1、child's play(an easily accomplishment task or goal): e.g.1: As for me, learning math is
child's play; e.g.2: For Jemery Lin, winning the basketball championship was child's play.
2、give sb the red carpet treatment (to treat sb lavishly; to give sb a lavish reception): e.g.1:
When Vice President Xi visited the White House, he was given the red carpet treatment; e.g.2:
I went to visit my friends and they really gave me the red carpet treatment.
3、keep a low profile (to be surreptitious; to do st stealthily, without attracting attention):
e.g.1: You'd better keep a low profile until the scandal has passed over; e.g.2: After failing to
pursue the girl, he decided to keep a low profile for the next few weeks at college.
4、smell a rat(to sense that st is wrong; to suspect that sb is cheating): e.g.1: When
sister-in-law started trying to be friendly with me I could smell a rat. A few days later, she asked me for a loan; e.g.2: As soon as I walked into the classroom I could smell a rat.
Everything was quieter than usual, and my classmates were looking pretty grim.
5、face the music (to accept the unpleasant consequences of one's actions): e.g.1: Adam and
Eve had to face the music after eating the forbidden apple - they were kicked out of paradise;
e.g.2: Monitor was called into the teacher's office, because he's been late for class every day
this semester - he'll have to face the music, perhaps even lose title.
6、be in the mood (to feel like doing st): e.g.1: I know you've been longing to see that movie,
but I'm really not in the mood tonight. Maybe we can go tomorrow; e.g.2: She's not in the mood for going to class and she keeps on sleeping.
7、body and soul (completely or passionately involved in st) e.g.1:She is dedicated to helping
handicapped people, body and soul; e.g.2: Falling in love can be a body and soul affair.
8、bingo! (said when st has been accomplished or solved): e.g.1: Bingo! I've just find the right
person for the job; e.g.2: I'm sure this is the right key to the cashbox-bingo! it's open.
9、you bet (a comment made by sb to indicate agreement with sb else's statement): e.g.1:
Every time I finished a sentence, he replied, "you bet!" to show assent; e.g.2: You bet I'll be there on time-I never miss the start of a ball-game!
10、to death(said when sb is very bored/frightened/scared): e.g.1: I'm bored to death
with television - a lot of the time it is nothing but commercials! e.g.2: We are scared to death by the creaking noises outside the dormitory at night!
11、over the moon(extremely happy): e.g.1: She is over the moon about her
promotion-she really wasn't expecting it; e.g.2: When I saw my cousin again so many years, I was over the moon!
12、food for thought (st that gives one a lot to think about): e.g.1: Seeing the hardships
they have to endure, and how they still remain cheerful, gives me considerable food for thought; e.g.2: Dr. Spock's new ideas of childcare gave doctors and families much food for thought in the 1950s.
13、 a small fortune (a very large amount of money): e.g.1: The government paid a small
fortune out of taxpayers' money to finance the restoration of the royal palace; e.g.2: The BMW car will not only cost you a small fortune to buy, but also to run!
14、like looking for a needle in haystack (to be very difficult to find): e.g.1: We've been
searching for Brad's keys in the sand, but it's like looking for a needle in a haystack; e.g.2: Watching out for her cousin in the crowded station was like looking for a needle in a haystack!
do one's homework (to research a subject before becoming more involved in) e.g.1: I'm amazed how well the video footage of the air show has turned out - you really did your
homework; e.g.2: No one expected her to find her way around New York so quickly, but she must have done her homework before she left Geneva.
15、do one's homework (to research a subject before becoming more involved in) e.g.1:
I'm amazed how well the video footage of the air show has turned out - you really did your homework; e.g.2: No one expected her to find her way around New York so quickly, but she must have done her homework before she left Geneva.
16、the ins and outs (the specific details of a complex issue, job position or system):
e.g.1: It took me several months to learn all the ins and outs of running a home - there are so
many chores to be done; e.g.2: We would never know the ins and outs of the Calculus until we become a student in Mathematical College .
