Case: In a CCTV quiz program hosted by 王小丫 , an American guest who could speak some Chinese was to choose the correct meaning of 终身大事 from the following four choices: 工作,事业,婚姻, 生死 . Although he fully understood the literary meaning of his term(the most important thing in one’s life) he didn’t work out the meaning we Chinese attach to it until the host gave him some hint. Q uestion: Why did he have difficulty figuring out the implied meaning?