phrase mix 1

用法学习: 1. "You know me: I'm not one to chitchat on the phone for too long." You got a telephone call from your nephew. You've been talking for a few minutes, but now you want to end the conversation. You usually don't like long phone conversation. You say this. You know me: (sentence) Say this when you're reminding someone of something about your personality or habits: You know me: when I say I'm going to do something, I do it, no matter what. You know me: I'm terrible with numbers. Another version of this is "You know how I am." These expressions are only used in spoken English. chitchat 闲聊, 聊家常, 聊些有的没的 "Chitchatting" means talking for entertainment. When you "chitchat" with someone, you're not really saying anything important. The word "chitchat" can seem a little negative in sentences like this: I don't have time to chitchat!. But it doesn't sound really negative, so you can also say things like: We had a nice chitchat while we were waiting. I'm not one to (do something) 不是会做...的人, 不是会...的人 This is an expression for talking about things that you don't usually do. It means "I'm not the kind of person who ___." For example, if someone offers you a drink and you like to drink, you can say: Of course! I'm not one to turn down a drink! Here are some other versions of this phrase: I'm not usually one to argue with strangers, but that guy got on my nerves. He's never been one to back down from a fight. My mum says you have a big boot. Well your mum is not one to talk. you're a fine one to talk = someone can talk/someone is a fine one to talk/look who's talking used for emphasizing that you think someone is giving advice or an opinion that is the opposite of how they live or what they do themselves 'I was late, so my boss was furious.' 'He can talk! He’s never on time!' You are guilty of the same thing you have just criticized. A: "Kathy never pays attention in class." B: "You're a fine one to talk! Just today I saw you reading a magazine during the lecture." 2. Does that mean what I think it means 你的意思不会是, 你不会是说? Your co-worker came to work today wearing a diamond ring. You think that she's engaged now. You want to check to see if it's true, so you ask this. Does that mean what I think it means? This is a complete phrase that people say when they think they've figured out a surprise. Sometimes, when people have a surprise, they don't want to tell you directly. They want for you to find out about it on your own based on little hints. When someone is giving you those kind of hints, and you guess what the surprise is, you can use this phrase. The most common situation for this phrase has to do with getting engaged, like in the example above. Here's another example: Imagine that a husband and wife are talking to each other over dinner. The husband offers his wife a glass of wine. She smiles and says, "No, I'm afraid I'm going to have to give up wine for the next nine months or so." This makes the husband think that she's pregnant, so he says: Oh my God. Does that mean what I think it means? 3. You're such a goofball 怪人, 怪咖! Your girlfriend is singing a silly children's song and dancing in the kitchen. You think it's funny, but also a little embarrassing. You say this. (someone) is a goofball A "goofball" is someone who does dumb, silly things. For example, if your friend stands up and dances in a restaurant where no one else is dancing, you can call him "a goofball". The word "goofball" is a little bit of an insult, but it also sounds sweet and affectionate. It sounds like you think the person is silly and embarrassing, but like them anyway. You're secretly happy that they're acting silly. (something) is such a (something) The word "such" is similar to "so" except it's used with nouns instead of adjectives: He's so handsome. He's such a good-looking man. I used to be so lazy. I used to be such a procrastinator 拖拖拉拉的人, 做事拖拖拉拉! 4. There's this nosy lady next door who's always in our business. You have a neighbor who always wants to know about you. You're describing this situation to some people at a party. You say this. this (person/thing) In the example above, the speaker uses "this" instead of "a". There's a small difference between the two. When you say "this ___" it sounds like you're talking about one specific thing. "A ___" is more general.  You use "this ___" instead of "a" or "the" when you're introducing something specific that you're going to talk about. It's usually used at the beginning of a story or explanation. For example: Amy and I were sitting there talking and this guy I know walked by. I've had this song stuck in my head for two days! Today I was talking with this girl at work who just got back from maternity leave. In all of these examples, the speaker will continue by telling a story about that topic. People only use "this ___" in this way in casual spoken English. (someone) is nosy 爱管闲事的人, 好事者, 多管闲事的人 A "nosy" person is someone who wants to know private information about other people. It has a negative association, because "nosy" people are annoying. People that are often "nosy" include neighbors and family members. (someone) is in (someone's) business Being "in someone's business" means getting involved in their personal lives. For example, if you've tried to learn or give advice about a person's: finances, love life, health issues, ...then you're "in their business". This is why, when someone is getting too personal, you say: Get out of my business! 