Now, the VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
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Last week, I told about the number one. Today, I will tell about expressions using other numbers.
Some problems are difficult to solve. But there are a lot of number expressions that can help. For example, if we put two and two together, we might come up with the right answer. We know that two heads are better than one. It is always better to work with another person to solve a problem.
Sometimes there are no two ways about it. Some problems have only one solution. You cannot be of two minds over this.
But with any luck, we could solve the problem in two shakes of a lamb's tail. We could have our answers quickly and easily.
Sometimes we can kill two birds with one stone. That is, we can complete two goals with only one effort or action. But we must remember that two wrongs don't make a right. If someone does something bad to you, you should not do the same to him.
If you are going out with your girlfriend, or boyfriend, you do not want another friend to go along on your date. You can just say to your friend: two's company, three's a crowd.
When I was a young child in school, I had to learn the three R's. These important skills are reading, writing and arithmetic. These three words do not all start with the letter "R." But they have the sound of "R." My teachers used to give three cheers when I did well in math. They gave praise and approval for a job well done.
Some of my friends were confused and did not understand their schoolwork. They were at sixes and sevens. In fact, they did not care if they finished high school. They saw little difference between the two choices. Six of one, half a dozen the other – that was their position. But they were really happy when they completed their studies and graduated from high school. They were in seventh heaven. They were on cloud nine.
Nine times out of ten, students who do well in school find good jobs. Some work in an office doing the same things every day at nine-to-five jobs. You do not have to dress to the nines, or wear your best clothes, for this kind of work.
Last year, one of my friends applied for a better job at her office. I did not think she would get it. I thought she had a hundred to one shot at the job. Other people at her office thought her chances were a million to one. One reason was that she had been caught catching forty winks at the office. She slept at her desk for short periods during the day. But her supervisor appointed her to the new job at the eleventh hour -- at the very last minute. I guess her lucky number came up.
(MUSIC)
This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith Lapidus.作者: hollo 时间: 2009-12-5 16:00
上周我们学习了关于数字“一”的短语，今天，我们讲一下包含其他数字的短语。
有一些问题很难解决。但是有很多关于数字的表达方式可以起到作用。例如，如果我们根据事实推理(put two and two together)，就可能得出正确的答案。我们知道人多智广(或者说三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮，two heads are better than one)。与其他人一起工作来解决问题总比一个人好。
有时候你别无选择(no two ways about it)，有些问题只有一个解决方法。你不能三心二意(be of two minds)。
但是有时候运气好，我们能立即(in two shakes of a lamb’s tail)解决问题。我们能够迅速简便地得到答案。
有时候我们能够一举两得(kill two birds with one stone)。也就是说，我们可以通过一次努力活行动完成两个目标。但是我们必须记住两个错误不能构成一个正确(two wrongs don’t make a right)。如果别人对你做了什么坏事，你不能冤冤相报。
如果你跟男朋友或女朋友外出，你不想另外一个朋友参加你的约会，你可以对你的朋友说：两人成伴三人不欢(two’s company, three’s a crowd.)。
当我还在读书的时候，我必须学习三个"R"。这三项重要的技能是阅读(reading)，写作(writing_和算术(arithmetic)。这三个词并不都是以字母"R"开头的。但是他们的发音都包含"R"音。我数学表现比较好时，老师经常为我欢呼(give three cheers)。人们经常为完成的比较好的工作予以赞扬和认可。
我有些朋友非常困惑，不能明白课业。他们简直乱七八糟(at sixes and sevens)。实际上，他们根本就不在乎能否中学毕业。他们觉得两个选择没有任何区别，两者是半斤八两，各有千秋(Six of one, half a dozen the other)——这就是他们的立场。但是当他们从完成学业，从中学毕业时非常高兴。他们简直非常愉快(in seventh heaven)，欣喜若狂(on cloud nine)。
十有八九(Nine times out of ten)，在学校表现比较好的学生容易找到好工作。有一些人在办公室每天做着同样的事情，过着朝九晚五(nine-to-five)的生活。做这种工作，你不必打扮得时髦到极点(dress to the nines)，或者穿你最好的衣服。
去年，我一个朋友申请办公室里一份比较好的工作。我认为她肯恩得不到。我认为她得到这份工作的机会微乎其微(a hundred to one shot)。她办公室其他人认为她的机会也非常小(a million to one)。一个原因是她被抓住在办公室小睡(forty winks)。白天她在办公室趴在桌子上睡了一小会儿。但是她的主管在最后时刻(eleventh hour)委任了她这项新的工作。我猜她是中彩了(lucky number came up)。
1．含有one以及first的成语
(1) one by one 一个个地
Students went out of the classroom one by
one as soon as the bell rang.
