List 3

on the brink of

【释】 濒于，濒临；在……的边缘

【例】 Their economy is teetering on the brink of collapse. 他们的经济正摇摆于崩溃的边缘。

once upon a time

【释】 从前，以前

【例】 Lunch boxes have been connecting kids to cartoons and TV shows and super-heroes for decades. But it wasn’t always that way. Once upon a time , they weren’t even boxes. 几十年来，午餐盒一直把孩子们和卡通形象、电视节目和超级英雄联系在一起。但情况并非总是如此。在以前，它们甚至都不是盒子。 （2020-12）

light up

【释】 照亮；点亮

【例】 When people first jump on an ebike, their face lights up . 当人们第一次跨上电动自行车时，他们的脸上神采飞扬。 （2020-12）

at length

【释】 最后，终于；详细地

【例】 We discussed that hot topic at length at our meeting. 我们在会上详细地讨论了那个热门话题。

【同】 at last; in the end; in detail

be committed to

【释】 承诺；致力于；委身于；以……为己任

【例】 Dr. Mehmood Khan, chief scientific officer, said the company had doubled research and development spending in the past five years and was “ committed to sustaining investment”. 公司的首席科学官马哈穆德·康恩博士表示，在过去五年里，公司在研发方面的投入增加了一倍，并“承诺持续投资”。 （2018-12）

【同】 devote oneself to

be met with

【释】 受到；遇到

【例】 While the city council vote was met with applause inside the council room, opponents to the measure, including soda lobbyists, made sharp criticisms and a promise to challenge the tax in court. 尽管市议会的投票在议会会议室里获得了掌声，但是该措施的反对者，包括汽水的游说者，则提出了尖锐的批评，并承诺一定会在法庭上对该税提出质疑。 （2019-12）

call up

【释】 打电话给；征召……入伍

【例】 The country has called up some 150,000 military reservists. 那个国家已招募了约十五万预备役军人。

be accustomed to

【释】 习惯于，适应

【例】 The staff in the company can help new members be accustomed to the life there. 公司的工作人员会帮助新进成员习惯那里的生活。

【同】 be adapted to

catch one’s breath

【释】 屏息；喘息

【例】 The song was so beautiful that it made me catch my breath . 这首歌动听极了，我禁不住屏息而听。

【同】 hold one’s breath

call upon/on

【释】 访问，拜访；号召；要求

【例】 In a 2011 USPS case study, the agency emphasized its massive infrastructure as a “unique federal asset” to be called upon in a disaster or terrorist attack. 在2011年美国邮政管理局的案例研究中，该机构强调其庞大的基础设施是“独一无二的联邦资产”，在灾难或恐怖袭击中可以动用。 （2019-12）

mess up

【释】 把……搞糟；把……弄乱

【例】 When politicians mess things up , it is the people who pay the price. 政客们把事情搞砸时，承受损失的是老百姓。

a packet of

【释】 一包；一捆

【例】 The maker of Mountain Dew and Gatorade has been one of the earlier movers in the industry to offer products with reduced levels of unhealthy ingredients—PepsiCo claims a packet of its chips now contains less salt than a slice of white bread. 百事公司——激浪与佳得乐的制造商，是业内较早开始提供不健康成分较少的产品的生产商之一——宣称现在该公司的一包薯片的盐分含量甚至低于一片白面包的盐分含量。 （2018-12）

in spite of

【释】 尽管；不管，不顾

【例】 The letter is in fairly good condition, in spite of being out of the care of trained museum staff for so long. 虽然这封信很长一段时间都没有得到受过培训的博物馆工作人员的照料，但它的状况还不错。 （2018-12）

