常用的英语短语和俚语.doc

1、如果形容某人做事的状态是 full steam ahead, 意思就是此人全力以赴, 蓬勃向前。例句We must get this project finished before the presentation tomorrow. Come on, full steam ahead, team!Natalie went full steam ahead with the plans for her wedding.John, Sarah and Michael went full steam ahead in their attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.请注意如果你 let off steam, 那就是说你一股脑地发泄出愤怒和失望情绪，通常以大声喊叫的形式来出气。Im sorry I shouted at you earlier, I was just letting off some steam.今日小常识The London Underground network, often referred to as the Tube, celebrated its 150th anniversary recently. Special events were held across the network, with some lucky passengers being allowed to travel on this steam train, which was built in 1898.伦敦地铁网或通常说的“管道”（the Tube）最近举行了150周年庆典并展开了各种各样的活动。一些幸运乘客还获准坐上了这列1898年制造的蒸汽火车。2、如果说某事是 a long shot, 意思是实现此事的机会不大。例句Im looking for a first edition of Alice in Wonderland for my mothers birthday. I know its a long shot, but do you have one in stock?My favourite football team is in the cup final at the weekend. I think we could win, but its a long shot.We could ask the company to replace your broken smartphone for free. Its a long shot, but its worth trying.请注意另一个短语 a shot in the dark 的意思是猜测。A: How old do you think I am?B: Ill take a shot in the dark and say 40今日小常识There are seven different types of shot in the game of tennis: the serve, forehand, backhand, volley, slice, smash and lob. They are named after the manner in which they are struck or the point in the game at which they are struck.网球运动讲究七种不同的打球方式。它们分别是发球、正手、反手、截击、削球、扣杀和挑高球。上述每个称呼都是依据不同的击球方式或比赛不同阶段的击球方式而命名的。3、英语复合词 sky-high 是形容词，表示达到了极高的程度。例句Train fares have gone sky-high. I spend half my pay just getting to work!The prime ministers popularity was sky-high after he cut taxes for everybody.Id like to buy a house in the city but prices are sky-high.请注意If you say that the sky is the limit, it means that anything is possible.另一个短语是 the sky is the limit, 意思是没有限制，任何可能性都存在。If you have talent and work hard, the sky is the limit.今日小常识Ski jumping originated in Norway in 1809. The first ski jumper, Olaf Rye, travelled 9.5 metres before landing. Ski jumping has been part of the Olympic Winter Games since the first Games in 1924.跳台滑雪起源于1809年的挪威。第一个跳台滑雪运动员 Olaf Rye 在着陆前腾空飞行了9.5米。从1924年的第一届冬奥会开始，跳台滑雪成为了冬奥会始终存在的一门赛项。4、英语短语 on the nose 用来表示准确无误，恰到好处，常用在谈论数字或钱数的语境里。例句A: How much do you think my new TV cost?B: 300?A: Yes, on the nose! It cost 300.A: Your mother must be about 60 years old?B: You got it on the nose. Shes 60. But I dont think she looks that old.请注意另一个短语 to get up your nose 的意思是令人厌烦。既可指人也可指事。Mary is always talking about her wonderful prize-winning dog. To be honest it gets up my nose.It gets up my nose when people play their music loudly on public transport.今日小常识A mahout is someone who keeps and drives elephants for a living. Traditionally, mahouts are paired with elephants when both are at a young age and they grow up together, in many cases forming a lifelong bond.“象夫”就是一个以护理并驱赶驾驭大象为生的人。传统上，象夫与幼象从小搭配结伴，一起长大。多数情况下象夫和大象会结下一生情缘。5、To be on ice 的意思是冷冻，搁置，通常涉及某个决定或计划。换句话说就是暂时不考虑。例句The Middle East peace process may be on ice but its still a priority for many Western leaders.Ive had to put my trip to the Caribbean on ice as I need the money to get my car repaired.请注意另一个短语 to be on thin ice, 意思是如履薄冰，处境困难。John opened a luxury goods shop in 2008. He was on thin ice when the recession started.今日小常识According to the Guinness Book of Records, the lowest temperature recorded in a place where there is a permanent population is the Siberian village of Oymyakon, in Russia, where the temperature reached -68C in 1933 (the coldest ever recorded outside Antarctica).