正合心意, 正合意. 说到心坎里去. stressed, stressing, stressful, distressing, de-stress. walks on eggshells 战战兢兢, 如履薄冰, 小心翼翼.

用法学习: 1. But it didn't take long for amateur sleuths 业余侦探 ( sleuth [sluθ] someone who tries to solve crimes or mysteries. A sleuth is a detective. Sleuth is a fun, sometimes playful, word for "detective." As a verb, it's also what a detective does. When you seek clues, you sleuth. You, sleuth, you! The word sleuth comes from the Old Norse sloth, meaning "trail" and sleuthing is following a trail. One type of bloodhound skilled at following trails is called a sleuthhound, and that word was shortened to sleuth in the late 19th Century, referring to an investigator. As an amateur sleuth, you caught the robber dressed as a mummy before the police did. He would have escaped if not for you, you meddling sleuth! ) on Twitter to research the hotel and dig up pictures that paint the rooms in a far more flattering light. One person even suggested the venue had 'the type of stripped back, industrial chic digs that celebs would pay a premium for'. 2. Dr Neilson questioned why touch technology was being used considering the wide range of alternatives on the market. "If you're going to use touch technology then you have to be very careful between each person," Dr Neilson said. "It's a very basic thing, if you're using gloves, you need to change them each time. If you're not, it's a clear avenue for transmission 明显的传播途径. "It's highly concerning." In a statement last week, the union said the testing space was too small for all passengers, and disembarking 下飞机 was not being staggered to ( stagger I. If you stagger, you walk very unsteadily, for example because you are ill or drunk. He lost his balance, staggered back against the rail and toppled over. He was staggering and had to lean on the bar. II. If you say that someone or something staggers on, you mean that they only just succeed in continuing. Truman allowed him to stagger on for nearly another two years. ...a government that staggered from crisis to crisis. III. If something staggers you, it surprises you very much. The whole thing staggers me. I was simply staggered by the heat of the Argentinian high-summer. IV. To stagger things such as people's holidays or hours of work means to arrange them so that they do not all happen at the same time. Organisers expect up to 10 rescue flights 救援航班 can be scheduled from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, but are concerned about how long this may take as authorities have requested each flight is staggered by three days 错开 to cope with the influx. During the past few years the government has staggered 交错, 错开 summer vacation periods. staggering adj Something that is staggering is very surprising. ...a three-year contract reputed to be worth a staggering £25,000-a-week. The results have been quite staggering. The South Pole expedition proved to be staggeringly successful.) allow for social distancing. 3. light rail 新线开通: Mr Constance asked for patience while the new leg of the journey was "fine-tuned 微调, 精调" and advised pedestrians to be cautious around the new line. "There will be a period of bedding in ( bed I. to put something firmly into a base or into the ground. II. ​literary to have sex with someone. bed down to lie down, or to put someone else into a bed or another place to sleep. John and Steve can bed down in the family living room. It was time to bed down for the night. bed in 落实, 落听 to become established and start working properly, or to make something do this. It will take some time for new regulations to bed in. Once the change is bedded in service will be better than ever. ) services as we finetune our operations to integrate the new L3 Kingsford Line with the L2 Randwick Line," Mr Constance said. 4. short-handed 缺人手的, 人手不足的, 人手不够的, understaffed = shortstaffed = undermanned 缺人的 not having enough or the usual number of staff or crew. If a company or organization is short-handed, it does not have the usual or necessary number of workers: Some hospitals are so short-handed that doctors have to work 20-hour shifts. "the kitchen was a bit short-handed". If a company, organization, or group is short-handed, it does not have enough people to work on a particular job or for a particular purpose. We're actually a bit short-handed at the moment. 隔离: On the Qantas flight back to Australia, Ms Renton said the plane stopped in Darwin where a number of passengers were offloaded because they were displaying COVID-19 symptoms. Then when the flight arrived in Sydney, a passenger in the seat directly in front was taken off first as they were also displaying symptoms. The chance she may have been infected on the flight is a thought that has been playing on her mind 挥之不去, 萦绕于心 while stuck in isolation. "That's my greatest fear," she said. 5. it's not (one's) first rodeo ( [roʊˈdeɪoʊ] [ˈroʊdioʊ] ) 不是新手来的, 我可不是第一次被骗了 One is experienced with a certain situation, especially in relation to potential pitfalls or deceitful practices 骗局 by others. I am not a novice to this situation, I have experience in this area and I am competent. Don't think I'll fall for that old trick. This isn't my first rodeo, you know. Hey, you're pretty good at that—it's clearly not your first rodeo. goat rodeo American​ very informal a situation that is a complete mess and very difficult or impossible to resolve. This is a total goat rodeo. note: This ain't my first rodeo is an idiom that gained wider usage in the early 1980s. An idiom is a figure of speech that is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. We will examine the meaning of the phrase this ain't my first rodeo, how it came into general usage and some examples of that use in sentences. easy chair An easy chair is a large, comfortable padded chair. settled back into/in the easy chair. Clammy skin. Clammy skin 湿漉漉的皮肤, 湿湿的皮肤( clammy cold and wet in an unpleasant way Her hands felt cold and clammy. Something that is clammy is unpleasantly damp or sticky. Think of the clammy hands you get when you visit the dentist! My shirt was clammy 潮乎乎的, 湿乎乎的 with sweat. ) refers to wet or sweaty skin. Sweating is your body's normal response to overheating. The moisture of sweat has a cooling effect on your skin. Changes in your body from physical exertion or extreme heat can trigger your sweat glands 汗腺 and cause your skin to become clammy.

