16)once and for all 最后一次；干脆
Model: [1996.1.]
——I am going to tell that neighbor of mine to turn down that music once and for all.(我要最后一次告诉我那个邻居把音乐声关小。)
——I see why you are angry. But I’ve always found that the polite route is the most effective. (我明白你为什么恼火。但我总觉得礼貌的方式是最有效的。)

17)out of earshot 不在听力所及范围
Model: [1995.10.]
——Hey? John! John! (嗨! John! John! )
——Save your breath. He’s out of earshot. (省口气吧，他听不见。)

18)out of this world 非常好
Model: [1995.10.]
——Have you tried Susan’s apple pie? (你试过Susan的苹果派吗？)
——I got the last piece. And it was out of this world. (我拿到最后一块。好吃极了。)

19)play by ear 随机应变，视情形而定
Model: [1989.8.]
——Marty, are you doing anything special for your presentation in political science tomorrow? (Marty，你在为明天的政治学演讲准备与众不同的材料吗？)
——Not really, because the class so often turns into a discussion, I’ve decided¹ to play it by ear. (不。那门课常常最后变成讨论。我决定视情形而定。)

20) ring a bell 令人想起某件事；听起来耳熟
Model: [1992.10.]
——That name just doesn’t ring a bell with me. (那个名字我一点也不熟。)

21)share a common outlook 有共同的观点
Model: [1991.1.]
——Jeff and Alan share a common outlook on life. (Jeff 和Alan对于生活有共同的观点。)

22)six of one and half-a-dozen of the other 半斤八两；没什么区别
Model: [1989.1.]
——I can’t decide whether to take anthropology² or geology this term. (我决定不了这学期是选人类学还是地理课。)
——It’s six of one and half-a-dozen of the other. (两门无甚差别。)

23)stick around 在附近逗留或等待
Model: [1995.5.]
——Leaving the party so soon? We’re just getting ready to cut the cake. (这么早就要走？我们刚准备要切蛋糕。)
——Sorry, I can’t stick around. (对不起，我不能继续待在这儿了。)

24)stick with 继续做，坚持
Model: [1996.8.]
——I wonder what this new flavor of ice cream tastes like? (我想知道这种新的——I tried it last week. If I were you, I would stick with an old favorite. (上周我吃过，若我是你，我会继续吃以前爱吃的那种。)

25)straighten out 扯平；结清
Model: [1996.1.]
——I almost forgot. I still owe you ten dollars from the other night. Do you have change for a twenty? (我差点忘了。不久前的一个晚上我借了你10块钱，到现在还没还呢，你现在能找开20元的吗？)
——Oh, not at the moment. Let’s just straighten it out some other time. (哦，现在不能。以后再结清吧。)

26)toss and turn (身体)翻来覆去(通常表示难以入睡)
Model: [1993.1.]
——Last night I tossed and turned in bed, too exhausted³ to sleep. (昨晚我辗转反侧，怎么也睡不着)

27)turn one’s back (在别人遇到困难时)不愿帮助
Model: [1990.10.]
——He’ll turn his back on me if I ask for money. (我若向他借钱，他就会不理我。)

28)under the weather 身体不适，生病
Model: [1996.10.(26)]
——It’s good to see you, Mary. How have you been? (看见你真高兴，Mary。你好吗？)
——Actually I have been feeling under the weather recently. (其实这两天我身子不大舒服。)

29)bite off more than one can chew 贪多嚼不烂；心有余而力不足；不自量力；力不从心
Model:
——I hear you’ve been taking an advanced physics course this semester. How’s it going? (我听说这学期你在上高等物理课。这门课怎么样？)
——I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. (我是心有余而力不足啊。)

30)break new ground 创新
Model:
——His architectural design broke new ground in the field. (他的建筑设计是这个领域里的创新。)