你曾經因為一字之差而鬧笑話嗎？有哪些字是你刻骨銘心的慘痛經驗？你覺得有哪些
關鍵字彙讓你頓足捶胸，或茅塞頓開？

當考路考的考官說“pull over”時，你是否會不知所措？有人邀請你參加“Potluck
Party”時，你會不會空手赴宴？在速食店裡，店員問“for here or to go?”你是否會
丈二金剛摸不着頭腦，莫名其妙？

“Give me a ring!”可不是用來求婚的。“Drop me a line!” 更非要你排隊站
好。老美說“Hi! What's up!”你 可別說“I am fine!”你曾經鬧過這些笑話嗎 ？讓我
們來看看，這些字，你怎麽說？

·Potluck Party ：一種聚餐方式，主人準備場地和餐具，參加的人必須帶一道菜或準備
飲料，最好事先問問主人的意思。

·Pull over！把車子開到旁邊。

·Drop me a line！寫封信給我。

·Give me a ring. = Call me！來個電話吧！

·For here or to go？堂食或外賣。

·cool; That's cool! 等於台灣年輕人常用的囗語“酷！”，表示不賴嘛！用於人或事均
可。

·What's up? = What's happening? = What's new?
見面時隨囗問候的話“最近在忙什麼？有什麼新鮮事嗎？”一般的回答是“Nothing
much!”或 “Nothing new!”

·Cut it out! = Knock it out！= Stop it! 少來這一套！同學之間開玩笑的話。

·Don't give me a hard time! 別跟我過不去好不好！

·Get yourself together! 振作點行不行！

·Do you have "the" time? 現在幾點鐘？可別誤以為人家要約你出去。

·Hang in there. = Don't give up. = Keep trying. 再撐一下。

·Give me a break ! 你饒了我吧！（開玩笑的話）

·Hang on. 請稍候。

·Blow it. = Screw up. 搞砸了。

·What a big hassle. 真是個麻煩事。

·What a crummy day. 多倒霉的一天。

·Go for it. 加油

·You bet. = Of course. 當然；看我的！

·Wishful thinking. 一廂情願的想法。

·Don't be so fussy! 別那麼挑剔好不好。

·It's a long story. 唉！說來話長。

·How have you been? = How are you doing? 你過得如何？近來可好？

·Take things for granted. 自以為理所當然。

·Don't put on airs. 別擺架子。

·Give me a lift! = Give me a ride! 送我一程吧！

·Have a crush on someone. 迷戀某人。

·What's the catch? 有什麼內幕？

·Party animal. 開Party狂的人（喜歡參加舞會的人）。

·Pain in the neck. =Pain in the ass. 討厭的東西、人或事。

·Skeleton in the closet. 家醜

·Don't get on my nerve! 別把我惹毛了！

·Afat chance. =A poor chance. 機會很小。

·I am racking my brains. 我正在絞盡腦　。

·She's a real drag. 她真有點礙手礙腳。

·Spacingout.=daydreaming. 做白日夢。

·I am so fed up. 我受夠了！

·It doesn't go with your dress. 跟你的衣服不配。

·What's the point? = What are youtrying to say? 你的重點是什麼？

·By all means.=Definitely. 一定是。

·Let's get a bite. = Let's go eat. 去吃點東西吧！

·She stands me up. 她放我鴿子了。（一般用於約會時，一方去了，另一方沒去的狀況
）
·I'll buy you a lunch (a drink; a dinner). = It's on me. = My treat. 我請客

·Let's go dutch. 各付各的

·My stomach is upset. 我的胃不舒服

·diarrhea [dai r'i ] 拉肚子

·吃牛排時，waitor 會問“How would you like it ?” 就是問“要幾分熟？”的意思，
可以選擇 rare， medium 或 well-done。

·I am under the weather. =I am not feeling well. 我不太舒服!

·May I take a rain check? 可不可改到下次？（例如有人請你吃飯，你不能赴約，只好
請他改到下一次。）

·I am not myself today. 我今天什麼都不對勁!

·Let's get it straight. 咱們把事情弄清楚!

·What's the rush! 急什麼!

·Such a fruitcake! 神經病！

·I'll swing by later. =I'll stop by later. 待會兒，我會來轉一下。

·I got the tip straight from thehorse's mouth. 這個消息是千真萬確的（tip指消息
）!

·easy as pie = very easy = piece of cake 很容易。

·flunk out 被當掉。

·take french leave 不告而別。

·I don't get the picture. =I don't understand. 我不明白。

·You should give him a piece of your mind. 你應該向他表達你的不滿。

·hit the road = take off = get on one's way 離開。

·Now he is in the driver's seat =He is in control now.

·Keep a low profile (or low key). 採取低姿態。

·Kinky =bizarre =wacky =weird 古怪的。

·klutz (=clutz) =idiot 白痴、笨蛋。

·know one's way around 識途老馬。

·lion's share 大部份。

·tailgate 尾隨（尤其跟車跟得太近）。

·take a back seat. 讓步。

·take a hike =leave me alone =get lost 滾開。

·hit the hay =go to bed 睡覺。

·Can you give me a lift? =Can you give me a ride? 載我一程好嗎？

·green hand 生手、沒有經驗的人。

·moonshine = mountain dew 指私釀的 烈酒（威士忌）或走私的酒。胡說八道也可用mo
onshine。 His story is plain moonshine.

·chill out =calm down =relax（來自黑人英語）

·rip off =steal;I was ripped off.
我被偷了；rip off 也常被用為“剝奪”My right was ripped off. 權利被剝奪（來自黑
人英語）。

·我們稱美國大兵為G.I. (Government Issue) or GI Joe, 德國兵或德國佬為 Fritzor
Kraut，稱英國佬為John Bull，日本人為Jap.或Nip，猶太人為Jew都是 很不禮貌的稱呼。


·mess around (with)瞎混；Get to work. Don't mess around. 趕快工作，別瞎攪和。


·snob 勢利眼。

·sneak in,sneak out 偷偷溜進去，溜出來。sneakers 運動鞋。

·She is such a brown-noser. 她是個馬屁精。

·This is in way over my head. 對我而言這實在太難了。

·I am an exam jitter and I always get a cramp in my stomach. 我是個考試緊張大
師，一考試胃就抽筋。

·Keep your study (work) on track. 請按進度讀書（工作）。

·Did you come up with any ideas? 有沒有想到什麽新的意見？

·Don't get uptight !Take it easy. 別緊張，慢慢來！

·Cheese ! It tastes like cardboard. Cheese吃起來味如嚼臘！

·Get one's feet wet. 與中文裡的“涉足”或“下海”，寓意相同，表示初嘗某事。I
am going to try dancing for the very first time. Just to get my feet wet.

·美國總統到底是比爾·克林頓還是威廉·克林頓？吉米·卡特和詹姆斯·卡特是否同一
人？根據語言學家William Safire的分析，美國多數政客都喜歡使用昵名代替他們原來的
名字，如Bill就是 William的暱稱，Jimmy等於James等，好造成一種平易近人的形象。