a tall order：tough or difficult thing to do 離譜或苛刻的要求
Financing your education seems like a tall order for your parents, but there are still some other means available.
對你父母來說，供你上學是多么難的件事呀，不過還有其他方法可想的。 　
poverty-stricken：非常貧窮的
Though the money we donated to the poverty-stricken farmers is a drop in the bucket, it represents our love for them.
盡管我們為窮苦農民捐的那點錢僅是杯水車薪， 但卻代表了我們對他們的一片愛心。
live high on the hog：to engage in festive pleasures or extravagances：沉湎于歡樂或鋪張浪費中
The employees work their fingers to the bone while the boss lives high on the hog, indulging in dissipation.
員工累死累活的干，而老板卻鋪張浪費，過著花天酒地的生活。
green with envy：妒忌得面色發青；非常妒忌
The ugly girl was green with envy when she saw other girls win the favor of the boys in her class.
那個長相丑陋的女孩子，看見其他女孩子贏得班上男孩子們的好感，只能“羨慕嫉妒恨”。
be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth：生在富貴人家
I am quite independent of anyone else and never envy those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths.
我獨立性強，從不依靠別人，也從不羨慕出身富貴的人。
refrain from：忍住; 戒絕; 不讓自己做某事
I tried very hard but couldn't refrain from crying bitterly.
我盡量忍著，但還是忍不住痛苦地哭了起來。
take one's courage in both hands：一鼓作氣；敢做敢為；勇往直前
The young man finally took his courage in both hands and proposed to the pretty lady he had fallen in love with.
這個年輕人終于鼓足勇氣，向他深愛的這位漂亮女士求婚。
feel two inches tall：feel ashamed of oneself　慚愧的；羞恥的
The middle-aged lady felt two inches tall when she was caught red-handed　stealing in the supermarket.
中年婦女在超市里偷東西被當場抓獲，感到羞愧難當。