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1. Hot potato 棘手的问题"烫手山芋"
情景：
公司让你做财务总监，然而你对数字特别迟钝，你的朋友说：sounds like it could turn into a hot potato for you.
比如the position turns into a hot potato for me.在这里hot potato 翻译成热土豆显然是不合适的，这里的意思可以理解成棘手的问题a problem for you，中国人喜欢用成语"烫手山芋"来形容这样的事情。
2. Red tape 繁文缛节，官僚作风
情景：
This one here is for my local council. I need to apply for planning permission. And then they want lots of supporting documents to make sure it fits in with building regulations.这段话的大概意思是：我想把房子扩建一下，不过申请手续非常繁琐，得填写无数表格。
I hate red tape. If i could cut through this red rape it would be brilliant.
结合以上情景，red tape 不能翻译成红色胶带纸，意思是我讨厌这些繁琐的事情，中文成语中用繁文缛节，官僚作风。
由来：
Some people say this expression might come from the 16th century, when bundles of documents were held together with red tape.
据说，早在16世纪的英国，所有官方的文件会用红色布带系成一扎一扎的，从而也就出现了red tape.
3. a steal 物美价廉就像是白送的
I got this designer shirt in the sales at $50 cheaper than the original price. It's a steal.
我买了件设计师T恤，比原来要便宜50刀呢。A steal 在这里的意思应该是东西好很便宜的意思，中文的"物美价廉"。
That was just a sound effect. In English, when you say something is 'a steal' you mean it's a bargain–so cheap that it is almost as if you haven't paid anything for it.
这是个口语化的表达，在英语中，当人们觉得一件东西买的又值又特别便宜的时候可以说它是a steal, 就好像是白送的。
好啦，今天的英语教学就到这里啦。
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