【同】 (in) despite of

walk out

【释】 （通常表示气愤或厌烦）退出（会议）；（演出中途）退场；突然离开（亲人或伴侣）；出走；罢工

【例】 Several dozen councilors walked out of the meeting in protest. 几十位议员中途愤然退出会议，以示抗议。

warm up

【释】 热身；变暖

【例】 The consensus among the world’s scientists is that the world is likely to warm up over the next few decades. 全世界科学家的共识是地球可能在未来几十年中变暖。

in a way

【释】 在某种程度上；有点

【例】 It’s exciting and joyful in a way that you don’t get from a regular bike. （骑电动自行车的）那种兴奋和快乐，是骑普通自行车所获得不了的。 （2020-12）

work up

【释】 引起；激发；使烦恼，使发怒；通过锻炼或高强度工作而产生

【例】 She was so scared when she first moved to New Zealand that she struggled to leave the house and would spend days working up the courage to walk to the supermarket for basic supplies. 刚搬到新西兰的时候，她感到非常害怕，以至于很难走出家门，会花好几天的时间才鼓起勇气去超市买一些基本用品。 （2020-12）

in the face of

【释】 面对

【例】 “We found that women are doubly vulnerable to marital break-up in the face of illness,” Karraker said. “我们发现，在面对疾病的时候，女性面临婚姻破裂的可能性是男性的两倍。”卡拉克说。 （2019-06）

stick with

【释】 坚持；继续做；紧跟，紧随

【例】 While they sound efficient and cost-saving, a recent study reports that they are not effective, primarily because depressed patients are not likely to engage with them or stick with them. 虽然它们听起来高效并且节约成本，但最近的一项研究表明，它们并没有效果，这主要是因为抑郁症患者不太可能与它们建立密切关系或坚持使用它们。 （2019-06）

break down

【释】 分解；（机器、车辆等）发生故障；（关系）失败；（系统）瘫痪；失控；痛哭；破除（障碍等）

【例】 “Every time I see a cruise ship, I feel sad,” Chigi says. “You see the mud it drags; the destruction it leaves in its wake? That hurts the ancient wooden poles holding up the city underwater. One day we’ll see Venice break down .” “我每次看到游轮时都会感到悲伤。”基吉说。“你看到游轮拖起的淤泥了吗？你看到它经过后留下的破坏了吗？这会毁坏在水下支撑着这座城市的古老木桩。总有一天，我们会看到威尼斯毁灭的。” （2018-06）

odds and ends

【释】 零星物品，零碎东西

【例】 The attic was used as a storage room for odds and ends . 这个阁楼用作贮藏室，堆放一些零碎物品。

stand in

【释】 （因某人生病或离开而）暂时代替；代演员站位

【例】 I had to stand in for her on Tuesday when she didn’t show up. 星期二那天她没露面，我只好代替她。

be supposed to

【释】 应该；被期望

【例】 How was he supposed to do this: by making all property he had cleaned dirty again? 他应该怎么做呢？将他已经清理干净的墙壁再弄脏吗？ （2020-09）

press on

【释】（不顾困难地）继续进行

【例】 It was pouring with rain, but we pressed on regardless. 虽然下着倾盆大雨，但我们还是继续前行。

reach the public

【释】 让公众知晓，接触公众

【例】 Crowdfunding can be part of researchers’ efforts to reach the public , and people give because “they feel a connection to the person” who is doing the fundraising—not necessarily to the science. 众筹可以成为研究人员接触公众的努力的一部分，而人们之所以做出捐赠是因为“他们觉得自己与正在筹款的人有共鸣”，而不一定与科学有关。 （2019-12）

beg off

【释】 请求解除（婚约、义务等）

【例】 He’s always begging off at the last minute. 他总是在最后一分钟反悔。

take it easy

【释】 放轻松；不着急；休息一下

【例】 Maybe you should take it easy this weekend. 也许你周末应该休息一下。

call for

【释】 要求，需要；提倡，呼吁；前往接某人

【例】 For decades, activists have called for schools to offer anti-racism or multicultural curricula. 几十年来，积极分子们一直提倡各个学校提供反种族主义或多元文化的课程。 （2020-09）

look into

【释】 调查；观察；研究

【例】 We hope the government would look into this matter to build more roads. 我们期望政府可以调查此事，以便多建造公路。

get at

【释】 够得着；查明；意指

【例】 We are determined to get at the truth. 我们决心查明真相。

set against

【释】 反对；使……与……对立，作对，竞争

【例】 Set against the benefits of the new technology, there is also a strong possibility that jobs will be lost. 与新科技的益处相悖的是，它也很可能使一些人失去工作。

pile up

【释】 堆积；（工作、问题、损失等）积累

【例】 As the proposals pile up , so does the estimated cost to the Banks. 随着这些议案的堆积，银行方面的预估成本也日益增加了。

