英语的\"长短成语\"容易理解。但含有cross和line的成语不容易理解。有时Cross是基督教中的\"十字架\"；有时比喻\"沉重的负担\"；有时表示\"生气\"。\"对\"和\"错\"可用\"勾\"或\"叉\"两个符号来表示，分别读做tick 和 cross. Crossed in love\"在爱情上被打了叉\"说的是\"失恋\"或\"被人蹬了\"。英语的line至少有20多种不同的解释。除本单元成语以外，跟line有关联的成语还有Step out of line（越轨，不按规定或要求办事），例句：If you step out of line again, you will be sacked（再不按规定办事，就炒你的鱿鱼）。成语Read between the lines中的lines是两行字的\"行\"，不是坐在铁路线上的两条铁轨（railway lines）之间读书。第5条成语In the long run中的run是名词，指\"奔跑的路程\"。
本单元的英语成语跟\"长\"、\"短\"、\"交叉\"和\"线条\"等有关。关键词包括：
long ― short ― cross ― dot ― line ― lines 1. A long way out字面意思：离的很远。 [解释] Quite inaccurate. （答案）不正确。
[例句] I am sorry to say that your answer was a long way out.
2. By a long chalk字面意思：一支长粉笔。 [解释] By a great amount; very much.
在很大程度上。表示数量大、程度深、距离远；非常。变体：By a long shot （远距离射击 - 相差甚远）不顾一切，无论
如何
。说明：这两条成语常用于否定句。By a long chalk指的是用一根很长的粉笔不间断地画出的线条长度。 [例句] She has not finished her thesis by a long chalk. 3. Cut a long story short字面意思：把长故事剪短。 [解释] Say with less words in order to save time. 为省时间而长话短说。简而言之。
[例句] Li Ming met this American girl last year in Shanghai… well, to cut a long story short, he is an American citizen now.
4. Have a long head字面意思：脑袋长。 [解释] Be sensible, shrewd. 精明、机灵。
[例句] He has a long head, and I think he could do well in business.
5. In the long run字面意思：在长期奔跑中。 [解释] Over a long period of time; ultimately.
长期；长远来看；最终。说明：与in the long run意思相反
的成语是in the short run（就眼前来看）。
[例句] The company is losing money at the moment, but profits will be high in the long run.
6. The long and short of something字面意思：事情的长短。 [解释] To sum up the most important point of an argument or story.
归纳要点；简要地说；归纳起来说。
[例句] It's a complicated story, but the long and short of it is that he was arrested.
7. Take a long view字面意思：看远处的景色。
[解释] Think about what will happen in the future as well as what is happening now.
既考虑现在也考虑将来；长远考虑。变体：Take the long view. [例句] We are planning to build a new bridge, and we should take the long view.
8. A short cut字面意思：短切口。
[解释] A quick way of arriving somewhere or doing something. 抄近路；捷径。
[例句] It was a long road, so we took a short cut across the field.
9. Short with someone字面意思：对某人短。
[解释] Abrupt or rude to someone. 对某人粗鲁、不礼貌。
[例句] I asked her father to marry his daughter, but he was short with me.
10. Have a short temper字面意思：短脾气。 [解释] Get angry easily. 很容易生气。
[例句] Many people say that Mr. Smith has a short temper, but I think he is all right.
11. Make short work of something字面意思：做短活儿。 [解释] Deal with something quickly. 快速完成或处理某事。
[例句] The exam was very easy and she made short work of it.
12. Run short of something字面意思：东西跑短了。 [解释] Use up almost all of something; have too little or few of something left.
（东西）快用完了；所剩无几。
[例句] I think we are running short of rice. Please buy another bag on your way home. 13. Short-handed字面意思：短手。 [解释] Not having enough workers.
人手不够；缺人手。
[例句] When the mechanic left for a holiday, we were short-handed for a time.
14. At cross purposes with someone字面意思：跟某人的目的交叉。
[解释] Misunderstand each other. 相互误解。
[例句] You must be at cross purposes with him; you don't seem to be talking about the same thing.
15. Crossed in love字面意思：在爱情上划了叉。 [解释] Be disappointed in love. 失恋。说明：常用于被动语态。
[例句] She was crossed in love four times before she met her present boy friend.
