“抓紧时间！我们可没有一整天工夫。”

【句子】And that's just the tip of the iceberg. 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/ænd/ /ðæts/ /dʒʌst/ /ðə/ /tɪp/ /əv/ /ðiː/ /ˈaɪs.bɜː(r)g/ 【发音技巧】and that’s不完全失去爆破；just the不完全失去爆破；tip of连读；the重读； 【翻译】那才只是冰山一角呢。 【适用场合】 “冰山一角”的表达汉语和英语意思差不多，大家可以联想一下这张图片，看看冰山iceberg就会发现你能看到、观察到的部分其实很有限，下面藏着的很大部分你都看不到。 所以英语中the tip of the iceberg用来指： only the part of something that can be easily observed, but not the rest of it, which is hidden eg: The problems that you see here now are just the tip of the iceberg. There are numerous disasters waiting to happen. 你现在看到的这些问题，只是冰山一角而已。还有很多更严重的后果会发生。 eg: Laying off a hundred workers is only the tip of the iceberg. 解雇100位工人，只是冰山一角而已。 eg: We get about 2,000 complaints every year and that's just the tip of the iceberg. 我们每年会收到两千多个投诉，但那只是冰山一角而已。 eg: Figures show that there have been 700 official burglaries throughout the area, but police believe this is the tip of the iceberg. 数据显示这个地区有700件官方通报的入室盗窃案件，但警方认为，这只是实际情况的冰山一角而已。 有的时候，人们也会在iceberg之前加上词修饰它，以用来表明是哪一类的事物； 比如我们在讨论一位才华横溢的作曲家： eg: These songs are just the tip of the creative iceberg. 这些歌曲，才只是他刚刚开始展露创作才华的作品而已。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 I’m afraid that these few reported cases of the disease might only be the tip of the iceberg.

【句子】But in all fairness, our son is our business. 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/bʌt/ /ɪn/ /ɔːl/ /ɑːl/ /ˈfeə(r).nəs/ /aʊə(r)/ /sʌn/ /ɪz/ /aʊə(r)/ /ˈbɪz.nɪs/ 【发音技巧】but in连读+闪音；son is连读； 【翻译】但是说句公道话，我们儿子的事就是我们的事啊。 【适用场合】 fairness the quality of treating people equally or in a way that is right or reasonable 公平；公正；合理性 eg: He had a real sense of fairness and hated injustice. 他极富正义感，厌恶不义之事。 in all fairness 也可以说 in fairness considering everything that has an effect on a situation, so that a fair judgment can be made 说句公道话，公道一点 后面还可以加上to sb. 表示“给某个人说句公道话”； eg: In all fairness, he has been a hard worker. 说句公道话，他工作一直很努力。 eg: In all fairness to him, he did try to stop her leaving. 公平地说，他确实曾经试图阻止她离开。 eg: In all fairness, there is no hard evidence to support these charges yet. 说句公道话，到目前为止，没有确凿的证据支持这些指控。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 In fairness, I did try to warn her about the implications of a deal like that, but I still should have done more to stop it from happening.

【句子】And if you knew Frankie Valli, you’d be cracking up right now. 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/ænd/ /ɪf/ /juː/ /njuː/ /nuː/ /fræŋki/ /ˈvæli/ /juːd/ /bi:/ /ˈkræk.ɪŋ/ /ʌp/ /raɪt/ /naʊ/ 【发音技巧】and if连读；you’d be 完全失去爆破；right now不完全失去爆破； 【翻译】如果你们了解Frankie Valli的话，你们这会早就哈哈大笑了。 【适用场合】 首先，视频中出现的： Let’s take it down a notch. 咱们说话小声点儿。 是我们很久以前在学习摩登家庭的时候就已经讲过的一个表达。 当时是在第92期节目里，也是Jay对Gloria说的，觉得她嗓门大。 没有印象的同学可以点击链接复习一下。 然后我们看一下今天的关键句，大家能看出来这个句子是个什么语气么？ 虚拟语气，如果你们俩现在认识Frankie Valli的话，你们这会早就哈哈大笑了。 今天我们学一下crack up的用法； 有的同学会说crack指的是断裂、裂开这样的意思。 但其实口语中crack up特别常见的意思是： 哈哈大笑 laugh very hard 或者理解成： 让某人哈哈大笑 cause someone to laugh very hard 这样的意思 eg: We all cracked up at his joke. 听到他讲的笑话，我们都笑作一团。 eg: His joke cracked us all up. 听到他讲的笑话，我们都笑作一团。 eg: The girls all cracked up when they saw him. 当女生们看到他的时候，都乐了。 eg: That comedian really knows how to crack up an audience. 那个喜剧演员真的特别会逗观众开怀大笑。 eg: Little kids just crack me up with the things they say. 小孩子们说的那些话，真的让人忍俊不禁。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 我给他讲我的经历的时候，他哈哈大笑。

