an albatross around one's neck｜挥之不去的阴影，无法承受的负担，难以克服的障碍，，让人头痛的问题
albatross, 是信天翁。an albatross around one's neck这个习惯用语来自18世纪英国诗人Taylor Coleridge于1798年发表的名诗歌《老水手之歌》（The Rime of the Ancient Mariner）。诗中叙述一名船员看到一只信天翁飞过他们的船，于是用箭射杀了这只信天翁（一种海鸟），之后就发生一连串光怪陆离的事。其他船员觉得肯定是射杀信天翁的这名船员为这艘船带来厄运，就将这只信天翁的尸体绑在他脖子上以驱除厄运。
之后慢慢形成俚语“an albatross around one's neck”来表示“挥之不去的阴影，无法承受的负担，某人无法逾越的障碍，让人头痛的问题”。请看经典例句：
The mistake will be an albatross her neck forever.
那个错误是她永远挥之不去的阴影。
After buying this house, we heard that this house was hunted, which was an albatross around our neck.
买了这个房子以后，我们才听说房子闹鬼，这成了我们挥之不去的阴影。
Being a son of a major criminal was an albatross around my neck, I don't know if I need to see a psychiatrist or not.
作为一名要犯的儿子，这个身份说我无法克服的障碍，我是否该去看看精神科医生。
My wife and I always dreamed of having a big house, but now that we own one, we find it's an albatross around our necks. We have so much more to furnish, clean and maintain that it's a strain on our time and budget. Frankly, we wish we were back in our old home.
我和我太太一直梦想有一栋大房子，现在我们买了大房子， 但是却发现它是个很大的负担。房子大需要很多家具， 还要做许多清洁和维保工作。 这对我们的时间和预算来说都是压力，我们宁可住在老房子里。
My boss used to wonder why she ever hired Carl. He made so many mistakes early on that he had become a considerable burden. After two months, however, he started to make dramatic improvement and is no longer an albatross around her neck. In fact, he's a real asset.
我的老板以前总是弄不懂她怎么会雇用Carl的。一开始，Carl犯了很多错误，成了公司一大负担。可是两个月后，他开始做出很大的改进，不再是个问题了。事实上，他现在成了公司的骨干。
情景对话：
Rick：Poor Bob，he made such a big mistake that he lost the client.
可怜的鲍勃，他犯了个严重错误，害他失去了这个客户。
Ann：Do you think the boss will fire him？
你想老板会开除他吗？
Rick：No，but I don't think he'll ever get a promotion now.
不会，但我想他最近别妄想升职了。
Ann：You're right. That mistake will be an albatross around his neck forever.
没错。那个错误会是他永远挥之不去的阴影。
