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1)
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as easy as pie – very easy
He said it is a difficult
problem, but I don't agree. It seems as easy as pie to me!
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2)
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be sick and tired of – I hate (also can’t
stand)
I'm sick and tired
of doing nothing but work. Let's go out tonight and have fun.
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3)
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bend over backwards – try very hard (maybe too much!)
He bent over backwards to
please his new wife, but she never seemed satisfied.
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4)
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bite off more than one can chew – take responsibility
for more than one can manage
John is so far behind in his studies. Besides
classes, he plays sports and works at a part-time job. It seems he has bitten
off more than he can chew.
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5)
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broke
– to have no money
I have to borrow some money from my Dad. Right now,
I'm broke.
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6)
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change one's mind – decide
to do something different from what had been decided earlier
I was planning to work late tonight, but I changed
my mind. I'll do extra work on the weekend instead.
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7)
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Cut it out! – stop doing something bad
That noise is really annoying. Cut it out!
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8)
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drop someone a line – send
a letter or email to someone
It was good to meet you and I hope we can see each
other again. Drop me a line when you have time.
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9)
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figure something out – come
to understand a problem
I don't understand how to do this problem. Take a
look at it. Maybe you can figure it out.
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10)
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fill in for someone – do
their work while they are away
While I was away from the store, my brother filled
in for me.
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11)
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in ages – for a very long time
Have you seen Joe recently? I haven't seen him in
ages.
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12)
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give someone a hand – help
I want to move this desk to the next room. Can you give
me a hand?
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13)
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hit the hay – go
to bed (also "hit the sack")
It's after 12 o'clock. I think it's time to hit
the hay.
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14)
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in the black – the
business is making money, it is profitable
Our business is really improving. We've been in the black all year.
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15)
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in the red – the business is losing money, it is unprofitable
Business is really going poorly these days. We've
been in the red for the past three months.
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16)
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in the nick of time – not
too late, but very close
I got to the drugstore just in the nick of time.
It's a good thing, because I really need this medicine!
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17)
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keep one's chin up – remain brave and keep on trying
I know things have been difficult for you recently, but keep your chin up.
It will get better soon.
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18)
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know something like the back of your hand – know something very, very well
If you get lost, just ask me for directions. I know
this part of town like the back of my hand
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19)
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once in a while – sometimes,
not very often
Have you been to the new movie theater? No, only see
movies once in a while. I usually stay home and watch TV.
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20)
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sharp – exactly at a that
time
I'll meet you at 9 o'clock sharp. If
you're late, we'll be in trouble!
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21)
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sleep on it – think
about something before making a decision
That sounds like a good deal, but I'd like to sleep
on it before I give you my final decision.
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22)
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take it easy – relax
I don't have any special plans for the summer. I
think I'll just take it easy.
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23)
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to get the ball rolling – start
something, especially something big
We need to get this project started as soon as
possible. I'm hoping you will help me get the ball rolling.
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24)
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up to the minute – the
most recent information"
I wish I knew more about what is happening in the
capital city. We need more up to the minute news.
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25)
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twenty-four/seven – every minute of every day, all the time
You can access our web site 24/7. It's
very convenient!
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26)
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all of a sudden – unexpectedly (used to describe something that happens very
quickly)
He had just gone to bed when all
of a sudden the phone rang.
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27)
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be all ears –eager and ready to listen
Go ahead and speak. I'm all
ears!
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28)
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be fed up with – to
hate something now, even though I may have liked it before
I'm fed up with my job! I think
I should start looking for a new one.
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29)
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cost an arm and a leg – very
expensive
I'd really like a new car, but they all cost
an arm and a leg.
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30)
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to cram – to study hard a few
days before a test
If you had studied hard for the past four months,
you wouldn't have to cram so much this weekend.
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31)
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fresh out of something – to
have no more of something
I have to go buy some more milk. It seems we're fresh
out now.
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32)
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to get it (often negative) – to understand
What did the teacher say? I didn't get
it. Did you?
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33)
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got a minute? – do you have time
right now?
Hey, Joe, got a minute? I have
something to show you.
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34)
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give someone a hand – help
someone
Could you give me a hand moving this
table? It's quite heavy.
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35)
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grab a bite to eat – quickly
go get something to eat
I'm going to go grab a bite. I'll be back in
a few minutes.
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36)
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drive someone up a wall (or "drive someone crazy") – to make someone very angry
My neighbor practices the piano every night, but
he's terrible. It's driving me up the wall!
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37)
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to hang on – to
wait
Hang on a few minutes. I have to make a phone
call and then I'll be able to join you for lunch.
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38)
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hard headed – stubborn/unwilling to change an opinion or idea
I can't work with Joe any more. He's so hard
headed!
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39)
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have a change of heart – change
a previous decision
I thought I would change jobs, but now that my boss
is treating me with more respect, I've had a change of heart.
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40)
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have mixed feelings about something – to be uncertain
I have mixed feelings about Joe.
He's a very good teacher, but he has a very strange sense of humor!
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41)
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head out for – to
start on a long trip
We're heading out for the
countryside to pick some apples. Would you like to join us?
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42)
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How come? – Why?
How come we
don't go to the movies any more? I guess we're too busy to enjoy ourselves
these days.
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43)
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keep in touch (or "stay in touch") – do not stop
communicating - send letters or call sometimes
Don't forget to keep in touch. I want to
know how you're doing while you're away.