【句子】Let me bring you up to speed. 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/let/ /miː/ /brɪŋ/ /ju:/ /ʌp/ /tʊ/ /spiːd/ 【发音技巧】let me不完全失去爆破；up to完全失去爆破； 【翻译】让我来给你做个前情提要。/我来跟你说说之前是个什么状况。 【适用场合】 up to speed 一般来说常见两种理解： 1. 以理想的速度前行；进展； moving at the desired or anticipated pace 或者以最高效率运转； cause it to be working at its highest level of efficiency eg: Your department just isn't moving up to speed—I mean, this project was supposed be done weeks ago. 你们部门就是拿不出来高效率，这个项目几周之前就应该完成的！ eg: Tina did everything she could to bring her workers up to speed, but she failed. 为了让工人们能够提高工作效率，Tina试了所有方法，但仍旧以失败告终。 2. 对某件事情（尤其是细节）非常了解； well-informed about something, especially with the latest details eg: Bring the new guy up to speed on this case, will you? 你跟这位新人同步一下这个案子的近况，好吗？ eg: Please bring me up to speed on this matter. 请跟我说下这事儿到底怎么回事。 eg: I guess I should bring you up to speed on what happened since I saw you yesterday. 我想我得跟你说一下，我昨天见完你以后发生了什么事儿。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 We try to keep people entertained and up to speed with what's going on in town.

【句子】--What about the crab cakes? --That was a fluke. 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/wɒt/ /wɑːt/ /əˈbaʊt/ /ðə/ /kræb/ /keɪks/ /ðæt/ /wɒz/ /wɑːz/ /ə/ /fluːk/ 【发音技巧】what about the连读+闪音+不完全失去爆破；crab cakes完全失去爆破；was a连读； 【翻译】--那蟹肉饼呢？你不是说你愿意尝试新事物吗？--那只是个意外。 【适用场合】 fluke在这里的意思，你看懂了吗？ 结合视频的情节，Jay劝Manny接受新事物，等轮到自己，就双标了。 所以这个时候的fluke其实指的是：侥幸、意外这样的意思；指某件事情的发生更多地是由于运气好造成的； a lucky or unusual thing that happens by accident, not because of planning or skill 这种表达一般在口语中使用。 eg: The first goal was just a fluke. 第一颗进球纯属侥幸。 eg: They are determined to show that their last win was no fluke. 他们下了决心要证明：上次的获胜并不是因为运气好。 eg: It was a fluke that no one was hurt in the bomb blast. 在这次炸弹爆炸事件中，没有人受伤，完全是侥幸。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 The discovery was something of a fluke.

【句子】Buddy, don’t close yourself off from new things. 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/ˈbʌd.i/ /dəʊnt/ /kləʊz/ /jɔː(r)ˈself/ /frɒm/ /frɑːm/ /njuː/ /nuː/ /θɪŋz/ 【发音技巧】don’t close完全失去爆破； 【翻译】伙计，别拒绝接受新事物。 【适用场合】 close off 在口语中可以用来指： 1. 阻止人们进入某个区域 prevent access to a particular area or thing eg: The police have closed off the road to traffic. 警方已经关闭了道路。 eg: We had to close off that section of the restaurant for a private party. 为了举办私人派对，我们不得不关闭了餐厅的那个区域。 2. 拒绝和别人交流感情； 当中可以加上反身代词oneself来使用。 avoid emotional connection with others; isolate; eg: He really closed himself off after his last break-up. 自从上次分手之后，他就完全封闭了自己。 eg: I have a hard time making friends because I usually close myself off from other people. 我很难交到朋友，因为我不愿意和其他人来往。 3. 拒绝听别人的观点、看法、意见（和自己意见不同） 当中可以加上反身代词oneself来使用。 refuse to listen to viewpoints, ideas, or opinions that differ from one's own eg: Can you please listen to what I think, instead of closing yourself off? 你能不能行行好先听听我的想法，别总是固执已见呢？ 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 自从他唯一的朋友去世，他就完全封闭了自己，不再与人来往了。

