1.【不妙】something is to pay
The manager had a hunch that something was to pay.
經理感到事情有些不妙。
漢語的「有些不妙」或「有點不對頭」的概念常可用something is to pay的句式來表示。這一短語常和feel或have a hunch that連用。
Dialogue
Bob: Didn't you see the writing on the wall?
Sue: I even didn't have the slightest hunch.
Bob: But you should be prepared for such an outcome.
Sue: I had too much confidence in him.
Bob: But he ruined your business.
Sue: Well， if I knew there would be something to pay， I wouldn't should chalk it
up to experience.
Bob: Well， you should chalk it up to experience.
Sue: You're right.
2.【眼中釘】a thorn in someone's flesh
I wonder why I become a thorn in their flesh. I've never harmed them.
不知為什麼我成了他們的眼中釘了。我可從未錯待過他們。
我們說的「眼中釘」與英美人講的a thorn in someone's flesh指的是一回事，雖比喻有異，但意思相同。與此說法相似的還有「刺耳的話」（a flea in someone's ear）。
Dialogue
Frank: I don't know why I should become a thorn in the John's flesh.
Betty: You mean your boss?
Frank: Yeah. He seems to bear me a grudge.
Betty: That's because you are too much on the ball.
Frank: But why should that make him hate me?
Betty: That's because you put him in the shade.
3.【饞得流口水】make someone's mouth water
The delicacies on the table make him mouth water.
桌上的美味佳餚饞得他直流口水。
「使某人流口水」指「使某人垂涎」，是地道的漢語口語。這一概念一般是用make someone’s mouth water的句式來表達的。
Dialogue
Sue: Wow！ What a gracious table！ Everything looks so beautiful.
Bob: This might be the best dinner you've ever had.
Sue: Surely it is. I can hardly wait. They make my mouth water.
Bob: I feel itching， too. Let's start and try these delicacies.
4.【胡說八道】shooting from the hip
He thinks I've got the hots for Lily? It's shooting from the hip！
他說我迷戀上李麗了？這簡直是胡說八道！
漢語口語中的「胡說八道」曾被譯成break wind。其實，英美人更習慣用shoot from the hip來表示這一說法。
Dialogue
Rose: I didn't know Joe was two-faced. He stabbed me in the back.
Mark: What did he do?
Rose: He told my boyfriend that I had affairs with several men， which， of course，
made my boy friend very suspicious of me.
Mark: I didn't believe he would shoot from the hip like that！ It was very vicious
of him. You must not put up with him.
Rose: Of course not！ He will soon know what he deserves！
☆2004年高考專題