键性测试”。