在英语听力里有一些词语很经典，但却是考生听不懂意思的小词小句，以下文章为大家总结了那些词语，以及在出现这些词语的真题。希望对你的托福听力备考有所帮助。
1.take a rain check 改天吧
Model: [1998.8.北美(29)]
—— Can you come over for dinner tonight? (今天晚上来吃饭好吗?)
—— I’m up to my ears in work, so I’ll have to take a rain check.(我工作很忙，改天吧。)
2. lost count 弄不清楚
Model: [2000.1.(21)]
—— Ever since your girlfriend moved to Bridgeport, you are always driving there. How many trips a week do you make anyway?(自从你的女友搬到Bridgeport，你老是开车去看她。一周去几次啊?)
——I have lost count, but I can do it with my eyes closed.(搞不清楚了，但我闭着眼也能摸过去。)
3. be in another world 精神恍惚;魂不守舍
Model: [1996.5.(25)]
—— Pete’s really out of it these days.(Pete 这几天有点心不在焉。)
—— Yeah, I know. Ever since he met Ann, he’s been in another world.(我同意。自从他遇见Ann, 他就魂不守舍了。)
4. make yourself at home 随意，随便
Model: [1999.8.(7)]
—— Do you mind if I take off my jacket?(你介意我脱下夹克吗?)
—— Of course not, make yourself at home.(当然不介意，随意一点!)
5. save your breath 省口气吧;别白费口舌了
Model: [1995.10.(14)]
—— Hey? John! John!(嘿，John! John!)
—— Save your breath. He"s out of earshot.(省口气吧。他已经听不到了。)
6. make sense 有意义，理解
Model: [1999.1.(29)]
—— The plot of that movie is hard to follow.(那部电影的情节很难跟得上。)
—— It makes more sense the second time.(再看一遍就理解了。)
7. cost sb. an arm and a leg 非常昂贵
Model: [1999。1。(4)]
——Did you see the diamond ring Bill gave to Linda?(你看到Bill送给Linda的钻戒了吗?)
——I sure did. It must have cost him an arm and a leg.(当然了。那一定很昂贵。)
8.burn a hole in one’s pocket 很快地被花光
Model: [1997.10 ]
——Have you saved enough to buy that new printer for your computer yet? (你攒足钱给你的电脑买一台新打印机了吗?)
——You know money seems to be burning a hole in my pocket lately . Maybe next month. (这几个月我花钱如流水。也许下个月吧。)
9.fill one’s shoes 很好地顶替;令人满意地替代
Model: [1997.8.]
——Have you heard that Professor Jones is retiring? (你听说Jones教授要退休了吗?)
——Yes. The faculty won’t find anyone to fill her shoes. (是的。学校将很难找到合适的人来代替她。)
10.is ice cold 表示理所当然
Model: [1995.10.]
——Does Prof. Ford always come to class? (Ford教授总是来上课吗?)
——Is ice cold? (当然了。)
11.like apples and oranges 用来表示无法相比的事物
Model: [1997.1.]
——Which game do you think is more difficult to learn, chess or bridge? (你认为桥牌和象棋哪个更难学?)
——They are like apples and oranges. (它俩没法比较。)
12.look for a needle in a hay stack 大海捞针
Model: [1990.1.]
——We are supposed to meet John here at the train station. (我们要在火车站接John。)
——That’s like looking for a needle in a hay stack . (那可真是大海捞针。)
13.lose one’s train of 忘记
Model: [1995.1.]
——When you interrupted me, you made me lose my train of thought. (你打断了我的思考，我忘记我在想什么了。)
14.meet each other half way 相互妥协，让步
Model: [1992.8.]
——My chemistry project is in trouble because my partner and I had totally different ideas about how to proceed. (我的化学课题出问题了。在进展问题上，我与我的合作者意见完全不同。)
——You should try to meet each other half way. (你们应该相互妥协。)
15.on the dot 准时;正点
Model: [1992.8.]
——Did you and Amanda really meet exactly five minutes to two in front of the theatre? (你和Amanda确实在差5分两点的时候到达剧院门口了吗?)
——Yes, we were both there on the dot. (是的，我俩都准点到达。)
16.once and for all 最后一次;干脆
Model: [1996.1.]
——I am going to tell that neighbor of mine to turn down that music once and for all.(我要最后一次告诉我那个邻居把音乐声关小。)
——I see why you are angry. But I’ve always found that the polite route is the most effective. (我明白你为什么恼火。但我总觉得礼貌的方式是最有效的。)
17.out of earshot 不在听力所及范围
Model: [1995.10.]
——Hey? John! John! (嗨! John! John! )
——Save your breath. He’s out of earshot. (省口气吧，他听不见。)
18.out of this world 非常好
Model: [1995.10.]
——Have you tried Susan’s apple pie? (你试过Susan的苹果派吗?)
——I got the last piece. And it was out of this world. (我拿到最后一块。好吃极了。)
19.play by ear 随机应变，视情形而定
Model: [1989.8.]
——Marty, are you doing anything special for your presentation in political science tomorrow? (Marty，你在为明天的政治学演讲准备与众不同的材料吗?)
——Not really, because the class so often turns into a discussion, I’ve decided to play it by ear. (不。那门课常常最后变成讨论。我决定视情形而定。)
20. ring a bell 令人想起某件事;听起来耳熟
Model: [1992.10.]
——That name just doesn’t ring a bell with me. (那个名字我一点也不熟。)