 正合心意, 正合意. 说到我心坎里去了. 正是我想要的 (break one's way): 1. speak​/​talk the same language to have the same ideas and attitudes as someone else. We have to be sure we're speaking the same language. speak (one's) language To say something or communicate in a way that aligns with one's preferences, desires, motivations, etc. A: "Look, I know all this technical jargon is pretty boring. Why don't we finish early for the day and go out for pizza?" B: "Oh yeah, now you're speaking my language 正合我意, 说到我心里去了!" A: "I'm a little worried about pitching my idea to the board of directors tomorrow." B: "Just focus on how your plan will boost profits, and you'll be speaking their language." 2. be (right) up somebody's alley (informal) also be (right) down somebody's alley (American & Australian informal) 正合我意, 正合我胃口 if something is right up someone's alley, it is exactly the type of thing that they know about or like to do The job should be right up Steve's alley - working with computers, software and stuff. 3. fill/fit the bill 满足要求, 满足条件, 合意, 合心意 to have the qualities or experience that are needed. If you want quieter entertainment, there are many excellent museums in town that will fit the bill. 4. to someone's liking 正合我意, 合意, 属意 if something is to someone's liking, they like it or approve of it. If something is to your liking, it suits your interests, tastes, or wishes. to one's taste; pleasing. In a pleasing state or form. They are always keen to ensure that the food is to your liking 合胃口 in this restaurant. "his coffee was just to his liking". London was more to his liking than Rome. Simmer over a very low flame until the rice is cooked to your liking. Let's see if we can find something that's more to your liking. for someone's liking if something is too expensive, too dark etc for someone's liking, they do not like it because it is too expensive, dark etc. There are too many out there for my liking. The music was far too loud for my liking. In a way that pleases one; to one's satisfaction. if you say, for example, that something is too hot for your liking, you mean that you would prefer it to be less hot. The wedding reception was too noisy and crowded for my liking. Usage notes: Often found in structures beginning with too much/many, not enough, etc. 5. ring the bell 正合我意 Inf. to do, say, or be the right thing. to be just what is needed; to hit the spot. This cold water really rings the bell. A good hot bowl of soup would ring the bell about now. ring a bell = ring any bells to sound familiar: The name rang a bell but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before. No, I'm sorry, that description doesn't ring any bells with me. have a ring to it 有点意思 if a word or idea has a ring to it, it sounds interesting or attractive (never in continuous tenses) I suppose 'Cathy's Country Cooking' has a certain ring to it. have a familiar ring (to it) 听起来耳熟 sounds familar if something has a familiar ring, you believe that you have heard it before I thought that name had a familiar ring. I went to school with that girl. doesn't really have the same ring (to it). 听上去一样. Usually, "have the same rings" means "sound(s) the same," meaning that they aren't quite equal in some way. They elicit different reactions or bring up different images. 6. Stuart: Anyway, I was just wondering if you had any last-minute advice. Leonard: All right, well, off the top of my head, I think the most important thing with Penny is to go really slow. I mean, glacial. Stuart: Okay. Leonard: You know, guys come onto her ( come on to someone informal to behave towards someone in a way that shows you would like to have a sexual relationship with them. ) all the time, so, you need to, like, set yourself apart. You know, be a little shy, don't make too much eye contact. And, you know, treat her with, like, cool detachment and, and, and, you know, fear. Stuart: Fear? Leonard: Yeah, like, you're afraid that if you touch her, she'll break. Stuart: Well, that plays right into my wheelhouse 正合我意(play (right/straight) into someone's hands 落入圈套, 上当 to do something that helps someone who you are competing against. You'll be playing straight into their hands if you involve the police. in (someone's) wheelhouse In, related to, or matching someone's general interests, abilities, or area of familiarity; in someone's comfort zone. It's clear, however, that the political implications of this issue are well in the author's wheelhouse. Jeff's always stayed in his wheelhouse when it comes to dating women. He doesn't usually go for anyone very different from himself. a. In the area of one's greatest striking power: a fastball that was right in the batter's wheelhouse. b. In line with one's interests or abilities: a movie script that is right in that actor's wheelhouse.). Leonard: Good, good. Well, you kids have fun tonight. Stuart: Thanks, Leonard. What is that thing anyway? Howard: You don't know what this is? Stuart: No. Howard: Good. Get out. Raj: Be afraid of Penny, nice, very crafty. 7. just what the doctor ordered exactly what is wanted or needed: Thanks, a strong cup of coffee in the morning is just what the doctor ordered. something that is exactly what you need or want Our holiday in Tahiti was just what the doctor ordered.

 Big Bang Theory: 1. Well, you know, if we're gonna be real girlfriends, we should get a third girl we can trash behind her back. Oh, so we'd be catty ( catty [kæti] If you say that someone is being catty, you mean that they are being unpleasant and unkind. used for describing someone who enjoys saying cruel or unpleasant things about other people. His mother was catty, status-conscious 在乎身份的 and loud. ...catty remarks. catty-corner = kitty-cornered = catty-cornered 斜对角的 adv. positioned diagonally from something. The new bench in the park sat catty-cornered from the old church. Something that is catty-corner or kitty-corner from another thing is placed or arranged diagonally from it. There was a police car catty-corner across the street. ...two 50-foot-tall, steel and aluminum towers standing kitty-corner from each other. ). Oh, I like it. What about Sheldon's fiancée? She seems a bit dour( 整天板着脸的. 不苟言笑的. If you describe someone as dour, you mean that they are very serious and unfriendly. very serious, and not smiling or friendly. ...a dour, taciturn man. No wonder he looked so dour. not pleasant, interesting, or exciting. a dour industrial city. taciturn [ˈtæsɪˌtɜrn] adj. A taciturn person does not say very much and can seem unfriendly. someone who is taciturn does not speak often and does not say very much. A taciturn man, he replied to my questions in monosyllables. ). 2. Well, now, this works out great. Howard's an engineer. I'm sure he knows someone qualified. She was talking about me, Sheldon. I'm perfectly qualified. Yeah, Howie's the world's best engineer. It says so right on his coffee mug. Aw, you got him a mug? I did. But it's not a competition. Yeah, I lost that battle years ago. So, Howard, are you interested? Are you kidding? If I could control robot arms with my brain, I'd be able to do so many things. Really? Because you've been controlling human arms with your brain for years and not much has come of it. 3. Sometimes people smile a big smile of disappointment. Yeah, well, good news, Amy had to go in early to show Howard around her lab, so you get to drive me. Aw, his smile of disappointment has turned into a frown 皱眉 of joy. It's fine, I've been driving him for years. What's one more day 多一天又怎样, 又能怎样, 也不差什么, 多一天也不算什么? Oh, and I've got a new car game we can play. It's called "what siren am I?" Kill me. 4. Howard and Amy working together-- that's interesting, huh? Eh. It's all right, I suppose. Uh, when-- usually when Amy complains about her coworkers, I just tune her out 换频道, but now I'll be able to join in and pound away( pound away [at/on someone or something] 一阵乱打 To strike or hammer someone or something repeatedly and with unrestrained force. He poured the corn into the mortar and pounded away with the pestle. The gangster started pounding away on some poor guy who had just tripped and spilled his drink. We pounded away at the sheet of rock beneath the soil, but we just couldn't penetrate it. to hammer or batter constantly on someone or something. The cops pounded away at the poor guy, and then they put him in handcuffs. The jackhammer kept pounding away at the pavement. ). You're not jealous of Howard, are you? Of course not. The only engineer I'm jealous of is the one who blows the train whistle. Ooh, that just gave me an idea for a new game, "what whistle am I?" Train. For your information, it was going to be tea kettle, but the tea kettle was on a train, so I'll give it to you 算你对( give it to you: I have to give you credit (the credit you deserve). I'll give you that spoken used to admit that someone is right about something. I was wrong to trust him, I'll give you that. used for saying you accept that part of what someone has said is true, but not all of it. Oh, he's charming enough, I'll give you that, but I wouldn't trust him an inch. ). If we add phase detection to your EEG sensors, I'll have to rewrite most of the code. Can you do that? Well, these hands were made to do three things: close-up magic, writing code, and the dirty shadow puppet show that got me kicked out of Hebrew school. 