第 37 篇计划-安排
篇
1 1
计划 1.1
work out 【英语解释】think carefully about how you are gong to do sth and plan a good way of doing sth 【中文解释】精心制订出；计划好；周密计划；细商；思考 UN negotiators have worked out a set of compromise proposal I haven’t worked out who’s going to look after the kids tonight. I’ve worked out a new way of doing it. It would be wiser to work it out with you financial advisors. Listen, I’ve got it all worked out. Here’s what we should do. Management consultant Pether Brant worked out the schedule in October 1983. I’ll certainly go back to my job once I’ve worked out who’s going to look after the kids during the day. The killer, whoever he was, had it all worked out. I’ve drawn up the main outlines, and we’ll work out the details late.
1.2
plan out 【英语解释】plan carefully and in detail sth that you are going to do in the future 【中文解释】精心安排，筹划，部署，周密地计划 Plan out your route before you go. She has her career all planned out. I’ll get the maps so we can plan out our route. Do you plan out the whole story before you begin to write it, or do you make it up as you go along? I have the next three months’ work all planned out.
1.3
map out 【英语解释】set or establish a plan for 【中文解释】构思计划，仔细计划，预先计划，筹划，详细安排 Mary is a very through person. She has mapped out every step of her education in great detail. The girl’s talent was spotted early, and a busy future was soon mapped out for her. We’re mapping out where to go for our holidays. Representatives from several European countries met to map out details of the proposed aid program. Jodie has her career all mapped out. By the time he was 15, his parents already had his future mapped out. Each Monday we map out the week’s work. We did not have time to map it out in detail. They had mapped out a demanding schedule for us.
1.4
chart out 【英语解释】make a specific pan for the future 【中文解释】制订明确的计划/规划 The Boyds charted out their activities for each day of their trip to Africa. The committee is charting out the future of the organization.
1.5
hatch a plot/ plan/ scheme;
hatch sth up 【英语解释】form a plot/ plan/ scheme secretly;
create a plan etc, especially in secret 【中文解释】安排计划/情节，秘密策划阴谋，密谋 Last Monday I ran into Ned we hatched a scheme for going to see Robert together. Simon hatched a plot to write a novel about a murder in a ballet. They hatched a plot to murder the king. Have you been hatching up a deal with her?
1.6
plan ahead 【英语解释】make a plan for a long time in the future 【中文解释】提前制定计划，提前作出安排，事先计划 Now that you’re pregnant, you’ll have to plan ahead. If you want to be successful in publishing, you have to plan ahead. A general may have to plan months ahead, a platoon officer only a few hours. Once you have children, it’s wise to plan ahead. Fluctuations in oil prices on the world market make it impossible for developing countries to plan ahead. It’s never too soon to start planning ahead for your retirement.
1.7
forward planning
【英语解释】the act of making plans so that you will be prepared for what will happen in the future 【中文解释】预先计划 Forward planning is essential if you want the venture to succeed. With a little more forward planning, we could have avoided these problems. Expert advice is available for investors who wish to engage in forward planning.
1.8
figure on sth. 【英语解释】plan on sth.; to make arrangements for sth.. 【中文解释】打算，计划 We figured on twenty guests at our party.
I didn’t figure on so much trouble. I was figuring on leaving at eight o’clock. Do you figure on staying log in the city?
1.9
the best-laid plans/ schemes of mice and men 【英语解释】the best thought-out plans of anyone. 【中文解释】深思熟虑的计划 If a little rain can ruin the best-laid plans of mice and men, think what an earthquake might do!
The best-laid schemes of mice and men are often disturbed by any small matter.
2 2
安排 2.1
fit sb/sth in/into 【英语解释】find time or manage to do sth/ see sb, even though you have a lot of other thins to do
【中文解释】尽力安排时间做…/见…，找出…的时间，把…安排进 I’ll try and fit you in after lunch. The doctor said he can fit me in at 10 o’clock. Doctor Jones can fit you in on Thursday afternoon. I’ll try to fit my holidays in with yours. Yes, here’s an opening in the schedule. I can fit you in. Do you think you’ll be fit in time for Saturday’s race? I had to fit ten appointments into one morning. There are still three patients to be fitted in this afternoon. Although I’m very busy, I’ll try to fit in a game of tennis at the weekend. We must try and fit in a visit to Mr Smith while we’re in London. Unless the item is very short one, I am afraid we can’t fit it into the programme. The doctor is busy, but I can fit you into the schedule. A: When are you going to have your eyes checked? B: I had to cancel my appointment. I couldn’t fit it in.
