pull one's punches
手下留情
I didn't pull my punches. I told her exactly what I think of her.
（我没有手下留情。我清楚表达对她的想法。）
Did she cry? It must have hurt her feelings.
（她哭了吗？那一定很伤她的心。）
dead set against something
坚决反对
Are you sure you don't want to reconsider his proposal?
（你确定你不要重新考虑他的提案吗？）
Listen, I'm dead set against his plan. So don't waste your time.
（听着，我坚决反对他的构想。所以你别浪费时间了。）
not enough room to swing a cat
没有足够的转身空间
The living room is too small.
（客厅实在太小了。）
I agree! There's not enough room to swing a cat.
（我同意！连转身的空间都没有。）
at the top of one's lungs
声嘶力竭
I yelled at the top of my lungs to get tom's attention. But he seems to be deaf.
（我声嘶力竭地大喊想要引起汤姆的注意。不过他像是聋了一样。）
Didn't you see that he was wearing earphones? Every time he listens to rock-n-roll, he turns the volume way up.
（你没看见他戴着耳机吗？他每次听摇滚乐总把音量开到最大。）
at the helm
掌控全局
How long has our CEO been at the helm?
（我们的总裁当家多久了？）
For almost two decades. We need some fresh blood- that's for sure.
（快二十年了。我们需要一些新血是毋庸置疑的。）
a domino effect
骨牌效应
Those workers make good money. Why are they on strike?
（这些工人的收入不错。他们为什么要罢工呢？）
It's a domino effect. Other lower-paid workers just got their wages raised, so now everybody wants more money.
（这是骨牌效应。其它工资较低的工人刚获得加薪，所以现在每个人都想要更多钱。）
another story
另一回事
I like to stay up late. It's the best time for me to write.
（我喜欢熬夜。那是我写作最好的时间。）
But it's quite another story for those of us who have to be at work by 8 a.m.
（但那对我们这些得在八点前上班的人来说就完全是另外一回事了。）
at ease
轻松自若
Were you nervous the first time you taught in front of the whole class?
（你第一次站在全班面前讲课会紧张吗？）
Not really. My students were so cute that they made me feel completely at ease.
（其实还好。我的学生很可爱，他们让我觉得非常轻松自在。）
at the eleventh hour
在最后一刻
Thank God, you're here. I thought you might not be able to make it.
（感谢上帝，你终于来了。我还以为你到不了了。）
I looked everywhere to find my passport. Then I found it at the eleventh hour.
（我到处找我的护照。终于在最后一刻找到了。）
at the end of one's rope
失去耐性
I'm at the end of my rope with you. Are you coming with me or not?
（我对你失去耐性了。你到底要不要跟我一起去？）
Give me ten more minutes. I want to know how the show ends.
（再给我十分钟。我想知道这个节目的结局如何。）
来源：成人英语三级考试网
学习地址：济南市花园路58号（历城区党校办公楼1楼104室）。
邮 箱: ck@sdcknet.cn
咨询电话：0531—69951586 13176021506
网 址：山东省成人教育考试网 www.sdcknet.cn
乘车路线：市内乘30路、80路、118路、201路到辛祝路南口站下车，乘11路、138路、308路、K91路到华信路北口站下车，沿花园路与华信路十字路口向东50米路南历城区党校办公楼（西楼）1楼104室。
| 