5. Should we call it a night and go home? Or we could brew a pot of coffee and power through 挺过去, 坚持下去. I don't know, it's getting kind of late. 6. How irresponsible do you all think I am? We don't think you're irresponsible. We think you're... fun-loving. That is just a nice word for "irresponsible." Hmm. You might be more on the ball ( I. alert to new ideas, methods, and trends. "maintaining contact with customers keeps me on the ball". II. indicating competence, alertness, or intelligence. If someone is on the ball, they are very alert and aware of what is happening. She really is on the ball; she's bought houses at auctions so she knows what she's doing. "a woman like that, with so much on the ball". III. 反应迟钝. 知道怎么应对. to be quick to understand and react to things. quick to understand what is happening and what must be done. I didn't sleep well last night and I'm not really on the ball today. keep your eye on the ball 不错眼珠, 不转眼珠的, 一眨不眨的 to stay alert and pay close attention to the situation. Let's keep our eye on the ball and stay focused.) than we thought. I'm getting a little hungry. Want me to get it this time? That'd be great. 7. It sounds like someone named Scooper doesn't want you touching his jacket ( "to want someone doing something" is actually in use in AE. It often has an admonitory tone, as when a mother, leaving the room after giving her children the same instructions for the third time says, "and when I come back I want to see you picking up these toys!" There is also a sense of ongoing action, or spending time. A manager may tell an employee, "I want you working on the Pembleton account this week."). Are you guys working together on that meteorite project? Yes, fine, you found me out 被你发现了, 被你捉住了. I'm doing geology. Just, please, don't tell anyone. Are you embarrassed of me? Oh, no, no, no, not you. No, just the work that you've devoted your entire life to. If you're ashamed to be working with me, then I don't want to work with you. Sheldon, that was pretty rude. Well, what do you expect? 8. Why'd you come to me? Well, because it's also about my reputation. And somehow you manage to hold your head high despite your checkered past. Checkered past? It's a figure of speech referring to how sexually promiscuous you were. Really  Well, I've got a figure of speech about how sexually promiscuous you can go be with yourself. And what is it? 9. Hey. All good. Dipped her pacifier in a little bourbon, she conked right out ( conk out I. If vehicles and other machines conk out, they stop working or fail suddenly: I was just two miles from home when my motorbike conked out! If something such as a machine or a vehicle conks out, it stops working or breaks down. The dynamo conked out so we've got no electricity. II. 倒头便睡. to go to sleep very quickly, or to suddenly become unconscious: After a six-hour flight and a long day of meetings, it's not surprising you conked out. ). I hope you're joking. Of course I'm joking. I don't share my bourbon. She's joking. 10. Look, while Bernadette's on bed rest, we're gonna have to divide and conquer 分而治之( I. To use a combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy. II. In computer science, divide and conquer is an algorithm design paradigm based on multi-branched recursion. A divide-and-conquer algorithm works by recursively breaking down a problem into two or more sub-problems of the same or related type, until these become simple enough to be solved directly. ). I've got one monitor for her, one for the baby. Which do you want? I'll take the baby. She's less emasculating. 11. Where is everybody? I could ask you the same question. Wow, this conversation got mean fast. Sorry. I'm just in a bad mood. Yeah? What's going on? I had a falling out 吵架了, 闹不和了 with Raj( fall out I. to have a quarrel with Carrie's always falling out with people. II. if a tooth or your hair falls out 掉头发, 掉牙, it is then no longer attached to your body The drugs made her hair fall out. III. if soldiers fall out, 掉队 they stop standing in a line and move away to different places. have a falling-out (with somebody) informal to have a bad quarrel with someone. ). He said I make fun of him too much and it's wrecked 损害自信心, 摧毁自信心 his confidence 自信心受损. Please, confidence is like red blood cells-- it's nice if you got some, but you don't need 'em. Yeah. I mean, your life's a mess. I don't see you blaming other people for it. That's right. I grew up in a loving, supportive household. This is all on me. Maybe I'll just hang out here for a while. 12. You do know that my birthday's tomorrow, right? This is just step one of your birthday weekend. Now, would you care to join me for an authentic frontier dinner made entirely from scratch? I can't believe you did this. It's amazing! Oh, it's not a big deal. Just to be clear, it was a big deal. I was being modest 谦虚. You got that, right? Loud and clear. Well, I hope you're hungry. Oh, I'm starving. 13. Starvation is authentic to the time period. If you also have malaria and a deep distrust of Native Americans, we're really cooking with a woodstove. Is that butter? Yes. But don't blow it all on one biscuit. Took me nine hours to make that. I think I got churner's elbow. I know we only have coitus on my birthday, but I don't know if I can wait until midnight. Oh, well, you'll be glad you did. Everyone knows the best foreplay is rigid adherence to 坚守时间表, 紧跟时间表 , 严格按照时间表做事 a strict schedule. 14. If Halley can't teach herself to walk down the stairs, then maybe that's nature's way of saying 这是老天爷的意思 the Wolowitz line ends here 绝后了, 断后了. That's funny. I always thought Howard was nature's way of saying the Wolowitz line ends here. Me, too, but life does find a way! Hey, Halley can't reach the liquor cabinet. Why did you baby-proof it? How did you know we did? Fair point. Bernadette still going stir-crazy 憋成神经病, 憋出病来了, 憋疯了 ( psychologically disturbed, especially as a result of being confined or imprisoned. mentally disturbed as a result of being in prison or otherwise confined. "she'd be in danger of going stir-crazy if she had to look at the same four walls any longer". )? Oh, a little. Two months of bed rest-- it's kind of rough. Really? That sounds great. How do I get that? You'd either have to break your hip or let Howard knock you up. Now, either way, you'll get flowers the next morning. 15. handy I. useful. a handy electronic diary. handy for: The book is handy for quick reference. be handy to do something: It's always handy to have a couple of spare batteries. handy hints/tips: The article gave lots of handy hints for decorating a small flat. II. close to you and therefore easy to reach or get to. keep something handy: Keep your pills handy 随身携带, 随身带, 触手可及的地方 just in case you feel seasick. handy for: The hotel is handy for the beach. III. good at doing or making things with your hands. handy with: He's very handy with 擅长使用 a paintbrush (=good at painting). Yeah, do you mind me asking what he does for a living? He's a firefighter. Oh. Interesting. A potentially jealous man who's handy with an ax 擅用. (laughing): It's okay, though. He's almost had two weeks to cool down. come in handy to be useful in a particular situation. I knew this jacket would come in handy one day. 16. Howard, I want you to know that I forgive you. I'll take it. What's he forgiving you for? Don't care. Clean slate. Happy Yom Kippur to me. I know that you were on Wil's show, and I know why you didn't tell me. Do you? Because you were afraid that I would be difficult and annoying about it. I hope your book has a twist as surprising as that. It doesn't. I thought you were boycotting 抵制 Wil's show. I was, but I decided to give it a shot, and I actually enjoyed it. Just out of curiosity, how did you come to be on the show 你是怎么上的那个节目( come to do something I. to finally reach a state in which something happens or you do something. She had come to regard him as one of her few real friends. the man who had come to symbolize the Franco-American alliance. II. to do something by chance. I'm just explaining to them how we come to be 碰巧 in Liverpool. come to something I. to be a particular total when numbers or amounts are added together. to be a particular amount or number after a mathematical calculation: The total cost came to $20,000. That comes to £25. II. to reach a particular point or state: His hair comes right down to his shoulders. He's tiny, he doesn't even come up to my chest! And now I come to (= I will mention) my main point. The war had just come to an end (= ended). III. If you come to a decision, arrangement, etc., you make a decision or decide what to think about something: We haven't come to a decision on the matter yet. Have you come to any conclusions about the story yet? to reach a particular condition or stage: come to a halt/end In the past few months forward momentum has come to a halt.  come to nothing 付之流水, 一无所获 If plans come to nothing, they fail: So much effort and planning, and it's all come to nothing. come to a decision/agreement/conclusion I am confident the two sides will come to agreement. come to sb If a thought or idea comes to you, you suddenly remember or start to think about it: I can't remember his name - it'll come to me in a minute. come to light 真相大白 If facts come to light, they become known publicly: Fresh evidence has recently come to light that suggests that he didn't in fact commit the murder. come to pass to happen: It came to pass that their love for each other grew and grew. come to pieces UK If something comes to pieces, it has been designed so that it can be divided into smaller parts. come to someone's rescue to help someone out of a bad situation: I was about to drop a huge tray of dishes when Brad came to my rescue. )? Did he ask you? Did you ask him? Did you just show up on the set and ring that doorbell? Sheldon, if you want to be on the show, you're gonna have to apologize to Wil. That would be the mature thing to do. Let's put a pin in that 停止, 叫停 and keep thinking. 