5. You're such a tease 撩火不泄火的人! Your birthday is in one week. Your girlfriend bought you a gift. She shows you the box and asks if you want to know what it is, but won't let you see it. You say this. (someone) is a tease 欲擒故纵, 犹抱琵琶半遮面 "A tease" is a person who plays with other people's desires. They offer something that you want, but then don't give it to you. For example, "a tease" very often describes a woman who acts like she's attracted to a man, but then won't go out with him or sleep with him. Despite its meaning, the word "tease" doesn't really sound very negative. It sounds kind of fun and playful. You can even say this to a child who offers you something but then takes it back: A: Do you want this red crayon? B: Sure. A: No, you can't have it. B: Oh, you're such a tease! 6. No need to get all melodramatic 爱演戏, 戏精, 戏多, 夸张, 戏剧化. Your daughter has told you that she's going to quit school. Your wife gets really upset and says that your daughter's life will be ruined. You're not happy either, but you don't think she should get upset. No need to (do something) This means "You don't need to..." or "We don't need to..." It's pretty common in spoken English: No need to apologize. It was an honest mistake. No need to explain. I understand completely. get all (adjective) In casual speech, putting "all" in front of an adjective can make it sound more negative. Use it to talk about things that you don't like or that annoy you. For example: Don't get all impatient. She likes to act all shy when you first meet her, but within ten minutes she'll be talking your ear off. No thanks. Sunscreen makes my skin feel all oily. You can even make positive descriptions sound negative using "all": Why are you being all nice to me today? Do you want something from me? (someone) is melodramatic 戏精, 戏多 A "melodrama" is a kind of story that has very dramatic, extreme events and emotions. Characters in a melodrama do things like. fight to the death, go insane, fall very deeply in love, scream at each other. Calling a real person "melodramatic" means that you think that they're acting too emotional. A "melodramatic" person acts like they're on stage in a play, even when they're living a normal life. "Melodramatic" sounds negative. In fact, even calling someone "dramatic" sounds negative. 7. Gosh, I feel like I'm turning into a grumpy old man. You've been complaining to a friend about your neighbor's children, who play outside loudly in the afternoon while you're trying to relax. Now you feel guilty for complaining about that. You say this. turn into (something) The phrase "turn into ___" means "become" but is more casual: I'm becoming a grumpy old man. There's another difference between "turn into" and "become". You can follow "become" with a noun phrase or an adjective phrase: It's becoming a huge project. They're becoming smaller and smaller. But "turn into" can't be followed by an adjective phrase. It has to be followed by a noun phrase: It's turning into a huge project. a grumpy old man 牢骚满腹的老家伙(He's got a great work ethic. He gets cranky when he doesn't have a nap. ) "Grumpy" people complain a lot, and get annoyed or angry easily. They're hard to please. People especially imagine old men as being "grumpy". Being "grumpy" can be a permanent personality trait, or a temporary mood. 8. Ooh, those make you look so intellectual 学识渊博, 很聪明, 很有智商, 很有文化([ˌɪntəˈlektʃʊəl] adj. 有知识有文化的. Intellectual means involving a person's ability to think and to understand ideas and information. relating to the ability to think and understand ideas at a high level, or involving ideas. relating to your ability to think and understand things, especially complicated ideas: Looking after a baby at home all day is nice but it doesn't provide much intellectual stimulation. I like detective stories and romances - nothing too intellectual. He was among the political and intellectual leaders of his time. High levels of lead could damage the intellectual development of children. He has written seven thrillers, and clearly enjoys intellectual pursuits. ...intellectually satisfying work. Intellectually, I was completely prepared for that type of work. Though not intellectual, my mother was a highly intelligent woman. intellectual ability/capacity 智商, 知识水平, 文化水平: He had the intellectual capacity of a three-year-old. noun. 