1 down to the wire

最后關頭。

It was down to the wire. = There wasn't much time left.

直到最后一刻。

（例子）：I feel like I am always in a rush because I wait to do thing until it's down to the wire.

我總是趕時間， 因為我常到最后一分鐘還忙著。

2 活學活用

中譯英：不到最后關頭，我們不能放松。

英譯中：What kind of language learner are you? If you are a successful language learner, you have probably been learning independently, actively, and purposefully. On the other hand, if you language learning has been less than successful, you might do well to try some of the techniques outlined above.

今天加入了一些新的內容：

1 hit the books

撞書（用功）

I need to hit the books. = I need to study.

例子： If I don't hit the books this week, I won't pass the test.

如果我這星期不用功，我考試就不及格了。

2 活學活用

中譯英：英語中有些地方還真有趣，可把“撞書”理解成“用功”。

英譯中：How should you built up your vocabulary

Through Context

When students in a college class were asked what should be done when they came across a new word in their reading, 84 percent said, 'Look it up in the dictionary.' If you do, however, you interrupt the very mental processes needed to make your efforts most productive.

3 語法 構詞法

英語詞的構成有一定的規律，這種規律稱為構詞法。掌握構詞法知識對我們更好的理解詞義，認識新詞和擴大詞匯量有重大的意義。

構詞方法有三種：派生法，合成法，轉換法。

一． 在一個詞的詞根前或后加某個詞綴產生新詞，有前綴，后綴。

構成名詞的常用后綴：

-er,-or,-ist,-ee,-ian,-ese,-ant構成人或物的名稱.。

例如：thinker, guesser, translator, conductor, physicist, dentist, employee, trainee, physician, Italian, Japanese, assistant等。

（待續）

1 cost someone an arm and a leg

要花上一條胳膊一條腿（代價昂貴）

That cost me an arm and a leg. = That was very expensive.

那東西貴極了。

（例子）：I really like my new car, but it cot me an arm and a leg. Now I have no money for new cloths.

我非常喜歡我的新車，不過這輛車貴極了。現在我連買衣服的錢都沒了。

2 活學活用

中譯英：學習的代價是很昂貴的。

英譯中：But there's another reason. Suppose someone asks you what the word "fast" means. You answer, "swift." But does it mean that in such contexts as "fast color", "fast woman", or "fast friend"? And if a horse is fast, is it securely tied or running at top speed? It could be either, It all depends. On the dictionary? NO, on context - on how the word is actually used. After all there are over twenty different meanings for "fast" in the dictionary. But the dictionary doesn't tell you which meaning in intended. That's why it makes such good sense to begin with context.

3 語法 構詞法

(2) -ance, -ence, -(a)tion, -ics, -ing, -ity, -ment, -ness, -th, -ty, -ure, -ship等用于構成表示行為，性質，狀態的抽象名詞。

例如：acceptance, assistance, dependence, confidence, repetition, preparation, discussion, division, physics, fabrics, building, wedding, reality, ability, settlement, argument, greatness, hardness, warmth, length, safety, penalty, failure, pressure, friendship, leadership.等。