JoyChris每日习语

昨天我们学到的习语"busy beaver"，可以说"busy beaver"们的时间一定经常很紧张，有人可能觉得“时间紧张”也可以用“Time is tight”，这是比较简单的一种用法，那还有其他地道的表达方式吗？ C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we'll be covering today is: pressed for time. It means that someone is in a hurry and has limited amount of time. You can use it like this: I'm pressed for time. / She was pressed for time. / They are gonna be pressed for time. C: So being pressed means that something is pushing on you, giving you pressure. We can understand this as not having enough of something. Maybe you are trying to finish a project. The deadline is tomorrow. But your colleagues ask you if you will be joining them for dinner after work. You might want to tell them: I would love to go but I'm really pressed for time. Or maybe you are in a rush to go to a class. And your friend messages you and wants to chat about something. You can reply: I can't chat with you right now. I'm on my way to my class and I'm pressed for time. Another way to use this is to talk about money, like: I'm pressed for money right now, meaning that you don't have enough money. So here's an example of this idiom: J: Hey Shawn. Could you give me a hand with this please? C: Please make it quick. I'm a little pressed for time. My plane leaves in two hours. J: Oh sure. I just need five minutes. C: Yesterday, we learned the idiom busy beavers. I bet you guys out there who are busy beavers must be pressed for time quite often. J: Yep, I believe so. No matter how busy you are, don't forget to practice English everyday and follow our channel. Talk to you next time! Bye!

你的生活是不是开始忙碌起来了呢？很多人的工作上现在可能忙着开始新的项目，也有人可能忙着计划接下来该去哪里玩一玩，那在形容自己或者别人超级忙碌的时候，除了用”I'm so busy.”或者”You are so busy.”还有没有其他地道的表达方式呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. We'll be talking about another idiom today that is: busy beaver or busy as a beaver. It means that someone is very busy, hardworking or really good at tackling many things at once. You can use it like this: I've been a busy beaver. / You really are busy as a beaver. / They are gonna be busy beavers. C: Well we all know that the animal: beaver is always working on building something for its home. They are famous for being extremely industrious. We can use it to describe people for being super busy with something. I've heard that some people go to work on weekdays and have a part time job on weekends. They are basically working 7 days a week. You can say: They are busy as beavers. Or when the weekend comes you want to go to a restaurant. You find out that it's crowded with people. So you can say that the waitors and waitresses are busy beavers. Now we are gonna use the idiom in a conversation: J: Have you finished your monthly report yet John? C: Yeah. Everything's ready to go. I've also reorganized the documents and sent all copies to the department managers. J: That's great. You've been busy as a beaver this month! C: Have you been a busy beaver recently? Don't forget to practice your English everyday. J: Absolutely! And remember to share our channel with people you know. Talk to you next time! Bye!

今天的习语”put your heads together”，字面的意思看起来好像真的是“把头放在一起”，但是我们想一下如果几个人把头放在一起能产生什么效果呢？你们能猜到这个习语的意思吗？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are covering today is: put our heads together. It means to work together in order to come up with an idea or solution. It's usually used for when you need to discuss or plan something with someone. You can use it like this: Let's put our heads together. / You need to put your heads together. / They are gonna have to put their heads together. C: Yup, imagine that you have two heads thinking about something. That is two minds working towards it, so the solution would probably come way faster than just one person doing it. There is another idiom that has the same meaning: two heads are better than one. J: Oh, there's a Chinese equivalent saying to this. It's 三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮. It literally means that three cobblers can be better than one mastermind. C: Yup, so maybe your team needs to plan an event for the company. You feel like it's better that your colleagues help you brainstorm some ideas. So you can say: Let's put our heads together on this. Or: I need your help on this cuz two heads are better than one. Now let's see how we can use it in a conversation: J: Looks like our project just lost the funding. I suppose we can arrange a meeting with the leaders tomorrow and discuss this issue. C: Yeah, I'm sure if we all put our heads together, we can think of ways to find alternative funding sources. J: Are you working on any important tasks? Maybe you need to ask someone for help. Two heads are better than one, you know. C: Definitely! And if you need our private English classes, feel free to contact us. Talk to you next time! Bye!equivalent: 对等的cobblers： 工匠，鞋匠alternative: 可代替的，另外的

在生活和工作中，我们可能会经常被问到自己的想法，尤其在西方文化中”opinions”尤其重要，英语里有很多方式可以表达一些特别强烈或者坚定的看法，我们看一下Joy and Chris是怎么在口语中运用的！C: Hi guys I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna talk about some useful business expressions: I'm absolutely certain that... / I'm convinced that... / I'm 100%(a hundred percent) positive that.... These expressions are usually used to give strong opinions. C: Yup and this is essential for business meetings. Having an independent opinion about something is very important especially in business. So if your boss asks you for ideas or opinions, you can say: Well, I'm absolutely certain that we did better this quarter. Sometimes people like to wait for others to ask for their opinions. But the communication will become very passvie. We need to be more proactive in conversations. After other people have expressed an opinion, you should reply with your view right away, such as: I'm 100% positive that we can complete the tasks on time. Here's an example of how it can be used in a conversation: J: Well, the first shipment for the new product should arrive in 3 weeks. C: Do you think we are gonna hit our sales target for the first quarter? J: I'm convinced that once people hear about the new features. They'll see how it's better than the other products out there. C: Yeah, you're right. I'll make sure that marketing will carry out their advertising strategy. J: Well, I'm pretty postive that listening to our channel everyday will help with your English learning! C: I agree. And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!this quarter: 这个季度passive: 被动的proactive: 主动的carry out: 实行

你有没有过想要沉下心来，开始认真地做一件事呢？可能你想开始抛开一切，每天认真地听一听英语；或者全心投入去读完一本书；再或者全力以赴地学一项技能……我们听一听Joy and Chris是怎样用英语表达的吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are covering today is: buckle down. It means to put in a lot of effort toward something and begin to work very seriously at this thing. You can use it like this: I'm buckling down. / She has buckled down. / They are gonna have to buckle down. C: Well, buckling down can be used to express fastening a seat belt. So we can imagine that if you have fastened your seat belt, you are ready to start a journey. And you are taking it very seriously. For students who are in the last year of high school, an important college entrance exam is coming soon. So you really have to buckle down and study hard right now. Or there is a big project for you to complete this month and all of your leaders are very concerned about it. If you don't buckle down you could lose the client. So you'd better start working on it right away. Now let's see how we can use it in a conversation: J: Do you have the report ready for the meeting yet Harry? C: I'm still working on it. I know it's due the day after tomorrow. There's just a lot of things to cover. J: Well, you'd better buckle down and get it done before the meeting. Otherwise Larry's gonna go bananas again. C: Yeah, you're right. I'll put everything else aside and concentrate on it. J: Are you buckling down to learn English? Feel free to contact us if you need any help! C: And remember to follow our channel everyday and share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!go bananas： 发疯

你曾经有没有错过好的机会呢？很多人买东西的时候可能错过了超低价，或者错过了某个明星演唱会的票，又或者错过了某个绝佳的工作机会，你是不是很懊恼呢？我们来听一下Joy and Chris用的是哪个习语吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are talking about today is: miss the boat. It means missing a chance or being too slow to take advantage of an opportunity. Sometimes it can also be: miss the bus. You can use it like this:I missed the boat. / She has missed the bus. / They are gonna miss the boat. C: Well, if you missed the boat, you would have to wait for the next boat. But sometimes in life, there is no next boat. So you might have missed the opportunity for something. Maybe you are applying for a job at a company you really like. But when you are at the interview, you realize your English is not good enough for this job. So the company hired someone else that can communicate flunetly in English instead. You can say that you missed the boat for a good job opportunity. J: Actually, the other day I went to the shopping mall, they had a huge sale going on at the shoe store. I tried on one pair that I really liked but I hesitated and didn't buy it. The next day I went there and the sale was gone. I totally missed the bus on a great deal. C: Oh that stinks. Now let's see how we can use it in a conversation: J: Hey Scott. Are you still holding on to your stocks? I think the market is not looking too good right now. C: Yeah, the price dropped so quickly that I missed the boat and didn't break even. So I sold it at a loss. J: Have you ever missed the boat for anything? I know I have many times. C: Yeah me too. Well, remember to follow our channel and share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!that stinks: 糟透了break even: 不赚不赔，损益平衡

