作者：Alice的学习笔记
1. small beer
指一些人/事，相对于其他的人/事来说，实在微不足道。
Even if you have US$10 billion, you are small beer compared to business tycoon Li Ka-Shing who has over US$34 billion.
即时你有100亿美金，和拥有340亿的商业巨擘李嘉诚相比，你仍然算不了什么。
2. call it quits
停止做某事，互不相欠，两清
After twenty-five years as a teacher, he's decided to call it quits.
他当了 25 年的老师以后，决定不干了。
Just give me $20 and we'll call it quits.
给我 20 美元，我们就两清了。
3. burn the midnight oil
挑灯夜战
She takes her exams next week, so she's burning the midnight oil.
她下周要考试, 所以在开夜车.
4. quid pro quo
（主动的）交换，回报
In politics nobody does something for nothing: there's always a quid pro quo involved.
在政治上，没有人会毫无所求的做某件事：永远都会涉及到相互交换。
5. under the weather
生病，觉得不舒服
You look a bit under the weather.
你好像有点儿不舒服。
6. winging it / improvising
即兴发挥，临时应付
I hadn't had time to prepare for the talk, so I just had to wing it.
我没时间准备发言，所以只好即兴发挥。
7. to steer clear of something
回避……
I think a lot of people, women in particular, steer clear of these sensitive issues.
我认为很多人，特别是女性，都会回避这些敏感问题。
8. until hell freezes over
形容一件事情绝无可能（比较老式的用法）
9. make sb's skin crawl
让某人起鸡皮疙瘩，让某人感觉恶心
The chicken feet make my skin crawl.
鸡爪让我觉得很恶心。
10. spit nails
怒气冲天（地说）；咬牙切齿（地说）。
I thought he was going to spit nail / blood when he saw what had happened.
我想等他看到发生了甚么事时，一定会破口大骂。
11. late to the dance
落伍，慢半拍
I've just started watching "Game of Thrones". Yeah, I know, I'm late to the party.
我刚刚开始看《权力的游戏》。我知道，自己落伍了。
12. beauty is in the eye of the beholder
情人眼里出西施，对美的判别因人而异
13. can't make head or tail of something
弄不明白……，不能理解……
I couldn't make head nor tail of what he was saying.
我弄不懂他在说些什么。
14. a zebra can't change its strips
形容一个人很难改变自己的本性，我们俗语中说的“江山易改，本性难移”就可以用这个表达。
相似的还有“a leopard can't change its spots.”，“a tiger can't change its strips.”
以上就是今天的内容，不知道大家对这些短语掌握得怎么样了呢？。
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