come in

【释】 进来；加入，参与；传来，接收到；到达；流行起来；定期收取（钱）

【例】 It was just when attitudes were really beginning to change and lots of new ideas were coming in . 那时正值人们的态度开始变化，许多新思想正在流行。

hold out

【释】 伸出（手等）；递出；坚持要求；（对……）隐瞒信息；坚持抵抗；坚决顶住

【例】 We must hold out . We mustn’t be frightened by the difficulties. 我们必须顶住，不能被困难吓倒。

carry over

【释】 延续；延伸

【例】 All of her most positive traits have seemed to carry over to her career. 她所有的最积极的特质似乎都延续到了她的职业生涯。

break through

【释】 冲破；突破；（克服困难和障碍而）取得突破

【例】 We hope to break through soon in the fight against AIDS. 我们希望在与艾滋病的斗争中很快有所突破。

be bound to

【释】 必然；一定要

【例】 It is bound to gain support from the local people. 它注定会从当地人那里获得支持。 （2018-12）

【同】 be certain to

book in

【释】 登记；入住

【例】 You have to book in before you can move into the hotel. 你得先登记才能在旅馆住宿。

lean on

【释】 依赖；靠在……上

【例】 We lean on our friends when we are in trouble. 我们遇到困难时依靠朋友帮助。

in one’s realm

【释】 在某人的领域

【例】 The white clothing conveyed an image of cleanliness, according to Carême—and in his realm , appearance was everything. 卡雷姆认为，白色服装传达了一种干净的形象——在他的领域里，外表就是一切。 （2018-12）

by and large

【释】 大体上，总的来说

【例】 By and large , the police do a dangerous job honorably. 总的来说，警察的工作是危险又值得人们尊敬的。

figure out

【释】 解决；算出；想出

【例】 “Maybe we should spend less money trying to figure out who is better than who,” he said, suggesting that some more equal dividing up of money might be more productive and more efficient. “或许我们应该花更少的钱来弄清楚谁比谁更好，”他说，暗示了更公平的资金分配可能会使生产力和效率更高。 （2021-06）

work on

【释】 继续工作；影响，对……起作用；从事于……；设法说服

【例】 I like in-class exams because the time is already reserved, as opposed to using my free time at home to work on a test. 我喜欢随堂考试，因为这样时间是已经被预留好了的，而不是占用我在家里的空闲时间来进行考试。 （2020-07）

【同】 work at

of a kind

【释】 同一类的，相同种类的

【例】 They were two of a kind , from the same sort of background. 他们俩是一类人，有相同的背景。

spit out

【释】 吐出

【例】 When you eat it, you have to spit out the skins and seeds. 吃的时候，你得吐皮和籽。

in contrast (to/with)

【释】 与此相反；比较起来

【例】 In contrast , California, home of Silicon Valley, recently proposed far more restrictive rules that would require human drivers be ready to take the wheel, and ban commercial use of self-driving technology. 相比之下，硅谷所在地加利福尼亚州最近提出了更具限制性的规定，它要求驾驶员做好驾驶准备，并且禁止商业使用自动驾驶技术。 （2019-06）

【同】 by contrast

happen to

【释】 发生于；偶然发生

【例】 Most of the participants are people who are just walking by or are on the island for other reasons, or they just kind of happen to be there. 大部分参与者是那些刚好路过的人，或者是因为其他原因来岛上的人，或者他们只是恰巧在那里。 （2019-06）

out of season

【释】 过季的

【例】 Holiday prices are much lower out of season . 在淡季，度假费用要低得多。

sit by

【释】 坐视不管，无动于衷

【例】 We cannot just sit by and watch this tragedy happen. 我们不能坐视这样的悲剧发生。

make for

【释】 导致；促成，有助于

【例】 All of which, combined with California’s reputation as the home of technological innovation, makes the place ideal for developing and testing systems designed to monitor pollution in detail. 所有这些因素，加之加州作为技术创新之家的声誉，都使其成为研发和测试能够详细监测污染的系统的理想之地。 （2018-06）

appear to

【释】 似乎，好像

【例】 There does appear to be some psychology behind it. Blue is associated with the positive qualities of trust, efficiency, quietness, coolness, reflection and calm. 其背后似乎有一些心理因素。蓝色与信任、效率、安静、冷静、反思和镇静这样的优良品质有关。 （2020-09）