生活中我们热爱的东西太多了，有人热爱美食，有人热爱健身，还有人热爱学英语，每次一说“热爱啥啥啥”就开始“I love to....”，还有没有更地道的表达方式呢？我们听一下Joy and Chris的对话吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we'll be talking about the idiom: eat, sleep and breathe something. It's used when someone is incredibly enthusiastic about something and they focus all of their energy on that one thing. You can use it like this: I eat, sleep and breathe it. / She eats, sleeps and breathes it. / They ate, slept and breathed it. C: Yup, so if you eat, sleep and breathe something, that means you don't do anything else but this one thing. It shows that you are really obsessed with it. So some guys are super into watching soccer games, especially the World Cup. It doesn't matter what time zone it's held in. Whenever the World Cup starts, they will stay up all night to watch the games. And if they are not watching a game, they are reading some comments and news about it. So we can say that they really eat, sleep and breathe soccer games since the World Cup started. J: They really go crazy for those soccer games. Well, this idiom also has a slightly different version: live and breathe something. You can say: My mom has lived and breathed baking. Here's an example of the idiom for today: C: Hey Allison. Is this your daughter? J: Yeah, I'm dropping her off at her dance class. She's been eating, sleeping and breathing ballet recently. C: Well, do you eat, sleep and breathe English everyday? If you do, your English will certainly get better very quickly. J: And don't forget to follow our channel and share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!are super into: 特别喜欢做某事drop her off: 送她（指送某人去某地）

很多景点已经在5月1日陆续开放了，这个五一节很多人都憋了好久，北京疫情也降级了，终于可以出去玩一玩，据说降级当天机票预定暴涨了15倍，你有没有心仪的旅行目的地呢？我们来听听Joy and Chris的对话来学习一下怎么用英语聊五一吧！J: Hi guys. I'm Joy.C: And I'm Chris.J: Today is the May Day holiday. Did you know that Chris?C: Oh yeah. What is this holiday all about?J: Well, I think it's celebrated as an international holiday because many countries in the world have the same holiday. You know, to celebrate for the labor people have done.C: Yeah, there's a Labor Day in America too. But it's on the first Monday in September, not on May 1. I think one of the reasons to choose this day is to add a holiday in the long gap between Independence Day and Thanksgiving.J: Right. Independence Day is on July 4 and Thanksgiving is in November. So people can have another holiday to take a break in September, right?C: Yup. On Labor Day, people in America do a lot of Barbequeing, spend time with their family, take short trips and maybe go for a picnic in the park. There might also be fairs going on in town that a lot of people like to go to.J: Sounds pretty cool.C: So what do Chinese people do on this holiday?J: Well, since this is not a traditional Chinese holiday. There's nothing special that we need to do. Most people just go traveling during this time. This year, the May Day holiday is extended to 5 days including a weekend. So it's a pretty long holiday if you want to take a trip somewhere.C: The epidemic is getting better here and a lot of parks are open now right?J: Yeah, like the Forbidden City and some other popular spots. You need to book the tickets ahead of time though because it'll run out probably really soon. Too many people have been stuck at home for so long, they are all looking for a place to go.C: Oh there'll be flocks of people everywhere for sure.J: Yeah, but the attractions will control the flow of people. There's a max of how many people can go in on one day. So it shouldn't be too bad. Although I'm still gonna stay at home just to avoid crowds. I've never been big on that.C: The weather has been getting warmer though. It is a really good time to get outside and do some outdoor activities.J: Yeah it is. So guys, hope you are having a great May Day Holiday! And if you like to listen to our channel, remember to share it with your friends and family! Bye!fairs: 市集，展览会（类似国内的庙会）the Forbidden City: 故宫be big on: 喜欢，热爱

生活往往不是完美的，我们身边坚强的人往往是拒绝放弃的，我们说一个人很坚强，可能是这个人几乎从不抱怨，或者选择不去担心，会选择尽力而为，那我们用英语怎样形容这样的人呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we'll be covering the idiom: a tough cookie. It's referring to a strong, confident person who is not easily influenced by other people. Sometimes it can also be: one tough cookie. You can use it like this: I'm a tough cookie. / She was one tough cookie. / They have been tough cookies. C: So when a cookie is very strong and difficult to break, it really is a tough cookie. But here we are using it to describe people. A tough cookie is usually someone who has experienced a hard life. Now, maybe someone has a terrible disease. He has suffered a lot from it but he doesn't give up. Instead, he fights against it. So you can call this person a tough cookie. Or maybe you are in a negotiation and the other guy is difficult to persuade. So you have to keep trying to convince him of your proposal. You can say that he is one tough cookie. Here's how we can use it in a conversation: J: I heard that Jenny has been going for her master's degree. She's working and studying seven days a week. C: Yeah she told me about that. She doesn't even have time to rest. I can't imagine going through all that hard work. She really is one tough cookie! J: Are you a tough cookie when it comes to your English learning? Don't give up practicing everyday! C: That's right. And don't forget to follow our channel and share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

我们中文里如果说别人是狗的话，是很难听的，别人听到会觉得受到侮辱，但是在英文中如果听到别人说你是“top dog”可千万不要骂回去，人家这其实是在夸你，那我们怎么用这个习语来称赞别人呢？让Joy and Chris来解释一下吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Our idiom for today is: top dog. It's referring to a person or a group that is more powerful than others and has the most authority. You can use it like this: I was the top dog. / She is the top dog. / They are gonna be the top dog. C: From the literal meaning, we can see that it is the dog on top. So obviously, it's talking about power or social level. If you meet someone very high up in your company, like your CEO, you can say that he's the top dog of the company. Or maybe you have a friend. He is very ambitious and he always tells you about his goal of climbing the corporate ladder. You can say that he's really determined to be the top dog of the corporation. There is also a word that has the exact opposite meaning which is: underdog. It's talking about the person that has no money or power and is unlikely to win or succeed. For example: He's always been the underdog in the family. Let's take a look at a conversation: J: Wow, did you notice that they are opening another Starbucks in the neighborhood? C: Yeah, I heard about that. Well, Starbucks is the top dog when it comes to coffee shops. It's not surprising that they are buying up all the good locations. J: Are you trying to be the top dog in your industry? Learning English can be essential! C: Exactly. So don't forget to follow our channel every day and share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!climbing the corporate ladder: 攀登职场阶梯

面对困难时期，可能有很多公司倒闭了，也有很多人虽然可能与失败只有一步之遥，也还在继续坚持着，挺过难关，那我们如何用英语去表达这种岌岌可危的状态呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna talk about the idiom: hang on by your fingernails. It means doing something in a very difficult situation and you are almost gonna fail. You can use it like this: I'm hanging on by my fingernails. / She was hanging on by her fingernails. / They have been hanging on by their fingernails. C: Now, let's imagine someone went over a cliff. And the only things that are stopping him from falling are his fingernails. That would be a very tough situation. So maybe you had been spending too much money last month on your credit card. You realize that this month you have to pay for the debt but you barely have enough to pay it back. You can say: I'm really hanging on by my fingernails this month. Another good example is that you are working on a project for your company, but you are falling behind on it and not being able to catch up. So you are just hanging on by your fingernails. Here's an example of how we can use it in a conversation: J: Hey Sam. Did you hear that the stock market has been declining recently? C: Yeah, you are right. They really dropped a lot. The stocks I invested are not doing so well. I'm just barely hanging on by my fingernails. J: Are you hanging on by your fingernails when it comes to your English? You can contact us for our private English classes! C: And if you enjoy our channel remember to share our content with your friends and family! Talk to you next time! Bye!falling behind: 落后，落下了（指不能按时完成）

想象一下，你来到一个新公司，周围的人和事都是你不熟悉的，刚开始的几天可能会有些小尴尬，或者因为不习惯新环境所以你感到不舒服，那么我们要怎么更地道地表达这种感觉呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna talk about the idiom: like a fish out of water. It means feeling uncomfortable in a new environment or an unfamiliar situation. You can use it like this: I feel like a fish out of water. / She is like a fish out of water. / They were like fish out of water. C: So, when a fish is out of water, it cannot survive for very long. Since they can't get oxygen from dry air, you can say it's something that they are not used to or not familiar with. So if you feel like a fish out of water, you are probably out of place and feel very awkward. Maybe you have just been transferred to a different department in your company. The first couple of days you have not adjusted to your new work yet. So maybe this is making you feel like a fish out of water. Or maybe you are at a party and you are under dressed. Everyone around you is wearing suits and dresses. You can say that you feel like a fish out of water in here. Ok here's how we can use it in a conversation: J: Hey Logan. How was your trip to Thailand? C: Oh it was really good. At first I felt like a fish out of water because everything was so different down there. But I got used to it pretty quickly. J: Do you feel like a fish out of water when you are learning English? We can help! C: Yep, and as usual, if you enjoy our channel remember to share our content with your friends and family! Talk to you next time! Bye!out of place: 不相称的，不在合适的位置上

