Unit 4 Matriculation Fixation Text 1 Para 12 难句解释
But once again, reality has a way of upsetting the worst-laid plans of mice and Mensa.
This phrase is an adaptation or a play-of-word of the famous line “The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go awry” from the poem To a Mouse by Robert Burns. The original line refers to how even the most carefully planned schemes of both mice (representing the smaller creatures) and men (representing humans) can go wrong due to unforeseen circumstances.
That is to say, reality often upsets or disrupts even the most meticulously planned strategies or intentions, not just of common people (“mice”), but also of highly intelligent individuals represented by “Mensa” (a society for people with high IQs).
It highlights the idea that reality doesn’t always conform to our expectations or best-laid plans, no matter our intelligence or preparation.