17. Well, it's tricky, because answering that question honestly is one of the things I tend not to do because it upsets you. Well, that's very upsetting. Like I said. What other things don't you do because of me? Remember last week when we went to that dueling piano bar I was so excited about? No. Well, now you're getting it 现在你终于明白了吧, 现在你终于开始明白了. Boy, I don't know how people who aren't on bed rest keep up with the Kardashians. Well, sometimes you have to read in your car while your husband thinks you're working late. Speaking of which, he came by yesterday to show me his book. Oh, and-and what did you think? 18. I just learned some very distressing(distressing [dɪˈstresɪŋ] making you feel extremely unhappy, worried, or upset. If something is distressing, it upsets you or worries you. It is very distressing to see your baby attached to tubes and monitors. Tranquillizers help alleviate the distressing symptoms of anxiety. ...a distressingly large bloodstain. distressing news. distress [dɪˈstres] 担心, 焦虑 to make someone feel very unhappy, worried, or upset It distresses him to think that he has no hope of changing things. distress selling an occasion when someone sells an asset because they cannot afford to pay back debt. Financially speaking, distress selling is a good solution to clearing debt. stress noun. I. uncountable 精神压力. a worried or nervous feeling that stops you relaxing, caused, for example, by pressure at work or financial or personal problems. overworked managers suffering from stress and anxiety. under stress: Carol's been under a lot of stress lately. stress-related: stress-related illnesses. a. ​only before noun relating to stress stress management (=dealing effectively with stress): The class teaches some basic techniques of stress management. b. countable a situation that makes you feel stress. The beautiful gardens offer a refuge from the stresses of daily life. II. uncountable special importance given to something so that you pay more attention to it. lay/put/place stress 强调 on something: The course lays great stress on the importance of oral communication. III. countable/uncountable physical pressure 物理压力 put on something that can make it change its shape or break. stress on: Judo puts a lot of stress 压力 on your knee joints. IV. countable/ uncountable ​linguistics the emphasis that you put on a particular word or syllable (=part of a word) by pronouncing it more loudly or with greater force than other words or syllables. the stress falls 重音 on something (=is put on something): In "fatigue" the stress falls on the second syllable. a. ​music the emphasis that you put on a particular musical note or sound by playing or singing it more loudly or with greater force than other notes or sounds. stress verb I. to emphasize something such as an idea, fact, or detail. The president stressed the importance of controlling spending. stress that: He stressed that this was a temporary solution. II. ​linguistics to pronounce a particular word or syllable (=part of a word) more loudly or with greater force than other words or syllables. The noun "desert" is stressed on the first syllable. III. ​spoken to be worried or nervous. Don't stress over it 不用压力大. 不要有压力 - we'll soon get it sorted out. stress about: Even though we have no money I'm not stressing about it. de-stress [ˌdi ˈstres] 解压, 减压 to relax or to help someone relax following a stressful period or experience. The game helps him de-stress from long hours at a stressful job. Come and learn how to relax, de-stress and get in shape. There are some great natural ways to de-stress yourself. stress mark 重音号 a mark that shows which part of a word is pronounced with more emphasis. stress (someone) out 让某人紧张, 压力大 to make someone feel nervous about something. to make someone feel very nervous and worried: Interviews always stress me out. Stop talking about the exam all the time, you're stressing me out! stressed = stressed-out worried and nervous: The kids are sick, I just lost my baby-sitter, and our toilet doesn’t work – no wonder I feel stressed-out! worried and unhappy because you have too much work or too many problems to deal with: stressed (out) 压力巨大的 workers/business people/commuters. be/get/feel stressed (out) A quarter of workers interviewed said they felt 'highly stressed' at work. more/less/very stressed I feel less stressed since I've been working just part time. be stressed out about/by/over sth I'm really stressed out about work at the moment. stressful 让人有压力的, 压力大的 = nerve-racking making you feel worried and nervous: a stressful day/job. Police work is physically demanding and stressful. She's very good at coping in stressful situations. stress puppy a person who seems to thrive on stress but constantly complains about it. The informal term stress puppy has been used on both sides of the Atlantic since the mid-1990s, and is one of many coinings spawned by the increasing use of 'office jargon', humorous terms intended to relieve the monotony of working life as they describe individuals and working practices that many people recognise and relate to. ) news. Sometimes, Amy doesn't do things because she's worried about how I'll react. First of all, it's not sometimes, it's always. Second, it's not Amy, it's everybody. And third, it's not news, it's well-established 众所周知的. Yeah. Like just now I wanted to get a croissant, but I didn't want to hear you say, "Ooh, la, la." So you're saying everyone walks on eggshells (tread on eggshells) 心惊胆战的. 极度小心的, 胆战心惊的, 小心翼翼的, 如履薄冰的, 脚步放轻的 (tiptoe around sb) to spare my feelings 怕惹生气, 怕惹恼, 怕惹到, 怕惹怒 ( be (walking/treading/skating) on thin ice to be in a situation in which you are likely to upset someone or cause trouble. If you say that someone is on thin ice or is skating on thin ice, you mean that they are doing something risky which may have serious or unpleasant consequences. I had skated on thin ice and, so far, got away with it. I was on thin ice, and I knew it. If you tread carefully 谨言慎行, 小心谨慎, you behave in a careful or cautious way. If you are hoping to form a new relationship tread carefully and slowly to begin with. There are three reasons for treading warily in such matters. tread a fine/delicate/narrow line/path 步步谨慎, 步步小心 If someone is treading a fine line or path, they are acting carefully because they have to avoid making a serious mistake, especially in a situation where they have to deal with two opposing demands. They have to tread the delicate path between informing children and boring them. The President will therefore have to tread a very fine line when he addresses the parliament. tread a path If you tread a particular path, you take a particular course of action or do something in a particular way. He continues to tread an unconventional path. It was never her intention to tread the same path as her mother 走上同一条路. 走上老路. gingerly in a very slow and careful way, usually because you are injured or afraid of something. If you do something gingerly, you do it in a careful manner, usually because you expect it to be dangerous, unpleasant, or painful. She was touching the dressing gingerly with both hands. I drove gingerly past the security check points. walk on eggshells I. 如履薄冰的. Fig. to walk very carefully; to take steps gingerly小心翼翼的, 战战兢兢的. to try very hard not to upset someone or something. Everyone at the company was walking on eggshells until we heard that no one would be fired. Etymology: based on the idea that eggshells are easily broken. Since he stumbled and fell against the china cabinet, Bill has been walking on eggshells. II. Fig. to be very diplomatic and inoffensive. I was walking on eggshells trying to explain the remark to her without offending her further. tiptoe around sb/sth. to avoid dealing directly with a problem. to be very careful about how you behave towards someone because you are afraid of offending or annoying them. The government should stop tiptoeing around the issue of health care. spare a thought for someone 想想 to think about someone who is in a difficult situation. Please, spare a thought for the homeless this Christmas. spare no effort 竭尽所能 to do everything that is necessary to make something succeed. We will spare no effort to find the culprit of this crime. spare no expense 付出一切, 不惜一切代价 to spend as much money as necessary to make something good, without worrying about the cost. She spared no expense in getting the house to look just right. spare someone's feelings to avoid doing something that would cause someone to feel sad or upset. Don't try to spare our feelings – tell us the truth. spare someone the details 隐去细节 to not tell someone every detail about something because it is too boring, personal, or unpleasant. I'll spare you the details, but he wasn't very complimentary. money/ room/ time etc to spare more than enough money/room/time etc. We've got food to spare. )? No, of course not, because we don't want to hear you complain about how much you hate the sound of crunching eggshells. I don't want my relationship with Amy to be like that. Sheldon, Amy knew what she was getting into. You think? Yes, we warned her. Well, regardless 尽管如此, 即便如此, 就算那样, 就算是, I can change. 