Learning English isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (learning English is difficult). First, grammar muddies the waters (makes things unclear), and idiomatic expressions only add fuel to the fire (make things worse).

　　学习英语并不是人们所说的一切(学习英语很困难)。首先，语法使一切都变得模糊不清(使事情变得模糊不清)，惯用的表达方式只会火上浇油(使事情变得更糟)。

　　If you’re taking the TOEFL or the TOEIC, or just want to know more common idioms, read this list of 40 common idiomatic expressions before you take the test. They may just help your English language acquisition soar (get much better).

　　如果你正在参加托福或托业考试，或者只是想了解更多的常用习语，那么在考试前，请阅读这40个常用习语表达的列表。他们可能只是帮助你的英语学习飙升(变得更好)。

　　Common English Idioms

　　常见的英文习语

　　24/7: Twenty-four hours a day; seven days a week; all the time; constantly. My little sister irritates me 24/7!

　　24/7：一天二十四小时;一周七天;时时刻刻;时时刻刻。我妹妹24小时不停地惹我生气!

　　A short fuse: A quick temper. Jamie is known for his short fuse; just a few days ago he screamed at his coach for not letting him play.

　　导火索：急躁的脾气。杰米以他的短发闻名;就在几天前，他因为教练不让他上场而大喊大叫。

　　A taste of your own medicine: Bad treatment deservedly received for treating other people badly. After constantly being prank-called, Julian decided to give Juan a taste of his own medicine and ordered twenty-seven pizzas to be delivered to Juan’s house.

　　自食其果：对别人不好，理应受到不好的待遇。朱利安不断地被人恶作剧，他决定让胡安自食其果，并点了二十七个比萨饼送到胡安家。

　　Butterflies in my stomach: To be nervous. Liam had butterflies in his stomach before he went on stage to play the violin.

　　我心里七上八下：紧张。利亚姆上台拉小提琴前，心里七上八下。

　　By the skin of your teeth: To just barely get by or make it. Lester made the dance team by the skin of his teeth; you can tell he hasn't been dancing jazz for very long.

　　侥幸成功：勉强通过或完成它。莱斯特生硬地组成了这支舞蹈队;你可以看出他已经很久没有跳爵士乐了。

　　Cat got your tongue?: Can’t you speak? (Usually said to embarrass the other person). I just saw you kissing my boyfriend. What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?

　　一言不发?你不能说话吗?(通常是说让对方难堪)。我刚看见你在吻我男朋友。怎么了?你怎么一句话也不说?

　　Crying wolf: To ask for help when you don't need it. You have cried wolf so many times that no one believes you when you're really hurt.

　　虚张声势的人：在你不需要的时候寻求帮助。你虚张声势了很多次，当你真的受伤的时候，没有人相信你。

　　Cut someone some slack: To not judge someone too harshly. Hey. Cut me some slack. I was really busy with my frog hunting business last week and forgot to call. I'm sorry!

　　让某人松懈：不要过于严厉地评判某人。嘿。让我放松一下。上周我真的很忙我的猎蛙生意，忘了打电话。我很抱歉!

　　Down for the count: Tired; giving up; unable or unwilling to participate any longer. No, you can’t take my dog for a walk—she’s down for the count after chasing cats all day.

　　倒数：累了;放弃了;不能或不愿再参加。不，你不能带我的狗去散步。她整天追猫，现在要被数到。

　　Draw the line: To stop; to know the point where something goes from okay to not okay. Now I draw the line at speaking in front of 34,000 people.

　　划清界限：停下来;知道某物从好到不好的位置。现在我在3.4万人面前发言时划清界限。

　　Easier said than done: Not as easy as it appears to be. You want me to come to work at 6:00 AM? Easier said than done!

　　说起来容易做起来难：不像看上去那么容易。你要我早上6点来上班吗?说起来容易做起来难!

　　Every cloud has a silver lining: You can find good in every bad situation. Even though you just got fired, remember that every cloud has a silver lining—at least you don’t have to work for that grouchy boss anymore!

　　乌云背后就是阳光：你可以在每一个糟糕的情况下找到好的一面。即使你刚被炒鱿鱼，记住乌云背后就是阳光，至少你不必再为那个脾气暴躁的老板工作了!

　　Finding a needle in a haystack: Virtually impossible to find. Trying to get a new job these days is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

　　大海捞针：几乎找不到。这些天想找一份新工作就像大海捞针。

　　Fish out of water: To be out of place. Tom felt like a fish out of water at the Star Trek convention his new girlfriend begged him to attend.

　　格格不入：出其不意。汤姆在《星际迷航》大会上感到格格不入，他的新女友求他参加。