2.2
get in 【英语解释】find time or manage to do sth 【中文解释】把…列入，把…安排…进 I got in an hour’s work while the baby was asleep. I’m hoping to get in a couple of hour’s study before dinner.
2.3
slot sb/sth in 【英语解释】manage to find a time or place for sb/sth in a plan, organization 【中文解释】为…安排/腾出时间或位置，把…插到…之间，置于空位之间；安置，为提供机会 We should be able to slot the meeting in before lunch. We slotted in some extra lessons before the exam. I’ve got some urgent business to discuss. Can you slot me in after lunch? I can slot you in between 3 and for. This new car slots in between the economy model and the executive model in our range.
2.4
squeeze sb/ sth in/ into 【英语解释】give time to sb/sth, although you are very busy 【中文解释】设法安排，挤出时间见/做，使…安插进 I’ve a busy morning but I could squeeze you in at 10:15. The doctor squeezed him in before a patient who arrived late. If you come this afternoon the doctor will try to squeeze you in. I can squeeze you in at four o’clock. The doctor is busy, but I’ll see if he can squeeze you in between tow other people, as your case is urgent. If you try to squeeze any more activities in, you’ll make yourself ill. How do you manage to squeeze so much into one day?
2.5
pack sb/sth in/into sth 【英语解释】do a lot of things in a limited period of time 【中文解释】（在有限的时间里）做大量的工作；把…安排得太满 You seem to have packed a lot into your life! They tried to pack too much into the holiday and returned exhausted. It would be foolish for you to try to pack any more courses into your already busy timetable.
2.6
pencil (sb/sth) in 【英语解释】arrange for sth to happen on a particular date or timer 【中文解释】把…列入计划，暂定；（在清单或安排中）临时记下（约会的人名/安排细节）
Shall I pencil you in for Friday? I’ll pencil you in but we might have to change the meeting to Thursday. You can pencil him in for the 5th but I’m afraid I might be out of town that day. We’ve pencilled in a meeting for Tuesday afternoon. Let’s pencil in Friday at 10 for the meeting. Let’s pencil in the 20th for now, and you get in touch later if you can’t make it. We shall have to pencil an increase in the budget. Political commentators are pencilling in July 30th, August 6th or August 13th as possible election dates. We’ll pencil May 15 in as a reserve date. Greg’s pencilled the sale in for December 15. The band are pencilled in for a show in the King’s Hall on January 18.
2.7
work sb/sth in/ into 【英语解释】insert sb. or sth. (into a schedule or a line) 【中文解释】把的日程安排加进，插入 The minister will try and work a visit into hospital into his schedule. The doctor’s schedule was very busy, but the nurse agreed to try to work me in.
The mechanic had many cars to fix, but he said he’d work my car in.
I’m glad he could work in my car.
2.8
fix (sb/ it) up (with) 【英语解释】arrange a meeting, event etc, especially by persuading sb to agree to it;
arrange for sb to have a meeting with sb who might become a boyfriend or girlfriend 【中文解释】安排；为…安排约会，为…定个日期与年轻女子见面；为…找出浪漫伴侣，给…介绍朋友 John didn’t want us to fix him up. We fixed up Bob with a date. We’ll have to fix up a time to meet. Let’s fix up a time that suits everybody. I have fixed up about the bus for next Saturday. We have done our best to fix up a meeting but they haven’t shown any interest. I can fix you up with a date for the weekend if you’d like. Craig didn’t have a date for the dance, so he was glad when his older brother fixed him up. Bring your brighter too. I’m sure we can find someone to fix him up with. There’ll be no difficulty getting tickets. I’ve fixed it up with my friend in the show. We need to get all the sale3s staff together for a conference—could I leave it to you to fix it up, Jane? She can fix it up for you to see the show free if you want.
2.9
line up 【英语解释】make arrangements
【中文解释】安排；组织 I’ve lined up a movie star for the school festival. Who have you lined up to speak at the meeting? There are a lot of interesting programmes lined up to be shown on television this autumn. Sue’s lined up some excellent speakers for tonight. I lined gardeners up for the summer work on the gardens.