【同】 seem to

turn over

【释】（使）翻转，颠倒；反复考虑

【例】 She checked the index and turned over to a page about early Chinese immigrants in California. 她查了一下索引，然后翻到有关加利福尼亚州早期中国移民的一页。 （2020-09）

on occasions

【释】 有时，间或

【例】 He presided at all councils, where the atmosphere could be frigid on occasions . 所有的会议都由他主持，有时会上的气氛会很拘谨。

【同】 from time to time

dry up

【释】 使……干枯；干涸；（供应）停止

【例】 If we continue to waste water, the river would eventually dry up . 如果我们继续浪费水的话，河流总有一天会枯竭的。

cut up

【释】 切碎

【例】 You have to cut up the meat before you eat it. 在你吃之前必须先将肉切成小块。

in conjunction with

【释】 连同；共同

【例】 The police are working in conjunction with tax officers on the investigation. 警方正和税务官员协同进行调查。

give away

【释】 赠送；丧失（优势）；泄露，暴露

【例】 “We really want to link food and medicine, and not just give away food,” says Dr. Rita Nguyen, the hospital’s medical director of Healthy Food Initiatives.“我们真的想把食物和药物联系起来，而不仅仅是免费提供食物。”该医院的健康食品计划的医疗主任阮丽塔医生说道。 （2018-12）

be expected to

【释】 有望做某事；被期待做某事；预计将做某事

【例】 They are the ones who, right in the middle of a critical meeting, are expected to instantly fix the projector that’s no longer working. 他们就是那些在重要会议正进行到一半时，被期望立即修复不再工作的投影仪的人。 （2021-06）

go toward

【释】 朝……方向走去；用作

【例】 It’s expected to raise $410 million over the next five years, most of it will go toward funding a universal pre-kindergarten program for the city. 预计在未来五年内，（这项税收）将筹到4.1亿美元，其中大部分将用于资助该市幼儿园学前普及计划。 （2019-12）

black and blue

【释】 遍体鳞伤的；青一块紫一块的

【例】 She tripped over which made her knees black and blue . 她摔了一跤，膝盖跌得青一块紫一块的。

Exercise

Ⅰ Choose a phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. She hovered __________ death for three months as doctors battled to save her.

A. on the border of

B. on the boundary of

C. on the corner of

D. on the brink of

2. We should figure out some ways to stop people from polluting the river and __________ them to fight against pollution

A. call in

B. call on

C. call at

D. call for

3. They showed great perseverance __________ difficulty.

A. in the light of

B. in the name of

C. in the time of

D. in the face of

4. He explained the legal rights of the people __________.

A. at time

B. in times

C. at length

D. in length

5. The government has set up a commission to __________ those crimes.

A. look into

B. look at

C. look out

D. look of

6. __________ his age, he still leads an active life.

A. Spite of

B. In spite of

C. In despite

D. Despite with

7. Researchers have been determined to __________ how bird flu spreads from human to human worldwide.

A. bring out

B. figure out

C. make out

D. spit out

8. It will be possible to __________ on a PC screen millions of volumes from distant libraries.

A. call up

B. call into

C. call in

D. call at

9. Until noon the applicants didn’t give me a chance to __________.

A. catch my breath

B. catch my drift

C. catch my way

D. catch my arms

10. Be careful not to __________ personal information like your ID numbers.

A. give in

B. give away

C. give off

D. give for

Ⅱ Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the phrases according to the list you have just learned.

1. She made numerous efforts to __________ （消除） colour lines in public places.

2. She spent the day sorting through a box full of __________ （零碎物品） .

3. We __________ （一定） see some ups and downs along the road to recovery.

4． We always go on vacation __________ （在淡季） , since prices are much more reasonable.

5. But, __________ （总体来说） , people draw very different con-clusions.

6. __________ （相反） adults behaved in similar ways regardless of whether they were on their own or observed by others.

7. The college years __________ （应该） be a time for important growth.

8. The Canadian government __________ （致力于） advancing the equality.

9. At the same time, expenses in college __________ （堆积，增长） surprisingly quickly.

10. The Mexican are said to __________ （习惯于） holding back their emotions.