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44)
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be kidding – to
joke or tease someone in a playful way
No, I don't really have three wives - I was just kidding!
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45)
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look down on – think someone or something is not good enough
We shouldn't look down on people just
because they don't have as much money as we do.
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46)
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make ends meet (often used negatively) – to have enough money to buy everything we
need
Even though I make more money than last year, we
just can't seem to make ends meet.
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47)
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miss the boat – to
miss an opportunity
The sale ends today at noon. If we don't hurry,
we're going to miss the boat!
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48)
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next to nothing – to
cost very little
I went to the new discount store and bought these
new shoes for only five dollars. That's next to nothing!
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1)
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Anthony insisted on/persisted in engaging in/participating in/taking part in/joining
the activity/event/function.
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2)
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I am obliged
to/grateful to you for your
assistance from the bottom of my
heart/sincerely. A friend in need is
a friend indeed.
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3)
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Kelvin is obliged to/is forced to/is compelled to speak the truth
that Wilson stood Jay up.
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4)
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It is
well-known that we
ought to look up to our elders.
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5)
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Ken has to summon up courage/pluck up courage to accept the
challenge. If not, others will look down
on/upon him.
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6)
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Albert unveiled/revealed/disclosed the secret by accident/by chance
(Opposite:
on purpose/deliberately/by sign/intentionally).
It was a slip of the tongue.
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7)
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If you keep our word/keep your promise(Opposite: break your promise/eat your
word) and put the plan into
practice, everyone will rely on
you.
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8)
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He achieved his aim by hook or by crook such as flattering/licking his superior’s boots (he is a bootlicker/brown-nosing). Everyone despised/discriminated against him.
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9)
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I was fed
up with your cock-and-bull story(無稽之談)
and your condescending(高傲的)
attitude.
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10)
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Conceited(自負的, 驕傲自滿的) men like to build
castles in the air. They are all
mouth and trousers(吹水).
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11)
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You no longer turn a deaf ear to/turn a blind eye to his
request and comply with/abide by/follow/obey
it.
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12)
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She was
born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She is the apple of her parents’ eye(掌上明珠). (her parents spoil her and she is a
spoilt child)
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13)
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To
make matters worse, he
does not pay heed to/pay attention to our advice. He will make
a fool of himself(令自己出醜) and become the
butt of everyone’s joke(成為別人的笑柄).
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14)
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The bloody massacre made our hair stand on end(毛骨悚然) and brought
us out in a cold sweat(令我們標冷汗).
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15)
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People from all walks of life(社會各階層) are
taken aback/shocked/surprised by this piece of bad news.
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16)
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As soon as the thief saw the
police, he took to his heels/ran for his
life/escaped. The room was at sixes
and sevens/in a mass/was a dog’s breakfast or dinner after the
robbery.
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17)
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Stanley will be destined to(注定)
become a violinist if he never does things by
halves(半途而廢/三分鐘熱度).
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18)
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Wilson took great pains
to/took great effort to cope with/deal with/tackle/handle/manage
this job.
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19)
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We should sympathize with/have mercy on/take pity on those
on the verge of/on the brink of
starvation.
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20)
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Frederick was determined to have
a hand in/involve in stirring up
trouble.
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21)
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Jay, who is the black sheep of this class, keeps us in the dark about/keeps secrets from us about
her dirty tricks(陰謀).
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22)
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Stop
beating about the bush/Stop evading about it. You are good
at(Opposite: weak in/bad at) pulling
my leg and putting wrongs into my
mouth/setting me up.
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23)
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To the best of my
knowledge, Mike merely made an attempt to add
fuel to the fire/flames but in
vain/fail.
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24)
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Wilson took it for
granted/took advantage from it that all the criticism should be water off a duck’s back to him.
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25)
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Jay entirely looked at Vick in despair/hopelessly because he shrank from/withdrew the formidable/difficult task at the eleventh floor/at last minute, but he was indifferent to/did not care her
suffering. She saw in his true colors/his real
side.
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26)
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We congratulated
Albert on turning
over a new leaf of his own
accord/willingly.
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27)
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Jay gave
Stanley the
cold-shoulder/treat him coldly as he was not her cup of tea.
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28)
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You will let me down and lose
face if you cannot improve in leaps
and bounds/greatly.
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29)
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Getting
rid of beefcakes will
not be a piece of cake/a walk in the park.
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30)
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Jay’s beloved son should bear the blame for losing
his temper and breaking her heart.
He should consider how she would feel if he was
in her shoes.
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31)
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He is
determined to run the risk of appealing
to the loan shark for money.
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32)
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He should apologize to her in person for speaking ill of her the
sooner the better.
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33)
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Life comprises/consists
of/contains/is composed of ups and
downs.
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34)
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In
order to kill time, Jay reasoned
with her brother day after day/day
and night.
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35)
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Thomas’s family broke the ice and welcomed
Jay with open arms.
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36)
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They unanimously agree not to announce Bart’s passing away in black and white.
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37)
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How dare you talk/answer back(忘恩負義, 以怨報德) to me! You threaten
me!
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38)
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‘Speak
of the devil(一講曹操,曹操就到),’ she said and winked at me/gave me a wink(向我打眼色) to inform me of scapegoating Jason/making Jason a scapegoat for sending
the threatening letter.
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