41.be on a gravy train 走运，有赚钱的机会
gravy在美国口语中有"容易赚得的利润"的意思，gravy train意即"轻易发大财的工作".该习语直译为"在一辆容易赚钱的火车上",所以引申为"走运，有赚钱的机会".
A: John seems to be on the gravy train these days. 约翰最近看起来很走运。
B: Yeah. He got a chance of going abroad to arrange an exhibition. 是啊。他得到了一个出国去办展览的机会。
A: I don’t know why the sun is not shining on me. 我不明白为什么我的运气总是不佳。
B: Don’t worry. You’ll be in the chips sooner or later. 别着急，总有一天你也会很富裕的。
42.be on cloud nine 高兴得飘飘然
该习语原为美国气象用语。该习语的流行据说应归功于50年代播放的一个名叫《约翰尼·多拉尔》的广播节目。Be on cloud nine的字面意思是"坐早九重云霄之上",引申为"高兴得不得了"或"飘飘然".例如：He was on cloud nine after winning the competition. （他在比赛胜利后欣喜若狂。）
A: You seem to be on cloud nine these days. How is your restaurant business? 你近来有些高兴得飘飘然。餐馆的生意怎么样？
B: How is my business? It’s none of your business! 我的生意怎么样？这不关你的事。
A: It’s rude of you to talk to me like this. 你这样跟我说话太粗鲁了。
B: I was only teasing you. You see, we have our clients eating out of our hands now. Both Mark and I are feeling on the top of the world. 我只是在逗你玩儿。你看，我们现在已经有了许多回头客了。马克和我都感到非常高兴。
43.be on pins and needles 坐立不安
pins指"大头针",needles指"针",be on pins and needles的字面意思是"如坐在大头针和针上",喻为"坐卧不安"或"如坐针毡".
A: It seems you’re on pins and needles today. Anything troubling you? 你今天似乎坐立不安。有什么事吗？
B: Yeah. I don’t know why bad things keep happening to me. You see, my car was stolen and the warehouse had been broken into. I can’t put my finger on the causes of this damned thing. 是的。我不知道坏事为什么总是找上我。你看，我的汽车被偷了，货仓也被盗了。我弄不明白怎么会发生这些倒霉事。
A: There must be someone who had planned that. He threatened to show you the color when you refused to give him a promotion. 也许这是有人精心策划的。因为你没有提升他，他要给你点颜色看看。
44.be over the hump 已度过难关
hump的本义是"小丘，山脉",over the hump直译为"越过山脉",引申为"度过难关".
A: The Asian financial crises have almost paralyzed Asian economy. 亚洲金融危机几乎使亚洲经济瘫痪。
B: Your company must be influenced by it deeply. 你们的公司肯定也很受影响吧
A: Yeah. But we are over the hump now. 是的。但我们现在我们已经渡过了难关。45.be saddled with 把任务或责任强加在某人身上
saddle在这儿作动词，意为"使负担，强加",saddle sb. with sth. 意为"为某人负重担",因此该习语意为"把任务强加予某人".例如：I can’t be saddled with any more responsibilities.（我再也不能承担更多的任务了。）
A: How is George recently? 最近乔治怎么样？
B: Not very good. I hear that he is saddled with debts of his company. 不太好。我听说他的公司现在债务缠身。
A: What happened? 怎么回事？
B: It’s said that he was cheated by his partner. 据说是他的合伙人把他给骗啦。
46.be short of hands 缺乏人手，人手不够
short作表语时指"某物不够，缺乏某物"的意思，常与介词of搭配使用，既短语be short of something.
A: You look worried about something. What’s the matter? 你好像很着急，怎么了？
B: My computer isn’t working and I have got an important contract to type. 我的电脑坏了，可我还有一份重要合同要打出来。
A: Why don’t you call the computer company? 你为什么不给计算机公司打个电话？
B: I did, but they said the company was short of hands and couldn’t send any man today. 我打了，可他们说人手不够，今天不能派人来。
A: What should I do? 我该怎么办呢？
47.be supposed to 认为应该，必须；认为可以
此语用被动语态表示"被许多人相信",如：The castle is supposed to be haunted.（人们都说那座城堡闹鬼。）此语在口语中表示"认为可以做某事",如：None of us girls is supposed to smoke.（我们女孩子都不吸烟。）此语中的supposed是动词的过去式，supposed作为形容词，意指"假定的，被信以为真的，想象中的".
A: The train was supposed to get to Beijing at eight o’clock. 火车该八点钟到北京。
B: Eight o’clock? It’s already eight-thirty. 八点？现在都八点半了。
A: What if he didn’t see us? 要是他没看见我们怎么办？
B: He would take a taxi, I think. 他会打出租车的。
A: Maybe the train is late. 不会是火车晚点了吧。
B: It is impossible. I have heard the broadcast. 不可能。我已听见广播了。
48.be too quick on the trigger 操之过急，行动过于仓促
trigger指枪的"扳机，触发器".该习语直译为"过早地扣动扳机",引申为"行动过于仓促，操之过急".
