1. CRUNCH TIME: the period of time just before a project has to be completed and everyone has to work hard
1.关键时期：项目竣工之前的一段时期，人人都在加紧工作

I’m not getting enough sleep these days. It’s crunch time at work.
这些天，我从没好好休息过，毕竟现在正处在攻坚期。

2.LET YOUR FREAK FLAG FLY:to let others see your uniqueness
2.展示身手：让他人看到自己的独特性

My colleagues were surprised at the Christmas party- I let my freak flag fly and showed them a break dance routine.
圣诞会上，同事们惊呆了——我一显身手跳了段霹雳舞。

3. GET OUT OF HAND:when you lose control of things, they get out of hand
3.失控：对某事失去控制，出现混乱。

The party got out of hand and the guests started to throw bottles at each other.
来宾们互相掷瓶，聚会一度失控。

4. GET YOUR HEAD AROUND IT:to understand something
4.集中精力：弄清某事

I just can’t get my head around the fact that Joe is leaving us.
我还是想不通乔为何要离我们而去。

5. DIG IN YOUR HEELS / STICK TO YOUR GUNS: to refuse to compromise or change your mind
5.立场坚定/决不动摇：拒绝让步或改变主意

My parents wanted me to give up writing, but I dug in my heels and went on to become a famous writer.
父母劝我放弃写作，但我立场坚定，立志成为一名出色的作家。

6. POUND THE PAVEMENT: to walk the streets looking for a job
6.在人行道徘徊：徘徊街头找工作

I’d been pounding the pavement for months before I found a job in a fast food restaurant.
在街上徘徊了数月，我才找到这份快餐店的工作。

7.PULL A RABBIT OUT OF A HAT: to do something unexpected that may have seemed impossible
7.另辟蹊径：做一些让人出乎意料，看上去不可能实现之事

I thought we were going bankrupt, but my partner pulled a rabbit out of his hat and we landed a major contract.
原以为我们要破产了，但我的生意伙伴另辟蹊径接到了一个大单子。

8. LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED: to do everything you can to achieve your goal
8.不遗余力：千方百计实现某事

I’ll leave no stone unturned until I find out who did this.
不管用什么办法，我都会查出这是谁干的。

9. GET IT OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM: to do something you’ve wanted to do for a long time and don’t want to postpone any longer
9.迫不及待：去做某项盼望已久的事情，不愿再等待

I wasn’t sure how she was going to react, but I had to get it out of my system, so I told her I had found another woman.
我不知道她会有什么反应，但是我等不下去了。因此，我告诉她自己移情别恋了。

10. STEP UP YOUR GAME: to start performing better
10.迎头赶上：做出更佳表现

If you want to win this competition, you’ll have to step up your game.
要想在这次竞争中获胜，你必须加把劲儿了。

11. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER: to calm down and behave normally
11.振作起来：冷静下来，恢复正常

I understand you’ve had a bad day, but pull yourself together and get on with your job, will you?
我知道你今天不容易，但是振作起来开始工作好吗？

12. SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT: either start performing better or leave
12.好好干不然就走人：好好表现不然就走人

This is the last time I’m telling you to arrive on time. Shape up or ship out.
我再说最后一遍，按时上班好好干，不然就走人。