在胸口画十字
Crossing Your Heart
 
　　美国人在胸口画十字是为了表示一定会实现诺言或誓言。在胸口画十字这一手势可追溯到画十字这一宗教传统。现在罗马天主教和东正教的教会里仍然在沿用这一传统。人们相信借助这一宗教传统的力量，在胸口画十字可以使自己免遭厄运，并且也证实自己的誓言是虔诚的。因此有这么一句圣言警句：“我发誓，我宁愿不得好死”，也就是说，如果违背誓言的话。来源：考试大
 
　　Americans cross their hearts to seal promises or pledges. Crossing the heart goes back to the religious tradition of crossing oneself, which still exists in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. It is believed that the gesture provides protection against bad luck by invoking the power of this religious tradition, and thus attests that the speaker's pledge is in earnest. Hence, the solemn caution:" Cross my heart and hope to die,"  that is, if the pledge proves to be false.

小贴士

pledge: 誓言来源：考试大

E.G: give a pledge never to reveal the secret
保证决不泄密

Roman Catholic: 罗马天主教来源：考试大
Orthodox: 东正教来源：考试大

attest: 做为或提供某事物的明证

E.G: His handling of the crisis attested to his strength of character.
他对危机的处理证明了他性格坚强来源：考试大

earnest: 认真的, 坚决的来源：考试大

solemn: 庄重的, 正式的

caution: 警告来源：考试大

 E.G: let sb off with a caution