A: You shouldn’t have had Bob do that job. He is still a green hand. 你不该让鲍勃做那项工作，他毕竟还是一个新手。
B: But he needs to be given a chance. 但是他也需要机会呀！
A: You should not have been too quick on the trigger. 可你不该太性急呀！49.bear down 加倍努力
该习语本身就有"竭尽全力、加紧努力"的意思。例如：You will bear down if you expect to pass the exam. （你要是指望考试及格的话，就得加一把劲。）
A: If we can’t finish the work before deadline, we will be fined according to the contract. 如果我们不能在规定的期限内完成工作，根据合同，我们将会被罚款。
B: We are already bearing down to do the work. 我们已经在很努力地工作了。
A: I know. What I mean is that we should improve our efficiency. 我知道。我的意思是我们必须提高效率。
50.beat someone at his own game 将计就计地惩罚某人
习惯用语beat someone at his own game直译为"以某人自己设计的把戏打击某人",与汉语的"将计就计"近似。
A: You seem to be worried about something. 你看上去很担心。
B: Yeah. I don’t know how to deal with that smart businessman. 是呀。我不知道该怎么对付那个狡猾的商人。
A: Don’t worry. Let’s beat him at his own game. 别担心，我们可以将计就计。
B: A good idea. 好主意。
51.behind schedule 落后于计划或预定时间
该习语的字面意思是"落后于预定时间".例如：The train is two hours behind schedule.（火车晚点两小时。）与之相关的习语还有on schedule,意思是"按时间表；及时；准时";ahead of schedule,意思是"提前".
A: Are you OK? 你没事吧？
B: Yeah. 没有。
A: I worried about you all the time. You’ve come back at last! 我一直担心你。你终于回来了。
B: I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. 对不起，让你久等了。
A: What happened to you? 怎么回事？
B: The train is behind schedule. 火车晚点了。
A: No wonder. 怪不得。
52.behind the eightball 处于非常不利的地位
eightball指"台球比赛中的8号黑球".在台球比赛中，只有将其他所有的球都打进袋中才能击打黑球。因此，其他的球如果在黑球的后面，则是"非常不利的处境",behind the eightball即比喻某人"处于非常不利的地位".
A: New computer companies have mushroomed in our city. 我们城市里的电脑公司好像雨后春笋般冒了出来。
B: With so many competitors, our company is behind the eightball right now. 有这么多的竞争者，我们公司正处于一种非常不利的状况之中。
A: Why not try a new line of business? 为什么不试一试其他行业呢？
B: I am looking for opportunities now. 我也正在寻找机会。53.bell the cat 为众人利益而冒险
该习语出自一则猫和老鼠的寓言故事：老鼠们为了不被猫抓住，就想出了一个在猫的脖子上系铃的良策，但是谁去给猫系铃呢？（Who will bell the cat?）。没有一只老鼠敢去。因此bell the cat指"舍己救人，为他人利益冒险".
A: It’s harder and harder to find clients because of the financial depression. 由于经济萧条，寻找新客户越来越难了。
B: Yeah. But the boss wouldn’t want excuses, he only wants the result. 是啊。可老板不会听什么借口，他只要结果。
A: Someone should talk to him. 应该有人去和他谈谈。
B: Who is it? That’s as good as belling the cat. 谁去呢？那无异于老鼠给帽儿系铃铛。
54.beside the point 离题，不中肯
point是名词，有"要点，中心意思，核心问题"的意思；beside the point字面意思为"在核心问题旁边",引申为"偏离中心".
A: Your plan won’t work. I think it’s your nonsense. That’s beside the point. 你的计划是没用的。你简直是在胡说八道。那根本是不切题的。
B: How dare you say that? I worked it out after much calculation. 你怎么敢这么说？ 我是经过慎重考虑才提出来的。
A: Sorry. Now let’s calm down and try to find a good way, OK? 对不起。现在让我们都平静下来再想个好的解决办法，好吗？
B: Well. Let’s discuss it again. 好吧。我们再讨论讨论吧。
55.big bucks 一大笔钱
buck的意思是"美元",big bucks即为"一大笔钱".
A: You seem to be beside yourself today. What has made you so happy? 你看起来得意洋洋的。什么事让你那么高兴？
B: I made some big bucks last week. I didn’t expect that I could make so much money. 上星期我赚了一大笔钱，我可从没想过我能赚那么多钱。
A: The sun is shining on you. You must have had luck going for you. 你真是吉星高照呀，你的运气来了。
B: I guess so. 我想也是。
56.bite off more than one can chew 贪多爵不烂，承担了过多的工作而不能完成
bite指"咬，叮",bite off意为"咬下";chew为"爵"的意思。该习语的字面意思为"咬下的比所能爵的还多",比喻"贪多爵不烂".
A: How’s Henry’s business? 亨利的生意怎么样？
B: Not very well, I’m afraid. 恐怕不太好。
A: Didn’t he invest in several projects and manage quite a few businesses? 他不是投资了几个项目，还管理着几个企业吗？
B: Yeah. But he found that he had bitten off more than he could chew. 是啊。可能发现自己的摊子铺得太大，忙活不过来了。