1.sock away
存錢

You should sock away a certain amount each month.
你每個月都應該存一筆錢。

2.live from hand to mouth
收入勉強糊口

Bob had a little money socked away, so he didn't have to live from hand to mouth.
鮑勃存下來了一點錢，所以日子還算過得去。

3.live off the fat of the land
靠土地產出的食品來過活

How hard can it be to strike out on your own and live off the fat of the land?
你是得多艱苦才靠地吃飯啊？

4.make hay while the sun is shining
一有機會就掙錢或把錢存下來

While he had been successful at his job, he had made plenty of hay while the sun was shining.
他的工作干得很成功，也就存了不少錢。

5.in the twinkling of an eye
一剎那，眨眼的功夫。

Things could go terribly wrong in the twinkling of an eye.
眨眼的功夫事情就變得一團糟。

6.as free as a bird
無拘無束

I found the reasons for his decision to throw in the towel and become free as a bird compelling.
我發現了他認輸的理由后，就再也無拘無束了。

7.get one's ducks in a row
為了完成某事而做好充分的準備。

Bob was very careful not to let on what he was thinking to anyone until he got all his ducks in a row.
鮑勃非常小心，他沒有告訴任何人自己的想法，直到做好充分的準備。

8.salt of the earth
社會中堅

Bill was salt of the earth.
比爾是一名社會精英。

9.on the spur of the moment
一時沖動

He knew that such a decision couldn't be made on the spur of a moment.
他知道，不能一時沖動就作出決定。

10.by the seat of one's pants
憑本事，憑直覺

He did wonder if things might be a bit more interesting if he gave living by the seat of his pants a go.
他想知道，如果當初他憑本事謀生的話，會不會比現在有意思點。

11.money to burn
花不完的錢

Sure, he never had money to burn, but he managed to get by.
當然，他從來沒有花不完的錢，但他還是成功了。

12.the powers that be
指代掌權者

Certainly, he never questioned the powers that be.
當然，他從來沒有質疑過那些掌權者。

13.tag along
尾隨他人

Bill repeatedly told Bob that tagging along with everyone else would eventually get boring.
比爾一次次地告訴過鮑勃，尾隨他人是件很無聊的事。

14.throw in the towel
放棄

I found the reasons for his decision to throw in the towel and become free as a bird compelling.
我發現了他認輸的理由后，就再也沒有任何顧慮了。

15.jack-of-all-trades
身兼多職的人

Bill made his living as a jack-of-all-trades.
比爾為了謀生身兼多職。

16.not able to see the forest for the trees
|太執著于細節，導致忽視了更加重要的部分。

The more he pondered the idea the more he came to realize that he wasn't able to see the forest for the trees.
他越想越覺得自己因為執著細節，忽視了真正重要的部分。

17.tilt at windmills
同假想的敵人或威脅作戰

He still felt he was tilting at windmills.
他仍覺得自己在同假想的敵人作戰。

18.get a new lease on life
對生活持一個新的態度

These memories of Bill came flooding back as Bob began to to prepare to get a new lease on life.
當鮑勃決定重新開始生活時，那些關于比爾的記憶又奔涌而來。

19.the prime of life
生命全盛期

However, Bob was in the the prime of life and he was ready for adventure.
但是，鮑勃此時年富力強，他準備好了迎接冒險。

20.throw something down the drain
浪費

How can you throw all you've worked for down the drain?
你怎么可以浪費自己的勞動成果呢？

21.lose one's marbles
陷入瘋狂

He's lost his marbles.
他真是瘋了。

練習

?He's a smart man because he has ____________ a lot of money for his retirement.

?I'm sure you'l feel _________________ once you graduate from college.

?Ever since I got the new job, I feel like I've gotten _________________.

?You'll be surprised how quickly your child will grow up. It sometimes seems that it happened ____________.

?My grandfather was a ______________________. He did everything!

?Too many people around the world have to ____________________. It's horrible!

?Of course, ___________________ do nothing to help the truly needy.

?Sometimes it seems like I'm ________________ by trying to start a new business.

答案

?socked away

?as free as a bird

?a new lease on life

?in the twinkling of an eye

?jack-of-all-trades

?live from hand to mouth

?the powers that be

?tilting at windmills

（來源：滬江英語? 編輯：Julie）