可以幫我翻譯 ”兩手準備”

當你提醒人要有兩手準備時, 意思是 (1) 只想大概叫人小心一點, 好好預備; 或 (2) 想具體叫人不可只按一個原定計劃處事, 更要有後備方案呢?

如果你的意思是前者, 說 be well-prepared, 或另一位回答者所建議的也可接受 (Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. 做事要作最好準備, 但心態上也要作最壞打算)

但如果是後者, 你便是提醒人要有 backup plan 了. 請參考以下一段文字, 上述兩個意思也包含的 (摘錄自外國人寫的網頁資料):

... The best tips on public speaking any speaker can give you are that you need to be well prepared in advance and you need to try to eliminate unpredictable outcomes as much as you can. When something happens while you are on stage that you really didn't expect, you need to have a back-up plan or else you'll freeze and you'll loose your train of thought. Nothing can replace practice and preparation. The following public speaking techniques to preparing yourself will drill these points even further.

http://www.eioba.com/a42950/overcome_your_fear_of_public_speaking_by_being_well_prepared


2008-03-01 18:20:29 補充：
(Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. 做事要作最好準備, 但心態上也要作最壞打算 -- 即預期有可能事與願違的, 免希望越大, 失望越大)

2008-03-01 18:28:29 補充：
另一例子:

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/10/25/are-you-prepared-for-a-worst-case-blogging-scenario/

2008-03-02 15:51:06 補充：
話口未完, 秋官沒有 back-up plans, 在追思會中, 眾目睽睽之下失言了!

Both kinds of preparation

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Get prepared
is the simplest way to express 兩手準備 in English.

e.g. They get prepared for the examination. 他們為考試作好準備