1、奉承话本单元的英语成语跟房屋、家居家庭用品和书本等有关。关键词包括： bag bed bushel candle carpet ceiling cupboard drain floor house linen pin needle seat soap stool roof table wall book 1. In the bag字面意思：在袋子里。解释 Assured; certain.十拿九稳的。得到保证；肯定。参见汉语成语囊中之物例句 I have got the agreement in the bag, and we are going to sign it one hour lat
2、er.2. Get out of the wrong side of the bed字面意思：从床的错误的一边下地。解释 Get up in the morning in a bad mood.早晨起来脾气不好；心情不好。变体：Get up on the wrong side of the bed或Get out of bed on the wrong side.例句 Whats wrong with her? Did she get out of the wrong side of the bed today?3. Hide ones light under a bushel字面意思：把自己
3、的光藏在米斗中。解释 Act in such a way that people do not see how clever etc he/she is.不显露自己的聪明才智。说明：米斗（蒲式耳）是一种测量容量的工具和单位。例句 She was a quiet student, however, she was a talented piano player. But no one knows why she hid her light under a bushel.4. Burn the candle at both ends字面意思：在两头都点蜡烛（早晨点，晚上也点）。解释 Go to b
4、ed late at night and get up early in the morning; work too hard.晚睡、早起，努力工作。例句 He burnt the candle at both ends when he was a first year student.5. Cant hold a candle to someone字面意思：给某人端蜡烛也不合格。解释 Not equal to someone; unable to measure up to someone.跟某人不是同一个水平或级别；根本比不上某人。例句 Tom cant hold a candle to
5、John when it comes to playing table tennis.6. Sweep something under the carpet字面意思：把东西扫在地毯下面。解释 Try to hide something unpleasant or shameful from the attention of others.掩盖某事；把丑事藏起来。Brush something under the carpet. 例句 The teacher tried to sweep the students plagiarism under the carpet, but Mr. Lee
6、wanted to investigate it.7. A glass ceiling字面意思：玻璃天花板。解释 The opinions of people in a company or society which prevent women from getting such important positions as men.在某个部门或社会上，认为女性不适合担任重要职务的观点或看法。The glass ceiling.例句 The problem for women in business is the glass ceiling. Women can sometimes be p
7、romoted but never to the top.8. A skeleton in the cupboard字面意思：橱柜里的骷髅。解释 A hidden and shocking secret.被隐藏起来的惊人秘密。A skeleton in the closet 说明：Skeletons可以用复数。例句 Her aunt was in jail for a day once. That is his familys skeleton in the cupboard.9. Ring down the curtain on something字面意思：把幕布降下来。解释 Bring s
8、omething to an end.宣布某事的结束。Bring down the curtain on something. 说明：Ring down的意思是结束而Ring up的意思正好相反，比喻开始意思相反的成语是：Ring up the curtain on something.例句 Its time to ring down the curtain on our relationship. We have nothing in common any more.10. Behind closed doors字面意思：在关起来的门后面。解释 In private; without the
9、 public being allowed to attend. 不准公众旁听的；秘密地；与外界隔绝地。Behind the scenes的意思有两个：第一个意思是在幕后或在后台，如：We should also thank the people behind the scenes（感谢无名英雄的意思）；第二个意思?秘密的暗中的，有时含有贬义。这两条成语中的名词都用复数。例句 Early this week, the committee members had a meeting behind closed doors in Beijing.11. Down the drain字面意思：进了下
10、水道。解释 Lost forever; wasted.永远失去；浪费掉；徒劳。例句 I hate to see all that money go down the drain.12. Get in on the ground floor字面意思：从（楼房的）一层进来。解释 Become involved in something from the beginning.从一开始就介入某事。例句 Many people say that it is a profitable market and those who get in on the ground floor may make a lo
11、t of money. 13. Bring down the house字面意思：把整个房子弄倒。解释 Receive loud and cheerful laugh and clap.赢得笑声和掌声；博得满堂喝彩。Bring the house down.例句 The pop singer sang beautifully, which brought down the house.14. Wash ones dirty linen in public字面意思：在公共场合洗脏床单。解释 Discuss ones personal problems or family quarrel in f
12、ront of others.跟外人谈论家里的私事；家丑外扬。Air ones dirty linen in public（在公共场合晒脏床单）。dirty linen 家丑例句 I will explain to you when we get home; we dont want to wash dirty linen in public.15. On pins and needles字面意思：在大头针和缝衣针上面。解释 Anxious; in suspense.焦急；坐立不安；在情况不明时焦急地（等待）；如坐针毡。例句 She has been on pins and needles a
13、ll day waiting for a call from her parents.16. On the hot seat字面意思：在滚烫座位上。解释 In a difficult or uncomfortable position; subject to too much criticism.处于困难或不舒服的位置；易受到过多批评。In the hot seat.例句 The head of the department was in the hot seat early last year because many teachers were not happy with his per
14、formance.17. Soft soap字面意思：软香皂。解释 Persuasion by flattery.劝诱某人的奉承话；灌米汤的作法。Soft-soap中间加连字符，可以作动词用，意思是以甜言蜜语打动某人阿谀，讨好。例句 This woman will never change, and I am really tired of her soft soap.18. Fall between two stools字面意思：从两个凳子之间掉下来。解释 Fail through hesitating between two choices.因为在两个选择之间犹豫而失败。两头落空。例句 S
15、he fell between two stools for she did not know whether to continue her education or to spend one year abroad with her father.19. Go through the roof字面意思：穿过屋顶。解释 Go very high; reach a very high degree.（价格或温度等）升得很高，飞涨；达到很高的程度。Go through the roof（怒气冲天）的第二个意思与Hit the roof 类似（见本单元第20条）。例句 This is Beijin