在英语中，”sink”是下沉的意思，那么把牙“下沉”到某件东西里，其实是相当于用牙狠狠的咬上去，但是这只是字面的意思，我们说过很多时候不能用中文直译英语中的意思，那这个习语到底是想表达什么意思呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna talk about the idiom: sink your teeth into. It means to do something that needs a lot of energy and enthusiasm. You can use it like this: I want to sink my teeth into this. / She really sank her teeth into it. / They are going to sink their teeth into it. C: Well, the literal meaning of this idiom is to bite something. So imagine someone slowly biting into a burger with his teeth. We can call that: he's sinking his teeth into that burger. This idiom was first used to describe animals that bite deeply and vigorously into food. So maybe recently you just bought a book that is talking about public speaking. You can tell your friend that it's a great book to sink your teeth into. Or you have put on a little weight and decided to start working out regularly. So you can say: I've been sinking my teeth into loosing weight these days. Now let's see how we can use it in a conversation: J: Hey Brian. You called me earlier today when I was in a meeting. So I couldn't answer your call. What's up? C: Yeah, I just wanted to speak with you about the new app that I sank my teeth into developing recently. I was wondering if you were interested in joining me in the project. J: Are you sinking your teeth into learning English? Well, practice makes perfect! C: Yep, and if you like our channel remember to share our content with your friends and family! Talk to you next time! Bye!vigorously: 猛地，起劲地，用力地

有很多事情是我们一心想要做的，比如想申请某所心仪的大学，或者一心想进入某家公司工作，又或者一直都想去某个国家旅行，我们特别想做的事太多太多了，那除了最老套的”I really want to do something”，还有没有其他表达方式呢？我们听听今天Joy and Chris介绍的习语吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are showing you today is: have one's heart set on something. It means to want something very much. It's usually used to express when you desire something or expect something to happen. You can use it like this: I have my heart set on it. / She has had her heart set on it. C: Yup. With this idiom, instead of saying “I really want something”, you can say “I have my heart set on something”. For example, you haven't traveled for a long time so you've saved up some money to go traveling in Europe. You can say that you have your heart set on visiting Europe. J: That's right. This happens pretty often for me. Once I have my heart set on a new purse, I'll never forget it until I have it in my closet. C: That's a good way to use the idiom. Now let's see how we can use it in a conversation: J: Whoa Aiden, when did you get the new laptop? C: I just bought it on the internet last week. I've had my heart set on it for quite a while. They just had a crazy sale last week so I snatched it up. J: Do you have your hearts set on learning English? We are here for you if you need any help! C: Yep, and remember to share our content with your friends and family! Talk to you next time! Bye!snatch it up: 一把抓住，抢购

你有没有过等不及想要去旅游，或者等不及想要去吃某种美食呢？有时候你越是等不及，生活偏偏要让你继续等，那我们可以怎么用更地道的英语描述这种心情呢？我们看看今天的习语吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are showing you today is: raring to go. It means being very eager, excited or anxious to go somewhere or do something. You can use it like this: I'm raring to go. / She was raring to go. / They have been raring to go. C: This idiom was first used to express a horse standing on its hind legs when it is anxious to get moving. So maybe you spoke in front of your team giving an inspirational speech to get everyone pumped about the new project. Now your whole team is raring to go. Or you see that your colleague has dressed up and got ready way before it's time to get off work. You can ask: “You seem raring to go. What are you up to?” You can also use: raring to do something, like: I'm raring to get home after 8 hours of work. Or I'm raring to try out my new shoes. Now let's look at an example in a conversation: J: Hey James. I saw that you've just finished your training yesterday. So are you ready for the big day today? C: Oh yeah, I'm totally raring to go! J: Are you raring to get your English level higher? Follow our posts everyday and practice using them! C: Definitely. And if you like our channel share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!get everyone pumped: 鼓励每个人/给每个人打气

平时和你身边的外国人聊天的时候，必不可少的聊天话题一定是去餐厅，聊美食，你可能会被问到：你最喜欢去哪家餐厅吃饭？你准备好了怎么回答吗？J: Hi guys. I'm Joy.C: And I'm Chris. So Joy, I think more restaurants have opened up recently. The lock down doesn't seem as strict as before.J: Yeah, they still need to check your temperature though and you have to leave your phone number at least. Just in case if there was a problem, they would be able to get in touch with you.C: Right. Well, which restaurant do you like to go to the most Joy?J: Umm...Normally, if I go out to eat, I like to have the food that I can't make at home. So I feel like it's worth going to the restaurant for, you know. There is a Chinese Barbeque restaurant which is a chain in Beijing. I really like their lamb kebabs. It's the best I've had in restaurants so far.C: Mmm. Sounds really good. I like lamb meat. But I know a lot of people actually don't enjoy it because the flavor sometimes can be really gamey.J: Yeah I know. Well, I think if you cook it correctly it won't taste gamey. Or maybe it depends on the quality of the meat. One time, my family and I went to Inner Mongolia. We had the whole roasted lamb. It was so delicious and was not gamey at all.C: Oh yeah it's really fresh that way.J: Exactly. So which restaurant is your favorite?C: Wow, it's really hard to say for me. I mean, can I say all of them are my favorite? I guess if I had to choose, I would say a Beijing Duck restaurant near by where I live. The duck skin is my absolute favorite part. At this restaurant, they make it so crispy and at the same time it just melts in your mouth.J: Wow, sounds like you really know about your Beijing duck.C: Oh most definitely. Also, because my mom is Italian. So I've always had theses cravings for pasta since I grew up eating my mom's cooking and she always made those amazing pasta noodles. Every now and then, I will go out to an Italian restaurant for some pasta to get my cravings satisfied.J: OK, now my mouth is watering.C: I think we are making everyone hungry.J: Well it is about lunch time. So guys, if you like to listen to our channel, remember to share it with your friends and family! Bye!gamey: 膻味crispy: 脆的cravings: 想吃某种事物的渴望

很多人应该都很爱吃香蕉，但是banana这个词有时候不单单是香蕉的意思，英语的习语”go bananas”也不是香蕉去哪里了，更不是让香蕉走开，好吧不卖关子了，听听Joy and Chris的解释吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna talk about the idiom: go bananas. It means to become crazy about something. Usually this is to express that someone becomes very excited or angry. You can use it like this:I went bananas. / She'll go bananas. / They have gone bananas. C: Ok, we all know monkeys love bananas. Now imagine a monkey sees some bananas in your hand. I think it would go crazy about that and try to take them from you. Right? So, that's kinda what this idiom is about. So if you go to a concert of a singer or a band, you might see some fans getting really excited meeting the celebrity. You can say that they are going bananas. J: Well, you know Chris. Just the other day, I went to the shopping mall and found that H&M was on super sale. You know what happened? All the women went bananas buying tons of clothes. C: Sounds about right. So here's an example in a conversation: J: I heard something happened at the meeting. What's going on? C: Oh man. Luke went bananas about the last project because the cost went over the budget and we didn't even turn a profit. J: Do you go bananas over anything? Well, let's hope it's for something that makes you happy, not angry. C: Definitely. And if you like our channel share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!the other day: 有一天H&M: 服装品牌HM（发音：eh-chen-nem）go over the Budget：超出预算turn a profit: 获得盈利

有时候我们可以做一件事而达到两个目的，这样能够节省很多时间和精力，我们中文的成语中就有“一箭双雕”，形容一箭射中两只雕，英语中有一个习语有一模一样的意思，我们听听Joy and Chris说的是哪个习语吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna show you the idiom: kill two birds with one stone. It means to solve two problems with one action or solution. It's usually used to express that someone can manage two things at the same time. You can use it like this:I'll kill two birds with one stone. / We can kill two birds with one stone. / He was killing two birds with one stone. C: So killing two birds with one stone is obviously very difficult. But if you can do it, then it would save you a lot of time and energy. Joy, isn't there a Chinese word for this English idiom? J: Yeah that's right. In Chinese, it's 一箭双雕. C: Yup, maybe for the summer vacation you want to find a part time job. This way you can gain some work experience and also make some pocket money. You can say you are killing two birds with one stone. OK, we are gonna show you an example in a conversation: J: We are running out of time for our project. The deadline is next week. We gotta find a way to get it done. C: I'll go to Shanghai to meet up with our client and drop off the plan for Linda's team on the same trip. So we can kill two birds with one stone. That'll save us some time. J: By following our channel, you can practice your listening and learn more idioms for your speaking. You can kill two birds with one stone! C: Totally. And remember to share our channel with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!run out of time: 没时间了