16. Cross one's t's and dot one's i's字面意思：要写字母 \"t\"上的一横，要写字母\"i\"上的一点。
[解释] Be careful, exact, and precise, especially in writing. 在写作中细心；书写严谨、精确（包括拼写及标点符号等）。 [例句] This is an important document; we must cross our t's and dot our i's when we draw up the contract. 17. Cross someone's path字面意思：穿过某人的路。 [解释] Meet someone by chance, especially after a long
period of time.
长时间没有见面后偶然遇到某人。
[例句] I have crossed her path two or three times in my life. 18. Cross someone's mind字面意思：穿过大脑。 [解释] Come to mind briefly; Occur to someone.
（想法）短暂出现在脑海里；突然想到。变体：Pass through someone's mind. 说明：Come to mind的字面意思是\"进入脑海\"，意思是\"想到\"，它不含\"短暂\"意思。
[例句] I would like to tell you what has just passed through my mind.
19. Double-cross someone字面意思：两次跨越某人。 [解释] Cheat, betray a friend or a partner. 欺骗、背叛朋友或合作伙伴。
[例句] The robbers tried to double-cross each other, each wanting to keep all the jewelry for himself. 20. All along the line字面意思：都沿这条线。
[解释] Everywhere; completely; in every way; at every point. 各个方面；完全地；全部地；一直是这样。 [例句](1) We were lucky all along the line.
(2) He has trusted you all along the line but now you have let him down.
21. Bottom line字面意思：底线。
[解释](1) The last figure on a financial balance sheet. 账本底线。
[例句] I can not remember those figures. Please just tell me the bottom line.
[解释](2) The result; the final outcome; the crux of the matter.
最终结果；难点；问题的关键。
[例句] The bottom line is that you have to do the job because no one can do it.
22. Bring somebody into line字面意思：把某人带进线内。 [解释] Make somebody agree or obey.
使某人同意或听命。说明：跟本单元第23条意思近似。 [例句] She could not agree with him before the meeting, but he soon brought her into line.
23. Come into line with someone字面意思：跟着某人进入线内。
[解释] Agree with someone; accept someone's advice; obey. 同意某人的观点；接受某人的建议。变体：Fall into line with someone.
[例句] He eventually fell into line when I showed him all the evidence.
24. Draw the line at字面意思：划一条线。
[解释] Refuse to go as far as; set a limit.
划定界限。拒绝做。拒绝走得太远或做的过头；定一条底线。说明：介词at之后常跟动名词。
[例句] I am willing to help you, but I draw the line at doing your homework for you.
25. Drop someone a line字面意思：留给某人一行字。 [解释] Send or leave someone a short letter. 给某人写封短信，留下便条。
[例句] Even if you are busy, you should sit down and drop him a line to thank him for his hospitality.
26. Put someone's life on the line字面意思：把生命挂在线上。
[解释] Risk death in order to achieve something.
为赢得某事而冒死亡的危险。另外一条成语：Put someone's neck on the line（把脖子挂在线上）的意思是\"所做的事可能失败，由此会降低别人对你的评价，或使你在经济方面受到损失。\"说明：这两条成语常用于否定句。
[例句] Government officials in this country are not the ones who will put their lives on the line to fight in wars. 27. Sign on the dotted line字面意思：在虚线上面签字。 [解释] Place one's signature on a contract or other important paper.
在合同或重要文件上签字。
[例句] We can not say that the agreement is concluded until we both sign on the dotted line.
28. Take a strong line字面意思：采取强硬路线。 [解释] Act in a certain way. 采取强有力的办法或严格的措施。
[例句] The students are behaving badly; you should take a strong line with them.
29. Toe the line字面意思：把脚放在起跑线上。
[解释] Obey orders; do what is expected or required to do. 服从命令；按照要求做事。说明：Toe作动词用。Toe的同音词是Tow（\"拉\"或\"拽\"的意思）。由此衍生出一个变体：Tow the line（拉线）。
[例句] The father insisted his daughter toe the line and finish her homework, or he would refuse to let her go out and play with her friends.
30. Read between the lines字面意思：读两行字的空白处。 [解释] Find a deeper meaning than is obvious; understand more than the words appear to mean.