I lined up four of my best friends to serve as ushers at my wedding.
2.10
set up (with) 【英语解释】make the necessary arrangements so that sth can happen 【中文解释】安排，为…安排约会 The single mother’s sons finally succeeded in setting her up with a date. I’ll get my secretary to set up a working lunch for us.
There was a lot of work involved in setting up the festival.
I’ve set up a meeting for Friday. We’ve set up a microphone in the corner. It was 6:30 and traders were already setting up their market stalls. It’ll take a few minutes to set the camera up. Sandra set up a display for the town’s local history week. I think I’ve got this experiment set up right now. We can ask Mark to help us set up the photography exhibit. John and Mary are hard at work setting something up for the meeting. Sally and Tom set up a party for Saturday night. set-up—a way of organizing or arranging sth （安排；布局；机构；建制；体制；组织情况）
He has a nice little set-up, with a studio at the back and gallery space at the front. They’re divorced, but they’re still living in the same house—it seems like a strange set-up to me. He and his wife live in different houses—it’s a very stranger set-up. It’s an impressive set-up. The foundation brings in half a million dollars a day. I’ve only been here a couple of weeks and I don’t really know the set-up. He’s new to the office and doesn’t know the set-up yet.
2.11
tie up 【英语解释】finish arranging all the details of sth such as an agreement or a plan 【中文解释】订妥（协议/计划），安排好（细节）
We’d better tie up the details with a solicitor. Is the organization of the wedding completely tied up yet?
2.12
get up 【英语解释】arrange or organization
【中文解释】安排；组织；准备 We’re getting up a party for her birthday. She’s getting a collection up for Sue’s birthday. I’m getting up a little group to visit the theatre, would you like to come along? The students have got up another petition against the building of nuclear power stations. A: We"re getting up a party for Friday night. Can you come？ B: Yes, I"d love to.
2.13
set out;
set forth 【英语解释】arrange or spread out in order 【中文解释】陈列，陈设，布置，摆出；安排 Set out the chairs for the meeting in rows of ten. The meal was set out on a long table. The gardens have been beautifully set out. The wedding gifts are set out in the next room for the guests to admire. He was delighted to see that his work had been set forth in several galleries. We’ll need to set out chairs for the meeting in rows of ten.
2.14
lay out 【英语解释】plan how sth should look and arrange it in this way;
arrange sth in some way according to a particular plan 【中文解释】安排；布置，布局；设计；策划 The garden is laid out in a formal pattern. The gardens were laid out with lawns, flower beds and fountains. I like the way your new office is laid out. Come here, Fred, I have a job laid out for you. Layout—n. the way in which sth is arranged Many of the golfers complained about the course layout. He was one of the architects who planned the layout of the hospital. In the new layout for the conference hall, the platform is to be placed at the western end. The robbers studied the layout of the bank.
2.15
lay on
【英语解释】supply or provide, especially generously 【中文解释】组织，安排；（慷慨地）供给，款待 The organizers laid on a huge meal for us. They’ve laid on a car to meet us at the airport. A monumental feast has been laid on for the benefit of myself and of another Chinese friends. They laid on huge quantities of drink for the party. I’ve asked the catering manager to lay on refreshments at the meeting.
Games and entertainment were laid on in the afternoon.
2.16
lay a place (for) 【英语解释】put a knife, fork, spoon etc in position 【中文解释】给…摆一套餐具 They laid a place for him at the table.
2.17
the running order 【英语解释】the order in which the different parts of an event have been arranged to take place 【中文解释】日程表；安排
2.18
stage-manage 【英语解释】arrange or prepare for public effect, especially so that a desired result will happen in a way that will appear natural 【中文解释】对…进行幕后安排，担任…的舞台监督 The press conference was cleverly stage-managed so that the President would not have to answer any embarrassing questions.
2.19
name the day 【英语解释】decide on a date for your wedding 【中文解释】选定/确定结婚日期 They are engaged but they haven’t named the day yet.
2.20
make arrangements (for) 【英语解释】make plans for sb. or sth;
plan accommodations for sb 【中文解释】为…作好安排/准备 It starts next week, and I hardly have time to make arrangements. I’d booked the flight and made all the arrangements well in advance. Vivian and her boyfriend are making arrangements to join us in Australia. Please telephone and make arrangements with my secretary. I’m making arrangements for the convention.
