历年TOEFL听力最常考的55个习语结构汇编：
1) take a rain check 改天吧
Model: [1998.8.北美(29)]
—— Can you come over for dinner tonight? (今天晚上来吃饭好吗？)
—— I’m up to my ears in work, so I’ll have to take a rain check.(我工作很忙，改日吧。)
2) lost count 弄不清楚
Model: [2000.1.(21)]
—— Ever since your girlfriend moved to Bridgeport, you are always driving there. How many trips a week do you make anyway?(自从你的女友搬到Bridgeport，你老是开车去看她。一周去几次啊？)
——I have lost count, but I can do it with my eyes closed.(搞不清楚了，但我闭着眼也能摸过去。)
3) be in another world 精神恍惚；魂不守舍
Model: [1996.5.(25)]
—— Pete’s really out of it these days.(Pete 这几天有点心不在焉。)
—— Yeah, I know. Ever since he met Ann, he’s been in another world.(我同意。自从他遇见Ann, 他就魂不守舍了。)
4) make yourself at home 随意，随便
Model: [1999.8.(7)]
—— Do you mind if I take off my jacket?(你介意我脱下夹克吗？)
—— Of course not, make yourself at home.(当然不介意，随意一点！)
5) save your breath 省口气吧；别白费口舌了
Model: [1995.10.(14)]
—— Hey? John! John!(嘿，John! John!)
—— Save your breath. He"s out of earshot.(省口气吧。他已经听不到了。)
6) make sense 有意义，理解
Model: [1999.1.(29)]
—— The plot of that movie is hard to follow.(那部电影的情节很难跟得上。)
—— It makes more sense the second time.(再看一遍就理解了。)
7) cost sb. an arm and a leg 非常昂贵
Model: [1999。1。(4)]
——Did you see the diamond ring Bill gave to Linda?(你看到Bill送给Linda的钻戒了吗？)
——I sure did. It must have cost him an arm and a leg.(当然了。那一定很昂贵。)
8) burn a hole in one’s pocket 很快地被花光
Model: [1997.10 ]
——Have you saved enough to buy that new printer for your computer yet? (你攒足钱给你的电脑买一台新打印机了吗？)
——You know money seems to be burning a hole in my pocket lately . Maybe next month. (这几个月我花钱如流水。也许下个月吧。)
9)fill one’s shoes 很好地顶替；令人满意地替代
Model: [1997.8.]
——Have you heard that Professor Jones is retiring? (你听说Jones教授要退休了吗？)
——Yes. The faculty won’t find anyone to fill her shoes. (是的。学校将很难找到合适的人来代替她。)
10)is ice cold 表示理所当然
Model: [1995.10.]
——Does Prof. Ford always come to class? (Ford教授总是来上课吗？)
——Is ice cold? (当然了。)
11)like apples and oranges 用来表示无法相比的事物
Model: [1997.1.]
——Which game do you think is more difficult to learn, chess or bridge? (你认为桥牌和象棋哪个更难学?)
——They are like apples and oranges. (它俩没法比较。)
12)look for a needle in a hay stack 大海捞针
Model: [1990.1.]
——We are supposed to meet John here at the train station. (我们要在火车站接John。)
——That’s like looking for a needle in a hay stack . (那可真是大海捞针。)
13)lose one’s train of 忘记
Model: [1995.1.]
——When you interrupted me, you made me lose my train of thought. (你打断了我的思考，我忘记我在想什么了。)
14)meet each other half way 相互妥协，让步
Model: [1992.8.]
——My chemistry project is in trouble because my partner and I had totally different ideas about how to proceed. (我的化学课题出问题了。在进展问题上，我与我的合作者意见完全不同。)
——You should try to meet each other half way. (你们应该相互妥协。)
15)on the dot 准时；正点
Model: [1992.8.]
