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:

　　-女士们，晚上好。今晚我很荣幸(pleasure)能为你们服务(waiter)。为了庆祝(celebrate)本饭店开业十周年(anniversary)，我们现推出特别的优惠(offer)：with各位所点的每个主菜(entree)，提供特价服务(special offer)，第二个主菜为半价，and甜点(dessert)本店免费增送(on the house)。

　　- Wow,太棒了(sound)。免费的甜点！I guess我们太走运了(luck)。好在(a good thing)你们不是经常有免费的甜点，or我们会每天都到这儿来。

　　2. shop around (for something): VCU

　　-我需要听听你的意见(advice)。我想买一部旧汽车but我不知道哪里是最好的地方(place)可以找到(find)车况好(condition)而且价钱公道(reasonable )的车。你有什么建议(suggestion)？

　　-I think能找到一辆好价钱旧车的最好办法就是去货比三家(shop around)。你要到(go)几家不同的汽车经销商(car dealers)那儿看一看and比较价钱。你接触(contact)的经销商越多，你就越有机会(chance)找到便宜货(bargain)。

　　3. cash in (on something): VCU

　　-是那个Bob Brown在开那辆Mercedes吗？他什么时候开始买得起这么贵的车了(since, afford)？

　　-你没听说？他在几年前NASDAQ爆涨的时候做得不错。他当时可(able)从那里大发其财了(cash in on something)。

　　-运气真好！这么短时间内and出乎意料地赚了这么多钱真是不赖(nice, quickly, unexpectedly)。

　　4. drive at something:VCU

　　-那个演讲(lecture)时间够长的，不是吗？And我觉得教授没把主要论点(argument)讲清楚(clear)。你觉得呢(think)？

　　-起初,我也没太明白(get, either)，but到了演讲一半的时候(half way)我才意识到她想要说明(drive at)持之以恒的重要性(value, constant)，and表扬(praise )我们这个学期一直学得都很努力(all through, past)。

　　5. get a load off one's mind: VCU

　　-你近来很沉默寡言啊(quiet)。我知道有什么事情让你心烦(worry) but你又不告诉我，这让我很担心(concern)。如果你把心里想的都说出来(get a load off one's mind)你就会觉得好一些。如果你愿意把你的想法(thoughts)让我分享(share)，我洗耳恭听(be all ears)。

　　-我想你说得很绝对正确(absolutely)。把所有的事埋在我自己心里也于事无补的(keep, myself, help);到头来我是越来越胡涂(end up, confuse)。我需要试着说出(put somethingsintoswords)令我的烦恼的事(bother), and把心里话全倒出来(let it all out)。

　　1. talk until one is blue in the face: SU

　　Yesterday I went to see the professor to see if I could get my grade changed from a B to an A.

　　Well, what happened?

　　I talked to him for about five minutes and then he interrupted me and said, "Jack, you can talk until you're blue in the face, and I still won't change your grade".

　　So what did you do?

　　I decided to try to make him see my point, anyway.So I talked for a long time, until I was exhausted.He then said, "Sorry, Jack, I still can't change your grade".

　　So I thanked him and left.Boy, my parents aren't going to be happy!

　　2. think out loud: SU

　　That professor has a strange habit.He sometimes thinks out loud in class.I know, I sometimes have trouble not laughing, because his lectures are really funny.Most of my other professors are so formal.But his lectures are not that way at all.It's almost like he doesn't plan what he wants to say, but just says his thoughts aloud.

　　Well, even though it's funny, it's probably better not to laugh.He might become upset.

　　Yes, I know you're right.

　　3. in black and white: SU

　　You know that DVD player that I bought last week?

　　Yes, why.

　　Well, it broke yesterday.

　　Wow, only one week and it already broke?That's pretty poor quality. Did it have a warrantee?

　　Yes.When I went back to the store, the clerk told me that there was no guarantee.

　　Oh-no?

　　Yes, but then I pulled out the receipt and showed him the printed version.I told him "I've got it right here in black and white. So please replace my DVD player for me.

　　Good for you.Sometimes you have to be tough and stand up for your rights!