【句子】Yeah, our babysitter bailed, and we’re kind of in a bind, so… 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/jeə/ /aʊəʳ/ /ˈbeɪ.biˌsɪt.əʳ/ /beɪld/ /ænd/ /wɪəʳ/ /kaɪnd/ /əv/ /ɪn/ /ə/ /baɪnd/ /səʊ/ 【发音技巧】babysitter闪音；kind of连读；in a连读； 【翻译】我们的保姆走了，我们碰上点小麻烦，所以…… 【适用场合】 首先说一下，这里的bail并不是常见的“保释”的意思， 而是leave a place, especially quickly “快速离开”这样的含义； eg: Sorry, I really have to bail. 对不起，我真的得走了。 bind 困境，不能想干啥就干啥 a difficult or annoying situation in which you are prevented from acting as you might like eg: Having to visit her every week is a terrible bind. 每周都要拜访她，真让人难受/不爽。 in a bind 陷于困境，进退维谷 In a particularly difficult or awkward situation, especially one that is not easy to resolve or escape. eg: I'm going to be in quite a bind if this loan isn't approved. 如果这笔贷款不被批准，我将会陷入困境。 eg: Sorry I'm late. Fred was in a bind and needed me to drive him home. 对不起我迟到了，Fred碰上点麻烦，需要我把他送回家。 eg: Borrowing money may put you in a real bind. 借钱可能会令你陷入真正的困境、窘境当中。 也可以说 in a hole 处于困境，处于窘境 to be in a difficult or an embarrassing situation eg: We've lost the order and we're in a bit of a hole. 我们失去了订单，因而处境有些困难。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 他现在的处境有点困难。银行给了他一周的时间，让他筹集2000美元。

【句子】I have bad news, Manny. This is not the biggest curveball that life is going to throw you. 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/aɪ/ /hæv/ /bæd/ /njuːz/ /nuːz/ /ˈmæni/ /ðɪs/ /ɪz/ /nɒt/ /nɑːt/ /ðə/ /ˈbɪgɪst/ /'kɜː(r)vˌbɔːl/ /'kɜː(r)vˌbɑːl/ /ðæt/ /laɪf/ /ɪz/ /ˈgəʊ.ɪŋ/ /tʊ/ /θrəʊ/ /ju:/ 【发音技巧】bad news不完全失去爆破；this is连读；not the不完全失去爆破；biggest curveball完全失去爆破；that life is不完全失去爆破+连读； 【翻译】我有一个坏消息要告诉你，Manny。你生活中最艰难的时刻还远远没有到来呢！ 【适用场合】 curveball in the sport of baseball, a throw in which the ball curves as it moves towards the player with the bat （棒球运动中的）旋球，弧线球 在口语中可以引申为别的意思： 可以用来指： something such as a question or event that is surprising or unexpected, and therefore difficult to deal with 突如其来的问题；突发的棘手的、难以处理或解决的事情 throw sb. a curveball 字面意思：给某个人扔了弧线球 surprise someone with something that is difficult or unpleasant to deal with 给某人出难题；使某人措手不及 这个口语表达常见于美式英语 eg: Mother Nature threw us a curveball last winter with record-breaking amounts of snow. 去年冬天的降雪量创下了记录，老天爷真是给我们出了道意想不到的难题。 eg: Just when you think you have it all under control, life throws you a curveball. 当你认为一切都在掌控之中时，生活就会冷不丁地给你出道难题。 eg: The fact that Lily was leaving the company really threw Mary a curveball. Lily即将离开公司，Mary真的对此感到措手不及。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 生活常常会冷不丁地给你出个难题。适应适应吧。

【句子】 I don’t wanna try new things. You can’t just spring this on me. 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/aɪ/ /dəʊnt/ /ˈwɒn.ə/ /ˈwɑː.nə/ /traɪ/ /njuː/ /nuː/ /θɪŋz/ /ju:/ /kɑːnt/ /kænt/ /dʒʌst/ /sprɪŋ/ /ðɪs/ /ɒn/ /ɑːn/ /mi:/ 【发音技巧】can’t just spring 不完全失去爆破+不完全失去爆破；this on连读； 【翻译】我才不要尝试新事物呢，你不能给我搞这种突然袭击。 【适用场合】 Let’s not make this a thing. 咱们不要把这个太当回事儿。别把这事儿看得过重。 在英语口语中，make a (big) thing out of sth. 一般来说指的是：夸大其词，把一件事情说得比本来更严重、更重要； make something seem much more serious or important than it really is eg: It was only a small mistake, but he made a really big thing out of it. 那本来也就是一个小错误，但是他非要夸大其词揪住不放。 eg: Let's not make a thing of this. It's just a minor setback. 别太把这个当回事儿了，只是一个小小的挫折而已。 You can’t just spring this on me. 你不能突然对我这样啊！ spring sth. on sb. suddenly tell or ask someone something when they do not expect it 突然告诉某人，冷不防地问/告诉某人一件事情； eg: They just sprang it on me at the office meeting. 他们突然在工作会议中告诉了我这件事儿。 eg: She sprang a new idea on him. 她突然告诉了他一个新点子。 eg: I'm springing a trip to Barcelona on my wife for her birthday. 我准备弄个惊喜旅行，带我妻子去一趟巴塞罗那，庆祝她的生日。 eg: The boss sprang several huge changes to the project on me at the last minute. 老板在最后一刻才告知我项目出现了一些巨大的改动。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 昨晚他们突然跟家人说了订婚的消息。

