SU=Sometimes Used有时用

　　RU=Rarely Used不常用

　　Retell the stories in English using the provided expressions, and then paraphrase the highlighted idioms:

　　-你准备好要走了吗(ready)？

　　-我只要换一条牛仔裤(jeans)。只一会儿(minute)。

　　-你根本就不需要换衣服。这也不是像(like)那种要穿西装(suit)打领带(tie)的场合。我们只是到就近的Pizza店(around the corner)。没必要西装革履的(be in one's Sunday best)；那是一个很随便(casual)的餐馆。

　　2. break the ice: VCU

　　-我真希望(hope)每个人今天晚上过得都开心(time)。我还不知道邀请(invite)这么多素不认识(meet)的人来参加是不是个好主意(idea)。

　　-No，不用这么紧张，dear。他们一开始(at first)可能会(might)觉得有一点不自在(awkward)，我们只要想方设法(do one's best)把气氛先活跃起来(break the ice) and让客人感觉轻松就行了(comfortable)。And一旦他们全都开始聊起天(chat) and彼此认识了(know )，每个人都会玩得很开心(time)。

　　3. chilled to the bone: VCU

　　-这是我们最后一次同意(agree)在数九寒冬里坐上没有暖气(heating)的公共汽车。这么长时间地冻着(be chilled to the bone)对谁的身体都没好处。

　　-我完全赞成。这太糟糕了。我想我一辈子(in one's whole life)就没这么冻过。才过了几分钟我的手脚就全麻了(numb)。

　　4. mixed bag: VCU

　　-Oh,你从超市(supermarket)回来了。你最后(end)为party准备了什么？这不是件容易的事(task)，对吧？

　　-Well，我不太清楚(sure)每个人都喜欢喝什么，so我只是买了各式各样的饮料(mixed bag)，and希望总有什么对上大家的口味(taste)。每样都买一点(bit, everything)，我想肯定(surely)至少有一种大家会(should)喜欢。

　　5. in one's element: VCU

　　-我丈夫喜欢请人到家里做客(invite someone over)。他一向喜欢社交(socialize) and爱和朋友聊天。当朋友们围(surround )在他身边饶有兴味地听他讲那些没完没了的(endless)故事的时候，他真觉得如鱼得水(relly, in one's element)。没有什么比这个更让他高兴的了(enjoy, more)。

　　After she broke up with me.I was stunned.

　　What did you say?

　　Well, for a moment I was speechless, and I couldn't say a word.But when I found my tongue, I began to beg her for one more chance.

　　You begged her?Well, it sounds like you really lost your dignity.

　　Well better to lose some dignity than to lose the woman I love.

　　So what was the result?

　　Well, I lost both my dignity and the woman I love, because she told me that she wouldn't give me any more chances.

　　2. take the words out of one's mouth: SU

　　Did you see that girl in our English class.She is really beautiful.

　　You took the words right out of my mouth.

　　Well, since that's what you were going to say, I better ask her out on a date before you get to it.

　　You're too late.I asked her out yesterday, and we're going to see a movie together on Friday.

　　Ah, you're a lucky dog!

　　3. talk in circles: SU

　　When it was time to make the big presentation to my boss, I was so nervous.What happened in your presentation?

　　Well, even though I though I knew what I wanted to say, when I began speaking it didn't come out the way I'd planned.I became confused and wasn't speaking clearly or concisely.It was really embarrassing.

　　What did your boss say?

　　He said, I'm busy now and I don't have time to listen to you talk in circles.Please clarify your thoughts, and then come back to me again, later.

　　Yes, usually busy executives don't like their subordinates to talk to them in a confusing manner.Next time, try to just take a deep breath, and clearly state your points.