a tall order：tough or difficult thing to do 离谱或苛刻的要求
Financing your education seems like a tall order for your parents, but there are still some other means available.
对你父母来说，供你上学是多么难的件事呀，不过还有其他方法可想的。 　
poverty-stricken：非常贫穷的
Though the money we donated to the poverty-stricken farmers is a drop in the bucket, it represents our love for them.
尽管我们为穷苦农民捐的那点钱仅是杯水车薪， 但却代表了我们对他们的一片爱心。
live high on the hog：to engage in festive pleasures or extravagances：沉湎于欢乐或铺张浪费中
The employees work their fingers to the bone while the boss lives high on the hog, indulging in dissipation.
员工累死累活的干，而老板却铺张浪费，过着花天酒地的生活。
green with envy：妒忌得面色发青；非常妒忌
The ugly girl was green with envy when she saw other girls win the favor of the boys in her class.
那个长相丑陋的女孩子，看见其他女孩子赢得班上男孩子们的好感，只能“羡慕嫉妒恨”。
be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth：生在富贵人家
I am quite independent of anyone else and never envy those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths.
我独立性强，从不依靠别人，也从不羡慕出身富贵的人。
refrain from：忍住; 戒绝; 不让自己做某事
I tried very hard but couldn't refrain from crying bitterly.
我尽量忍着，但还是忍不住痛苦地哭了起来。
take one's courage in both hands：一鼓作气；敢做敢为；勇往直前
The young man finally took his courage in both hands and proposed to the pretty lady he had fallen in love with.
这个年轻人终于鼓足勇气，向他深爱的这位漂亮女士求婚。
feel two inches tall：feel ashamed of oneself　惭愧的；羞耻的
The middle-aged lady felt two inches tall when she was caught red-handed　stealing in the supermarket.
中年妇女在超市里偷东西被当场抓获，感到羞愧难当。