19. I can't believe her. She knows I don't want to name the baby after her dad. What did you want to name him? I don't know. We were gonna wait until we saw what he looked like. Well, it's a baby. Her dad's a wrinkly bald man. That wasn't gonna break your way 如你所愿. 20. I'm trying to get our grant proposal together 准备好, 凑齐 ( get something together I. to collect things together I need to get some paperwork together for the meeting. II. to succeed in getting enough money to do or buy something We're trying to get together enough money 凑够, 凑足, 凑齐, 拼凑 to buy a flat. III. put together something = get something together to change your life so that it is organized and you are in control of it. to plan and arrange (something) Paul and I were getting a band together, and we needed a record deal. He's just trying to get his life together at the moment. get yourself together = get a grip on yourself = pull yourself together I. to regain one's self-control. to regain one's self-control or composure. to become calm and behave normally again after being angry or upset: Just pull yourself together. There's no point crying about it. He pulled himself together and got back to work. I'm staying with my parents for a while, until I've got myself together a bit. II. snap out of it to recover quickly, esp. from depression or anger. Come on, snap out of it! get somebody together 聚集, 召集, 聚齐 to bring people together to make a group. He got together a group of local businessmen to discuss the problem. get it together informal to make a decision or take positive action in your life. to be organized and successful in your life, job etc The government can’t seem to get it together on the environment. Blake has really got it together since I last saw him - he has started a new job and lost a lot of weight. ). Any chance you've finished up those mechanical drawings? Oh, sorry. I was gonna do it last night, but I got kind of busy. Yeah, you did. What are they talking about? I'll give you a hint. It's something that we have done four times. Watched La La Land? What? No. No. I've not watched La La Land four times. If you find the soundtrack on my phone, that's just 'cause our iTunes accounts are linked. Looks like I might have a little more time before the baby gets here 孩子出生, so why don't we just stay late and get it done? Well, I don't want you to leave Bernadette alone. Oh, we can hang out and keep her company. Yeah, absolutely. See, see. Look at my Netflix queue. There's two documentaries and the movie Friends with Benefits, which I thought was a documentary about employer health care plans. 21. I'm sorry I tried to sneak the name past you 偷偷混过去, 偷偷骗过去, 偷运. That's okay. I'm sorry I used up so many good names in college. I was really competitive with my roommate. Forget about it. 22. The only way I would see my son for the first time and immediately think "I need to call Raj" is if he came out brown. You know, it can take some time for pigment to form. You're still not out of the woods 摆脱麻烦, 洗清嫌疑, 脱离干系, 摆脱麻烦. 23. Do we want to get married there? I don't know. I mean, Einstein was a member. I like that. You know? But... Leonard's a member, and that really steams my clams. Oh, I love it when you're folksy 说乡下话的. I'm just gonna call. On the other hand, shaming Leonard during our wedding at the very place he betrayed me does have a beautiful symmetry 对称美 to it ( symmetry I. Something that has symmetry is symmetrical in shape, design, or structure. ...the incredible beauty and symmetry of a snowflake. I loved the house because it had perfect symmetry. Their own lives already seemed to possess the symmetries of narrative art. 完美对称. the quality of having parts that match each other, especially in a way that is attractive, or similarity of shape or contents: The design of the house had a pleasing symmetry, its oblong [ˈɑbˌlɔŋ] shape 长方形 being picked up in its elongated windows. elongated [ɪˈlɔŋˌɡeɪtəd] 修长的 longer and thinner than usual. longer and narrower than is normal or natural. elongated fingers. In the photo her face was slightly elongated. II. Symmetry in a relationship or agreement is the fact of both sides giving and receiving an equal amount. The superpowers pledged to maintain symmetry in their arms shipments. III. You can refer to symmetry between countries, institutions, or situations if you think that there is a close similarity between them. the quality of being similar or of balancing each other. There's a certain symmetry in the careers of the two brothers. symmetrical = symmetric having two parts that match exactly, either when one half is like an image of the other half in a mirror, or when one part can take the place of another if it is turned 90° or 180°: Common skin moles are round and symmetrical. involving actions or parts that are similar or balanced in some way: Nothing in this music is balanced or symmetrical or in any way predictable.). That's nice, it'll be your first petty act as a married man. 24. As Sheldon's best man, I need to inform you that this is not a bachelor party. And tell them why. Because you're a tiresome scold 到处挑错, 到处找茬的人( a person, esp a woman, who constantly finds fault. ). No. It's because a bachelor party is typically a hedonistic ['hiːdənɪstɪk] [ˈhid(ə)nɪst] blowout ( I. an occasion when a tire on a moving vehicle suddenly bursts. We had a blowout on the highway. II. ​American​ informal an easy victory in a game or competition. When the Yankees scored ten runs in the first inning, we knew the game would be a blowout. III. ​usually singular ​informal a celebration during which people eat and drink a lot. Jim's having a birthday blowout at the Hacienda. IV. an occasion when oil or gas suddenly escapes from a well (=a deep hole in the ground). ) where no pleasures of the flesh are denied. I'm not interested in that. How is that not exactly what I said? Okay, now, I promised Sheldon things weren't gonna get too crazy tonight. 25. Should we get her home? Why? She's sound asleep, and we have sliders coming. 26. I know what it's like to live with a bully. Your brother bullied you? Oh, I was talking about Penny, but sure, yeah. Once, when I was eight, I was going to dress as my favorite scientist for Halloween, and Georgie threw my costume away. I had to wear a sheet and go as a ghost. Scared myself all night long. Well, look, we don't fly out until the morning. Why don't I try and talk to him, give it one more shot? All right. But if he says, "Nerd says what," don't answer him. What? You are a lamb to the slaughter ( like a lamb to the slaughter 待宰羔羊 If someone does something or goes somewhere like a lamb to the slaughter, they do it without knowing that something bad is going to happen and therefore act calmly and without fighting against the situation. ). So, how was your date? It was going well until my eye dripped in her latte. We're so sorry we ruined your date. Oh, boo-hoo. His date got ruined. 27. Well, don't think of her as a stranger. Just think of her as a... a friend you haven't berated 责备, lectured 教育 or condescended to yet. I hadn't thought of it that way. Thank you. You're welcome. 28. What's the matter? You look glum. Amy, would you still love me if I wasn't who you thought I was? What are you talking about? Well, what if it turns out I'm not the single-minded, science-obsessed recluse who puts his work above everything and everybody else that you fell in love with? What if I'm not the straightlaced 一本正经的, 不苟言笑的, 严肃的, buttoned-up, quilting queen ( buttoned up 不爱说话的, 封闭的, 内心关起来的 (of a person) not inclined to reveal thoughts or information; reserved or inhibited. If you say that someone is buttoned up, you mean that they do not usually talk about their thoughts and feelings. ...the buttoned-up wife of an English clergyman. "the conventional image of a buttoned-up lawyer or judge". strait-laced = straight-laced 一本正经的, 严谨守旧的, 道德观念强的 adj. [disapproval] If you describe someone as strait-laced, you disapprove of them because they have very strict views about what kind of behaviour is moral or acceptable. He was criticised for being boring, strait-laced and narrow-minded. Our unconventional behaviour did in fact shock some of our more straitlaced friends. ) you thought I was? 29. no contest I. a plea by which a defendant in a criminal prosecution accepts conviction but does not plead or admit guilt. "he pleaded no contest 不抗争 to two misdemeanour counts". II. a decision by the referee to declare a boxing match invalid on the grounds that one or both of the boxers are not making serious efforts. III. used for emphasizing that it is obvious who will win in a situation where different people, companies, teams etc are competing. used to say that someone or something is the best of its kind. I think you're the best rider here, no contest. Jessie is the fastest, no contest. IV. if a victory is no contest, it is very easy to achieve.

