你曾经因为一字之差而闹笑话吗？有哪些字是你刻骨铭心的惨痛经验？你觉得有哪些关键字
汇让你顿足捶胸，或茅塞顿开？ 当考路考的考官说"Pull over!"时，你是否会不知所
措？有人邀请你参加Potluck Party时，你会不会空手赴宴？在速食店里，店员问"For her
e or to go?"你是否会丈二金刚摸不着头脑，莫名其妙？"Give me a ring!"可不是用来求
婚的。"Drop me a line!"更非要你排队站好。老美说"Hi! What's up? "你可别说"I am f
ine!"你曾经闹过这些笑话吗？ 让我们来看看下面这些表达法你会不会说。
Potluck Party: 一种聚餐方式，主人准备场地和餐具，参加的人必须带一道菜或准备
饮料，最好事先问问主人的意思。 Pull over! 把车子开到旁边。
Drop me a line! 写封信给我。
Give me a ring. =Call me. 来个电话吧!
For here or to go? 堂食或外卖。
Cool! That's cool! 等于现在年轻人常用的口语"酷"，表示"不赖嘛!"用于人或事均
可。 What's up? =What's happening? =What's new? 见面时随口问候的话"最近在忙
什么？有什么新鲜事吗？"一般的回答是"Nothing much!"或"Nothing new!" Cut it
什么？有什么新鲜事吗？"一般的回答是"Nothing much!"或"Nothing new!" Cut it
out! =Knock it out! =Stop it! 少来这套!同学之间开玩笑的话。 Don't give me
a hard time! 别跟我过不去好不好！ Get yourself together! 振作点行不行！
Do you have "the" time? 现在几点钟？可别误以为人家要约你出去。
Hang in there. =Don't give up. =Keep trying. 再撑一下。
Give me a break! 你饶了我吧!（开玩笑的话）
Hang on. 请稍候。
Blow it. =Screw up. 搞砸了。
What a big hassle. 真是个麻烦事。
What a crummy day. 多倒霉的一天。
Go for it. 加油!
You bet. =Of course. 当然；看我的!
Wishful thinking. 一厢情愿的想法。
Wishful thinking. 一厢情愿的想法。
Don't be so fussy! 别那么挑剔好不好。
It's a long story. 唉!说来话长。
How have you been? =How are you doing? 你过得如何？近来可好？
Take things for granted. 自以为理所当然。
Don't put on airs. 别摆架子。
Give me a lift. =Give me a ride. 送我一程吧!
Have a crush on someone. 迷恋某人。
What's the catch? 有什么内幕？
Party animal. Party狂（喜欢参加舞会的人）。
Pain in the neck. =Pain in the ass. 讨厌的东西、人或事。
Skeleton in the closet. 家丑。
Skeleton in the closet. 家丑。
Don't get on my nerve! 别把我惹火了!
A faint chance. =A poor chance. 机会很小。
I am racking my brains. 我正在绞尽脑汁。
She's a real drag. 她真有点碍手碍脚。
Spacing out. =Daydreaming. 做白日梦。
I am so fed up. 我受够了!
It doesn't go with your dress. 跟你的衣服不配。
What's the point? =What are you trying to say? 你的重点是什么？
By all means. =Definitely. 一定是。
steam 蒸，poach 水煮，boil 煮，toast 烤（面包），grill 烤、煎， roast（duc
k） 烘烤、红烧（烤鸭），braise 油炸过用温火炖，pure 煮成浓汤，broil 烧、烤，sea
son 加调味料，panbroil 用浅锅烧烤，seasoning 调味料，fry 炸、炒，dressing 沙拉酱
son 加调味料，panbroil 用浅锅烧烤，seasoning 调味料，fry 炸、炒，dressing 沙拉酱
，bake 烤，gravy 肉汁，saute 用温火慢炒，appetizer 饭前菜、小菜，stew 炖、焖、红
烧，entree 主菜，simmer 慢炖、煨，snack 点心、小点，stir fry 快炒、大火炒，mari
nate 腌、用卤泡、卤，smoke 熏。 Let's get a bite. =Let's go eat. 去吃点东西
吧！ I'll buy you a lunch (a drink; a dinner). = It's on me. =My treat. 我
请客 Let's go dutch. 各付各的
My stomach is upset. 我的胃不舒服
diarrhea [dai r'i ] 拉肚子
吃牛排时，waitor会问"How would you like it ?"就是问"要几分熟？"的意思，可以
选择rare，medium或well-done。 I am under the weather. =I am not feeling we
ll. 我不太舒服! May I take a rain check? 可不可改到下次？（例如有人请你吃饭
，你未能赴约，只好请他改到下一次。） I am not myself today. 我今天什么都不
对劲! Let's get it straight. 咱们把事情弄清楚!
What's the rush! 急什么!
Such a fruitcake! 神经病!
I'll swing by later. =I'll stop by later. 待会儿，我会来转一下。
I got the tip straight from the horse's mouth. 这个消息是千真万确的（tip指
消息）! easy as pie = very easy = piece of cake 很容易。
flunk out 被当掉。
take french leave 不告而别。
I don't get the picture. =I don't understand. 我不明白。
You should give him a piece of your mind. 你应该向他表达你的不满。
hit the road = take off = get on one's way 离开。
Now he is in the driver's seat. =He is in control now.
Keep a low profile (or low key). 采取低姿态。
kinky =bizarre =wacky =weird 古怪的。
klutz (=clutz) =idiot 白痴、笨蛋。
know one's way around 识途老马。
know one's way around 识途老马。
lion's share 大部份。
tailgate 尾随（尤其跟车跟得太近）。
take a back seat. 让步。
take a hike =leave me alone =get lost 滚开。
hit the hay =go to bed 睡觉。
Can you give me a lift? =Can you give me a ride? 载我一程好吗？
green hand 生手、没有经验的人。
moonshine = mountain dew 指私酿的烈酒（威士忌）或走私的酒。胡说八道也可用m
oonshine。His story is plain moonshine. chill out =calm down =relax（来自黑
人英语） rip off偷、剥夺。My right was ripped off. 权利被剥夺（来自黑人英语
）。 我们称美国大兵为G.I. (Government Issue) or GI Joe，德国兵或德国佬为Fr
itzor Kraut，称英国佬为John Bull，日本人为Jap.或Nip，犹太人为Jew都是很不礼貌的称
呼。 mess around (with) 瞎混。Get to work. Don't mess around. 赶快工作，别
瞎搅和。 snob 势利眼。
呼。 mess around (with) 瞎混。Get to work. Don't mess around. 赶快工作，别
sneak in, sneak out 偷偷溜进去，溜出来。sneakers 运动鞋。
She is such a brown-noser. 她是个马屁精。
This is in way over my head. 对我而言这实在太难了。
I am an exam jitter and I always get a cramp in my stomach. 我是个考试紧张
大师，一考试胃就抽筋。 Keep your study (work) on track. 请按进度读书（工作
）。 Did you come up with any ideas? 有没有想到什么新的意见？
Don't get uptight! Take it easy. 别紧张，慢慢来!
Cheese! It tastes like cardboard. Cheese吃起来味如嚼腊!
Get one's feet wet. 与中文里的"涉足"或"下海"寓意相同，表示初尝某事。I am g
oing to try dancing for the very first time. Just to get my feet wet. 美国
总统到底是比尔·克林顿还是威廉·克林顿？吉米·卡特和詹姆斯·卡特是否同一人？根据
语言学家William Safire的分析，美国多数政客都喜欢使用昵名代替他们原来的名字，如B
ill就是William的昵称，Jimmy等于James等，好造成一种平易近人的形象。--