17、turn the tables (to start winning, or gaining an advantage, after a period of losing ):
e.g.1: After being two sets down, Agassi found his form and turned the tables on his opponent,
beating him by three sets to two; e.g.2: The guerrillas turned the tables on the invading forces through a series of hit-an-run surprise attacks that devastated Enemy!
18、turn over a new leaf (to forget the past and start a new and promising life): e.g.1:
She used to be hooked on slot machines and spent most of her salary on them, but, with the help of her family, she's now turned over a new leaf; e.g.2: Maggie and Don have turned a new leaf in their marriage - now they get along famously.
19、mind one's own business(to stop interfering in other people's affairs): e.g.1: The
boy who's been making eyes at me started asking me all sorts of questions in the classroom. I just told him to mind his own business; e.g.2: Mind your own business! Jack and I are having
a private conversation.
20、be in seventh heaven(to be euphoric, to be in a state of bliss): e.g.1: When my
girlfriend agreed to marry me, I was in seventh heaven; e.g.2: The whole city of London was in seventh heaven when it was announced that the 2012 Olympics would be held there.
21、 a bad egg(sb who has no moral principles and should be avoided): e.g.1: You
mustn't lend Jean money - he's a bad egg, and you'll never see him or your money again! e.g.2: The person who sprayed insecticide on my puppy must be a thoroughly bad egg.
22、 a piece of cake(st which is very easy to do): e.g.1: Here...let me put the batteries in for
you - it's a piece of cake; e.g.2: The math test was a piece of cake - I finished it in about ten minutes.
23、eleventh hour ( referring to st that materializes at the last moment, just before it's
too late) e.g.1: My passport came through at the eleventh hour, just a day before our flight to Moscow; e.g.2: It was an eleventh hour victory - it was only when over 90% of the votes had been counted that the Republicans overtook the Democrats.
24、 a Pandora's box【潘多拉盒子，灾难之源】(st from which, when opened or started,
all kinds of trouble arise.): e.g.1: Their investigation of the telecom's accounting practices unleashed a Pandora's box of fraud and mismanagement; Research in human genetics is throwing up a Pandora's box of evil manipulations and intentions.
25、tie the knot【喜结良缘】(to get married/to sign the marriage contract)): e.g.1: Jack
and Rose eventually tied the knot, after courting for several years; e.g.2: She's much in demand among rich bachelors, but she's so headstrong I can't see her tying the knot..
26、be on edge【焦虑不安】(to be nervous or unable to relax): e.g.1: My sister was so on
edge the night before her final exam results that she couldn't eat or sleep! e.g.2: He's been on
edge the last few days, ever since he was mugged at the airport parking lot.
27、know st inside out(to know st very well,to be very knowledgeable about st): e.g.1:
He knows the auction business inside out - he's been in it for nearly fifty years! e.g.2: I know this museum inside out. Don't forget, I approved the plans for it and I've been curator here for over ten years.
28、sour grapes (a show of spite or anger caused by jealousy or disappointment): e.g.1:
When Doris got first prize, Rachel's claim that Doris had cheated was just sour grapes- she had been after the prize herself; e.g.2: His early exit was just sour grapes because he was actually furious about not being seated at the main table.
29、 a couch potato(sb who is lazy and only gets involved in events from a passive
standpoint): e.g.1: Watching television for hours has turned hundreds of children into couch potatoes; e.g.2: When some people reach retirement age, they often lose interest in everything and become couch potatoes.
30、pass the buck【推卸责任】(to expect sb else to take responsibility for st): e.g.1: Please
don't pass the buck for solving your problems onto me! e.g.2: NATO has passed the buck and withdrawn its peace-keeping force.【NATO. abbr. 北大西洋公约组织（North Atlantic Treaty Organization）】
31、the apple of one's eye【喜欢的人&掌上明珠】: e.g.1: I love Chell so much, and she is
the apple of my eye; e.g.2: For your parents, you are the apple of their eyes.