對于提槍上陣的考生來講，高考確實令他們緊張異常；但對考生的父母來講，高考怎能用一個“緊張”來簡單形容？他們的緊張里有焦慮、有期望、更有溢于言表的關切和厚愛。他們得考慮孩子的飲食、孩子的乘車路線，甚至是孩子打的的車牌號……

請看《中國日報》相關報道：College entrance exam is often likened to thousands of people and horses trying to cross a narrow footbridge.

Concerned parents will have taken time off work to cook for their children. They'll have mapped out the route to the exam hall, booked hotel rooms nearby and looked out cabs with lucky number plates.

報道中的plate就是我們日常所見的“車牌”。如果您想強調“帶有車牌號的車牌”，可在plate前面加上number；而如果您言談的重心是在“車牌號”上，則可表達為plate number。例如：The car, with the plate number W856RKX, has fled the scene after running into the poor old man.（車牌號為W856RKX的肇事車輛撞了那位可憐的老人后從現場逃跑。）

另外，再介紹兩個與plate相關的詞組：put up one's plate指的是“醫生掛牌行醫”；而hand/give sb. sth. on a plate則是指“爽快地給某人東西”，如：You can't expect people to give you all the answers on a plate.（你不要指望別人會把答案順順當當地向你和盤托出。）


(英語點津陳蓓編輯）