(1) Halcyon days

　　 — times of undisturbed peace and happiness.

　　 — 太平幸福的日子

　　 Example: When people grow older, they long for halcyon days more than anything else.

　(2) Hale and hearty

　　 — strong and healthy

　　 — 健壮的

　　 Example: In spite of old age, Mr Lin is still hale and hearty.

　(3) Half a loaf is better than no bread

　　 — we should be thankful for what we have, even if the amount is not as much as expected.

　　 — 少量比完全没有好

　　 Example: Dr Huang applied for a week's leave, but was given three days. Half a loaf is better than no bread.

　(4) I hate to mention it, but...

　　 — May I remind you that...

　　 — 让我提醒你

　　Example: I hate to mention it, but you still haven't given me your annual report.

　(5) I would be the first/ last person to...

　　 — I am very willing/ unwilling to do something.

　　 — 我很愿意／很不愿意做某事

　　 Examples: ① If you ask me for assistance, I would be the first person to volunteer.

　　　② I assure you I would be the last person to commit a crime.

　(6) Jealous of someone/something

　　 — envious of someone/something

　　 — 妒忌某人／某事

　　 Examples: ① Why is she so jealous of her successful colleagues?

　　　② It is wrong to be jealous of your friends' accomplishments.

　(7) Jeer at someone

　　 — laugh or shout disrespectfully at someone

　　 — 嘲笑

　　 Example: The spectators jeered at the team for playing dreadfully.

　(8) Odds are that, the...

　　 — the likelihood is that...

　　 — 可能

　　 Example: Nobody knows what the pay rise will be like, but the odds are that it will be about 5%.

　(9) Of great/ some/ no account

　　 — of great/ some/ no importance.

　　 — 很／有些／不重要

　　 Examples: ① All political leaders must be persons of great account.

　　　② To the manager, the secretary is a staff member of some account.

　　　③ Don't worry about that matter; it is of no account.

　(10) Palm something off on someone/palm someone off with something

　　 — get rid of an undesirable thing by giving, selling, etc. it to someone else; get rid of someone by giving, selling him something.

　　 — 劝说别人接受自己不喜欢的事物；打发不喜欢的人

　　 Examples: ① His 10-year-old car was always breaking down, so he was forced to palm it off on his honest friend.

　　　② The shopkeeper was so tired of the talkative woman that he palmed her off with something of poor quality.

　(11) Raise one's eyebrows (at something)

　　 — lift one's eyebrows to show surprise or doubt (of something).

　　 — 表示惊讶或疑惑

　　 Examples: ① Some foreigners' bold remarks against the authorities raised everyone's eyebrows.

　　　② The people raised their eyebrows at the discontinuity of some excellent staff's teaching contracts.