口语进阶Lesson02 | 美国常用idioms及表达方式

　　访问学者、博士后初到美国，在沟通和交流方面往往会遇到各种问题，正如中国有各种成语谚语，美国人日常生活中也有很多常用俗语和词组搭配。提前掌握这些知识点可以让各位学者更容易理解美国人的日常对话，融入当地工作生活环境。知识人网整理相关情景对话，介绍美国人常用惯用语（idiom）及表达方式，希望能对大家有所帮助。请看Lesson 02：

　　Lesson o2

　　Mark:   I’m afraid I'm going to have to cancel for tomorrow night.

　　Sara:   What? I bought tickets for the Lenny Kravitz concert. I was going to surprise you!

　　Mark: Those must have cost a small fortune!

　　Sara:   They did.

　　Mark: Well, I'm sorry to back out on you at the eleventh hour, but something came up. I can't get out of it.

　　Sara:What came up?

　　Mark:   An old friend of mine is in bad shape, and he really needs my help on Saturday night.

　　Sara: Oh, really?

　　Mark: I'll make it up to you.

　　Sara:   How?

　　Mark: How about I treat you to dinner at that new restaurant, Café Felix, on Monday night?

　　Sara:   Well, I'm still PO’ed about Saturday. But, okay, I'll take you up on your offer.

　　IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS

　　I’m afraid –（用来委婉地说出不好的消息或者反对意见）恐怕，很遗憾，对不起，抱歉

　　Ex: I'm afraid you've completely misunderstood the question. 恐怕你完全误解了这个问题。

　　(to) cost a small fortune – 极其昂贵；花一大笔钱

　　Ex: I love the food there but it costs a small fortune. 我喜欢去那一家店吃饭，但是太贵了。

　　(to) back out – 食言

　　Ex: You agreed to come. You can't back out now! 你答应要来的。你现在可不能说话不算数！

　　at the eleventh hour – 在最后一刻

　　Ex: He made the agonizing decision at the eleventh hour. 他在最后一刻作出了痛苦的决定。

　　something came up – 临时出了点急事

　　Ex: She can't make it for lunch. Something came up. 她临时出了一点事儿，没办法来吃午饭。

　　(to) get out of it – 从中解脱、摆脱

　　Ex: It's much easier to run into debt than to get out of it. 陷入债务比从中解脱要容易得多。

　　in bad shape – 状态不佳、经济情况糟糕、身体状况很糟

　　Ex: My heart was in bad shape, it was just a matter of time. 我的心脏本来就不好，死是迟早的事。

　　(to) make it up to you – 补偿你

　　Ex: Sorry, I'm late again. I'll make it up to you. Dinner is on me. How about that? 抱歉我又迟到了。我会补偿你的。晚饭我请，怎麽样？

　　how about  – 怎么样；如何

　　Ex: How about coming out with us Wednesday night?星期三晚上跟我们一起出去玩，怎么样？

　　(to) treat someone to (dinner, lunch, drinks, etc.) –款待、招待、请某人（吃晚饭、午饭、饮品等）

　　Ex: Put your money away - I'm going to treat you (to this). 把钱收起来吧—（这次）我请你。

　　PO’ed – 生气、惹恼某人

　　Ex: Why don't you just piss off - you've caused enough problems already! 你为什么不滚开呢—你惹的麻烦已经够多了！

　　(to) take someone up on an offer – 接受某人的提议

　　Ex: I've decided to take you up on that job offer. 我决定接受你给我的那个工作机会。

　　PRACTICE THE IDIOMS

　　Fill in the blank with the missing word:

　　1.- What's upsetting you? You look _________.

　　a) PO'ed

　　b) PS'ed

　　c) PR'ed

　　2.- Lisa's boyfriend promised to take her out to dinner tonight at 6, and he called at 5 and canceled at the _________ hour.

　　a) last

　　b) eleventh

　　c) twelfth

　　3.- Lisa's boyfriend Jake said he was in bad _________ after working all night at the bank.

　　a) form

　　b) time

　　c) shape

　　4.- This is the second time this week that Jake has backed _________ of dinner with her.

　　a) out

　　b) in

　　c) away

　　5.- How _________ you and I go to dinner tonight at Chez Pierre?

　　a) if

　　b) do

　　c) about

　　6.- Chez Pierre? That's a fancy restaurant. That would cost a _________ fortune!

　　a) big

　　b) small

　　c) whole

　　7.- Let me treat you _________ dinner.

　　a) to

　　b) with

　　c) at

　　8.- You're offering to take me to dinner? I'll _________ you up on your offer.

　　a) bring

　　b) accept

　　c) take

　　9.- Sorry, but I can't go to dinner tonight. Something came _________.

　　a) out

　　b) down

　　c) up

　　10.- I had to cancel our dinner plans. Let me make it _________ to you. How about I take you to lunch tomorrow?

　　a) down

　　b) up

　　c) through

　　Answers: 1 (A), 2 (B), 3 (C), 4 (A), 5 (C), 6 (B), 7 (A), 8 (C), 9 (C), 10 (B).