A slap on the wrist这个习惯用语不仅能用在司法方面，而且它在日常生活中也是很普遍的。下面是一个公司的雇员在埋怨他的老板对他不公平。他对他的同事说：
例句2: Last time when I had a minor mistake in a report, Mr. Johnson gave me a severe warning and even threatened to fire me. Now, Lisa has made a really serious blunder, but I"m sure he"ll give her a slap on the wrist.
这个雇员说：上次我在一份报告中出了一点小差错。约翰逊先生给了我一个严重的警告，还威胁要解雇我。现在，丽萨出了一个真是非常严重的错误。不过，我肯定他也只会轻描淡写地惩罚她一下。
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我们要讲的第二个习惯用语是跟鞋子这个字有关的。这个习惯用语就是：To wait for the other shoe to drop. To wait就是等待，the other shoe就是另一只鞋，to drop就是掉下来。这个习惯用语来自很早以前造的旅馆。那时，旅馆的墙壁都很薄，这个房间里的客人可以听到隔壁房间里的声音。要是一个刚上床准备睡觉的旅客，听到隔壁房间的门开了，隔壁旅客坐上床时弹簧发出的声音，接着就是一只鞋子掉在地上的声音。然后却是一片寂静。可是，这位想睡觉的旅客不能入睡了，他得等另外一只鞋掉下来后才能睡觉。这就是to wait for the other shoe to drop的来源。
我们来举一个例子。这是一个人被提名出任官职，但是在等待参议院的批准。下面是一个人在谈论这件事。
例句3: At the hearings they haven"t dug yet into this man"s personal background. But there are rumors he has some shady things in his past, so everybody"s waiting for the other shoe to drop.
这人说：在这些听证会上，他们到目前为止还没有去追究这人以往生活方面的情况。但是，有传说讲他过去有些不光彩的事，所以每个人都在等待最后的结局。
从这个例子我们可以知道，to wait for the other shoe to drop就是在做一件事的过程中等待能够最后结束这个过程的事。
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下面是一个人在气头上把自己的朋友臭骂一顿，事后后悔莫及。最后，他决定写一封信给他朋友表示道歉，希望他朋友能原谅他。这是他在跟他的妻子说话。
例句4: Honey, I feel really bad for giving a piece of my mind to Henry. The more I think about it, the worse I feel. I"ve written him a letter to apologize and hope he"ll forgive me. Now I"m waiting for the other shoe to drop.
这个人说：亲爱的，我把亨利大骂了一顿。这实在使我感到非常难受。我越想越难受。我已经给他写了一封信，向他道歉，希望他能原谅我。现在，我就在等待他的回音。
流行美语第267课
Larry和李华正在谈论李华的一个学生。这个学生经常在李华办公时间去找她问问题，下课也喜欢多待一会儿再走。李华今天要学两个常用语，puppy"s Love和teacher"s Pet.
LL: So, Li Hua, you say this student of yours always comes to your office hours and stays after class to talk with you? It sounds like your student has a case of puppy love to me!
LH: Puppy love? 小狗跟我的学生有什么关系呢？
LL: As you know, Li Hua, puppies are very loyal and will follow their masters anywhere. We say a younger person who idolizes an older person has a case of puppy love.
LH: 噢，puppy Love是指年轻人的暗恋。照你这么说，我这个学生对我可能还真有puppy love. 我该怎么处理呢？
LL: Puppy love is usually harmless, Li Hua. I think as long as you remain professional, your student will eventually grow out of his puppy love.
LH: 你是说我要装做没有察觉，等他自己放弃这段感情？你还挺懂行的。Have you ever had a case of puppy love?
LL: Sure, I have, Li Hua. Puppy love is pretty common. I had a French teacher in high school who I really liked a lot. I stayed after class for extra help and was active in the French Club so I could spend more time with her.
LH: 我真难想象你会下课不走问问题，甚至还去参加法语俱乐部，就是为了接近你的法语老师。她知道你暗恋她吗？
LL: I wouldn"t be surprised if she did know. I probably wasn"t the first student she had with a case of puppy love.
LH: 后来呢？
LL: She just treated me like all the other students. She was friendly and pleasant and didn"t call attention to my behavior. Eventually, I grew out of my puppy love.