在西方家庭中，人们经常会做烤土豆作为配菜，我们想象一下，刚出炉的烤土豆，如果你马上拿在手里是不是很烫手呢？今天的习语”hot potato”其实不关土豆什么事，那么是什么意思呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are talking about today is: a hot potato. It means that something is very difficult to handle. You can use it like this:It's a hot potato. / That was a hot potato. / This is gonna be a hot potato. C: Hey Joy, have you ever played the game Hot Potato? J: Oh yeah, isn't that the game that you have to keep a ball moving and out of your hands, and if the music stops and it's still in your hands, you're out. Right? C: Yeah that's right. So the ball is like a potato that is too hot to touch. The idiom is talking about the same thing. If someone handed you a hot potato, you would have to try to get rid of it very quickly so that you don't get burned. Or maybe just avoid the potato altogether. Like talking about politics or religion with people. These topics are usually hot potatoes. So you should be careful talking about them with your friends. Otherwise you might end up arguing and destroy your friendship. Here's an example of how we can use it in a conversation: J: Hey Jason. Did you hear that Miranda is actually our boss's niece? C: What really? I didn't know about that. Gosh. It's gonna be a hot potato for whoever's working with her in a team. C: Have you had any hot potatoes in your hands before? Make sure you aren't getting burned! J: And don't forget guys, if you like our channel share the words with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

我们偶尔都会做些不理智的事，可能我们不想再继续下去了，那我们会想告诉自己：该清醒一点了，是时候做出改变了，那么用英语该怎么说“清醒一点”呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris.J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna talk about the idiom: wake up and smell the coffee. It means to pay attention to what is going on. If you say that someone should wake up and smell the coffee, you mean that they must start to be more realistic and aware of what is happening around them.C: Well, if you are telling someone to wake up, it obviously means that they are still sleeping. So hopefully by smelling the coffee, they will be able to realize it's not sleepy time any more. Some people also use wake up and smell the beans. They have the same meaning. Maybe your have been spending a lot of money recently. You just checked your balance and it's not looking good. So you think that it's time to wake up and smell the coffee and start saving more money. Here's how we can use it in a conversation:J: Hey Collin. You've been working a lot recently. Are you doing ok?C: Yeah, my company is cutting down expenses. So we have to do a lot of leg work nowadays. I've been working late until midnight for almost two weeks.J: Wow, I think you need to wake up and smell the coffee. You are way more capable than what you are doing now. You deserve a better job.C: Did you wake up and smell the coffee yet? Practicing English is not just memorizing vocabulary and grammar. Try using it in your work and life!J: Absolutely. And don't forget guys, if you like our channel share the words with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

我们之前说到过，在英语中很多时候是不能直接翻译成中文的，直译往往导致了中式英语Chenglish的出现，那这个冷火鸡cold turkey到底用来形容什么呢，我们来听听Joy and Chris的解读吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are covering the idiom: cold turkey. It means to quit something suddenly. It's often used for quitting or breaking a habit. You can use it like this: I went cold turkey. / He stopped cold turkey. / She quit cold turkey. C: I've always thought that this idiom is a funny one because I'd always picture a turkey that is really cold. We don't know where this saying came from exactly. Well, some people say when you quit something like alcohol or smoking, you won't feel good. So maybe your skin color will turn pale and you'll get goosebumps, just like a piece of cold turkey. J: Wow, that is a really funny way of looking at it. C: Yeah right? So maybe you always play video games for a long time and you feel like a lot of your time is wasted. And you want to stop this habit immediately without cutting down slowly. You can say: I'm quitting video games cold turkey. Ok, let's see how we can use it in a conversation: J: Oh gosh, I think I'm addicted to social media. I've been on my phone for 2 hours straight already. C: Yeah, that's pretty common. I used to do the same until I just stopped cold turkey. J: Do you have any bad habits that you would like to stop cold turkey? You can talk about it with your friends using this idiom. C: Yep. And if you like our channel, remember to share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!pale：肤色苍白goosebumps：鸡皮疙瘩

今天的习语里面虽然有shot这个单词，shot确实有开枪射击的意思，但是“a shot in the dark”在生活中却跟黑暗中射击没什么关系，而是用来表达另外一层意思的，那我们来听听这个习语到底是怎么用的呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Our idiom for today is: a shot in the dark. It means that you are taking a guess or making an estimate that could be wrong or an attempt with very little chance of success. You can use it like this: It was just a shot in the dark. / I'm gonna take a shot in the dark. C: No one can see in the dark. So if you are shooting in the dark, you are just taking a chance but you are not sure if you will hit the target or not. Some people like to buy lottery tickets. There is a very slim chance that they will win some money but they can never be sure of it. So buying the lottery ticket can be a shot in the dark. Maybe you are taking an exam and there is a question that you don't really know anything about. So you decide to take a shot in the dark because it's better to not leave it empty. At least this way you will have a chance of getting it right. So now let's use it in a conversation: J: Wow Jim, my laptop works great now. I didn't know you were good at fixing computers. C: Yeah well, it was just a shot in the dark. I actually had no idea it would work. J: Don't take a shot in the dark with your English though. Make sure you are practicing with these idioms everyday. C: And remember to share our channel with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

你有没有感觉市场上的很多新生产品有时候其实都差不多呢？或者某些你很爱吃的甜点你朋友觉得其实味道都差不多？这个习语其实和土豆有点关系，我们来看看为什么吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Our idiom for today is: potato potato and tomato tomato. It means that some things may seem different but they are actually the same thing. You can use it to express when you think the differences about something don't matter. C: This is a pretty interesting idiom. So potato(potayto) and tomato(tomayto) is how Americans pronounce it. While potato(potahto) and tomato(tomahto) is usually how British people would say it. The two kinds of pronunciations sound different but it's still the same word with the same meaning. So you can use this to talk about two newly released phones. Your friend may think that these two phones are different. But you think they might look different but the functions are the same. So you can say: potayto potahto or tomayto tomahto. OK, now we are gonna use it in a conversation: J: Did you have lunch yet Johnny? C: Not yet. I'm still debating whether to go to the Chinese hotpot or the Japanese hotpot. J: Eh, potato potato. To me they are both hotpot. C: To be honest, I think the new cars nowadays are all tomato tomato. They are like the same egg just with different shells. Don't you think? J: Yeah, but the prices can be pretty different sometimes. Anyway, if you like listening to us, remember to share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

英语中的礼貌用语也是非常多的，很多时候不注意用词，可能会让对方感到尴尬，我们在商务会议中，想要礼貌地结束闲聊开始进入正题，该怎么表达更尊重对方呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. We will be talking about some more commonly used business expressions today, like: We have a lot to get through today, so…We have to be out of here by 12, so…I have another meeting at 11, so…Just like Part 1 from yesterday, you can also use these when you want to end the small talk and get down to business. C: There are a lot of etiquette rules in English. And if you are not following these rules, you could come out sounding impolite or disrespectful. Especially in business relationships, this is a big no-no. Let's say that there's so much work that you are worried about not being able to finish it. After using what we learned yesterday, you can end the small talk with people by saying: I'd love to chat more but we have a lot to get through today, so let's go through the paperwork now. J: Yup, and maybe you don't have a lot of time so you can also say: It's been great catching up but I have another meeting at 11, so we gotta make a decision on this now. Let's try to use this in a conversation: C: I heard Katherine made a major mistake on the last project costing the company a quarter million. J: Whoa, that's some serious stuff. Well, you must tell me more about that later, but I have to be out of here by 12, so we should get started on the process now. C: Are you paying attention to your etiquette when you speak English? Use these expressions and you will sound more polite. J: Definitely. And don't forget guys, share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

英语中的礼貌用语也是非常多的，很多时候不注意用词，可能会让对方感到尴尬，我们在商务会议中，想要礼貌地结束闲聊开始进入正题，该怎么表达更尊重对方呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we'll be talking about some commonly used business expressions, such as: I'd love to chat more, but… You must tell me more about that later, but...It's been great catching up, but…You can use these when you want to end the small talk and get down to business. C: Right. These expressions are very useful in business. We already know that you usually start a business meeting with small talk. But you don't want to do small talk all day long. You have to start talking about work at some point. How can you smoothly end your small talk without sounding rude? You can say: I'd love to chat more, but we've gotta talk about our product design. Or maybe you want to tell your client that you are going to another meeting. So you have to end this conversation. So you can tell him or her: It's been great catching up, but I have another meeting so I have to run. Let's try to use this in a conversation: J: I'm really glad to see the weather warming up. It's a great time to go for a walk outside. C: Actually I went to a park just outside of the city myself last weekend. It was a really good change of pace. J: You must tell me more about that later, but we should talk about the inventory of the project today. Pete was asking about expenses. C: Yes definitely, let's clear that up today. J: We'd love to tell you more English expressions, but this probably is enough for one day. And there will be more tomorrow! C: That's right. And if you enjoy our content, remember to share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

