整理推荐：英语中有趣的英语口语（4）

by the back door 通过后门；用不正当的途径
　　It is said that he got many of the spare parts into China by the back door.据说他把很多备件非法偷运到中国境内。
　　Most government officials knew pretty well that this rubbish came into the country by the back door, but they did not know who exactly had given the smugglers the green light.
　　The manager knew that the two new employees came in by the back door, but he didn't know exactly who were at the back. 总经理知道那两个人是通过后门进来的，但是他不清楚到底谁是他们的后台。
　　bring home the bacon 养家糊口；成功，取胜
　　In every country and regardless of their social systems, there must be someone in the house who will have to bring home the bacon.
　　Dialogue:
　　Frank: I'm feeling under the weather(感到身体不舒服）. I'm not in the mood for doing anything today.
　　John: Play hooky（逃学，开小差）. I won't spill the beans（泄密）.
　　Frank: I know, but I can't. I'm swamped with work（有一大堆工作得做）. My job is no picnic（不是轻松的事）, you know.
　　John: Well, hang in there. In the long run, you'll be sitting pretty（处于有利的地位；过上优裕的生活）.
　　Frank: I hope so. But I have to work hard and bring home the bacon.
　　hold the bag背黑锅
　　Although the four of them robbed the bank with joined efforts, it was Joe who had been left holding the bag.
　　Dialogue:
　　Martha: Do you know what's happened to Frank?
　　Nancy: Not an inkling. What's happened?
　　Martha: He was caught stealing a file from a company.
　　Nancy: Sorry to hear that. He should have mended his steps(注意自己的言行）.
　　Martha: But the job was engineered by someone else.
　　Nancy: Did that someone else stand up?
　　Martha: Nobody likes to face the music（面对惩罚）， of course.
　　Nancy: So it was Frank who was left holding the bag?
　　Martha: yeah.
　　fall asleep at the switch 玩忽职守
　　Joe was dismissed by the boss for falling asleep at the switch.
　　Dialogue
　　Mark: The Boss is furious. There must be something that has enraged him.
　　Lucy: Yeah. Someone fell asleep at the switch and the warehouse has been broken into last night.
　　Mark: Who was on duty last night? He must be punished.
　　Lucy: It was Joe. He is responsible for the lost property.
　　Mark: He will get the bag(被解雇）, I suppose
　　Lucy: Not really. The boss only asked him to mend his steps （注意自己的行为）and told him that he wouldn't be lucky next time.
　　Mark: It's kind of the boss to do so. Joe should feel guilty.
　　be in the bag 已到手的，十拿九稳的
　　The General Manager was excited because he knew he had already had several major contracts in the bag.
　　The boss still had the jitters(忐忑不安）, though he knew that their success was already in the bag.
　　A good harvest is already in the bag, though the farmers still have a share of worries.
　　Don't be fooled by their babbling. Can't you see that they've had everything in the bag? 别听他们的胡说八道了，难道你还看不出来他们已经到处做了手脚？
　　rise to a (the) bait.中圈套，上钩
　　Your trick might work ten years ago. But nowadays few are prone to rise to a bait as easily as you think.你的花招在十年前也许管用，但当今人们绝不像你所想象的会轻易上钩的。
　　Look! A fish is rising to the bait.
　　Be patient! he is rising to the bait.
　　ball up...把...搞得一团糟，一塌糊涂
　　Joe had balled up the business, but it was Jack who was blamed for the mess.
　　Dialogue:
　　Nancy: John dismissed Joe last week.
　　Selma: What for? Not for his falling asleep at the switch again, I suppose.
　　Nancy: No. He balled up John's business by disclosing his company's secret.
　　Selma: He should have mended his steps.
　　Nancy: Can the leopard change his spots?
　　Selma: No. And he will find it very hard to find another job.
　　Nancy: That serves him right.