大学英语视听说口语期中考试复习资料 习语.docx

Proverbs and idiomatic expressionsIdiomatic expressions61. a fish out of water如鱼失水It means somebody and his environment isnt harmonious,which made him feel very awkward and embarrassed.Everyone will feel uncomfortable when they under certain strange occasion.For example,you must have experienced a situation，when you are in a new city or new school，you feel unnatural and cant join in the surrounding people.This moment,you can say I like a fish out of water.2. a game plan策略 It derives from athletic contest.It means strategy.In sports, a game plan is a set of instructions for the players to follow, so they can win the game.This expression is very common in American English. But it does not have anything to do with playing a game. Its a way to ask someone for the details of a plan.3. at sixes and sevens乱七八糟It usedtodescribeastateofconfusionormessy.Sometimesit also expressedpeoples confusion about something.For example，we can say weheldapartylastnightandeverythingwasatsixesandsevenswhenthe guestsleft.4. bad taste in my mouth心存芥蒂Itindicatesthatpeoplehaveaemotionofresentmentorunpleasuretoothers.Forexample,sometimesapersonhasabadorunpleasantexperiencewithanotherperson,hemightsaythatexperienceleftabadtasteinmymouth.5. beat a dead horse 徒劳无功It is useless to wasteeffort tobeat a dead horse.So it means people do useless things，such as asking for help to someone who do not offer any help at all,or speaking too much to someone who want to stay quiet.6. bite my tongue保持缄默It means that I will keep quiet.I wont talk about anything. We can use this idiom when we refuse to talk about something. For instance, if my friend wants me to share something which is really private with her and I am not willing to do so. At this time, I can say Im going to bite my tongue.7. Bread and butter issues 民生议题Something that is thebread and butterof a person or organization is the activity or work that provides the main part of their income.Another meaning is something which are important to most people, because they stand for the basic source of life.The official paid much attention to the bread and butter political issues such as jobs and housing now.8. break a leg 祝你好运It means good luck. In the past，when a drama achieved success，the actors would bend their knees to ask for some tips from the audience.And generally, it is considered bad luck to wish someone good luck in a theater.At present,with the development of English,break a leg also can be used in other situation such as exams,interivew and so on.9. chew the fat 闲谈Itmeanspeoplechatintheirsparetime,sharingfriendswithfeelings.Notonlytheoldspendmuchtimehavingsmalltalk,butalsoteenagersandworksdosotogetrelaxed.Withthehelpofit,wecancreataclosedrelation.Ihavefunfromchewthefatwithmyfriends,thoughsomeoneholdtheviewthatitisabehaviorofwastingtime,takemywordforit,youwillfinditscharms.Inaword,itisablenderwhichcontributetoalightandabsorbinglife. 10. dont make a scene 别大吵大闹This sentence is used to warn someone not to creat a fuss in public.It always goes with impatience and caution.Take a concrete instance,a couple plan to watch a movie,however they are unable to find tickets because of husbands careless,then the wife shouts and the husband says,”Dont make a scene,please!”11. get cold feet 临阵畏缩It means when you are not ready to do something,you will be fear to do that.In our life,there are many occasions we can use this idiomatic expression.For example, we may persuasion our friend Youve prepared really hard. You cant get cold feet now! During our first year,we will have many interviews.when we face to it firstly,we may get cold feet!12. go bananas 发狂，失常In English it means go crazy.It is said that this is related to the monkeys.When monkeys want to eat something,they become very excited.And as we know,banana is their favorite.So,once monkeys see bananas,they show a great happy. If someone jump up and down with excitement and cant control himself,you can say he is go bananas.13. go down a storm 深受欢迎A lot of people think that this phrase is related to stormy weather.It means its massively successful and enjoyable.This phrase is commendatory, which means that the popular.It can be used todescribe a famous singing star,a good movie and so on.14. grab a bite 简单吃点东西InAmericanEnglish,itmeansthateatsometing simplely and quickly.If you want to go out but you feel starving at the same time，you can suggest“Lets grab a bite before we go.”You can also use it when you serve your guests.15. hit the ceiling 暴跳如雷As we all konw,the ceiling is too high for us to touch it in a normal situation.if a person must hit the ceiling,he has to jump up very high.So it is the same meaning as fury.A man who is very angry will do it.For example，our parents always hits the ceiling when we come home with bad scores.16. if the shoe fits 如果你觉得可以Theyre saying that if something applies to you then you should accept it.Make a decisions by ourselves.For example，if a friend of mine want to take a jungle advanture and ask for advice，I will saywell,if the shoe fits, wear it. 17. in the doghouse 失宠，受冷遇的Itmeansonepersonoutoffavour,receivedthecoldshoulder.Thewholeteamwasinthedoghousebecausetheylostthegame.Beinginthedoghousewithhisbossmayaffecthis careerinthefuture.18. in the pink 身体健康 This phrase means a person is healthy.In the meantime,it also can be used to describe that a person is in good condition.For excample,if I say we all look in the pink after our APEC holiday,I just want to show that after a long relax we are in good condition.But some people consider that it is used to describe a persons face is pink.19. on cloud nine 乐不可支Cloudnineisusedtodiscribethestateofweather，ninemeansthehighestcloud.Now，weuseittorepresentthetopoftheworldorthehighlyexcited.Whenapersonhassomethingexciting，hecanusethispharsetoexpresshisfeeling.20. once in a blue moon 千载难逢 Blue moon appear just on occasion.So it is a common way of saying that something does not happen often. We are so busy. We only go home to visit my parents once in a blue moon.Or a good chance which is very rare and hard to get.21. play it by ear 随机应变That means decide on ones actions as one goes along，depending on the situation.The source of the expression is those who play the piano but do not know the staff,only by memory to give a performence.If we are going to discuss things with a stranger，we dont know what would happen and cant make a firm plan.Or if we are invited to give a lecture and its too late to prepare.So we have to play it by ear.22. take it with a grain of salt 将信将疑It is said that this idiom dates back to Roman times.A Roman general found an antidote,but it taste so bad that he must take it with a grain salt. And now,it means to accept something but to maintain a degree of skepticism about its truth.We can use it when someone tell us rumors about our friends or we see some brilliantadver