根据吉尼斯世界纪录记载，位于俄罗斯西伯利亚地区名为 Oymyakon 的村庄是世界上有常住人口最冷的地方。1933年这里温度曾跌至零下68摄氏度（南极以外有记录最冷的地方）。6、短语 a leg up on someone 的意思是与他人相比具有优势。例句My grandmother attended a catering course in France last year. Now, when it comes to cooking, she definitely has a leg up on the family.If you study hard, youll have a leg up on the competition when it comes to finding a good job.请注意另一个短语 to pull someones leg 就是开某人玩笑的意思，比如说些完全捏造或不可能的事情。What?! Youve won a million dollars in the lottery? You are pulling my leg!今日小常识According to some authors, cheerleading started around 1877 in the United States, when Princeton University students yelled chants from the stands at games. Nowadays most cheerleaders are women.据某些作者称，美国1877年左右就出现了啦啦队。当时普林斯顿大学的学生们在比赛时站在观众席上大声呐喊口号。如今大多数啦啦队成员都是女性。7、短语 you scratch my back and Ill scratch yours 字面意思是你抓我的背我就抓你的背，用来表示人与人之间的互通有无的互助关系：你帮我一个忙我就帮你一个忙，相互帮助。例句You know, I think we can help each other out here. Ill lend you my car on Friday if you let me borrow your camera for the wedding. You scratch my back and Ill scratch yours.If you could come and fix my radiators that would be really helpful. Ill do that translation exercise for you if you like. You scratch my back and Ill scratch yours.请注意在英语中人们常常用 from scratch 这个短语来表示从头开始或从零开始这一概念。I was writing my essay and forgot to save it. Guess what happened? Yes, the computer crashed and I had to start from scratch. Why does that always happen?!今日小常识Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys, are highly social animals, with a complex set of relationships between each other. Entrance to the thermal hot springs, which can reach over 40 degrees centigrade, depends upon the social position of the monkey. Only the highest-ranking females and their infants are allowed in.日本猕猴，又称“雪猴”，是高度群居动物，相互之间的关系极为复杂。能否或如何进入这个高达摄氏40度的温泉池塘完全取决于猴子的社会地位，只有地位最高的母猴以及幼子们可获准进入温泉泡汤。8、A whole new ball game 意思是一个全新的，不同以往的局面。例句I thought I was good at speaking English in terms of day-to-day conversation. But working as a professional translator is a whole new ball game; I have to be much more accurate.Tom says working as a manager for the first time is a whole new ball game.I used to go jogging every weekend, but running marathons is a whole new ball game.请注意另外一个短语是 to get the ball rolling, 意思是开始、启动什么事情或行动。After a long time planning the project, it feels great to finally get the ball rolling.I really dont exercise enough and want to get fit. If I go to the gym once a week, that should get the ball rolling.今日小常识According to one interpretation of the ancient Mayan calendar, the world is going to end on 21 December 2012. In case it does, Chinese farmer Mr Liu claims to have the solution: his survival pods, which can withstand 1,000-metre-high waves and carry 14 people at a time. They are also equipped with oxygen tanks and food and water supplies.根据一个古老的玛雅历法的解释，世界末日将是2012年12月21日。设想上述预测果真应验的话那么这位姓刘的中国农民宣称他已经找到了对策，那就是他的生存舱。这个装置可以承受高达一千米高的巨浪并且可携带14个人。生存舱还配有氧气罐、食品和水。9、如果你听到什么消息，但是不想透露消息来源，那么就可以说 a little bird told me. 字面意思是一只小鸟告诉我说，其实就是说某人告诉我。例句A little bird told me that its your birthday today!Were looking for someone to take on this new project, and a little bird told me that you might be interested in the job?A little bird told me that youve got a crush on someone in our class请注意在英语里有一个短语来形容一个喜欢早起床的人或喜欢捷足先登者，那就是 early bird.Give me a call in the morning: it doesnt matter what time, Im such an early bird, Ill definitely be awake.今日小常识成千上万的连雀在它们的原生地斯堪的纳维亚找不到食吃的情况下飞到了英国。据信这种鸟儿预示着严冬将至。Thousands of waxwings have descended on Great Britain after the failure of the birds food sources in their native Scandinavian breeding grounds. The birds are thought to be the sign of a hars