LH: 所以说，她对你跟其他学生一样，假装没有看出你的感情。这个老师处理得还真是不错。
LL: Yes, she did, and I really respect her for it now that I am older. What about you, Li Hua? Have you ever had a case of puppy love?
LH: 现在提起来，我也曾经有过一段puppy love.
LL: Really, Li Hua? Who were you in puppy love with?
LH: 我上学的时候私下里喜欢美术老师。他年轻潇洒，充满了创造力。不过跟你一样，I grew out of my puppy love when I got older.
LL: And I am sure your student will grow out of his puppy love, too.
LH: 谢谢你，Larry, 现在我知道该怎么对待那个学生了。
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LL: So, I have a question for you, Li Hua. Do you have a teacher"s pet?
LH: 宠物？Larry, 你知道我养猫啊。
LL: Right, you do have a cat, Li Hua, but a teacher"s pet is something a little different. A teacher"s pet is her favorite student.
LH: 哦，a teacher"s pet是说我最喜欢的学生。Hmm....我有好几个不错的学生，但没有一个最喜欢的。
LL: I can"t believe you don"t have a teacher"s pet, Li Hua. Surely, there is one student who is better than the rest.
LH: 倒是有个叫John的学生，成绩一直是A，上课很积极，如果要说teacher"s pet, 那恐怕就是他了。
LL: So, John is your teacher"s pet. You said he is helpful in class - that is so typical of a teacher"s pet. What kinds of things does he do?
LH: 他经常主动帮我收、发作业，有时候还帮我擦黑板。
LL: Oh, Li Hua, John is absolutely your teacher"s pet! You better be careful. The other students may realize it and come to resent John.
LH: 你是说其他学生如果发现John是teacher"s pet, 就会妒忌他吗？
LL: That"s right. I never was a teacher"s pet myself, but I did know other students who were teacher"s pets.
LH: 那你对那些同学有什么看法呢？
LL: I was jealous of them and the attention they received from the teacher, and I found them annoying. I bet you were a teacher"s pet, Li Hua.
LH: 你怎么知道的！我绝对是teacher"s pet, 老师可喜欢我了。
LL: So, I just have one more question for you, Li Hua. Is John, your teacher"s pet, the same student who has a case of puppy love for you?
LH: 不是。暗恋我的学生不是John, 你别瞎猜！
今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是puppy Love, 指年轻人的暗恋。另一个是teacher"s pet, 指老师最喜欢的学生。
流行美语第268课
Larry和李华一起看奥斯卡颁奖典礼。李华今天要学两个常用语，Glitz和Fashion Risk.
LL: Wow! I just love watching the Oscar Awards show, Li Hua. There is nothing quite as wonderful as the glitz of Hollywood.
LH: 我也特别喜欢看奥斯卡。不过Larry, 你刚才说glitz of Hollywood, glitz是什么意思啊？
LL: Glitz generally refers to a spectacular visual display of glamour and wealth.
LH: 我每年看奥斯卡，最喜欢的就是看那些电影明星都穿些什么式样的晚礼服，戴什么首饰。所以说，glitz就是光彩照人、让人眼花缭乱的意思。
LL: Most of the glitz of the Oscars Award Show is what the actors and actresses are wearing. People enjoy deciding which stars at the Oscars are the best dressed, and which are the worst.
LH: Larry, 那你觉得今年谁穿得最漂亮，谁又穿得最难看呢？
LL: Well, I haven"t really decided yet, because we haven"t finished watching the show. But I would have to say what Nicole Kidman is wearing is just too glitzy for my tastes.
LH: Glitzy 肯定是从glitz来的。 妮可·基德曼Nicole Kidman穿的是一条很高雅、线条很简单的黑裙子，怎么会过于奢华呢？
LL: Well, it isn"t Nicole Kidman"s dress that is so glitzy, it is the *huge* diamond necklace that she is wearing with it.
LH: 这我同意。她戴的钻石项链确实太醒目了。不过，这是好莱坞盛会，本来就是如此奢华的。
LL: Sure, but sometimes I think there is too much glitz! What about you, Li Hua? Who did you think is the best dressed?
LH: 那当然是乔治.克鲁尼George Clooney喽！不过，男明星跟女明星比起来，可就逊色多了。