高级知识分子. An intellectual is someone who spends a lot of time studying and thinking about complicated ideas. a very educated person whose interests are studying and other activities that involve careful thinking and mental effort: She was too much of an intellectual to find popular movies interesting. ...teachers, artists and other intellectuals. They were very intellectual and witty. ...an intellectual elite. )! You and your girlfriend are shopping in a glasses store. She tries on a pair of glasses. She looks smart with them on. You say this. (someone) is intellectual The word "intellectual" is different from "intelligent". An "intelligent" person is smart. But an "intellectual" person loves being smart, thinking about philosophy and literature, reading long books, discussing deep topics, and so on. Not all intelligent people are intellectual. However, most intellectual people are smart. 9. I don't usually give my number out to people I've just met, but for you I'll make an exception. You met a woman at a work-related conference. You spoke with each other about work, but you also flirted with each other. You want to give her a business card while saying something funny. You say this. give out (one's) number 给手机号 Telling people your telephone number can be described as "giving out your number". The phrasal verb "give out" means to give something to a lot of people. For example, They're giving out 分发 free samples in the lobby. You should go get one! I've gotten a lot of clients just by giving my business card out at parties and events. The phrase "give out your number" is common in relation to dating. Women are usually careful about "giving out" their phone number to men, because the men might call to ask them out a lot. Men are usually the ones who ask for a woman's telephone number. Men don't usually have to worry about women calling them too much. So the speaker in this example is making a little joke. (someone) I've just met A person who you met a few minutes or hours ago is "a person you've just met". for you, I'll (do something) The normal order would be "I'll (do something) for you": I don't usually give my number out to people I've just met, but I'll make an exception for you. But you can also use the order in the example above. People use this expression when they're doing a special favor for someone: It's twenty dollars, but for you, I'll cut it down to fifteen. You can sound generous and helpful by using this expression. But you can also sound a little sneaky or dishonest. make an exception If you make or enforce a rule, but you break it one time because of a special situation, you're "making an exception" for that person. For example, if a teacher has a rule that homework has to be submitted by a certain date, he can "make an exception" for a certain student whose computer broke.  Use "for ___" to indicate the person who is allowed to break the rule: I don't usually give my number out to people I've just met, but for you I'll make an exception. 10. I understand the general sentiment 大意, 大概, but it's hard for me to concisely summarize what they're saying. You're watching a political debate on TV with a friend. He asks if you understand the debate. You understand it a little bit, but not completely. You say this. the general sentiment 大众的意见, 大众的看法, 公众的意见, 大致看法, 大致意见, 大致情绪 The "sentiment" of a conversation or discussion is the general feeling of the people who are talking. A "sentiment" can be positive, negative, or neutral. The word "general" often comes before "sentiment". The "general sentiment" is how most of the people in a group feel about something. it's hard for me to (do something) When a lot of people can't do something, say "it's hard to ___": It's hard to find a job in this economy. But if you have trouble with something on your own, say "hard for me to": It's hard for me to understand what they're saying when they talk so fast. concisely summarize (something) 准确概括, 精准的概括 To "summarize" means to explain something in a short form. For example, you can summarize the plot of a movie or what was said in a meeting. The word "concise" means "short" when you're talking about writing or explaining things. It's a positive word, so being "concise" in writing or speaking is good. "Concisely summarizing" something means that you explain it in a very short form. The word "what" turns this expression into something like a noun. Some people make mistakes like: summarize they're saying But you can't do this. You need to include "what" or "that which" or "the thing that". 