时间的流逝是谁也阻挡不了的~就连老外也一样！昨天我们学院以前的老教授回来给做讲座，猛一看差点儿没认出来......头发白了，背也驼了，走路也慢了......看到这一幕，外教 Tony 不禁感慨了一句：“How time flies, he seemed like a shadow of his former self.”

唉，伤感归伤感，英语还是得接着学呀。今天咱们就来说一下这个"某人看上去大不如前了"怎么说吧，就是刚才 Tony 说的那个短语"be a shadow of one's former self"，直译就是“成了自己从前的影子”，引申的含义就是“某人的状态每况愈下、今非昔比、江河日下”，所以 Tony 刚才所说的意思是“真是时光飞逝呀，他看上去已经大不如前了。”

be a shadow of one's former self

（健康、力量或影响）不如从前；江河日下；大不如前；每况愈下；今不如昔；今非昔比

【En】If you say that someone is a shadow of their former self, you mean that they are much less strong or capable than they used to be. 如果你说某人是他们自己以前的影子，你的意思是他们没有以前那么强大或有能力。To have less health or strength, or less influence, than you did before. 不如从前的健康、力量或影响力。To be weaker, less powerful, or worse than you were before. 变得比以前更弱，更不强壮，更糟糕。To be weaker or inferior in comparison to how someone or something was previously, often due to negative circumstances. 与某人或某事之前相比，变得更弱或更差，通常是由于消极的环境。

【Scenario Listening 场景听力】

● Johnson returned to the track after his ban but was a shadow of his former self.

约翰逊在被禁赛后重返赛场，但他的状态已然不如从前了。

● Lennox seemed like a shadow of his former self.

伦诺克斯看上去大不如前了。

【Scenario Example 场景示例】

● Following years of heavy losses, the company is only a shadow of its former self.

经过多年的严重亏损，这家公司的影响力已今非昔比了。

● He came home from hospital cured of the disease but a shadow of his former self.

他病愈出院回家，但身体已大不如从前。

● After suffering from a prolonged illness, Sharon was a shadow of her former self.

在长期的病痛折磨之后，沙伦的身体每况愈下。

● This town is a shadow of its former self after so many of its residents have moved away.

这么多居民搬走后，这个城镇的情况已然今非昔比了。

● He'd been ill for some time, and he looked a shadow of his former self.

他已经病了好长一段时间了，看上去已大不如从前了。

● The old house, which had once been so full of life, was now just a shadow of its former self.

那所曾经充满生气的老房子，现在已变得毫无生气。

● She used to be a great player, but now she's only a shadow of her former self.

她以前是个运动健将, 现在已不及当年了.

● After his illness he was only a shadow of his former self.

他得病后瘦弱得不像人样。