单词“影分身”（话题篇）小心使用

作者：沪江英语教研来源：沪江英语教研部落 2014-10-20 00:00

小编导读：英语习语能表达的意思出奇不意，在日常生活中并不罕见，识认更多习语绝对有助我们的理解、使我们的表达方式更多元化。沪江英语教研君以话题式教学，让大家认识有关音乐、颜色、天气的常见习语，大家要好好记住啊！

作者简介：沪江英语教研专业团队，为英语学习者领航，教授词汇、语法、文化、考试、口语等技巧。戳此直达沪江英语教研主页>>

上期教研君带大家一起小试牛刀，分辨了一些单词的“影分身”，这次我们学一个新招式 —— 话题式习语学习。按照话题归类，有情景有联想，记忆起来事半功倍！教研君特意挑选了适合初学者的常见话题和习语，小伙伴们，继续猛戳收藏！

1. Music idioms与“音乐”相关的表达

习语	字面意思	实际意思
music to someone's ears	某人耳中的音乐	something pleasing to hear about中听的话
The decision to restor the old building is music to my ears. 修复这座旧建筑的决定对我来说真是福音。
face the music	面对音乐	accept the unpleasant results of one's actions承担后果
The boy was caught cheating in an examination and had to face the music. 在一次考试中那孩子作弊当场被抓，只能自己承担后果。
elevator music	电梯音乐	pleasant but boring recorded music that is played in public places 公共场合播放的背景音乐
Kevin hated going shopping in the mall. He was tired of all elevator music! 凯文讨厌去购物广场，他厌倦了那里放的背景音乐。
ring a bell	响铃	something that sounds familiar 让人有印象
I've never met John Franklin, but his name rings a bell. 我从来没见过约翰·富兰克林，不过他的名字我好像听过。
for a song	为一首歌	very cheaply 非常便宜
I could buy this house for a song, because it's so ugly. 这座房子丑得卖不出去，我随随便便就能买下来。

2. Color idioms 与“颜色”相关的表达

习语	字面意思	实际意思
green thumb	绿拇指	an special ability to make plants grow well 园艺才能
Jack is an expert gardener. Everyone says he has a green thumb. 杰克是一名专业园艺师。人人都称他是园艺专家。
yellow-bellied	黄色腹部的	cowardly 懦弱胆小的
Ted was called yellow-bellied after he was too scared to go on the rollarcoaster. 自从他不敢坐过山车之后，Ted就被叫做胆小鬼。
pink slip	粉色纸条	a notice of termination of employment 解雇通知
Billy was devastated to lose his job after his boss gave him a pink slip. 比利的老板解雇了他，他因为事业而悲痛欲绝。
white elephant	白色大象	an expensive item that is costly to maintain 昂贵而无用之物
Planners said the sports stadium would become a white elephant after the tournament was finished. 规划者们认为锦标赛结束之后，这座体育场就会成为华而不实之物。
red tape	红色胶带	a set of rules which stop progress 繁文缛节
Kate was unable to get her visa application approved due to red tape. 由于那些繁文缛节，凯特的签证申请没能通过。

3. Weather idioms 与“天气”有关的表达

习语	字面意思	实际意思
under the weather	在天气下面	feeling unwell, sad or lacking energy 感觉不舒服
Haley was feeling under the weather and didn't come to work. 海莉感觉不太舒服，没来上班。
head in the clouds	头在云里	have unrealistic of impractical ideas 不切实际的想法
Neil thinks he is going to pass his exams without studying. He has had his head in the clouds! 尼尔觉得他不复习就能考试及格，真是痴人说梦。
storm in a teacup	茶杯里的风暴	exaggerate a problem 小题大做
The couple next door are always quarrelling but it is usually a storm in a teacup. 隔壁的夫妻经常吵架，但多数是小题大做。
face like thunder	像雷一样的脸	being clearly very angry or upset 满脸怒气
You could tell Maria was angry. She had a face like thunder! 看得出来玛利亚很生气。她满脸怒气。
chase rainbows	追逐彩虹	try to achieve the impossible 异想天开
My parents never believed I'd make it as an actor. They thought I was just chasing rainbows. 我父母从不相信我会成为一个演员。他们都觉得我是异想天开。