11. I've always looked up to him as a role model. This place is a complete ripoff 宰人(we are nicked. ). You can call a restaurant a "place" in casual conversation: There's a place on 6th Street that's pretty good. You can also describe what kind of restaurant it is: Have you been to that new pizza place up on 83rd Street? There's this amazing Italian place we go to sometimes. I have to take you there. And you can call a bar or dance club a "place" as well: Do you want to have a drink? I know a place nearby. (someone) is on a roll When you have many successes, one after another, you're "on a roll". Here are some situations that can be described as "___ is on a roll": you've correctly guessed the answers to several questions in a quiz. someone has scored several points in a game. a coworker has made a few sales. You usually use "on a roll" to talk about positive things. I'm on a roll! No pun intended. It can be tough to navigate the sea of information that's out there these days. I predict that she'll win by a landslide 大获全胜, 压倒性胜利. Can you tell him to swing by my office when he gets a chance? swing by (somewhere) "Swinging by" a place means visiting it quickly before going somewhere else. It's very similar to "stopping by": Can we stop by an ATM on the way there? But when someone says "swing by", it's even more casual and the visit sounds even shorter. You can tell someone to "swing by" a place when you want the trip to sound short and easy. when (someone) gets a chance When you ask people to do something, this phrase lets them know that they don't have to do it immediately. They can do it at a time that's convenient for them. Here's an example: Can you help me with this when you get a chance? If you leave "when you get a chance" off, it sounds like you want immediate help: Can you help me with this? 12. I was thinking a shark 我在想, 我在考虑 or something along those lines 差不多的, 类似的. You're considering getting a tattoo. You're not sure exactly what you want to get, but you have some ideas. A friend asks you what tattoo you want, and you say this. I'm thinking (something) Talk about a decision with this phrase: A: Which one are you going to get? B: I'm thinking the blue one 我想要, 我在考虑. You say this when you're not completely sure of your decision yet. 13. Have you guys covered 教过, 学过, 涉及过, 接触过 exponents yet? You're tutoring a middle school student in math. You want to know whether the student's teacher has taught a topic. You ask the teacher this.  cover (something) In a class, you "cover" different topics. That means that the teacher teaches them: We covered the French Revolution last time. In a meeting, you "cover" items that need to be discussed: We have a lot to cover today. Let's get started. News reporters also "cover" news stories. Why does the news insist on covering these silly celebrity scandals? In all of these cases, "covering" something means discussing things that are on a list of things to talk about. exponents 指数: Exponents are a topic in mathematics. An exponent is something like 22 or 35 or 10x. You multiply the big number by itself the number of times shown in the small number (the exponent): 35 = 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3. When you're reading an exponent out loud, you say: "Two squared" (22) "Eight cubed" (83) "X to the Y power" (xy). 14. Come on, spit it out 赶紧说, 赶紧的, 快说. Your daughter is trying to tell you something, but she seems nervous. She's hesitating, but you'r in a hurry. You tell this to her. spit it out "Spit it out" means "Say it more quickly!" You can tell someone this when they are speaking too slowly and it's annoying you. "Spit it out" is a little rude, so you usually say it to people that you're close to and who are lower-status than you. 15. Inhale... and exhale 吸气, 呼气.  You're teaching an exercise class. You're leading the class in stretching . You want to tell them how to breathe. You say this. inhale: "Inhale" means to "breathe in". You can "inhale something", like in these examples: Animals inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants do the opposite. Try not to inhale any of the fumes; they're toxic. Or you can just tell someone to "inhale". Exercise trainers and doctors give this order to people. exhale: "Exhale" means to "breathe out". People mostly use "exhale" when giving instructions, like in exercise classes or a doctor's office. It sounds more technical than "breathe out". 16. unbearable pain 受不了的, 难以忍受的, 难以承受的 If you can "bear" something, it means that you can "stand" it or survive it. Something that's unbearable is too bad or difficult to accept. "Unbearable" pain is really strong pain that makes you cry, scream, or feel like you're going to die. Other things that are "unbearable"  include: unbearable heat, unbearable suffering, unbearable tension (in a stressful environment), unbearable conditions. I was at my wits' end 没辙了, 无计可施, 黔驴技穷, 绞尽脑汁 trying to figure that out! They took me in the back room and interrogated me. the back room 小黑屋 A lot of businesses like stores, restaurants, and airports have public areas that customers are allowed into, and other rooms that only the staff or managers can enter. The private rooms are sometimes called "back rooms". We associate the "back room" with dark, sneaky, secretive actions. For example, in politics, people sometimes talk about "back-room 暗室 dealings". These are agreements that politicians make secretly, without telling the public. "Back