【句子】Hump day, am I right, Jay? 【Modern Family S2E18】 【发音】/hʌmp/ /deɪ/ /æm/ /aɪ/ /raɪt/ /dʒeɪ/ 【发音技巧】hump day完全失去爆破；am I连读； 【翻译】今天才周三，真难熬的一周，对吧，Jay？ 【适用场合】 hump day slang 俚语 用来指星期三Wednesday The phrase alludes to a work or school week being like a hill, with the "hump"—the hardest part to overcome—being right in the middle. 这个词让你想到工作周或上学周就像一座小山，“驼峰”（最难克服的部分）就在中间。 这种用法主要是在美式英语中听到。 eg: Make sure you make an extra pot of coffee for the office this morning—it's always tough getting through hump day. 请确保今天早上为办公室多加一壶咖啡，周三的日子不好过啊。 eg: It's hump day and perhaps the toughest day of the week for you. 今天是周三，对你来说，也许是一周里最难渡过的一天了。 eg: Wednesday is hump day. Thursday is the unofficial beginning of the weekend. 周三是最艰难的一天，而周四，差不多就算做是周末的预告了。 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 Hump day is past and now it's time for us to start thinking about the sunny weekend ahead of us!

【句子】We’re not the only two monkeys with a panda. Gay parents are a huge market, and no one’s writing for them. We thought we were sitting on a gold mine. 【Modern Family S2E17】 【发音】/wɪə(r)/ /nɒt/ /nɑːt/ /ðiː/ /'əʊnli/ /tuː/ /'mʌŋkiz/ /wɪð/ /ə/ /'pændə/ /geɪ/ /ˈpeə(r).rənts/ /ɑː(r)/ /ə/ /hjuːdʒ/ /'mɑː(r)kɪt/ /ænd/ /nəʊ/ /wʌnz/ /'raɪtɪŋ/ /fɔː(r)/ /ðəm/ /wiː/ /θɔːt/ /θɑːt/ /wiː/ /wɜː (r)/ /'sɪtɪŋ/ /ɒn/ /ɑːn/ /ə/ /gəʊld/ /maɪn/ 【发音技巧】not the不完全失去爆破+重读；with a连读；and no不完全失去爆破；on a连读；gold mine不完全失去爆破； 【翻译】不仅仅是我们这两只猴子有一只熊猫宝宝，同性恋夫妇是一个巨大的市场，没人专门给他们写书。我们觉得我们简直是发现了巨大的商机。 【适用场合】 今天来学学这个动词短语： sit on a gold mine 字面的意思是：坐在一座金矿上； 一般引申为：坐拥金矿，腰缠万贯 possess or have access to something that will yield a very large amount of money 拥有能够带来巨大财富的资源 这时候的gold mine可以用来指： a business or an activity that makes a large profit 能够带来巨大利润/财富的生意/项目 eg: This restaurant is a potential gold mine. 这家餐厅可是一个有潜力的好项目。 eg: Each one of those paintings would sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can't just sit on a gold mine like that and not take advantage of it! 这些画中的每一幅都要卖好几十万美元。像你这样坐拥宝贵财富却不懂得利用，可不行。 eg: Who knew that my grandfather was sitting on a gold mine of priceless antiques all these years? 谁知道这些年来我的祖父一直坐拥这些价值连城的古董？ eg: If your social networking site is attracting millions of new users every month, then you guys are definitely sitting on a gold mine. 如果你们的社交网站每月能够吸引数百万新用户，那么你们肯定要赚翻啦！ 【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 When I found out how much the old book was worth, I realized that I was sitting on a gold mine.