16、g！The bloody temperature is going through the roof.20. Hit the roof字面意思：撞击屋顶。解释 Become very angry.非常生气；暴跳如雷；怒发冲冠。Hit the ceiling（击打天花板）。例句 My father hit the roof when he heard I lost my purse for the second time.21. Drink somebody under the table字面意思：把别人喝到桌子下面。解释 Drink a lot more alcohol than others
17、.比别人酒量大，喝得多；把别人灌醉。例句 He only likes a few beers after work. I think you can drink him under the table.22. On the table字面意思：在桌子上。解释 Officially suggest or discuss a plan or idea.正式提出建议；正式提出讨论。公开地。例句 At the end of the meeting, a new plan was put on the table.23. Turn the tables on someone字面意思：把桌子转过来对着某人
18、。解释 Reverse a situation so as to put oneself in a position of superiority.变劣势为优势；扭转形势，转败为胜。句子The tables are turned （局面反过来了）也常用。例句 The manager turned the tables on his rival with evidence of corruption.24. Under the table字面意思：在桌子下面。解释 Money paid secretly as a bribe; pay money illegally and secretly.为
19、贿赂某人送钱；秘密地（发放非法工资或奖金）。Under-the-table可作定语用。例句 Many people in this company who work longer hours have their salaries paid under the table. 25. Drive someone up the wall字面意思：把某人逼到墙壁上。解释 Annoy or irritate someone.使某人恼怒或激怒某人。例句 He is a person who complains about anything and everything, and he is drivin
20、g me up the wall. 26. Go to the wall字面意思：上墙壁。解释 Defeated; fail in business.碰壁；生意失败。例句 The company went to the wall because of the so called joint venture program with an overseas company. 27. By the book字面意思：依照书本。解释 According to the rules.按常规。按照规定。例句 The manager said he would do everything by the bo
21、ok. 28. Cook the books字面意思：煮账本。解释 Prepare an untrue record of money received and spent.做假帐。Cook the accounts（煮账本）。例句 The president of the company ordered the accountant to cook the books before the arrival of the government auditors.29. Take a leaf out of someones book字面意思：从别人的书里拿出一页。解释 Follow an ex
22、ample; imitate.学别人的样子做；模仿。例句 If you want to pass TOEFL, take a leaf out of her book.30. Throw the book at someone字面意思：向某人扔书本。解释 Charge someone with as many crimes as is possible; reprimand or punish someone severely.指出某人的很多罪名；严厉批评或惩罚某人。Throw a book at someone.例句 The learner driver made the policeman
23、 angry, so the policeman took her to the station and threw the book at her. 31. Use every trick in the book字面意思：使用书里的每一条计谋。解释 Use every method possible.用各种可能的办法。例句 He used every trick in the book, but he still couldnt get his driving license back from the police.操练成语I. 多项选择练习。1. He always does thing
24、s by the book.A. He does not keep his promise.B. He does things according to rules.C. He is very mean.2. You should take a leaf out of her book.A. You should not borrow money from her.B. You should ask for her help.C. You should learn from her.3. His business went to the wall.A. His business was ver
25、y profitable.B. His business was ruined. C. His business was doing well.4. She is on the hot seat.A. She is very popular.B. She holds an important position.C. She is in a difficult situation.5. Her singing brought down the house.A. Her singing was greatly appreciated.B. Her singing was terrible.C. T
26、he audience did not like her singing.6. She fell between two stools.A. She was completely satisfied.B. She was very lucky to get out of trouble.C. She failed because of hesitation.7. I think the contract is in the bag.A. I think we have secured the contract.B. I think we have lost the contract.C. No
27、ne of us can get the contract.8. Dont hide your light under a bushel.A. You should learn to be generous.B. You should do what you can.C. You should show your talent.9. He has got a skeleton in the cupboard.A. He is a strange man.B. He likes to have jokes.C. He has a shocking secret.10. The price wen
28、t through the roof.A. The price is under control.B. The price is unbelievable.C. The price is too high.II. 填单词完成下列成语。1. drive someone up the _.2. get up on the _ side of the bed.3. take a _ out of someones book.4. use every _ in the book.5. hide ones _ under a bushel.6. _ the roof.7. on pins and _.8
29、. sweep something under the _.9. go _ the roof.10. a skeleton in the _ .11. get in on the _ floor.12. _ down the house.13. wash ones dirty _ in public.14. turn the _ on somebody.15. throw a _ at someone.III. 找出下列成语的大概意思。1 hit the roof. reach a high degree.2 go to the wall. fail.3 by the book. wasted.4 go