room dealings" are bad and maybe even illegal. I marinated it overnight in some garlic, ginger, lime, and olive oil. marinate (a food ingredient) One technique in cooking meat or vegetables is to put them in a mixture of different flavors and let them sit for a while before you cook it. The meat or vegetables then start to taste like these other flavors. This technique is called "marination". You can "marinate" ingredients for a few minutes, a few hours, or a day or two. This is different from some other processes, like "pickling", because you almost always cook food after marinating it. do (something) overnight You can describe a process that starts one day and ends the next day can be as happening "overnight". For example: Soak the beans overnight. Let it dry overnight. 17. There's no sense beating yourself up 自责, 责备自己 over it. A friend of yours is really upset because she made a bad grade on a test. However, the grade wasn't really that bad. You think that she's too strict about her grades. You say this. There's no sense in (doing something) Use this expression to talk about things that you shouldn't do because it would be wasteful: There's no sense in asking him; he doesn't know anything. There's no sense in throwing away a perfectly good pair of shoes. In the first example, it would waste time to ask the person who doesn't know anything. In the second example, it would be wasteful to throw away the shoes. In the sentence "There's no sense in beating yourself up over it," the speaker wants to say that thinking about a mistake again and again is a waste of time. It makes the person upset but doesn't have any positive results. beat (one)self up over(something) "Beating yourself up over something" means getting angry at yourself because of a mistake.  You can "beat yourself up over" a lot of mistakes such as: forgetting something important. making a bad life decision. losing a competition. saying something embarrassing in front of people you wanted to impress. You mostly use this expression to tell people not to "beat themselves up over" a mistake. 18. Guys, help me straighten up a little please. Your sister and her family are coming over to your house to visit. Your living room is a little messy. You ask your children to help you clean it. And you ask this. Help me (do something) please This is a very straightforward way of asking for help. Use this when you're speaking to someone you're close to, like a family member. Avoid asking strangers and friends for help this way. A better way to ask is: Could you help me with this? Can you wipe that up, please? Can you just stop it please? straighten up (a room) 收拾, 整理, 清洁 "Straightening up" is a type of cleaning. When you "straighten up", you pick up things that are lying around like clothes, dishes, books, pieces of paper, and so on. You put things back in their proper place, so that the room looks organized. You can use "straighten up" with an object: Lance, straighten up your room please. Or you can use it without an object: Sorry, I didn't have time to straighten up. 19. I would set it for... 5:30 定时, 定铃, 定闹钟?  You have to wake up early tomorrow to go to the airport for your vacation. Your husband is setting an alarm clock. You tell him what time you think he should set the alarm clock like this.  I would (do something) When you're giving your opinion but don't want to say it too strongly (because you're being polite or because you don't feel strongly about it), you can say "I would ___". Examples of this are: I would probably look around for a better deal. I would go with the higher-priced model. You often use "I would ___" when you're giving someone else advice, and you're not the person making the final decision. It usually sounds polite and helpful. There are also different uses for "I would" such as "I would like...": I would like an iced tea, please. set (an alarm) for (a time) "Setting" an alarm means choosing what time the alarm is going to go off. Give the time that you choose with "for": Set it for 30 minutes from now. I usually set my alarm for 9:00. Other things that you can "set" include: set a trap, set the thermostat (for a heater or air conditioner), set goals, set a variable 设定一个变量 (in computer programming). 