not a contest VS not a competition:1. Penny: What would you regret? Leonard: Mm, you know, that I didn't travel more, take more risks, learn another language. Penny: You know Klingon. Leonard: That's true. Penny: No, I meant that as a regret. Leonard: I just thought of one more. Penny: What's that? Leonard: I regret not saying yes when you asked me to marry you. Penny: Well, it just wasn't the right time. Leonard: Yeah. Penny: And this is also not the right time. Do not propose. Leonard: What? Penny: I know that face. That's your propose face. Leonard: I was not gonna propose. It's already two to one. Penny: What's two to one? Leonard: I proposed twice, you proposed once. Two to one. Penny: Oh, my. It's not a contest 这不是比赛. Leonard: I don't know what you're upset about. I'm the one who's losing. Penny: Okay. Fine. Would you feel better if I propose so you could turn me down again? Leonard: Yeah, I think I would. Penny: Okay. Leonard, will you marry me? Leonard: Hmm. Penny: No, don't you dare. You reject me right now and tie things up 扯平. Leonard: It's just such a big decision. I don't want to have any regrets. 2. Howard: Actually, I was thinking we could go straight to the room and take a nap. Bernadette: Really? And miss the keynote? Howard: We can watch it later on C-SPAN. Besides, I was really looking forward to you and me napping together in the hotel. Bernadette: Well honey, if you're that tired, why don't you just take a nap here in the car? Howard: That green bag is Dr. Cooper's. Here's an extra five. Make him wait. Oh. Right to the nap, huh? Okay? Uh, so, this Glenn guy. You say you went out with him 在一起 for, like, a year. Bernadette: Do we really need to talk about my old boyfriend now? Howard: No. I guess not. What is he, like, six-four, six-five? Bernadette: Six-seven. Howard: Probably has a hard time finding a suit that fits 合身的衣服. Bernadette: Is something bothering you? Howard: No. It's just… Bernadette: What? Howard: I'm just thinking. If you had sex with that guy, I mean, there's nothing I can do here that will make any kind of impact. Bernadette: Howard, it's not a contest 这又不是比谁输谁赢. I love you. I want to be with you. Howard: Yeah, great, love you, too, but, if it were a contest, I wouldn't have a chance, right? Bernadette: You can't think that way 你不能那么想. Howard: Yep. Loser. Bernadette: Howard, stop it. Howard: Sorry. I just never figured that a guy like me going out with a girl like you would ever have to compete with a guy like that. Bernadette: Wait a minute, a girl like me? What's that mean? Howard: I'm… I… Bernadette: Are you saying you don't think I'm hot enough to go out with a guy like Glenn? Howard: No! No, I'm saying exactly the opposite. Bernadette: I'm too hot to go out with a guy like Glenn? Howard: Yeah, let's go with that. 3. Ruchi: Well, moving to a new city was a little scary, but the job seems great. Everyone's really nice. Bernadette: Oh, they are. Super nice. I mean, only one of them took you out tonight, but it's not a competition.

Phrase Mix; time intensive, exploring my options; that's that

惯用法: 1. it looks like (clause): When you've noticed something and want to point it out to people, you say "it looks like ___". For example, if you're waiting for some people to meet you but they're 15 minutes late, you can say: It looks like they're not coming. If you look outside on a rainy day and it's not raining anymore, you can say: It looks like the rain has stopped. In casual speech, you can leave the word "it" out at the beginning of the sentence. 2. Looks like they finally got around to fixing that light.": The light on the first floor of your apartment has been broken for two weeks. You're annoyed that it was broken for so long. Now it's been fixed, so when you see a neighbor in the elevator you say this. Looks like they finally got around to fixing that light. People often use "they" to mean the people who are responsible for something. For example: They should clean up the sidewalks here. In this example, you don't know or care who exactly is supposed to do this; you just think that the people or department which takes care of the sidewalks should do it. "They" can mean: the government, the police, the people who manage a building, the people who run large companies. In other cases, when you use the word "they", you have to explain who you're talking about first. Imagine that someone says: They came to the beach house. If you didn't know who the speaker was talking about, you would ask: Who did? But when "they" means "the people in charge", you don't need to explain who you mean. (someone) finally (did something) "Finally" is an adverb that tells when someone did something. It means that they did it after a long wait. When you say that someone "finally" did something, it shows that you're annoyed because it took too long: I finally finished my project. I'm so glad to be done with that! get around to (doing something) To "get around to" doing something means to finally do it after a long time. You can use this phrase when someone is busy: Just check this over and send me your response whenever you can get around to it 有时间, 顾得上. Thanks! Or you can use "get around to ___ing" when you don't think someone is busy, but just that they're being lazy. This is the way that it was used in the example at top. For another example, a mother might say to her son who's in college and living in the dorms: Oh, so you finally got around to calling me, huh? The meaning of this message is "I'm upset that you didn't call me sooner." 3. It looks like I've worn through the soles. You're putting on a pair of shoes. You notice that there's now a hole in the bottom of one of them. You say this to yourself. wear through the sole (of a shoe). When something gets "worn through", it gets thinner and thinner through use, until there's a hole in it. You can use "wear through" in these ways: (someone) wears through (something) I wear through shoes quickly. (something) wears through (something) The heel of my boot wore through my sock. (somthing) is/gets worn through It's already worn through. Use "wear through" mostly to talk about clothes or the soles of a person's shoes. The "sole" is the bottom of the shoe, which touches the ground when you walk. 4. You can't just go around 老是 using people's stuff without their permission! You're in a band. You've been looking for your guitar, and are surprised to discover that your bandmate is playing it. You say this because you're angry that he took the guitar without asking you first. go around (doing something) 反复, 老是, 一次又一次的, 一次次地 The phrase "go around ___ing" describes someone doing something bad again and again, with different people. For example, if someone has been spreading false rumors about you, you can say: She's been going around telling everyone that I slept with Kyle. That's a lie! If your husband or wife has been spending a lot of money on useless things, you can say: You think you can just go around spending money left and right? We've got bills to pay, damn it! It is possible to use "go around ___ing" to talk about someone doing a good thing many times, but it's rare. Even if you're talking about the person doing something good, it might seem like you're complaining: He's always going around telling everyone what a great job they're doing. people's stuff In the example, the speaker says "people's stuff" instead of "my stuff". This makes it sound like a general rule. General rules are often expressed in terms of "people": If you want people to like you, you have to be nice to them. use (something) without (someone's) permission When you ask someone if you can do something (like "Can I use your guitar?"), and they say "yes", you have their "permission". Using something "without permission" means that you didn't ask the correct people before using it. Don't touch other people's stuff without their permission! 5. I have some bad news. This is a phrase that you say to someone, before you tell them about something negative. For example, a manager can tell an employee that another employee was fired: Hey, listen. I have some bad news. We had to let Bradley go today. The phrase "I have some bad news" is appropriate for serious problems like: someone losing their job, getting in an accident, not getting selected for a job, a school, an award, etc. losing money, the death of someone you don't know well. But it's not strong enough for really bad events, like the death of a close friend or family member. In that situation, phrases like these are better: Lana, I have some horrible news. Aunt Coco was killed in a car accident. A: What's wrong? B: Something terrible has happened. Jana was shot. 6. What's up with this erratic weather we've been having, huh? Recently, the weather has been changing drastically from one day to the next. Two days ago, it was sunny and warm, but today it's snowing. You're making small talk with a friend, so you bring up the topic of the weather. What's up with (something)? "What's up with ___?" is a casual way of asking: What is happening? Why is something happening? What's up with your family these days? What's up with that cut on your forehead? What's up with all the earthquakes that have been happening in the last few years? If someone says: What's up with this weather? ... they want to know why the weather has been changing so much. erratic weather 反常的天气 "Erratic weather" means weather that's strange for the season, and that changes a lot from day to day. People usually use this phrase to talk about weather that's warm on one day and then much cooler the next day. The word "erratic" can also be used to describe some other things, like a person's behavior: His behavior has been awfully erratic lately. Like erratic weather, "erratic behavior" is when a person acts differently from day to day. An "erratic" person changes their personality suddenly. weather we've been having You can talk about recent weather patterns using the phrase "weather we've been having": This is a strange bit of weather we've been having. Nice weather we've been having, isn't it? You use "have been ___ing" when you're talking about an action or state that is: continuing, recent. Another example of "have been ___ing" is: I've been working hard on finding a replacement for Abby now that she's left. 7. Don't tell me you're jaded already! Your brother moved to a big city a couple of months ago. When he first moved there, he was quite excited about it, but now you're talking to him on the phone and he's complaining about the city. You're surprised that he's complaining about it so quickly, so you say this. (someone) is jaded 不再喜欢, 厌倦, 厌烦 Being "jaded" means that you now have a negative and cynical attitude about something that you were once positive about. A person becomes "jaded" because of bad experiences that they have. For example, a lot of school teachers become jaded after a few years on the job. They start out hoping to improve the quality of their students' lives, but then years of difficult students, unhelpful coworkers, and low pay makes them become jaded. In order to be "jaded", you must have started out with a positive opinion of something. If you had a negative opinion from the beginning, you haven't become "jaded"; you're just cynical about it. cynical I. 