很多事过多的干预是不好的，比如学习英语应该是一个很自然的过程，首先要像婴儿一样聆听和咿呀学语，而不应是机械性的用词汇和语法来干预学习过程，生活中要顺其自然的事情更多，那我们应该怎么用英语去表达呢？来听听Joy and Chris的讲解吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Our idiom for today is: take its course. It means something develops in the natural or usual way without being changed or stopped. You can use this idiom when you want something to happen on its own with no interference from other people or other things. C: Sometimes, not doing anything is the best solution. Like when you have a minor illness, sometimes it's better to give your body a chance to fight it off. Taking the medicine right away will just lower your immune system. So you can say: I'm gonna let the sickness take its course. Or maybe your company is pushing out a new product. Your team has done everything to promote this product. All you can do now is to sit back and wait for the market to take its course. Now we are gonna use this idiom in a conversation: J: What are you watching, Josh? C: Oh I just stumbled upon a video of a group of lions attacking a little elephant. Wow, It's brutal. J: Geez. The people shooting the video couldn't help the elephant a little bit? C: Well I think it's better to let nature take its course and not interfere. Survival of the fittest you know. J: Are you letting your English practice take its course? Sometimes it's better to just do it and not think about it too much. C: Exactly. And if you enjoy our content, remember to share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!immune system： 免疫系统stumble upon： 偶然发现survival of the fittest： 适者生存

清明节是我们中国的传统节日，是每年春暖花开最适合踏青的时节，你可能会有机会和你的外国朋友聊到一些关于清明节的习俗和传统，这也是一个闲聊中可以用的好话题，那么我们怎么用英语聊这个传统节日呢？J: Hi guys. I'm Joy.C: And I'm Chris.J: So Chris, most people in China are having a 3 day holiday right now. Do you know about the festival?C: Oh yeah that's right. Isn't it the Tomb Sweeping Festival?J: Yep, it is.C: So what is this festival about?J: Well, it's essentially a festival to commemorate the dead, especially our passed family members. Since this is once a year, every time you go there, the tomb will be covered with dust and stuff. People have to sweep the dust off of the tombs. So we also call it sweeping the tomb when we go and visit the dead.C: Sounds interesting. So is there any rituals or customs that you have to do when you visit the tombs?J: I think most people will burn some paper money for their passed family members. Because people here believe that the dead will receive the money you burn on the other side and they'll be able to use it over there, like buying houses, cars, clothes, things like that.C: Oh. That's very interesting. I heard that some people bring food to the tomb as well right?J: Yeah, some people bring some bread, fruits and some snacks. I think my family would bring some of the favorite food and drinks of the passed family members.C: So do you leave the food there?J: Well, some do and some don't. I heard that many believe that the dead will come back as animals like cats and birds and eat the food that we leave them. And some people will ask the children to eat all of the food when they are there.C: Wait, you mean they will eat the food they bring for the dead? Why?J: Yeah, I don't know the specific reason for it. But it's supposed to bring good luck for the people in the family. So I guess by eating the food, the passed family members can protect them.C: Oh wow. That's a lot of things you need to do.J: Yup. So do people in America do anything when they are visiting the tombs?C: Well, the tradition is to visit the family member the first year after they have passed on the day of the funeral. After that it is more of an individual thing. So if you want to visit your ancestors on your own you can but most families do not have a tradition to do it as a group. Most people just bring some flowers if they want instead of food. But it's not mandatory. Often times the one who was closest to the family member will make sure it is cleaned and has new flowers regularly. The culture is different so how people view it is different as well. This can also be different depending on what part of the country you live in too.J: Oh it makes sense. You know, the Tomb Sweeping Festival is also a good chance for us to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. Because the festival is in Spring, it's always the perfect time to go hiking and do some outdoor activities. I think it's a great way to celebrate life!C: That's pretty cool. I hope everyone has a good time during this holiday.J: I hope so too. So If you like our channel, don't forget to share it with your friends and family! Bye guys!

生活中的新事物越来越多，人们聪明的智商总能发明出一些好点子，这些发明都让我们的生活更加便捷，比如在1928年的美国，一个来自密歇根的人就发明了一个切面包片的机器，人们就被惊艳到，于是再也不用手切面包片了，那今天的习语跟面包片到底有啥关系？咱们听听Joy and Chris的对话吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we will be talking about the idiom: the best thing since sliced bread. It's used when something is extremely good and interesting, usually describing a new product or a new invention. You can use it like this:It's the best thing since sliced bread. / It will be the best thing since sliced bread. C: The literal meaning of this idiom is about the convenience of the invention of sliced bread. So a long time ago, people made bread by hand. Each time you wanted a sandwich or a piece of toast, you had to get out a knife and slice a piece of bread for yourself. And that all changed in 1928. Someone in America invented the world's first bread-slicing machine. Then the companies began to use it to create prepackaged sliced bread, which was advertised as “the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped.” That advertising slogan led to the now-famous phrase “the best thing since sliced bread”. Now let's use this idiom in a conversation: J: Hey Josh. How's your new car handling? C: It's pretty sweet. It's got the auto park function. Man, it's the best thing since sliced bread. I've never been good at parallel parking anyway. J: So do you think our channel is the best thing since sliced bread? Haha just kidding. C: And guys, if you enjoy our content, remember to share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

我们经常会听到别人说，别过河拆桥，给自己留条后路，也就是说拆了桥也就回不去了，英语里面有一个习语和这个意思和用法一样，点击下面的音频来听听英语中怎么用“过河拆桥”吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today the idiom we'll be covering is: burn your bridges. If you burn your bridges, you do something that makes it impossible to go back to the earlier situation. Usually, we use it when someone ruins their relationship with others, making it very difficult to have a productive relationship with them in the future. You can use it like this:I don't want to burn my bridges. / He burned his bridges. / They will burn their bridges. C: Right. From the meaning of the words, we can see that bridge is a pathway. When you burn it, you cut off the way back. A lot of people are quitting their old jobs and seeking new ones. Although, I'm sure most people still try to maintain a good relationship with their old employers even if they are leaving the company. You never know where life brings you sometimes. Maybe it's better to keep these business connections. So you can say: I don't want to burn my bridges. Now we are gonna use this idiom in a conversation: J: So Alex. Are you still thinking of moving to Shanghai? C: Well, I am but I'm having second thoughts about it. Because I've been in Beijing for so many years and everyone I know lives here. Moving to a new place is basically like burning all my bridges. J: Guys, don't burn your bridges with English. You are probably gonna need it some day in the future. C: Yep. And guys. If you enjoy listening to our daily posts, remember to share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

凡事都有两面性，每一个辩论赛都有正反方，我们今天的习语中虽然有“coin”一词，因为硬币都是有正反面的，和我们生活中遇到的事情一样，那我们来看看这个习语应该怎么正确的运用呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are learning today is: the other side of the coin. It means the opposite side of the subject or situation. You can use it when you are discussing something with someone and you want to mention a different way of looking at it. C: That's right. Everything has two sides. Usually a good side and a bad side. So whenever we talk about something, there is always the other side of the coin. I know in China, a lot of people study English for exams to get a higher score. But the other side of the coin is that the exams didn't help them with real communication in English. So most of the people can read English but can't speak. Or maybe you are not happy that your boss only assigned you with a lot of work. But the other side of the coin is that you'll have a chance to gain more experience. Now we are gonna use this idiom in a conversation: J: Wow, James. This is your new car? C: Yeah, I just bought it last week. J: I think the color white is the best for this car. You made the right choice. C: Yeah, but the other side of the coin is that it'll get dirty faster. J: You might need to put in a lot of hard work to practice your English and it usually gets boring and repetitive. But the other side of the coin is that one day you'll be able to use English to work, make friends, travel or live in a different country. C: Yep. And guys. If you like our channel, remember to share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

你有没有遇到过比较挑三拣四的人呢？可能别人送的礼物自己并不喜欢，总会挑挑毛病，这可能不是个好习惯，所以就用到今天的习语啦，我们听听Joy and Chris是怎么解释的！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are learning today is: Beggars can't be choosers. It means that people can't complain about something they get for free. You can usually use it when you must accept what is given to you, especially when you have no other choice. C: Sometimes you might see beggars on the street. A lot of them go around begging for money. One time while I was back in America, I had just finished dinner with my friends in Chicago and I met a beggar on my way back to my hotel. He begged me for some change. It was really funny because I happened to have no more US cash but only some Chinese Renminbi. So I gave him 10RMB. He asked me if he can use it. I told him that he can go to the bank and exchange it into dollars. J: Wow. That's hilarious. So did he take the money? C: Yeah. He took it and walked away. I'm guessing he would've preferred US dollars but since he was the one begging for money. He had no other choice but to take it. J: Well, beggars can't be choosers right? C: Yup. We can also use this idiom for receiving gifts or getting job or school offers. Let's look at an example of it: J: Hey Jacob. How's the apartment hunting going? C: Yeah well so far I found one about 15min away from my work. I would have preferred a place of my own rather than sharing with someone else, but beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. J: Have you ever gotten anything for free and it wasn't good enough. Well beggars can't be choosers. C: Yeah, that sounds about right. Alright guys. If you like our channel, feel free to share it with people you know! Talk to you next time! Bye!

