aim high 胸懷大志

　　Frank aimed high, but achieved little

　　Dialogue:

　　Sue: You seem to be worried about something these days

　　Bob: Yeah. I'm running around in circles (忙得團團轉)without achieving anything.

　　Sue: Running in circles? Maybe you aim too high and you've taken more than you can chew.

　　Bob: Maybe. but I can't tolerate doing nothing.

　　Sue: You may take a break before buckling down on (開始認真地干)your targets.

　　go ape 神魂顛倒的，發瘋

　　He went ape as soon as he learned that he got the first prize.

　　Dialogue

　　Mary: Jack went ape. What's happened?

　　Lora: He made a bomb (賺大錢)in his business.

　　Mary: How come? He told me that his business had almost landed on the rocks （沒有前途，沒指望了）only a couple of days ago! Besides, he doesn't seem to be cut out for （天生適合干...）doing business.

　　Lora: Fools may have a fortune. And this is why he went ape when he make bundles(發大財).

　　argue someone down 駁倒某人

　　He has a glib tongue. Few people can argue him down.他有三寸不爛之舌。幾乎沒人能把他駁倒。

　　Frank argued the manager down, though he could hardly be convinced by any other people.

　　Most people present at the meeting argued against the measures to be taken by the local government in dealing with traffic jams.

　　Jack was punished, but most of his colleagues argued fro his actions.

　　I am the one wearing pants in the house 我當家

　　One day we invited our American friends, a couple, to our home. We had a pleasant chat. During the chat, I asked them who was in control of their family's finance. My friend's wife answered, "I am the one wearing pants in the house." Both my wife and I were very confused. We were wondering why she told me that only she wore trousers in her house when I asked who was in charge of the money I their family. A few pointers (指點，暗示)from my friend made us suddenly see the light. It turned out that what she meant was "I am in charge."

　　It's up in the air 尚未確定

　　Once I met an old friend of mine at the school's celebration meeting. Hence it was quite natural that we had a talk.

　　"I am going to be transferred to another school," said my friend.

　　"When?" I asked.

　　"It's up in the air," she answered.

　　I felt rather confused and wondered why she said it was "up in the air".

　　Finding I looked puzzled, my friend knew that I did not understand what she meant. So she explained to me with the help of gestures.

　　Finally I got the point that "It's up in the air" meant "It is uncertain".

　　cost an arm and a leg 付出過高的代價

　　Eating in the restaurants in this street will cost you an arm and a leg.

　　Buying an apartment in Beijing will cost you an arm and a leg

　　Dialogue

　　Sandra: I say, Frank. Have you thought about changing the bed sets(床上用品)？

　　Frank: Well, I've actually been thinking of discarding them.

　　Sandra: And have you thought about where we should go for the new sets?

　　Frank: Well, I need to shop around a bit before I can decide.

　　Sandra: How about the Johns' in the Fifth Street?

　　Frank: The Johns'? They will cost you an arm and a leg. You have to pay through the nose（為買...付出過高的代價；被敲竹杠）， you know?

　　Sandra: But their quality is first rate.

　　Frank: I know. And their price is first rate, too.

　　keep someone at arm's length與某人保持距離

　　She said that she couldn't put her finger on why everyone in the company should keep her at arm's length. 她說他搞不清楚為何公司里的人都不愿已接近他。
　　If you've kept her at arm's length, she wouldn't be able to et hold of your weakness and take advantage of you.

　　touch someone on the raw.觸及某人的痛處

　　The question asked by the Japanese lady seemed to have touched the president on the raw, and it had almost driven him on the wall.

　　那位日本婦女向總統提出個問題，這一問就好像觸及了總統的痛處，并把他逼上了絕境。

　　When with friends, people always try to avoid the topics that would possibly touch them on the raw.

　　Your acid comment made him lose face and the question you raised had touched him on the raw.

　　You should avoid offending him by touching him on the raw.