愤世嫉俗的. If you describe someone as cynical, you mean they believe that people always act selfishly. someone who is cynical believes that people care only about themselves and are not sincere or honest. ...his cynical view of the world. As one former customer said cynically, 'He's probably pocketed the difference!' II. If you are cynical about something, you do not believe that it can be successful or that the people involved are honest. someone who is cynical expects things not to be successful or useful. I know that some of you are very cynical about the proposals. It's hard not to be cynical about reform. It has also made me more cynical about relationships. III. willing to let other people be harmed so that you can get an advantage. Democrats said it was a cynical attempt to smear the President's reputation. 8. It's been on the market for nearly a year now, but we still have nothing to show for it. You've been trying to sell your house for the past 11 months. You're frustrated about it. You say this while talking to your friend about this problem. (something) is on the market You say that something "is on the market" when it's being sold publicly. It's a bit of a joke, but you can also say that a person is "on the market" if they've just become single and are ready to date people: Watch out, ladies! I'm back on the market. When you first start to sell an item, you "put it on the market". (somebody) has nothing to show for it Use this expression when someone has spent a lot of time doing something, but hasn't gotten much benefit from it. In the example above, the speaker has tried to sell her house for a year, but she hasn't sold it or gotten any closer to selling it. Other examples: We've invested over two years and $2.5 million in developing a new application, but we still have nothing to show for it. Sure, you got good grades in school and all. But now what do you have to show for it? A boring job that doesn't even pay that well. have something/nothing to show for sth 一点结果也没有, 完全没有任何结果, 完全没有任何成果 If you have something/nothing to show for your work or effort, you have/have not won any advantage from it. to have achieved something​/​nothing as a result of something that you have done. They had absolutely nothing to show for weeks of hard work. I worked for two weeks, and $50 was all I had to show for it. I've been trying to write this essay all day and I have nothing to show for it. 9. I've got it 由我来吧 (我来搞定吧, 我搞定了). You're at a restaurant with a group of friends and the waiter has brought the check to your table. You pick up the check, and your friend asks you how much it is. You say this because you want to pay for everyone. When you're deciding who will pay for a meal, the phrase "I've got it" means "I'll pay for the meal": A: How much is it? B: Don't worry about it. I've got it. In a more general sense, you say "I've got it" when someone is offering to help with something, but you want to show that you can handle the situation without any help. For example, if you're carrying a heavy-looking suitcase and someone offers to carry it for you, you say: That's all right, I've got it 我没问题的, 我不需要帮助. You might also hear: I got it. This isn't technically right, but it's common in American English. 10. Creating multiple layouts for each different device would be quite time intensive. You work at a company that builds applications for tablet computers. You and some of your employees are trying to figure out whether to make different versions of the application for each type of tablet computer. You explain why this is a bad idea. (electronic) devices "Electronic devices" are machines that use batteries such as laptop computers, phones, tablets, portable video games, and so on. You can also use the word "device" by itself to talk about any machine: I saw this device on TV that chops tomatoes perfectly in just a few seconds. But more and more, "device" by itself specifically means a mobile phone or tablet computer: I heard that they're releasing a new device at the end of this month. (doing something) would (do something) You can use this sentence structure when you're making plans or decisions: Cutting the Arts program would be horrible for the children. Moving our troops to the north would make us vulnerable to an attack from the east. You can also use "___ing would ___" when you're imagining something that probably won't happen: Living on Mars would be awesome! multiple (things) "Multiple" means "many" or "several". This word sounds intelligent and academic. Some words that often appear with "multiple" are: multiple perspectives, multiple factors, multiple layers, multiple locations. create a layout 布局 A "layout" is a design for where things are going to go. You can make layouts for things like: software applications. magazine pages. where pieces of furniture should go in a room. (something) is time intensive 太花时间了, 太浪费时间了 If an activity is "time intensive", it means that it takes a lot of time to complete. You can use this phrase for talking about some task at work: I don't think we should bother with that. It's too time intensive 太耗时间了. You can also use it to describe hobbies that take up a lot of time: Making your own furniture is really cool, but it's really time intensive. 10. Blackbeard was a notorious pirate who raided ships 袭击商船, 抢劫商船 in the early 18th century off the east coast of the United States. You're watching a documentary about history. The narrator is describing a pirate. off the coast of (somewhere) This phrase describes a location in the ocean that's away from the land but close to a certain continent, country, state, province, island, etc.: off the coast of South America. off the coast of Maui. off the coast of California. You can also include details about which side of a country you mean: They crashed off the south coast of Cuba. a (first/second/19th/etc.)-century (something) When English speakers say "20th century", it means the years from 1901-2000. Similarly, "18th century" is 1701-1800, and "first centry" is 1-100 A.D. You can use this phrase as an adjective like this: They discovered the sunken remains of a fifteenth-century trading ship 商船. They didn't have our modern 21st-century conveniences back then. Without the hyphen ("-"), you can use this phrase as a noun too: They've been fighting off and on since the 17th century. a notorious (person) To be "notorious" means that you are famous or well-known for doing something bad. Examples include: a notorious drug lord. a notorious ladies' man. a notorious liar. a pirate "Pirates" are people who attack ships and steal things from them. When most of us think of pirates, we think of people from the 1700s who sailed on wooden sailing ships. However, there are also modern-day pirates in some parts of the world. raid (something) 侵袭, 袭击, 侵略 When a group of people attack something and steal things, it's called "raiding": Bands of thieves would sometimes raid the village. Soldiers, pirates, and gangs "raid" places. 11. Hi — I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Aaron. A new person has started working at your company. You've seen her in meetings, but no one has introduced you to her and you haven't spoken with her yet. You'd like to meet her. You walk up to her in the hallway and say this. properly (done) The word "proper" means "correct". It sounds formal, and to most Americans it sounds a little British. It makes me think of men in tuxedos, and women in big white dresses drinking tea. Of course, "proper" and "properly" aren't always used in such extremely formal situations. You can use "properly" to talk about doing something in the correct way: He handled it properly and professionally. Your brain needs oxygen in order to function properly. I don't think we've been properly introduced. This is a phrase that you can use to introduce yourself to someone in a formal situation when no one else has introduced you to them yet: I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Chad. This sentence only makes sense if you've seen, written to, or heard the person but haven't spoken directly to them yet. 12. Maybe if we rearrange some of this stuff...? You're going on a trip with a group of friends. You're all riding in your friend's car. He's trying to put all the suitcases in the trunk, but yours isn't fitting 放不进去, 塞不下, 装不下. You make this suggestion because you think it might be possible to get them all in if they're all packed in the right way. Maybe if we rearrange some of this stuff...? Maybe if (someone) (does something)? When you're looking for solutions to a problem, you can introduce different ideas that you have with "Maybe if...". For example, if someone is looking for a way to sell her old computer, you can suggest: Well, maybe if you put it on Craigslist, someone might buy it. Usually "if" sentences include the conclusion, but if the speaker and the listeners all know what the conclusion is, you can leave it off 省去. So in this example: Maybe if we rearrange some of this stuff...? ...actually means this: Maybe if we rearrange some of this stuff, we can fit all of the suitcases in the trunk. But because everyone knows the conclusion, you don't need to say it. rearrange (something) 重新布置 To "rearrange" things means to change their order or position: Did you rearrange the furniture in here? I rearranged my schedule so that I could sleep in until 9:00 every morning. You can also use the specific words "reorder" and "reposition" but "rearrange" can replace both of those. "Stuff" can mean almost any physical items or material. It's similar to the word "things", but "things" are countable and "stuff" is not. So "stuff" is better to use when you're talking about a group of things that are different from each other - different sizes, shapes, etc. "Stuff" is especially used to refer to things that you buy or own: There's a good chance that you'll end up buying a lot of stuff while you're there. I'll go pick up all the stuff we need. Excuse me. Would you mind watching over my stuff for me for just a minute? But "stuff" can also mean "topics" or "ideas", like in this example: We have a lot of stuff to talk about. 