·1. draw lots·
draw /drɔː/ 动词，除了表示 “画画”，它还可以表示to take something out of a container, pocket etc，从容器、口袋等地方把东西取出，抽出，比如说draw a sword /sɔː(r)d/ (拔剑)，注意时态变化draw - drew /druː/ - drawn /drɔː n/。
draw lots固定短语，表示to decide who will do something by taking pieces of paper out of a container，抽纸条来决定谁做某事。
lot在这里是名词，表示a small object used to choose the person who will do or receive something，抽签时用来抽的小物件。
常用结构：
draw lots to see/decide/determine…
draw lots for…
例：Nobody wanted to do the dishes, so we decided to draw lots. I lost again.
没人愿意洗碗，所以我们决定抽签，又抽到我了。
例：At the talent show, the participants drew lots to determine the order of their performances.
才艺表演时，参赛者通过抽签决定表演顺序。
例：At the speech competition, they drew lots to decide who'd go first.
演讲比赛时，他们抽签决定谁先上场。
例：There were only two concert tickets left, so we drew lots to see who would get them.
只剩下两张演唱会门票了，所以我们抽签决定给谁。
例：We drew lots for the two concert tickets.
我们通过抽签来分两张演唱会门票。
·2. draw straws·
straw /strɔː/ 名词，“稻草秆；喝饮料的吸管”。
draw straws就是取几根稻草或者类似稻草的东西，比如说牙签、火柴，长短不一样，握在手上让别人抽，抽到最短的人就要去做某事。draw straws比draw lots更加非正式一点，有点在玩的感觉，常见于美式英语。
常用结构 (和draw lots一样)：
draw straws to see/decide/determine…
draw straws for…
还有一个用于非正式语境的习语：draw/get the short straw，表示someone has been unlucky because they were chosen to do something that no one else wanted to do，某人运气不好，得去做别人都不想做的事，可能是真的抽签抽到了，也可以用作比喻，因为别的什么原因被选上了。
例：We drew straws to see who'd make dinner, and of course, I lost.
我们抽签决定谁做晚饭，果然又抽到我。
例：None of us wanted to be the one to break the news to the boss, so we drew straws. John got the short straw.
我们谁都不想去和老板说这个坏消息，所以我们抽签。约翰抽到了短的那根。break the news to sb，习语，表示to tell someone bad news。
例：We drew straws for who would go and pick up the package.
我们抽签决定谁去取快递。
例：No one in our department wanted to take part in this talent show. I'm only here because I drew the short straw.
我们部门没有人想参加这次才艺表演，我会来参加只是因为运气不好被抽到了。
根据首字母补充单词，文本左滑查看答案：
We d____ l____/s______ to decide who would take out the trash.
我们抽签决定谁去丢垃圾。
My brother d____ t___ s______ s______ and had to clean the bathroom.
我弟弟抽签抽到了，得打扫卫生间。
We drew lots/straws to decide who would take out the trash.
我们抽签决定谁去丢垃圾。
My brother drew the short straw and had to clean the bathroom.
我弟弟抽签抽到了，得打扫卫生间。
往期推荐：
“非黑即白”用英语怎么说？
“保险起见”用英语怎么说？
“整数”用英语怎么说？
“很上镜”用英语怎么说？
推文说明：
这系列推文主要分享那些中文里常说、换成英语就不太会讲的话。每天早晨8点更新。
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