你家有表吗？我们的表里的发条装置就叫"clockwork"，这也是钟表为什么能准确的运行，但是我们今天的习语里的"clockwork"表达的意思和发条其实没有什么关系，那么这个习语是用来形容什么呢？你能猜到吗？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we'll be learning the idiom: like clockwork. It means to do something very regularly, or at exactly the planned times. If someone does something like clockwork, that means you can expect them to do it always at the same time. You can use it like this: He does it like clockwork. / They did it like clockwork. / It runs like clockwork. C: Many people go to work everyday with the same morning routines. They usually wake up, wash up, have breakfast and then go to work at their companies. You can say that they do this everyday like clockwork. Maybe everyday at 10:00 o'clock in the morning, the delivery man comes to your building. He does this regularly and never misses a day. So he can be expected to show up again the next day. You can call that like clockwork. You can also say this about things and objects as well. For example, “Everything went like clockwork at the conference.” “The buses are running like clockwork.” Let's try to use this idiom in a conversation: J: Hey George. What are you watching? C: Oh I've been watching the show “Better Call Saul”. Poor Jimmy always goes to his brother's house and takes care of him like clockwork, but his brother never shows any gratitude. J: Are you practicing your English like clockwork everyday? Remember to follow our daily posts! C: And if you like our content, remember to share our account with your friends and family! Talk to you next time! Bye!

生活中新鲜事物源源不断，很多时候我们都要保持一个open mind，只有尝试过，才知道这是不是你想要的，不过你还在用”try it”来说服别人去尝试某事吗？今天这个习语大家可能常听到，那我们来看看这个习语在口语中怎么用出来吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna take a look at the idiom: give it a shot. It means to try something. Usually you use this when you or someone has something new to do. You can use it like this:I'll give it a shot. / You should give it a shot. / She gave it a shot. C: Yup. We all have many opportunities to try something new in our lives. In the idiom, “give it a shot”, the word “shot” means the act of trying. There's a quote from a hockey player: “You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” Here it means if you don't try, then you really won't succeed. Also, because he was a hockey player, “shot” can also mean to hit the ball to score a point. So in sports, if you don't take a shot, of course you will not get the point. If you want to tell your boss that you will try to do your job as hard as you can, you can also say: I'll give it my best shot. Here's an example in a conversation: J: Hey Luke. I heard that you are gonna go and talk to Katelyn again? C: Yeah I'm gonna give it another shot and see if she will agree to come work with us. J: You already gave it a shot. She's not gonna do it. C: I know. But I think I have a way to convince her this time. J: Have you tried our private English classes? Maybe you should give it a shot! C: Definitely! And if you like our content, remember to share our account with your friends and family! Talk to you next time! Bye!

因为疫情，大家都在家憋了好久，很多人已经蠢蠢欲动，开始向附近的公园出发踏青了，也有好多人开始计划疫情后的旅行目的地，我们今天听Joy and Chris聊聊旅行吧！J: Hello everyone. I'm Joy.C: And I'm Chris.J: You know, Chris, I heard that a lot of people are planning their next trip already for after the epidemic. I think there's gonna be a lot of tourists everywhere when this is over.C: Yeah it's just like students studying for the whole semester waiting for summer break. And when it happens they all go traveling at the same time.J: Totally, that was everyone's favorite time of the year. So where do you wanna visit next after the epidemic is over?C: I don't really know yet but I have been thinking a lot about Guangzhou. I went there last year and had a lot of fun. I'd totally visit again.J: Guangzhou is pretty nice. What did you do there?C: Well, I went to all sorts of places. The weather was perfect when I was there and I really enjoyed getting to know the local culture. I got to see many historical buildings and I even went to watch a traditional Cantonese play in a park.J: Wow, really? Sounds pretty cool. Did you go to the Guangzhou tower?C: Yeah I did. I went to the top of the tower but it was not a very clear day so it was a little hard to see the city but it's still really cool. The new part of town is well designed, I think because When I was walking around downtown, it almost made me feel like I was in New York or something.J: Yeah, I agree. But I think the traditional part of town is more attractive to me. I liked seeing the super old buildings along the the streets and people are actually still living in them.C: Those old buildings are very interesting. I think I took a lot of pictures of them. The style was really cool too. You can actually walk underneath the buildings. There are stores on the bottom of the building and the families live on the top floors.J: Yup they have a lot of those. Did you try any of the local food there? Guangdong is pretty famous for its cuisine.C: Absolutely, I enjoyed eating Dim sum every day and I got to experience a southern food market where I bought a Guangdong styled duck. It was one of the best ducks I've ever had. I loved it.J: Mmm, Guangdong ducks are really scrumptious. C: Yeah. And the locals like to eat at restaurants very late in the night and walk around in the night markets. They have amazing deserts like ginger milk pudding which is my favorite now! Overall it was a great experience and I would really like the chance to explore the city more.J: Sounds amazing. Guangzhou can be pretty hot in the summer.C: Yeah, I heard. And there is the monsoon season too. I saw some videos before that my friend sent me of the streets being flooded. It's no joke.J: Yup, definitely avoid those days. Anyways, do you guys have anything in mind for your next trip? If you like our channel, don't forget to share it with your friends and family! Bye guys!

生活中的困境无处不在，有时候我们在学习中也会陷入困境，想告诉你的外国朋友你的困境，或者你听说的别人的困境，你是不是总在用”difficult position”呢？怎么用更地道方式表达呢？我们看Joy and Chris是怎么用的吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are covering the idiom: in a tight corner. It means to be in a difficult situation that is not easy to escape from or deal with. You can say it like this:I'm in a tight corner. / He's going to be in a tight corner. / They've been in a tight corner. C: We always see a similar scene in the movies. A guy being chased by some bad people and he runs into a dead end alley. Imagine that for a second. That is a very difficult situation to get out of. So we call that being in a tight corner. I know that especially during the epidemic a lot of people are in a tight corner. Maybe because they can't get the full salary or they can't find jobs. And sometimes, we hear about people who bought their houses on loans and couldn't keep paying their debts. So the bank came and took their houses away. You can say that they were in a tight corner. Let's take a look at a conversation: J: Hey Jeremy. I heard your company got the bid. C: Yeah our company's been in a tight corner recently. We really need this project. J: Are you in a tight corner with your English? We can help you out! Contact us for our private English classes! C: Yup and remember to share our channel with your friends and family! Talk to you next time! Bye!

“走过花园”我们可以说“walk through the garden”，但是今天的习语里的“walk through”却跟“走”一点关系都没有，那到底这个习语到底是什么意思，该如何用在对话中呢？我们听听Joy and Chris的对话吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are gonna cover today is: walk someone through something. It means to slowly and carefully explain or show something to someone. You can say it like this: I'll walk you through it. / Can you walk me through it? / She walked me through it. C: Walk through can be used for when you are literally walking. You can walk through a garden. You can walk through a house. But in this idiom, we are talking about walking through a process or a document. I've had students who had to make presentations for their companies. They wanted to practice their presentation with me to make sure everything was correct and would go smoothly. I usually tell them: Walk me through your presentation. Or you might be introducing a new product to your client. You can say: Let me walk you through the instructions. Here's how we use it in a conversation: J: Hey Terry. How's your first day at work? C: Everything's great. Thanks for asking. There was a little problem understanding my role on the team. But Nick already walked me through the details. J: If you need us to walk you through any of your English problems, contact us for private English classes! C: Yup and remember to share our channel with your friends and family! Talk to you next time! Bye!