Let’s make arrangements for getting there on time. John will make arrangements for somebody to meet me at the station. John’s brother kindly made the arrangements for the funeral. I will make arrangements for everyone when I call the hotel. I’ll make arrangements for a car to meet you at the airport. Have you made arrangements for your trip to Hong Kong?
2.21
budget for 【英语解释】plan the spending of or provide money in a budget 【中文解释】编预算，把…列入预算，为…计划开支，作安排 He hasn’t budgeted for a holiday abroad this year. He budgeted for buying a new car. We shall have to budget an additional amount for the new baby’s needs. We’ve budgeted for a new car next year.
2.22
arrange sth. with sb.;
arrange to do sth. with sb. 【英语解释】plan an event so as to include another person or persons 【中文解释】安排 Jane arranged a meeting with Ann.
Bill arranged to go to the station with Tom and Mary.
Beth arranged a meeting with the marketing director.
2.23
be scheduled for sth/ to do sth 【英语解释】plan that sth will happen at a particular time 【中文解释】被定到…（时间），排定，把…安排在，预定 Then new airport is scheduled to open just before Christmas. I’m scheduled to see the doctor on Monday. I’ve had a cold for two weeks. The meeting has been scheduled for this afternoon. A: When’s your flight scheduled for? B: 4:00. I’ll arrive in Brazil some time in the late evening. A: we’re really going to miss you here! A: The ceremony has been scheduled for early June. B: I can hardly wait! There’s going to be so many famous people there!
A: Yes, but there’s only a few short months left, and we have a lot of preparations to attend to.
2.24
be slated for sth./ to do sth 【英语解释】be scheduled for sth../ to do sth;
be expected or planned to happen at a time in the future 【中文解释】预定，定于 The office building are slated for demolition next time. John was slated for Friday’s game, but he couldn’t play with the team.
Ann is slated for promotion next year. John was slated to play ball Friday.
Who is slated to work this weekend?
2.25
have sth on 【英语解释】have arranged to do sth, go somewhere etc, especially when this means you cannot do sth else 【中文解释】（日程上）已安排好（做…事），安排要（做…事），安排有…约会，有…安排/计划，有约会 Sorry, I can’t do any overtime this weekend—I’ve got too much on already. What do you have on for Christmas? I am engaged for the whole of today, but I’ve nothing on Sunday. We’ve a very important piece of work on the moment. A: What do you have on for tonight？ B: Nothing special.
2.26
what will you do for (sth) 【英语解释】what arrangements will you make for (sth) 【中文解释】你将为…做什么安排 What will you do for food when you are camping? What will you do for transport tonight?
2.27
square away [AmE] 【英语解释】finish sth, especially by putting the last details in order;
get sb/sth arranged or properly taken care of. 【中文解释】办妥，了结；整顿就绪，作好准备，安排妥当；完成（尤指最后细节）
Get your work squared away before you leave. See if you can square Bob away in his new office.
Please square away the problems we discussed earlier. Harry got into trouble, but his coach talked with him and got him squared away. I am squaring away to write the first words of the new chapter. Is Ann squared away yet?
I will talk to you when I am squared away.
3 3
临时做- 无计划- 无准备- 未思考 3.1
play it by ear
【英语解释】decide what to do according to the way a situation develops; decide how to deal with a situation as it develops rather than by having a plan or previous arrangement to follow; 【中文解释】毫无准备/临时去干，不是按照预先制定的计划行事；凭直觉摸索去干；到时候再说，到时候再看着办；见机行事，相机行事，见机而作，见机而行，随机应变 When we get into the meeting we’ll have to play everything by ear. He never prepared his presentations. He always played things by ear . Facing his enemy, he had to play it by ear. We’ve booked the flight, but not the accommodation—we’ll play it by ear when we get there.
