主题：单词背后的故事3

　　“单词背后的故事”是一个电台节目，通过讲故事和举例子，让英语学习者更系统地了解到英语习语的意思与用法。当然，要学以致用才能真正掌握这些习语哦。上期我们为大家介绍了与数字“1”有关的习语，本期继续为同学们带来与其它数字有关的词组。记得将两期所学的习语汇总哦。Ready? Go!
　　
　　Today, I will tell about expressions using other numbers.
　　Some problems are difficult to solve, but there are a lot of number expressions that could help. For example, if we 1)put two and two together, we might come up with the right answer. We know that 2)two heads are better than one. It is always better
　　to work with another person to solve a problem.
　　Sometimes, 3)there are no two ways about it. Some problems have only one solution. You cannot 4)be of two minds over this.
　　But with any luck, we could solve the problem 5)in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. We could have our answers quickly and easily. Sometimes we can 6)kill two birds with one stone. That is, we can complete two goals with only one effort or action. But we must remember that 7)two wrongs don’t make a right. If someone does something bad to you, you should not do the same to him.
　　If you are going out with your girlfriend or
　　boyfriend, you do not want another friend to go along on your date, you can just say to your friend, “8)Two’s company, three’s a crowd.”
　　When I was a young child in school, I had to learn the 9)three R’s. These important skills are reading, writing
　　and arithmetic. These three words do not all start with the letter R, but they have the sound of R. My teachers used to 10)give three cheers when I did well in math. They gave praise and approval for a job well done.
　　Some of my friends were confused
　　and did not understand their school work. They were 11)at sixes and
　　sevens. In fact, they did not care if they finished high school. They saw little difference between the two choices. 12)Six of one, half a dozen the other, that was their position. But they were really happy when they completed their studies and graduated from high school. They were in 13)Seventh
　　heaven. They were 14)on cloud nine.
　　15)Nine times out of ten students who do well in school find good jobs. Some work in an office doing the same things every day at 16)nine-to-five jobs. You do not have to 17)dress to the nines or wear your best clothes for this kind of work.
　　Last year, one of my friends
　　applied for a better job at her office. I did not think she would get it. I thought she had 18)a hundred to one shot at the job. Other people at her office thought her chances were 19)a million to one. One reason was that she had been caught catching 20)forty winks at the office. She slept at her desk for short periods during the day. But her supervisor appointed her to the new job at 21)the eleventh hour, at the very last minute. I guess her lucky number came up.
　　
　　Notes
　　1) put two and two together 根据事实推理
　　2) two heads are better than one 两个臭皮匠胜过一个诸葛亮，两人智慧胜一人
　　3) there are no two ways about it. (There is only one way to solve it.)别无他法
　　4) be of two minds 左右摇摆，拿不定主意
　　5) in two shakes of a lamb’s tail 立刻
　　6) kill two birds with one stone 一石二鸟，一箭双雕
　　7) two wrongs don’t make a right 两个错误不等于一个对
　　8) two’s company, three’s a crowd. 两人成伴，三人不欢。
　　9) three R’s 三R，小学所教的阅读（reading）、写作（writing）和算术（arithmetic）等基础课
　　10) give three cheers (to sb.) 祝贺，为……欢呼
　　11) at sixes and sevens 乱七八糟
　　12) six of one, half a dozen the other 半斤八两，一模一样
　　13) Seventh heaven 七重天，极乐世界
　　14) on cloud nine 极快乐，狂喜
　　15) nine times out of ten 十有八九，大抵
　　16) nine-to-five job 朝九晚五的工作
　　17) dress to the nines穿着光鲜华丽，打扮得漂亮
　　18) a hundred to one 百分之一，可能性极大
　　19) a million to one 百万分之一，可能性极小
　　20) forty winks（口）白天小睡
　　21) the eleventh hour 最后一刻，危急之时