13. I'm not even remotely interested in hearing what he has to say. You got a telephone call from your ex-boyfriend. You had a bad breakup with him, so you don't want to talk to him. Your friend asks if you are going to call back. You say this. (someone) is not even remotely interested in 一丁点都不感兴趣 (something) "Not even remotely interested" means "not interested at all". Use this phrase to emphasize that you really, really don't care about something. The word "remote" means "far away". So "not even remotely" means "not even far away". If you're "not even remotely interested", it means that you don't have any interest, not even a small, far-away interest. Some other words you can use with "not even remotely": Aren't you even remotely curious as to what he's been doing all these years? Don't you think it's even remotely possible that there could be intelligent life on other planets? 14. Keep in mind that it's a lot warmer there at this time of year. Your roommate is going on a trip for a few weeks to Bali, which she's never visited before. You've been to Bali before, and want to give her advice on what to pack for the trip. You say this because you don't think she needs to take a lot of heavy clothes. 15. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Your brother has made a lot of money on the stock market and says that he wants to use some of the money to buy an expensive sports car. You try to talk him out of it (convince him not to do it) but he says he can afford to buy it because he has enough money. You say this because you still think the idea is dumb. 16. For some reason FBS wouldn't let me log in. You're learning how to use a computer program at work. You tried to open the program, but it wouldn't accept your account name and password. You ask a coworker for help. (a computer program) won't let me (do something) We often talk about computers as if they were people. This is an example: It won't let me save. This means "I can't save (a document)." When you're unable to do something using a computer, you can say that the computer "won't let you" do it. Another example: It's so annoying: it won't let me open two windows, so I have to keep closing one window and opening another. log in (to a computer or a program) "Logging in" to a computer, a computer program, or a website means entering information like your user name and password so that you will be allowed to access it: Can you log in to your computer? OK, I'm logged in. What do I do next? "Logging in" is also known as "signing in". 16. My father was always too absorbed in his work to pay much attention to me. You don't get along well with your father. When you were a child, he was a busy executive. You're talking to a therapist about the problems that you have with him. You confess this to the therapist. My father was always too absorbed in his work to pay much attention to me. When you're speaking to your father, you should use a term of address such as these: "Dad" is the standard way that most people call their fathers. "Daddy" is how young children might talk call their fathers. Most people stop calling their fathers "Daddy" in their teenage years, but some people continue to do so even as adults. Some groups of people use the word "Pop" to refer to their fathers. It's not as common as "Dad", though. Calling your father "Father" seems extremely formal. (someone is) absorbed in (something) 太沉迷于 Being "absorbed in" something means that you're paying close attention to it, and not paying much attention to anything else. Here are some things that you can be "absorbed in": absorbed in thought, absorbed in a book, absorbed in your work, absorbed in conversation. Being "absorbed in" something doesn't really have a strongly positive or negative meaning. It's neutral. pay (much) attention to (someone) "Paying attention to" a person means that you talk with them, listen to them, spend time together, etc. People are supposed to pay attention to their children and families, so it's usually in this situation that people talk about "paying attention to" people. There's also another meaning of "paying attention to" someone. This other sense means to look and listen carefully to someone at one certain time. For example, parents might tell their kids: Pay attention to the teacher! But the meaning of this is a little different from: I'm worried that we haven't been paying enough attention to Zack ever since Adele was born. 17. I'm... ah... I'm exploring my options 可选项 right now 掂量. You're at a family reunion. One of your uncles asks about your work situation. You don't have a job right now. You're embarrassed, so you describe your situation this way. (someone) is exploring (his or her) options "Exploring your options" means trying to get information to make a decision. For example: We're probably going to switch to a new website host, but we haven't decided which one yet. We're still exploring our options. If you're trying to find a new job, you can also say that you're "exploring your options": I just graduated, so I'm still exploring my options. When you use this phrase, it sounds like you have several different job offers that you can choose from, but you haven't decided which one to take yet. Of course, the truth might be that no one has offered you a job yet! So this phrase has also become a way of saying that someone is unemployed: A: Has Malia found a job yet? B: No, she's still "exploring her options". 18. We're not stopping to get ice cream, and that's that! You're riding in a car with your family. Your kids are in the back seat, and they're begging you to get ice cream for them. They keep asking again and again, but you keep saying "no". Now it's starting to annoy you. You say this to end the conversation. I'm visiting Grandma Kate at the nursing home on Saturday. I'm making supper for everyone tonight. I'm not leaving, and that's that. This form expresses a future plan that you're pretty sure about, and that has already been planned for. "I'm going to (do something)" expresses a plan that you're just a little less sure of: I think I'm going to buy him a new camera for his birthday. I'm not going to go to the wedding. stop to (do something) When you're travelling in a car, "stopping to ___" means to stop the car, so that you or the passengers can do something: I need to stop to pee soon. Would you mind stopping to get some trash bags at the grocery store on your way home? Notice that the meaning of "stop to ___" is completely different from "stop ___ing". "Stop ___ing" means that you don't continue doing something: When are you going to stop smoking? that's that 就是这样了, 到此为止了, 不要再提了 Use this phrase to end a discussion. "That's that" means that you think a conversation topic is finished. In the example above, the mom doesn't want to discuss getting ice cream with her sons any longer. She says "That's that" to let her kids know that her answer won't change, no matter how many times they ask: A: What did he say? B: He said "No". A: Well, I guess that's that then. 19. Not exactly, but I did get some promising leads. You're a salesperson. You just got back from a conference. Your boss asks if you made any sales. You didn't, but you met several people who you think you might be able to sell to successfully. You say this in response. "No" sounds very final. "Not exactly" doesn't sound as complete and certain, so you can use it when the answer is 50% yes and 50% no: A: Do you know how to get there? B: Not exactly. (someone) did (do something) You put "did" in there when your sentence contrasts with what someone said: A: Did you make any sales 有卖出去东西吗? B: No, but I did get some promising leads. Of course, you can see the same pattern with other helping verbs: I'm not afraid of the dark. I am afraid of wild animals, though. a promising (something) In the example above, the speaker got business cards from a few potential customers. She thinks that she might be able to sell to them. She's optimistic about those people becoming customers, so she says that the leads are "promising". Here are some things that are often called "promising": Jules had a promising future as a management consultant, but she left it all behind to start her own organic bakery. He works with promising young athletes to improve their strength, flexibility, and endurance. Researchers are currently working on a promising new treatment for breast cancer. leads 有用的信息 In sales, "leads" are names and contact information for people who you might be able to sell something to. These are usually people who have shown some interest in that product or service. You can use the word "leads" to refer to: the information that you have about people. the people who might be interested in what you're selling. Leads can be: "cold" if the person doesn't expect to hear from you. "warm" if the person has shown that they want to know more about your product or service. "promising" if you think there's a good chance of completing the sale. There are also "leads" in other fields. In police or detective work, "leads" are possible clues that can lead to solving a case. 20.