在西方的法庭中，被告如果仅仅有疑点而并没有充分证据的话，那么暂且会认定被告无罪，以此来避免错误的判决。这个法律用语到生活中又有了其他的用法，也就是在你怀疑他人之前，先仔细思考一下你是否有足够的理由和证据，如果没有那就先把人往好的一方面想，也许这一切只是误会呢？那我们来看看这个习语到底怎么用吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna take a look at the idiom: give someone the benefit of the doubt. It means that you decide to believe someone, even though it is possible that they are not telling the truth or doing something wrong. C: Exactly. Sometimes in life, you will feel uncertain about things. You are not sure if the person you are talking to is trustworthy or capable of doing the right thing. But you don't want to assume that everyone in your life is trying to take advantage of you. So you might want to give them the benefit of the doubt first. Just like if you and your coworker are splitting the bill for lunch. And you find out that she didn't pay you her whole share. You think maybe she didn't do it on purpose and it was just a misunderstanding. So you want to give her the benefit of the doubt and not be angry at her right away. Here's an example in a conversation:J: I'm beginning to suspect that Jane's not capable of being the team leader for this project. She got her facts wrong more than one time. C: Well, we should give her the benefit of the doubt before we start accusing her. There may be a good explanation for it. J: Remember to give your English learning plan the benefit of the doubt. And don't give up on your first try! C: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

我们常听人说：贪多嚼不烂，欲速则不达，月满则亏，水满则溢，这些都在表达什么事情多了，并不好。英语中也有一个这样的习语，来表达想要做的很多，最终却做不到、做不好。这个习语到底是怎么说的呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today's idiom is: bite off more than you can chew. It means to try to do something that is too difficult or more than you can accomplish. You can use it like this: I bit off more than I could chew. / She has bitten off more than she can chew. / They are biting off more than they can chew. C: Let's say you are eating something. And you put so much food in your mouth that you can't chew all of it at once. I'm pretty sure this has happened to everyone at some point in their lives. J: Well...I beg to differ. C: OK. So just like putting too much food in your mouth, if you take on too many responsibilities you will overwhelm yourself and probably can't finish what you need to do. For example, your IELTS exam is coming up but you are under prepared. So you try to bite off more than you can chew right before the big day. Just to put in my two cents, but overloading yourself is never a good idea, so guys, make sure you are not biting off more than you can chew. Anyway, let's look at how to use this idiom in a conversation: J: Whoa Richard. What are you doing with all these documents? C: My department is downsizing. I volunteered to pick up the extra work but now I realized that I'm biting off more than I can chew here. J: Remember, don't bit off more than you can chew with your English learning. One bite at a time is always a good strategy. C: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

你的生活中有没有过突发事件呢？你有没有感到过某件事让你出乎意料呢？我们平时总在用suddenly来表示某事突然地，Joy and Chris用了另外一种更地道的表达方法，去听听吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we'll be going over the idiom: out of the blue. It means that something happens when you are not expecting it to or something happens suddenly. C: So the “blue” is referring to a blue sky. And when you see a blue sky, you wouldn't think anything un-usual is about to happen. But if something did happen, then it would be shocking to you. So we call that out of the blue. Just like when you had already planned your vacation, you didn't expect this global pandemic to happen. So you can say that it was out the blue. Or your old friend from 10 years ago suddenly called you and wanted to catch up. That is also out of the blue. Let's look at an example of this idiom: J: Hey Jim. What's up? C: Do you remember Louis, that guy who worked in our department last year? J: Yeah Louis Turner, right? C: He passed away out of the blue in his apartment last week. J: Did you find our channel out of the blue? Share it with your friends and family if you enjoy our content! C: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

我们生活中有很多“关键时刻”，考试、面试、工作报告、公开演讲……等等，有时候我们太紧张以至于到了关键时刻掉链子，那该怎么表达“一到关键时刻我就全忘了”呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we'll be showing you the idiom: when it comes to the crunch. It means when a situation reaches a critical moment. It's usually used when something must be decided or done, or a difficulty can't be avoided any more. C: Yup. The word “crunch” has a lot of meanings, such as a crunching sound and number crunching. There is no need at all to rush to your dictionary and memorize all the meanings of this word. Trust me. You won't remember all of them anyway. In this idiom, with the word “crunch”, we are talking about an important moment. Maybe you have been preparing for the exam to get your driver's license. But when it came to the crunch, meaning when the exam day came, you made lots of mistakes and failed it. Or maybe you have a good friend and you don't see each other very often but whenever it comes to the crunch, your friend will always be there for you. It means that when you meet any troubles or difficulties, your friend is always supportive. Let's look at an example: J: Hey Collin. What happened back there at the meeting? Is everything alright? C: Oh hey Kate. I don't know. I've been preparing for this presentation for weeks. But when it came to crunch, I somehow couldn't remember anything. J: Well, when it comes to the crunch with your English, hopefully these idioms will help! Don't forget to spread the word to your friends and family about our channel! C: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

虽然spill是洒的意思，而beans确实是豆子的意思，但是在英语中，spill the beans和字面的意思差的却很远，那么我们听听Joy and Chris是怎么解释到底是怎么用这个习语的吧！C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. Today we are gonna talk about the idiom: spill the beans. It means to give away a secret. You can use it like this: Don't spill the beans. / She spilled the beans. / I don't want to spill the beans. C: OK, let's Imagine you have some beans on your plate. The beans roll off of your plate and fall on the floor. In this idiom, the beans represent a secret. Now your secret is not on your plate any more so it means that you told someone else about it. Maybe you are planning a surprise party for a friend. You might want to tell everyone who's helping you not to spill the beans to anyone. Or you want to know what your kid is hiding from you. You can ask: Come on. Spill the beans! Here's an example of how to use it in a conversation: J: Hey David. What are you guys planning over here? C: Shh. Pete is going to retire soon. We are planning a surprise party for his retirement. J: Oh, I had no idea. Can I help? C: Sure. Just don't spill the beans to anyone! J: Well, if you like what you hear, please do spill the beans with your friends and family about our channel! C: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

生日是对于每个人来说都是一年里非常重要的一天，大家都有自己喜欢的方式庆祝生日，不过蛋糕一般是必不可少的，鉴于今天是Chris的生日，我们来听听在国外人们都是怎么过生日的呢？J: Hello everyone I'm Joy.C: And I'm Chris.J: For those of you who don't know, it's actually Chris's birthday today. So happy birthday!C: Thanks.J: Well instead of an idiom today, let's talk a little bit about birthdays. So what do people in the west typically do on their birthdays?C: Well, in the west, usually your mom or one of your family members will bake your favorite type of birthday cake and they put your name on it.J: Wow, so what's your favorite birthday cake?C: I like to have a banana cake with cream cheese frosting for my birthday. J: Sounds really good. In China, most people don't have ovens in their homes. So everyone just goes to the bakery and orders the cake there, but the options are always limited of course.C: Well, in the west we have bakeries too. But because birthdays are such a special time. Many families still hold the tradition of just doing it themselves, if they know how to bake a cake of course.J: Yeah, I know a lot people here in China always choose chocolate cakes because people don't really know much about other kinds of cakes. When I was living in America, I learned that there are so many different kinds of cakes and many of them are so delicious. It totally blew my mind.C: Yeah and in my family, cakes are not the only thing you get on your birthday. You also get to choose your favorite food as your birthday dinner. It can be anything you want.J: Really, anything you want?C: Yeah, anything you want. Whatever your favorite food is. For me, because my birthday is during a cold month, I usually choose a warm dish. It's called corned beef and cabbage. It's actually very similar to a type of Chinese beef.J: Oh yeah, just like 酱牛肉.C: Yep, it's a traditional Irish dish that people usually have on Saint Patrick's Day which was yesterday.J: Wow, all this talk about cakes and food is making me hungry. I hope you have a great birthday today.C: Thanks. I will!J: Alright, and if you want to wish Chris a happy birthday just leave a comment below! Bye guys!

我们生活中经常会有多变性，不过学英语这事可不能多变，三天打鱼两天晒网可要沉没万年船哦。Anyway, 我们来看看改变主意如果不用"I changed my mind"，还能用什么来表达呢？C: Hi guys. I'm Chris. J: And I'm Joy. The idiom we are learning today is: a change of heart. It means that you changed your opinion about something, especially something emotional. You can usually use it like this: I had a change of heart. / She's having a change of heart. / They've had a change of heart. C: It doesn't mean that you are literally exchanging your heart with someone else's heart though. Here, “heart” is referring to how you feel. You might have been planning on taking the offer from Stanford University, but you heard that the business school at Harvard has more of what you need. So you can say: I had a change of heart. Or your friend was going to go to the concert with you but decided not to go at the last minute. You can ask him: Why the sudden change of heart? Let's look at an example: J: Hey Paul. Did you end up buying that house on Elm street? C: Well, I was looking at another property a little out of town. It had a bigger back yard. So I had a change of heart. J: Have you ever had a change of heart about anything? Let us know in the comments below! C: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

在各个语言中的文化背景、语言习惯都大相径庭，所以很多时候我们无法直接将一个语言一字不漏的翻译成另一个语言，所以在我们说英语的时候，很多人喜欢直接把自己脑中的中文，逐字翻译成英文单词，于是就出现了中式英语，反过来，如果把英语逐词翻译成中文，就出现了听不懂，不明白对方什么意思。所以虽然one cent在英语中是一分钱，但是它在不用语境下意思又会不同，那我们今天的习语"my two cents"到底在英语里怎么翻译，在什么情况下用呢？J: Hi guys. I'm Joy. C: And I'm Chris. The idiom we are learning today is: my two cents. It's usually used to give your opinion about something in a humble way. You can say: It's just my two cents. / Those are just my two cents. J: In English, a cent is the smallest amount of money. So by saying my two cents, you are telling people what you think about something without sounding arrogant. Maybe you have a different idea from your colleagues and you want to tell them about it. Or someone is asking you for your opinion about something. After expressing your thoughts, you can add: These are just my two cents. Let's look at an example: C: Does anyone have any suggestions for the bill board? J: Just to add my two cents, but I believe changing the location will be a good idea. C: Well, what's your two cents about our channel? Let us know in the comments below! J: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

