英语习语在高考真题中的考查

英语习语在高考真题中的考查习语（idiom）是语言中的某些部分经过长期反复使用后自然沉积形成的短语或短句，包括比喻性词组（metaphoricalphrase）、俚语（slang）、俗语（colloquialism）、谚语（proverb）等。在结构上，构成习语的单词不可任意变换；在逻辑上，习语的意义通常并非单词意义的简单组合。掌握一定的习语有助于扫除阅读理解中的障碍，增强写作中语言的表现力。今天我们来看看以往高考真题中对英语习语的考查。阅读以下句子或语段，写出划线部分习语的含义1.gettheballrollingButthephrase“pennypaper”caughtthepublic’sfancy,andsoontherewouldbepapersthatdidindeedsellforonlyapenny.Thisnewtrendofnewspapersfor“themanonthestreet”didnotbeginwell.Someoftheearlyventures(企业)wereimmediatefailures.Publishersalreadyinbusiness,peoplewhowereownersofsuccessfulpapers,hadlittledesiretochangethetradition.Ittookafewyouthfulanddaringbusinessmentogettheballrolling.2.goalongwayTruecreativityistheabilitytotakesomethingexistingandcreatesomethingnewfromit.Wecangivekidschancestothinkaboutmaterialsinnewways.Thereareadozendifferentthingsyoucandowiththem.Experimentingwithmaterialstocreatesomethingnewcangoalongwayinhelpingthemdeveloptheircreativity.3.handsdownOfcourse,notonlyaretoday’stopWesterndesignersbeinginfluencedbyChina—someofthebestdesignersofcontemporaryfashionarethemselvesChinese.“VeraWang,AlexanderWang,JasonWuaretakingonGalliano,Albaz,MarcJacobs—andbeatingthemhandsdownindesignandsales,”addsHill.4.haveawaywithMonkeysseemtohaveawaywithnumbers.Afterrunninghundredsoftests,theresearchersnotedthatthemonkeyswouldgoforthehighervaluesmorethanhalfthetime,indicatingthattheywereperformingacalculation,notjustmemorizingthevalueofeachcombination.5.keeptabsonInfact,Hollywoodhasbeenhotonliveanimalslately.Onenonprofitorganization,whichmonitorsthetreatmentofanimalsinfilmedentertainment,iskeepingtabsonmorethan2,000productionsthisyear.6.makeendsmeetAroundtwentyyearsagoIwaslivinginYork.ThoughIhadalotofexperienceandaMastersdegree,Icouldnotfindsatisfyingwork.Iwasdrivingaschoolbustomakeendsmeetandlivingwithafriendofmine,forIhadlostmyflat.7.meanbusinessMauriceAshleywaskindandsmart,aformergraduatereturningtoteach,andthisjobwasnogameforhim;hemeantbusiness.Inhisintroduction,hemadeitclearthatourcreditswouldbehard-earned.8.offthehookTheunwillingparentorganizesthemealschedule,sendsoutemails,andcollectsmoneyforend-of-seasongifts.Somewherealongtheway,thesameparentendsupbecominganinvaluablememberoftheteam.Thecoachisabletofocusonthekidswhiletheotherparentsarerelievedtobeoffthehookforanotherseason.9.oncloudnine“Ididn’thearthemcallmyname,”explainedShelleyHennigtoActiveTeens(AT)asshetalkedaboutthatexcitingmomentonnationaltelevisionwhenshewonthehonorofMissTeenUSA2004.