（接第十三期英语角之5）英文中的惯用语（idiom），像中文里的成语一样，都是源于生活，蕴含典故。这些英文惯用语，往往妙趣横生，一语双关。如果在写作或交谈中适当地运用这些惯用语，一定可以更传神达意，生色不少。
4．shed crocodile's tears（假慈悲）
据说鳄鱼吃东西时会流泪的，看似慈悲，其实这只是它们的特殊生理构造。因此，常把假慈悲的人比作鳄鱼，当他做坏事时，仍惺惺作态假慈悲。
eg. Don't shed crocodile's tears over his failure. I know very well that you detest him and are so happy to see him fail.
我知道你很讨厌他，你见他失败很开心。所以不要对他的失败假同情了。
5．Land-office business
Land office 土地管理局。19世纪，美国决定把西部土地分给普通百姓，结果，土地管理局门庭若市，业务繁忙。后人们以land-office business喻指“大生意”“好买卖”。
eg. The hotel is doing a land-office business. 饭店生意极好。
6．cry on one's shoulder(向别人诉说不快乐的经历)
当你伏在别人肩膀上痛哭时，必是有很大的委屈，而对方必定是你信赖的朋友。这句成语是比喻向别人诉说自己不幸的遭遇。
eg. When she saw her mother, she could no longer hide her feelings and cried her shoulder. 当她看见母亲时，再也隐藏不住自己的感受，向母亲诉说了自己的不幸。
7．every cloud has a silver lining（塞翁失马，焉知非福）
这句直译是云彩边的银光。云会把阳光遮盖，以致黯淡无光。这句成语常被用来安慰人，塞翁失马，焉知非福？
A: The doctor said I had to stay in bed for two weeks.
B: Well, every cloud has a silver lining. Now you can read all those books you haven't had time for.
甲：医生说我必须在床上休息两星期。
乙：塞翁失马，焉知非福？你可以将你一直没时间看的书看完。
8．Wild-goose chase
wild-goose 野鹅, 野鹅性野、行踪不定，人们很难捕获，故wild-goose chase即指“徒劳之举”“白费力气的追逐”“迷津”“迷魂阵”“行踪不定的路线”。也有人认为此语出自莎士比亚的《罗密欧与朱丽叶》。
eg. Her scheme of being a movie star is a wild-goose chase.
她想当电影明星是一场白日梦
9．Hit the ceiling/roof
Hit the ceiling/roof撞到了天花板和屋顶。这是个夸张的说法：一个人气的暴跳如雷，甚至撞到了天花板/屋顶。Hit the ceiling/roof即指“大发脾气”“勃然大怒”。
eg. if I'm late again he'll hit the ceiling.如果我再迟到，他会大发雷霆。
10．cast pearls before swine (对牛弹琴)
珍珠，是珍贵的宝物。如果在普通人面前破开珠蚌，取出里面的珍珠，必令人垂涎三尺。但如果在猪群面前破壳取珠，猪当然不懂欣赏。这句成语和中文里“对牛弹琴”有异曲同工之妙。
eg. Don't show him my new poem because he is, in fact, ignorant of literature. If you read my new poem to him, you are just casting pearls before swine. 不要把我的新诗给他看，其实，因为他对文学一无所知，如果你读我的诗给他听，那简直是对牛弹琴。
11．be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth (生于富贵之家 )
一个人出生时嘴巴里含着银匙??西。比喻生于富贵之家。
eg. A: Look! Dick has changed another new sports car.
B: I think this is the third one in this month.
A: how come he has so much money!
B: don't you know he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
甲：看！迪克又换新跑车了。
乙：我想这是本月的第三部了。
甲； 他怎会那么有钱呢？
乙：你不知他生于富贵之家吗？
12．have something black and white (白纸黑字地写出)
纸是白色的，文字是黑色的，把一些东西变成黑色的，也就是用文字写出来，这句成语用来比喻白纸黑字地写出来。
eg. He did not accept any verbal promise. He had been cheated many times because his friends did not keep their promises. So, when he reached an agreement with somebody, he demanded to have it black and white.
他不接受任何口头承诺，因为他的朋友不遵守诺言，曾使他多次受骗。所以，当他与人达成协议时，他要求用文字把它写出来。
赵雪