差一点就撞车、千钧一发、比赛差点输了、差点就把手机摔了，生活中的“擦边球”可以真多，让我们防不胜防，你想表达自己受惊吓的小心心，该怎么说呢？J: Hi guys. I'm Joy. C: And I'm Chris. Today we are gonna talk about another idiom: a close call. It's usually used to express that something bad almost happened. You can say: That was a close call. J: Well maybe you are telling your friend about how you ran to the train station last night after work to catch the last train and as you got on the train the doors closed right behind you. You can say that it was a close call. C: You know. One time, I was trying to catch my flight in Shanghai and there was a traffic jam on my way to the airport. Thanks to the taxi driver who drove like a maniac. I was able to make my flight with just a minute or 2 two to spare. J: Wow, that was a really close call. Let's look at an example of how you can use this idiom in a sentence: C: Hey Victoria. Are you alright? I heard you were in a car accident yesterday. J: Oh no, I'm fine. Some guy ran a red light at the intersection and almost hit me. It was a really close call though.C: Alright. Try to use this idiom in your daily conversation today and remember to share this with your friends and family! J: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

有时候真是计划赶不上变化快，多少人的旅行计划都被“暂时放在了一边”，那native speakers(英语母语者)真的就用“put it aside”来表达他们把某事放在一边了吗？快听听Joy and Chris是怎么用的吧！J: Hi guys. I'm Joy. C: And I'm Chris. Today we are gonna talk about another idiom: put something on the back burner. It can be used when you want to put something off for later, because it's not the most important thing at the moment. J: Right. When you are cooking, the back burner is usually a place to put something that can wait until later, because it's not as important as what you are cooking right now. Well, I was actually planning on a vacation with my family this year. But I had to put it on the back burner until this special time is over. Here's an example of how you can use this idiom: C: Hey Mindy. Are you busy right now? J: Oh I'm just finishing up some paperwork right now. Why? What's up? C: You are gonna have to put it on the back burner and go to Mr. Harrison's office right away. J: OK, I'll be there asap. C: Remember to share this with your friends and family and don't put your English learning on the back burner! J: That's right! And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

在part 1和part 2里我们介绍了不同的表达方式，用于和客户谈话的开场白。我们说过与人交谈的过程中，可以多问问题，那么今天的音频中包括了哪些问题可以用来破冰呢？去听听Joy and Chris的讲解吧！J: Hi guys. I'm Joy. C: And I'm Chris. Today we are gonna talk about the expression: Is this your first time in...? Is this your first time coming to...? It's another good conversation starter in business and in life. You are asking the other person if they have been to a location before. J: Yeah, just like in part 1 and part 2 that we covered before, this can be used for business meetings as well. In many cases, the client is from another city or another country. If you live in Beijing and your client is from Australia, this is a perfect opportunity to ask them: Is this your first time in Beijing? Or maybe you are meeting in a coffee shop or a restaurant. You can also ask: Is this your first time coming to this coffee shop? / Is this your first time coming to this restaurant? Here's an example: C: Hey Miranda. How have you been? J: Hi Pete. I've been great. Thanks for asking. How about yourself? C: I've been doing pretty well. Is this your first time in the convention center? J: Yeah I've passed by it many times but I've never actually been in here before. C: Is this your first time coming to our channel? Don't forget to share it with your friends and family! J: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

昨天的音频里我们学了"Did you have any trouble getting here?" 见客户或者来访的外国同事都可以用到。很多人说，见到外国人不知该说什么好，那就多问对方问题吧！这样对方就要忙着回答你，而从他/她的回答中，你可以找到更多的话题。那么与人见面，还有什么可以作为破冰的问题呢？J: Hi guys I'm Joy. C: And I'm Chris. Today we are gonna talk about another good expression in business: How was your journey?/ How was your flight? It's usually used to be polite when you are meeting someone. You are asking them about their travel to the location. It can be followed by the question: Did you have any trouble getting here? J: Yup, just like in part 1 that we covered yesterday, this is also essential for business meetings. Your client could be visiting your company from a different city. When they get there, you would want to find a good way to start the conversation. Using what we learned yesterday and adding more to it can make it more natural and polite. Such as: How was your flight? Did you have any trouble getting here? Here's an example:C: Hi Jenny. Long time no see. When did you get here? J: Hi! Yeah I got here at 9 o'clock this morning. C: How was your flight? Did you have any trouble getting here? J: Oh my flight was pretty good. I had to wait 30 minutes at the airport just to get a taxi though.C: Do you have any clients or colleagues coming to visit you? Try to use these expressions! And don't forget to share our channel with your friends and family! J: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

我们在商务场合中，尤其在和客户聊天的时候，要表现得非常礼貌，很多人在见到客户急着想要进入正题，忽略了small talk，其实是一个重大错误，那么我们在会议开始前见到客户该说些什么更礼貌呢？我们看看Joy and Chris是怎么用的！J: Hi guys I'm Joy. C: And I'm Chris. Today we are gonna talk about an expression: Did you have any trouble getting here? It's usually used to be polite when you are meeting someone. You are asking them about their travel to the location. J: Yup and this is essential for business meetings. For instance, you are waiting for your client to arrive at your company to talk over business. When they arrive you want to create a friendly connection right away. So you can ask them: Did you have any trouble getting here? And if this is their first time visiting, you can also say: Did you have any trouble finding us? Here's an example of how it can be used in a conversation: C: Hi Anna. It's so nice to see you again. J: Hi Greg. It's great seeing you again too! C: It's rush hour right now. Did you have any trouble getting here? J: Oh it was no problem. I actually left early so traffic was alright. C: Did you have any trouble finding our channel? Don't forget to share it with your friends and family! J: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

最基础的“Let's begin”应该已经被用过无数次了，还有没有其他方式表达“让我们开始”呢？来看看今天的idiom吧！J: Hi guys I'm Joy. C: And I'm Chris. Today's idiom is: get the ball rolling. It's usually used like:Let's get the ball rolling. / I'm gonna get the ball rolling. / She already got the ball rolling. / We need to get the ball rolling. J: It means to get something started. Let's say, you are at a meeting and everyone seems to be ready to start. You can say “let's get this ball rolling” meaning “let's begin”. It can also be used when you are trying to do the first step of a plan. Maybe you are preparing for a trip. You can book the hotels and the plane tickets to get the ball rolling. Here's an example of this idiom:C: Hey Alice. We gotta make sure that we have everything ready for the big day. J: OK, so what do we need to do first? C: Well, we need to have the location set up before anything else. J: Alright sure. I'll call the realtor to get the ball rolling. C: Are you getting your English ball rolling by learning an idiom with us everyday? Don't forget to share our channel with your friends and family! J: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!

特殊时期我们要开窗通风，清洁一下室内空气，可以说：Please open a window and clear the air in here. 那么除了净化空气，“clear the air”还有其他的意思吗？Joy and Chris是怎么用的呢？来听一听吧！J: Hi guys I'm Joy. C: And I'm Chris. Today we are gonna talk about the idiom: clear the air. It's used to clear up any misunderstandings. You can use it like this: I need toclear the air. / Heis going toclear the air. / Let's clear the air. J: Yep, that's right. Maybe your coworker doesn't understand what you mean. You might want to talk with him to clear the air. Or two friends are having an argument and they should talk about their problem so they can clear the air. Or having a meeting about a recent project in your company can clear the air so everyone knows what to do. Here's an example: C: Hey Linda. Is Kim's team working with Marketing on our project? J: Yeah about that. I'm gonna be holding a meeting tomorrow afternoon to clear the air about everyone's role in this project.C: Do you need to clear the air with someone you know? Leave a comment below and let us know. Don't worry they can't see it! J: And if you are looking for private English classes, feel free to contact us! Talk to you next time! Bye!Remember: The best way to practice is to try to use these idioms in your own life every day. With each idiom that you get on our channel, you should try to use it in a real life conversation and not just memorize the meaning. Only with the experience of using it, your brain is more likely to remember it. Above all, keep in mind that Rome wasn't built in a day.要记得：最好的练习方法是每天在你的生活中使用这些习语，在我们的公众号听到的每一个习语，你都应该试着在对话中运用，而不是仅仅记住它的意思，唯独有了使用它的经验，你的大脑才更有可能记住它。最重要的是，要记住罗马不是一天建成的。