“Areyouready?”iswhatsheheard.Thenshesaid,“Ishookmyheadno,andthentheysaid‘yesanditwasannouncedagain.’”Itwasfourdaysafterthatlife-changingmomentfortheseventeen-year-oldhighschoolstudentfromDestrehan,Louisiana—shewasstilloncloudnine.10.pipedreamTherearealsovarietiesdevelopedtosuitspecificlocalconditions.OneoftheverybestvarietiesforeatingqualityisOrleansReinstate,butyou’llneedawarm,shelteredplacewithperfectsoiltogrowit,soitsapipedreamformostappleloverswhofallforit.11.rainorshine...butthebestpart—particularlytomytaste,dulledbymonthsofcold-weatherrootvegetables—wasa7a.m.adventuretotheSarasotafarmersmarketthatprovedtobemorethanworththeearlywake-upcall.Themarket,whichwasfoundedin1979,setsupitstentseverySaturdayfrom7a.m.to1p.m.,rainorshine,alongNorthLemonandStatestreets.12.turnthetablesSomeplantspumpoutsmellychemicalstokeepinsectsaway.Butothersdodoubleduty.Theypumpoutperfumesdesignedtoattractdifferentinsectswhoarenaturalenemiestotheattackers.Oncetheyarrive,thetablesareturned.Theattackerwhowaslunchingnowbecomeslunch.13.tugattheheartstringsShemayjustneedalittlepersuading.SoItryagainandtugattheheartstrings.ImentionthesingleparentwithfourkidsrunningtheshowandItalkaboutthedadcoachingateamthathiskidsaren’tevenon...Atthispointtheunwillingparentspeaksup,“Alright.Yes,I’lldoit.”参考答案1.选文提到，便士报的发展过程并不顺利，对于已成功的报纸，它们的出版商并无多少改变原有商业传统的欲望，便士报作为一种新商业模式，是在年轻、大胆商人的推动下才开始实施的。答案：开始某种活动，开始某事拓展：set/starttheballrolling开始某种活动，开始某事keeptheballrolling使活动继续2.选文指出，真正的创造力是用已有事物创造新事物的能力，我们要给孩子思考的空间，尝试用现有材料制造新东西对提高孩子的创造力很有帮助。答案：（对做某事）大有帮助，很有作用拓展：comealongway取得巨大进展；获得很多成就3.选文提到，三名中国籍的设计师与三名外国同行展开较量，且在设计与销量上打败了对方。这三名中国设计师是当代顶尖的时尚设计师，所以他们战胜对方并没怎么费力。答案：轻而易举地，毫不费力地该习语源自赛马，如果骑手已经遥遥领先，明知自己必胜无疑，那他就不必动手扬鞭策马。拓展：此外，该习语还可表示“明显地；无疑地”。4.选文指出，数百次实验中，猴子在一半以上的实验中选中了更高的数值（在实验中，猴子选择的数字或数字组合越大，得到的奖励就越多），这表明它们具备一定的计算与比较能力。答案：善于应付，善于处理，有办法对付拓展：cutboth/twoways两面都说得通或行得通；有利也有弊5.选文介绍的是一个非营利组织监控动物在拍摄过程中受到的待遇，画线习语实为“监控”的同义表述。答案：关注，监视，密切注意拓展：keepaneyeon照看，留神，留意6.选文提到，作者虽有大量经验与硕士文凭，但仍找不到满意的工作，只得靠开校车勉强谋生。答案：糊口，使收支相抵，勉强维持生计拓展：makebothendsmeet糊口，使收支相抵，勉强维持生计7.选文提到，莫里斯·阿什利与自己的学生是校友，他很看重这份工作，清楚地告知学生拿到课程学分并非易事。答案：是认真的，说话算数拓展：funny/monkeybusiness胡闹，恶作剧，骗人把戏8.选文指出，有位家长将后勤工作安排得很好，教练能安心训练孩子们，其他家长则因无须操心下个赛季的事情如释重负。答案：摆脱困境，逃避惩罚拓展：byhookorbycrook千方百计地，不择手段地9.选文提到，雪莱·亨尼格赢得了2004年度“美国妙龄小姐”荣誉称号。对她而言，这是一个令人激动的时刻，也是一个改变人生的时刻，以至于在获奖四天之后，她依然特别开心。答案：高兴极了，异常兴奋，乐不可支该习语的原有形式为oncloudseven，这可能与theseventh