体会言外之意。发现更深一层的、非表面的意思；领悟字面以外的意思；从字里行间理解意思。
[例句] This editorial is very important. You should read
between the lines. 操练成语
I. 多项选择练习。
1. □ She was crossed in love many times in the past. A. She used to love God in the past. B. She was disappointed in her past love life. C. She did not want to get married. 2. □ He has a short temper. A. He never gets angry. B. He gets angry easily. C. He has an amiable character.
3. □ He is not prepared to put his neck on the line. A. He is not going to take the risk. B. He is not willing to risk his life. C. He does not want to tell the truth.
4. □ You should cross your t's and dot your i's. A. You should be careful in your writing.
B. You should make sure you can get there in time. C. You should be considerate to others. 5. □ They tried to double-cross each other. A. They tried to cheat each other. B. They tried to see each other more often.
C. They tried to pray for each other. 6. □ We are short-handed at the moment. A. We want to make more money. B. We should improve our skills. C. We need more people to help.
7. □ Eventually we brought her into line. A. She was captured in the end. B. Finally she agreed with us. C. Eventually we took her to court. 8. □ The manager has a long head. A. The manager is very mean. B. The manager is very generous. C. The manager is very shrewd. 9. □ She is always short with me. A. She always asks me to help her. B. She is always happy to be with me. C. She always gets angry with me.
10. □ I have never crossed her path after graduation. A. I have not seen her after graduation. B. She wanted to marry me after graduation. C. She refused my love after graduation.
II. 填单词完成下列成语。 1. take a ________________ line.
2. come into ________________ with someone. 3. not by a long ________________. 4. cross someone's ________________. 5. have a short ________________. 6. all along the ________________. 7. the long and ________________ of it. 8. bring someone into ________________. 9. draw the ________________ at.
10. put one's ________________ on the line. 11. cross one's t's and ________________ one's i's. 12. read ________________ the lines.
13. at ________________ purposes with someone. 14. all ________________ the line. 15. drop someone a ________________.
III. 找出下列成语的大概意思。
[1] a long way out. [ ] obey rules.
[2] a short cut. [ ] disappointed in love. [3] bottom line. [ ] outcome. [4] toe the line. [ ] need more workers.
[5] crossed in love. [ ] quite incorrect. [6] short-handed. [ ] betray someone. [7] double-cross someone. [ ] be firm. [8] take a strong line. [ ] a quick way. [9] have a long head. [ ] meet someone. [10] cross someone's path. [ ] clever and shrewd.
IV. 根据汉英提示写出英语成语。
1． 长话短说 → cut __ ______ ______ ______
2． 抄近路 → take __ _______ ____ 3． 采取强硬政策 → take __ _______ _____
4． 听从别人的意见 → come ____ _______ ____ _________
5． 留便条 → drop _________ __ _____
6． 按规定和要求办 → toe ___ ______ 7． 冒生命危险 → put ___________ ____ __ ___ _____
8． 最终结果 → bottom _______ 9． 脾气急 → have __ _______
_________
10． 精明 → have __ ______ _______
V. 填单词完成下列句子。 1. He
has
been very fortunate all along the
________________.
2. I wanted to drop him a ________________ before I went back; but I forgot. 3. He
is a
successful
businessman;
he
has a
________________ head.
4. It is hard to ________________ her into line.
5. He was sad because he was crossed in ________________ again.
6. I ________________ the line at writing the paper for him. 7. We are running ________________ of milk.
8. You should ________________ the long view when we make plans.
9. He has not finished his homework by a long ________________.
10. She is often at cross ________________ with her husband.
VI. 用英语或汉语解释下列句子的意思。 2. A sudden idea crossed his mind.
3. I crossed her path only once since we graduated two years ago.
4. This is an important article. You should read between the lines.
5. She has not finished the book by a long chalk. 6. She eventually came into line with me. 7. The teacher asked his students to toe the line. 8. He has not finished assignment by a long chalk. 9. She made short work of the exam. 10. I will cut the long story short. 11. We are lucky all along the line.
VII. 用成语完成下列句子。
1. She did not want to go to Russia with us at the beginning. But we …
2. The students are rough. You should … 3. When you draw up the contract, you should …
4. It is a long story. Because we do not have enough time now, I will …
5. You should know I can not do everything for you. I have …
6. This chapter is very important. You should …
7. The exam was not difficult for her, and when she did it, she …
8. He is still not married. He wants to, but he … 9. Three more employees have left, so now we … 10. He is very angry with his girl friend because she …
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