下课铃一响，学生们一个个从教室里走出来。
(2) at one 一致
Their opinion is at one.
他们的意见一致。
(3) in one 合为一体
It's a book of English phonetics，grammar and
usage in one.
这是一本英语语音、语法和习惯用语结合为一体
的书。
(4) one another 互相
We should help one another．
我们应该互相帮助。
(5) one to one 一比一
Neither of them won，one to one.
他俩没一个赢，而是一比一。
(6) one too many 多余的，不需要的
I found myself one too many among people.
我发现自己在人群中是个多余的人。
(7) one in a thousand 优秀的人（或事物）
My brother is a one in a thousand．
我的兄弟是位优秀人物。
(8) taking one with another总的看来
The youth，taking one with another，is a nice worker．
总的来说，这位年青人还是个不错的工人。
(9) from the first 首先；马上；立刻
I knew him from the first．
从一开始我就认识他。
(10) first off 首先；马上；立刻
They come to our office first off．
他们马上就要到我们办公室来。
(11) first water 极端
You are a fool of the first water.
你真是个大傻瓜。
2. 含有two以及second的成语
(1)two-way 双向的
He invented a two-way recorder.
他发明了两用收录机。
(2) in two twos 立刻；一转眼
My pen was lost in two twos.
我的钢笔一转眼就不见了。
(3) put two and two together 根据事实推断
Thev came to the conclusion that he hadn't run out
of their city，putting two and two together.
根据事实推断，他们得出这样的结论,他还没有跑出
这座城市。
(4) two-to-two shop 当铺
This is only a two-to-two shop．
这只是一间当铺。
(5) second to none 最好的；不可比拟的
The jackets are second to none in the shop．
在这个商店里，这些上衣是上等的。
(6) not for a second 决不
"Are you tired after running"? "No, not for a second．"
"跑步以后你觉得累吗?" -- "不，一点也不累。"
3. 含有three及third的成语。
(1) three-bottle man 大酒徒
His grandfather is a three-bottle man.
他外公是个大酒徒。
(2) third dimension 真实感
The film seems to have a third dimension.
这部电影看起来有真实感。
4．含有four的成语
(1) foursquare 直率的；坦白的
The girl is four square.
这女孩很直率。
(2) on all fours 爬着
The baby goes on all fours.
这婴儿在地上爬行。
(3) four-lettered words 下流话
These books are full of four-lettered words.
这些书里脏话连篇。
(4) in fours 每组四个
Students are standing in a line，in fours.
学生们每组四人排成队。
5．含有five或fifth的成语
(1) five-star 很出色；第一流的；五星级的
The house is five-star in the village.
这房子在该村是一流水平的。
(2) five and ten 便宜的
The meat is five and ten recently.
最近肉类很便宜。
(3) fifth wheel 多余的人（或物）；备用轮
The chair is a fifth wheel, please take it away．
这把椅子是多余的，请把它搬走。
(4) take the fifth 拒绝回答
I asked him many question, but he took the fifth．
我问了他很多问题，可他拒绝回答。
6．含有six数词的成语
(1) at sixes and sevens 乱七八糟
The boy made the room at sixes and sevens.
这男孩把房间弄得乱七八糟的。
(2) knock...for six 彻底打败……；完全打碎
He knock the glass for six.
他将玻璃杯打碎了。
7．含有seven和seventh的成语
(1) at seven-league 大踏步地
China is developing at seven league strides．
中国正在大踏步地向前发展。
(2) in one's seventh heaven 在无限幸福中
The children were in their seventh heaven，playing
with water on the beach．
孩子们在海滩上玩水，极为幸福。
8．含有eight的成语
chasing eight and quarters 追逐名利
The boss in the company is a miser，chasing eight and
quarters.
这公司的老板是个追求名利的吝啬鬼。
9．含有nine的成语
(1) on cloud nine 万分高兴
father bought me a bike, and I was on cloud nine.
我爸给我买了辆自行车，我万分高兴。
(2) in the nine holes 处于困境
He is in the nine holes because of losing money．
他失去资金而处于困境。
(3) dress up to the nines 打扮得十分华丽
The woman dressed up to the nines．
这女人打扮得十分华丽。
10．含有ten的成语
(1) take ten 小憩
He took ten and went on working.
他小憨片刻后继续工作。
(2) ten to one 很可能
"He is at school, isn't he?"---"Yes．That must be ten
to one."
"他在读书，对吗?" "是的，很可能是。"
11．含twelve的成语
strike twelve 达到最高目标；获得最大成功
You'll strike twelve if you study hard．
如果你努力学习你就会获得大成功。