20. Hopefully I can bring my GPA up 成绩提高到 to at least a 3.0 this semester. It's not up to me 不是我能决定的, 我说了不算, 不是我说了算的; I'm way too far down on the totem pole 超出级别 (above one's pay grade). Our subscription to the Times is coming up for 马上该, 马上要 renewal. You subscribe to a newspaper. You're checking the mail, and there's a letter warning you that you have to pay for your subscription again soon. You say this to your husband. Newspapers are often called "The ___ Times". The most well-known example is "The New York Times". When people talk about "The Times", they usually mean The New York Times newspaper. renew a subscription A "subscription" is something like a newspaper that you pay for regularly (usually monthly). Some examples of things that you can subscribe to are: Subscriptions usually finish after some period, like one year. At the end of your subscription, you have to "renew" it. This means that you agree to subscribe for another period. (something) is coming up for (something) "It's up for renewal" means that it's time to be renewed. The subscription period has ended, so now you have to renew it. Some other examples of "up for ___" are: She's up for re-election this year. My car is up for inspection. "Coming up for ___" means that it will have to be done soon. 21. It looks like I'm being deployed in a couple of weeks. You're in the army. You've been told that you have to leave the the country to do a mission. You call your boyfriend to tell him this. It looks like (something is happening) This phrase can be used when you're guessing about how something is going to turn out when it's finished: It looks like the Yankees are going to win this one. However, it is also used in situations where something has already happened, and you have to tell the bad news to someone: Sorry, it looks like we had to reject your loan application. Saying "it looks like" something bad happened is softer-sounding than simply saying that it happened. (someone) is being deployed 派遣, 外派 When members of the military are "deployed", it means that they are sent overseas to do a mission. The mission might be fighting in a war or simply going to a foreign military base. The word "deploy" means to use something in a strategic way. A country or a company can "deploy" things like: natural resources. nuclear weapons. a strategy. volunteer rescue workers. technical support staff. a couple of (things). "A couple" means two, or approximately two. (someone) is being (___ed) Sentences have a subject (the person or thing that's doing an action) and an object (the person or thing that's receiving the action) When the subject isn't important (or you don't know who/what it is), you can say that the object is "being __ed". Some examples include: He's being transferred. We're being watched. Are you being treated well? 22. There's one little patch that never seems to grow in. A friend asks if you've ever tried to grow a beard. You've tried, but it didn't look good. You're explaining why you stopped trying. a patch (of something) 一小片, 一小块 A "patch" is an area where lots of little things grow (or don't grow). For example, in your garden you can have "a strawberry patch 一块地儿". On your head, an area where hair doesn't grow is "a bald patch". There's also another meaning of "patch", which is a flat piece of something that you use to fix something that's broken. You sew on a "patch" to fix a ripped piece of clothing, for example (something) never seems to (do something) Use "seems to ___" to talk about a situation or result that you can't control. For example: He seems to be late. I bought these here earlier today, but when I got them home I discovered that one of them seems to have a hole in it. Everybody seems to be critical of the President these days, but I still believe in him. (something) grows in Use "grow in" to talk about growing things to fill a space or cover an area. Here are some things that "grow in": a child's first teeth. grass on a lawn. an area where your hair has been ripped or burned. 23. I just skinned it a little 蹭破皮, 刮破皮. You fell down on the stairs and hurt your knee. Your girlfriend is worried, so you're reassuring her. I just skinned it a little. skin (one's) knee "Skinning" your knee means hurting it by ripping or rubbing some of the skin off of it. This happens when you fall down while moving fast. You can also "skin" your elbows. Skinning your knees or elbows hurts a lot, but it's not a really serious injury. 24. What part of "no foam" do they not understand? You ordered a latte at a coffee shop but asked for no foam on it. The barista gave you a latte with foam. You're annoyed, so you're complaining to your friend. What part of "(a quote)" does (someone) not understand? Use this phrase when: you tell a person to do something they don't do it you're annoyed with them. Here's another example: A: Can I borrow your car? B: No. A: Aw, come on! Please? B: What part of "no" do you not understand? no foam "Foam" means a lot of little bubbles that stick together. You might see foam in places like: in a bubble bath. in the ocean. at the top of a glass of beer. Some coffee drinks have foam in them. If you don't want that, you can say "no foam": Can I get a small latte, no foam? 25. Monica's been growing increasingly disruptive 捣蛋, 干扰课堂秩序 in class over the past few weeks. (someone) is disruptive in class. Teachers call students "disruptive" when they do things like: Talk to their friends loudly. Arguing with the teacher. Making annoying noises in class. Not all bad behavior is "disruptive". For example, sleeping in class isn't disruptive because it doesn't disrupt other people from learning.