1. There's a skeleton in every closet. 家家有本难念的经。

　　有如推理小说序幕般的谚语，据说出自于发生在19世纪的真实事件：某人将决斗中丧命的对手的骨骸藏在自己家的衣柜里。所谓“家丑”，也可广义解释为“不为人知的秘密”，也常用更简短的说法skeleton in every closet来表达。

　　A: Did you know that Eddie's grandpa spent time in prison?

　　B: What for?

　　A: He was a bootlegger.

　　B: There's a skeleton in every closet.

　　2. You are dead meat. 你完蛋了。

　　我们要表示某人完蛋了时，就可以说You are dead. 或者说You are dead meat.但后者可以用在你跟别人说过不许动你的东西，但他总是爱用你的东西而且又一次被你抓到时。

　　A: You are dead meat. Don't you dare!

　　B: Please forgive me. I dare not do so next time.

　　3. You want to step outside ? 你想到外面解决吗？

　　要是二人一言不合就吵起来了，可能就有人要说这句话了，指的是要不要出去打架。

　　A: Haha, you coward, what are you going to do? Want to teach me a lesson? Come on!

　　B: You want to step outside? This means war.

　　4. I think I'll call in sick today. 我今天想请病假。

　　如果生病了或身体不舒服需要请假，美国人通常会说I think I'll call in sick today.或者说Please excuse me from work today. 因为重病需要住院或长期疗养时，就可说：Could I have a sick leave for a week?

　　A: Honey, you don't look well. Is anything the matter?

　　B: I'm afraid I'm coming down with a cold. I think I have a fever.

　　A: Really? I think you should call in sick and take a rest at home.

　　B: I think so, too.

　　5. I am under the weather. 我身体不舒服。

　　据说这句话原来是船员用语。因为天气不好波涛汹涌就会引起水手的身体不适，所以under the weather也就用来表示“身体不舒服”。

　　A: You don't look very well.

　　B: I think I'm under the weather.

　　A: Really? I hope it is not the flu.

　　B: I don't know, but I have a mild fever.

　　6. I'm all thumbs today. 我今天笨手笨脚的。

　　I'm all thumbs today并非“我今天全都是大拇指”。仔细想想，其实不难猜出它的意思。我们能随意拿住东西是因为五个手指不一样。如果所有手指都像大拇指一样，就很难拿住东西了。因此，I'm all thumbs这句话的意思也就是“我总会掉东西”。也有“我容易出错，笨手笨脚”的意思。

　　—A waitress accidentally drops a spoon in a restaurant—

　　A: I'm sorry. I'm all thumbs today.

　　B: That's all right. Nobody's perfect.

　　7. Care for seconds? 再吃点吧？

　　Seconds (必须加s )是指吃完一份以后想再来一份。如果举办聚会的女主人说Please have seconds. We have plenty of barbecued beef. 这句话是“请再吃点吧，烤肉还多着呢”的意思。

　　A: Care for seconds, Mr. Smith?

　　B: No, thank you. This spaghetti is very good. If I hadn't had a late lunch, I'd have had more.

　　8. This is on the house. 这是免费的。

　　“这是免费招待的”英语说法是 This is on the house. 或This is a free gift. 另外还有We'll throw this in.等。这里的house指营业场所。

　　—At a bar—

　　W: (giving an extra beer) This is on the house, sir.

　　M: Oh, thank you.

　　9. No sweat! 没问题！

　　用来同意或答应别人的请求的用语,相当于No problem，有时也说:No trouble或No trouble at all。意为：不麻烦；不成问题；一句话的事。如：

　　A: Will you hang up this map for me？

　　B: Certainly, no sweat!

　　又如：

　　No trouble, I'm happy to change shifts with you if you want Wednesday afternoon off.

　　10. Was my face red! 我真丢脸！

　　这句话用来表示说话人讲述自己因突然做错了事，或说错了话，或忘带了重要的东西等以至于当时使自己处于一种十分尴尬的地位的心理状态。意为：当时真丢人！真难堪！真不好意思！真叫我无地自容！如：

　　Yesterday evening my girlfriend and I ate out in an Italian restaurant and after the meal I suddenly discovered that I had forgotten to bring any money with me and couldn't pay the bill! Was my face red!

　　(文/李艳茹；英语辅导报大学一年级版 04～05学年第17、18期； 版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)