Since we don’t know what will happen, you just play it by ear. I have no idea what we’re going to do once we get to Los Angeles. Let’s just play it by ear. If I could play by ear, I wouldn’t have to take lessons or practice. If I can’t have my geology notes back, I guess I’ll have to play it by ear in the exam tomorrow. I can’t advise you how the meeting is likely to go, you’ll have to play it by ear. I don’t know what they’ll want when they arrive----we’ll have to play it by ear. I didn’t know what was expected of me at the meeting, so I had no choice but to play it by ear. I’ve no idea what they’re going to say, so I’ll have to play it by ear. I have no idea how far the union is willing to compromise on their demands. We’ll just have to play it by ear. I can’t advise you how the meeting is likely to go, you’ll have to play it by ear. You can’t really prepare for the questions he’s going to ask you----you’ll just have to play it by ear, I’m afraid. I’ve had no time to prepare for this meeting, so I’ll have to play it by ear. Leave the negotiations to Dave. He’s very good at playing it by ear. We’ll play it by ear what time we should leave.
Since I had absolutely no experience in that kind of work, for the first six months or so I had to play it by ear. You can’t really prepare for the questions the interviewer will ask—you’ll just have to play it by ear, I’m afraid. I haven"t had a chance to prepare any notes so all I can do is start talking and play it by ear. I am not sure if my wife wants me to go shopping with her on Sunday. If she decides to go with her sister instead, then I can play tennis with you. Let"s just play it by ear. A: Shall we tell Dad what’s happened? B: Let’s play it by ear and see what sort of mood he’s in. A: If our plans fail, what should we do? B: We can play it by ear. A: Where will we stay when we go on business? B: Oh, I guess a bed-and-breakfast place. We’ll have to play it by ear. A: Marty, are you doing anything special for your presentation in political science tomorrow?
B: Not really. Because the class so often turns into a discussion, I’ve decided to play it by ear. A: What will you do if he asks you? B: I’m not sure, I’ll play it by ear.
3.2
offhand;
off hand;
out of hand
【英语解释】immediately, without time to think about it or find out about sth. 【中文解释】立刻，不假思索地，即席地，事先无准备地；未经核实的 They rejected my suggestion out of hand. The plan needs careful preparation; we cannot put it into effect out of hand. Offhand, I’d say that tree is at least 75 years old.
I can’t give you the exact figures offhand. I don’t know offhand how much we made last year. I can’t remember offhand what shifts I’m working next week. Speaking offhand, I should say we have about twenty copes of the book. I can’t give you the figure offhand; I shall have to look them up. I don’t know offhand how much we made last year. He spoke offhandedly, making it clear I had no say in the matter. A: I don’t remember the assignment offhand but I’ve got it written down at home. How about if I call you tonight? B: If you call before nine just leave a message with my roommate.
3.3
wing it
【英语解释】do sth without planning or preparing it first;
improvise 【中文解释】临时应付，即兴而为；匆匆拼凑 I lost my notes before my speech, and I had to wing it.
The professor, it turned out, was winging it in every single lecture. I didn’t know I’d have to make a speech----I just had to wing it. I didn’t have time to prepare for the meeting----I’ll just have to wing it. I didn’t know I’d have to make a speech—I just had to wing it. I didn’t have time to prepare for the meeting so I’ll have to wing it. If you are asked a question that you’re not ready for, it’s better to say ‘I hadn’t considered that’ than to wing it and get it wrong. We have to wing it in the first game, but we’ll be more prepared for the next one. A: What cities are you going to see on holiday? B: I don’t know—I’m just going to wing it and do what I feel like.
3.4
on an ad hoc basis;
ad hoc
【英语解释】arranged or happening when necessary and not planned in advance 【中文解释】在事先未计划的情况下；临时安排的，随时，即兴的，机动的；特别的，特设的 The meetings will be held on an ad hoc basis. Decisions were made on an ad hoc basis. Most companies have some people working for them on an ad hoc basis. An ad hoc committee is a committee especially established to deal with a particular subject. You never know when you might have to have an ad hoc meeting with a client. Historical records have often been kept in an ad hoc way, so that our information is not complete.
3.5
ad-lib
【英语解释】say sth in a speech, a performance of a play etc without preparing or planning it 【中文解释】即兴演讲，即席讲话，即兴表演
The pair have often been known to abandon their script and begin ad-libbing. I lost my notes and had to ad lib the whole speech. She forgot her lines and had to ad-lib the rest of the scene. The actress forgot her lines but ad-libbed very amusingly. When the actor forgot his lines, he ad-libbed convincingly.
