1. Above/over one's head: too difficult for someone to understand. 难以理解

　　Example: What John had said was well above my head; he should have made his speech simpler and clearer.

　　2. Above oneself: self-satisfied; conceited.

　　得意忘形；自高自大

　　Example: Peter was above himself after he was promoted to a higher position.

　　3. Above/below par: at a price higher/lower than the original value. (价格) 在一般水平以上／以下

　　Examples: (1) Most of the good shares are expensive and above par now.

　　(2) When the market is bad, it is possible

　　to purchase the stock at a price below par.

　　4. Back-seat driver, a/the:

　　(i) the bossy person in a car who always tells the driver what to do. 对司机胡乱指点的乘客

　　Example: Most of us disliked the back-seat driver who was too arrogant.

　　(ii) a person who repeatedly gives advice without being asked for it. 自动乱给劝告的人

　　Example: Let the officer-in-charge handle the

　　matter; don't be nosey like a back-seat driver.

　　5. Backstairs influence/talk:secret or indirect influence/talk. 秘密或间接的影响或谈话

　　Examples: (1) I think his wife has backstairs influence on his decisions.

　　(2) It is discourteous to have this type of backstairs talk about the new manager.

　　6. Bad blood between one person and another: ill-feeling between two persons. 仇恨；厌恶

　　Example: The unfair distribution of the father's assets caused the bad blood between the two siblings.

　　7. Calculate on/upon (doing)something:depend on (doing)something. 指望；依靠

　　Examples: (1) We calculate on making an early start in this matter.

　　(2) Don't calculate upon the weather being fine for tomorrow's basketball match.

　　8. Call a spade a spade: say exactly what you mean.直言不讳

　　Example: I am a frank person often calling a spade a spade. Hope you don't mind.

　　9. Cocoon someone from/against something:keep someone in a protective covering.盖在保护层里

　　Example: It may not be a good thing to cocoon one's child from the realities of a cruel life.

　　10. Dark horse, a: a person of unknown abilities and may spring a surprise. 黑马（有本事而深藏不露的人）

　　Example: No one expected him to run very fast, but he proved to be a dark horse this time and won the race.

　　11. Dash off: (i) write hurriedly. 匆匆地写

　　Example: Dan dashed off a letter to his friend while waiting for the plane at the airport.

　　(ii) leave or move away in a hurry. 猛冲

　　Example: It is late now; I must dash off to the bus stop before the last bus leaves.

　　12. Half the battle: a large part of the work.

　　至关重要的一部分（工作）

　　Example: To know your faults and decide to correct them can be half the battle of self-improvement.

　　13. Hallmark of something, a: a typical feature of something. 某事的特征

　　Example: Conciseness in wording is a hallmark of good writing.

　　14. Hammer away at something: keep working on something. 努力做某事

　　Example: No matter how, we have to hammer away at the problem until we get it solved.

　　15. Ideal for: very suitable for. 理想的；最合适的

　　Example: Good picture dictionaries are ideal for preschool children.

　　16. Identical to something:exactly alike.与某事相同

　　Example: On the phone, your voice is almost identical to your elder sister's.

　　17. Import something to someone/something: give something, usually a quality, to someone/something. 传达

　　Example: The pepper and the herbal spice have imported a special flavour to the soup.

　　18. Join hands (with someone):

　　(i) hold someone's hands, e.g. while dancing.携手

　　Example: Boys and girls joined hands and danced for 10 minutes.

　　(ii) unite with someone. 联合

　　Example: The government has to join hands with the people to combat all forms of social injustice.

　　19. Join in something: take part in something.

　　参与某事

　　Example: In the get-together last night, all of us joined in the sing-song.

　　20. Of two evils choose the lesser: pick the evil that is less serious or harmful. 两害取其小和轻的

　　Example:

　　X: Do you want to walk to the shop which is not very far away or ask Su, who has just got her driving licence to give you a lift?

　　Y: I choose to walk. Of two evils choose the lesser.

　　21. Patch up: (i)mend something quickly. 迅速修补

　　Example: The worker patched up the roof with pieces of tiles and water-proof plastic.

　　(ii) Settle a quarrel, etc. 解决纷争

　　Examples: (1) The two friends soon patched up their disagreement.

　　(2) It is time we patch up our quarrel with our neighbours.

　　22. Pave the way for something: make it easy or possible for something to happen. 为……铺路

　　Examples: (1) The peace treaty paves the way for lasting co-existence between the two countries concerned.

　　(2) People's desire for freedom paved the way for a nation's struggle for independence and actual sovereignty.