名人教英文：既然没有，就只能将就
to go without
既然没有，就只能将就
sarah: mom, why isn't there an apple in my lunchbox today?
莎拉﹕妈妈，今天我的午餐盒里怎么没有苹果？
mother: i didn't have time to go to the supermarket yesterday.
母亲﹕我昨天没空上超级市场买。
sarah: but i really like my apple to finish off my lunch.
莎拉﹕但我很想饭后吃个苹果。
mother: i know, i'm sorry but i'll be going shopping later today and i'll get some more then.
母亲﹕我知道，对不起。今天我会去买东西，到时会买些苹果回来。
sarah: but i want an apple now.
莎拉﹕但我现在想吃苹果。
mother: i said i'm sorry but you'll just have to go without today.
母亲﹕我说过啦，对不起，你今天只能将就一下。
sarah: it's not fair.
莎拉﹕那不公道。
mother: life isn't meant to be fair.
母亲﹕人生是不公道的啊。
莎拉说﹕i really like my apple to finish off my lunch。这一句可以改写如下﹕i really like to finish off my lunch with an apple。finish off (with) 也作finish up (with)，指「（以）……结束」，例如﹕the magician finished off / up his performance with a trick in which he sawed his beautiful assistant in half（魔术师表演的最后戏法，是把美丽的助手锯成两半）。
有时，finish off或finish up是指「吃光」或「喝光」，例如﹕(1) finish off / up your lunch before you go out to play（你须先把午饭吃完，才可以到外边玩耍）。(2) he finished off / up the rest of the wine in one gulp（他把余下的酒一口喝光了）。
莎拉的母亲告诉她说，今天没苹果吃了﹕you'll just have to go without today。to go without something是「没有某些东西，只能将就」的意思，也作to do without something，那without之后通常要有受词（object），例如﹕(1) stranded on the desert island, the sailor went / did without food for several days（那水手困在荒岛上，几天没有东西吃）。(2) i have too much work, so i'll have to go / do without sleep tonight（我有很多工作要做，今晚只能不睡觉）。莎拉母亲那一句，由于承接前文，而前文已有an apple二字，所以go without之后，就把这受词略去。
最后不妨一谈的，是吃早、午、晚餐，英文可说to eat breakfast / lunch / dinner。有些人以为那是「中式英文」，以为必须说to have breakfast / lunch / dinner，那是知其一不知其二。