He spoke ad lib for ten minutes on pollution. When the actor forgot his lines, he ad-libbed convincingly. The best joke in the play was ad lib. His speech was entirely ad lib.
ad-lib—adv. without preparation （即兴地）
The professor spoke ad lib for an hour on a given subject.
3.6
be on automatic pilot
【英语解释】do sth without thinking because you have done the same thing many times before 【中文解释】习惯性地做，机械性地做，不假思索地做 I got up and dressed on automatic pilot. She’s absolutely exhausted; she’s just working on automatic pilot.
3.7
off the cuff 【英语解释】(of speaking, remarks, etc) without previous thought or preparation 【中文解释】未经思考（或准备），即兴，即席，当场
I’m just speaking off the cuff here—I haven’t seen the results yet. I’m afraid I can’t answer your question off the cuff. His speech was entirely off the cuff. Ben hadn’t prepared a speech, so he had to speak off the cuff. Ben forgot to bring his prepared speech, so he had to speak off the cuff. If you want me to make a speech, let me know ahead of time. I’m not about to speak off the cuff. I’m giving you this strictly off the cuff, George, so I’m not sure all the facts are absolutely correct. After the department chef had presented his company’s official position on the question, he said off the cuff that actually the company would be willing to compromise on several points.
I don’t know how you can stand up and give an after-dinner speech off the cuff like that. I haven’t prepared a speech, but I’d like to make a few off-the-cuff remarks to you. The press officer said that the president’s statement was an off-the-cuff remark, not as an official statement of policy. Speaking off the cuff and with emotion, Pope John Paul II described his disappointment with the recent course of Western history. I’m not too good at speaking off the cuff.
I need to prepare a speech for Friday, although I speak off the cuff quite well. Politicians are usually careful not to speak off the cuff. Some people are able to give a speech off the cuff.
This isn’t the kind of question that one can answer off the cuff. Can I answer it alter? I need to look it up.
3.8
on the spur of the moment 【英语解释】suddenly, without thinking about it before you do it;
spontaneously, without previous planning;
suddenly without planning or thinking about it in advance 【中文解释】没有预计的，突然地，自发地；一时冲动之下，未经考虑地，心血来潮，未经思考地 We decided to go on the spur of the moment.
I had to leave town on the spur of the moment. When they telephoned me with the offer of a job abroad, I decided on the spur of the moment to accept. I bought the stereo on the spur of the moment. Now I don’t know what to do with it. I phoned him up on the spur of the moment. On the spur of the moment she picked up the phone and called Mike. On the spur of the moment, Jeff and Ursula decided to eat out instead of cooking dinner. On the spur of the moment, we decided to head north that day instead of East.
She went to London on the spur of the moment. Lily almost never maps things out. She prefers to do things on the spur of the moment. We decided to go on the spur of the moment. I have to leave town on the spur of the moment. Acting on the spur of the moment, he said he’d take the job. He went in On the spur of the moment and was taken on as an English translator. A: They decided to go move out of town on the spur of the moment. B: I wonder why. Were they in trouble? It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
3.9
off the top of your head 【英语解释】at once, without careful thought;
quickly and without having to think or remember 【中文解释】即席地，没有准备地，马上，不假思索，信口地；单凭猜测；说话不经过大脑，脱口而出，未如思索地说出，随口说说，想到哪就说到哪 Off the top of my head I’d say it would cost $1000 to do the repairs. Off the top of my head, I think that the figure is about 25%.
I can’t think of the answer off the top of my head. Jane can tell you the correct amount off the top of her head. Does anyone have any ideas off the top of their heads? I’m only talking off the top of my head, but I don’t think our company’s production capacity is large enough to process such an order. I’m not sure of the answer, but off the top of my head I’d say there were about 30. Without warning I was asked to make a speech and had to talk off the top of my head. ‘What’s the painting worth?’ ‘Three million or so,’ he said, off the top of his head. You should take what George says with a grain of salt. He’s always talking off the top of his head. I’m only talking off the top of my head, but I don’t think our company’s process such an order. There are some good restaurants around here, but I can’t tell you their names off the top of my head. Well, he did not prepare his lecture beforehand and only talked off the top of his head. A: Do you know what last year’s earnings were? B: I can’t say off the top of my head. I can look it up though. A: How much is the house worth?