——Did you and Amanda really meet exactly five minutes to two in front of the theatre? (你和Amanda确实在差5分两点的时候到达剧院门口了吗？)
——Yes, we were both there on the dot. (是的，我俩都准点到达。)
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 decided 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 anthropology 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? (我想知道这种新的冰激凌是什么味道？)
——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 exhausted 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。)
31)do the trick 做成功；达到理想的结果
Model:
——I’ve been trying to get the furnace started, but I can’t find the right switch. (我尽力想让炉子燃起来，可不知道该按哪个键。)
——Here, I believe this one in the back will do the trick. (这里，我相信后面按这个键，可以让炉子燃起来。)
32)drag one’s feet 行动缓慢；磨磨蹭蹭不情愿
Model:
——How’s Bob coming along on his dissertation proposal? (Bob的论文计划进展地怎么样了？)
——He’s really been dragging his feet. (他很磨蹭的。)
33)draw the line 拒绝，拒不容忍
Model:
——Paul expects me to clean the room every week. (Paul想让我每周打扫房间。)
——That’s where I draw the line. (可是我绝对不会答应的。
34)feel down in the dumps 心情不好；情绪低落
Model:
——Kate was really feeling down in the dumps about her latest chemistry assignment. (Kate为最近的化学作业成绩感到很沮丧。)
35)few and far between 不多；少而分散的；不常碰到或发现的；稀少的
Model:
——Steve is really a terrific guy. (Steve真是不简单。)
——He sure is. Ones like him are few and far between. (当然。像他那样的人可不多见。)
36)fit as a fiddle 身体很健康
Model:
—— Harry! How have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages. (Harry，你好吗？好久没看见你了。)
——I’m fit as a fiddle. This exercise program I’m following is terrific. (我身体好极了。我正进行的这个锻炼计划太棒了。)
37)grin and bear 任劳任怨；毫无怨言地忍受
Model:
——Carla,I can’t take this job any longer. (Carla，我不能再做这份工作了。)
——If you need the money, you’ll just have to grin and bear it. ( 如果你需要钱，你就得忍耐。)
38)hit the spot (特指吃了食物，喝了饮料之后)精神完全恢复过来或感到满足；恢复精力；提精神
Model:
——This Lemonade sure hits the spot.(柠檬汁太提神了。)
——And how! (当然了！)
39)keep between the two of us 不让第三者知道，保密
Model:
——What I’m going to say is rather personal, so let’s keep between the two of us. (我要讲的纯属私事，所以希望你能保密。)
40)know a thing or two about 略知一二
Model:
——Do you think Andy could help us plan the camping trip to West Virginia? (你认为Andy会帮我们计划去西弗吉尼亚州野营吗？)
——Well, since he spends every summer there, he might know a thing or two about it. (可能吧。他每个夏天都去那儿，应该知道一些事儿。)
41)leave no stone unturned 不遗余力；全力以赴
Model:
——Lynn left no stone unturned in her research, and handed in an excellent paper. (Lynn全力以赴做她的研究，交了一篇优秀的论文。)
42)on cloud nine 沉浸在幸福之中；非常高兴
Model:
——Marcia looks like she’s on cloud nine. Do you know what made her so happy? (Marcia好象沉浸在幸福之中。你知道她为什么这么高兴吗？)
——She just had a paper accepted for publication. (她有一篇文章要发表了。)
43)on the tip of one’s tongue 一时想不起来，话到嘴边又忘记
Model:
——Are you sure you can’t remember the name of that record? (你肯定记不起来那张唱片的名字吗？)
——It’s just on the tip of my tongue! (我就是一时想不起来了。
44)reach the bottom of the barrel 用完，弹尽粮绝
Model:
——Don’t you have any other clean shirts? (你还有其它干净衬衫吗？)
——I guess I’ve reached the bottom of the barrel. (我想我已经用完了。)
45)rub sb. the wrong way 使(某人)有点恼火；惹怒；引起反感；烦扰，打搅
Mode——What do you think of our new economics instructor? (你觉得新经济学老师怎么样？)
——I don’t know. Something about him rubs me the wrong way. (不知怎么的，他有点让我反感。)
46)scratch the surface 只懂皮毛，很不了解(通常和限制性副词如only, hardly等词连用)
Model:
——You’ve certainly done a lot of research for your project. (你显然对你的课题做了不少研究。)
——It seems like a lot, but actually I’ve only scratched the surface. (看上去不少，但事实上我只懂一些毛皮。)
47)up in the air 尚未决定的；捉摸不定的；悬而未决的
Model:
——Her plans for the weekend are still up in the air. (她尚未决定如何度过这个周末。)
48)wear and tear 磨损；消耗
Model:
——Why do you always put on slippers when you go into your apartment? (为什么你老是一进公寓就穿上拖鞋？)
——It saves wear and tear on the carpet. (拖鞋不磨损地毯。)
49)with flying colors 大获全胜；胜利地
Model:
——How did Ellen do on her Ancient History exam? (Ellen古代史考得怎么样？)
——She passed with flying colors. (她考得好极了。)
50)get off on the wrong foot 开始就不顺利；一开始就犯了个错误
Model: [1995.5.]
——I hate to get off on the wrong foot. (我讨厌一开始就犯错误。)
51)get on someone’s nerves 使人不安，使人心烦
Model: [1996.8.]
——Why did you come to the meeting late? I left a message with your roommate about the time change. (为什么你开会迟到？我让你的同屋告诉你改时间的事了。)
——She has a very short memory and it really gets on my nerves sometimes. (她记性不好，有时真让我心烦。)
52)give someone a break 不要去管，饶了某人吧
Model: [1994.5.]
——Give me a break. I’m nervous enough as it is. (不要管我，我已经够紧张了。)
53)head and shoulders above (在…方面)强于某人
Model: [1991.10.]
——In computer programming, Susan is head and shoulders above the rest of us.(在计算机编程上，Susan比我们强。)
54)in the red 赤字，负债
Model: [1996.5.]
——So far the clubs are about three hundred dollars in the red, and we still have four months to go before membership renewal. ( 到目前为止，俱乐部有300元赤字，然而还有4个月才到交会员费的时间。
——Well, we may have to raise our dues.(那么，我们必须提高会员费了。)
55)in the dark 一无所知；不了解情况
Model: [1994.1.]
——Do you have any idea what this notice is about? (你知道这通知讲的是什么吗？)
——I’m as in the dark as you are. (我也跟你一样不了解情况。)