B: Off the top of my head, I’d say it’s worth maybe $160,000. A: What’s the population of Liverpool?
B: I’m afraid I couldn’t tell you off the top of my head. A: How old is Chris? B: I don’t know off the top of my head.
3.10
on a whim;
on (an) impulse 【英语解释】because of a sudden feeling;
after having had an impulse or sudden thought. 【中文解释】凭一时的兴趣，心血来潮，因一时冲动 I bought it on a whim. I went to visit her on a whim. On impulse, Bob decided to buy a car.
On impulse, I picked up the phone and rang my sister in Australia. I didn’t need a cellular telephone. I just bought it on impulse. on in years Go to up in years. He bought the car on (an) impulse. She had invited Joseph on a sudden impulse but was now regretting it.
3.11
in the heat of the moment 【英语解释】while in a state of strong emotion or excitement 【中文解释】一时激动之下；一时兴起 I must apologize for the rude things I said yesterday in the heat of the moment.
‘In the heat of the moment, my emotions took over and I hit him,’ Harper admitted. Our children need to know not only how to prevent pregnancies, but also the long-term effects of a decision they make in the heat of the moment.
3.12
do sth willy-nilly 【英语解释】do sth in a careless way without planning 【中文解释】毫无计划地/随意地做 Don’t just use your credit card willy-nilly.
3.13
knee-jerk
【英语解释】feeling or saying sth from habit, without thinking about it;
produced automatically , without any serious thought 【中文解释】本能/自动作出的，未经思考作出的 It was a knee-jerk reaction on her part. Their knee-jerk reaction is to object to everything the management suggests. If a journalist’s judgement is questioned, the knee-jerk reaction is usually, ‘I have a right to print whatever I want, so I will.’
3.14
hit or/ and miss;
hit-and/or-miss 【英语解释】not done in a careful or planned way and therefore not likely to be successful 【中文解释】无周详计划的，胡乱的，漫无目的地，漫无目标地，随意地；无组织的；碰运气的；时好时坏的，碰运气的 The advertisements were rather hit-and-miss and not based on proper market research. They use rather hit-and-miss techniques for selecting new staff. The procedure is far too clumsy and hit-and-miss. He stacked the books hit or miss, and soon they fell to the floor. There was no planning. It was just hit-and- miss.
We handed out the free tickets hit-or-miss. Some people got one; others got five or six. A: I heard that you want to hire good help. How is it going?
B: That is still a hit-or-miss procedure.
3.15
go off half-cocked 【英语解释】proceed without proper preparation;
speak (about sth.) without adequate knowledge 【中文解释】轻率地行动，过早行事（未做好充分准备，结果不成功）
Don’t pay any attention to what John says. He’s always going off half-cocked.
Get your facts straight before you make your presentation. There is nothing worse than going off half-cocked. Now, don’t go off half-cocked and do something foolish.
3.16
half-baked;
ill-considered 【英语解释】not properly planned 【中文解释】不成熟的，考虑不周全的，草率的，计划不严密的 Education has been damaged by the half-baked notions of theorists who’ve never been in a classroom. I suppose this is another one of Bill’s half-baked schemes.
I don"t think it wise to adopt his half-baked idea unless it is further developed. The program is ill-considered and a waste of everyone’s time.
3.17
ill-prepared 【英语解释】not ready, especially because you were not expecting sth to happen;
badly planned or organized 【中文解释】未准备好的，规划不周的，组织不严密的；想不到的，猝不及防的 The team was ill-prepared for a disaster on that scale.
3.18
a house of cards 【英语解释】a house build carefully but easily knocked over;
a plan that is so badly arranged that is likely to fail 【中文解释】纸牌搭成的房子；象用纸牌搭成的房子一样不坚固的东西；（因筹划不周而）可能失败的计划，不可靠的计划；即将崩溃的思想；摇摇欲坠的组织 His plans collapsed like a house of cards when he was told he hadn’t won the scholarship. Their plan for a trip to Europe proved to be just a house of cards. When he discovered his wife loved someone else his whole life fell down around him like a house of cards. This venture could be a house of cards.
The plan proved to be a house of cards. It all came to naught once the bank withdrew its support. Their plan for a trip to London proved to be just a house of cards. The company was held together by the president. When he died, it collapsed like a hous...