1. how come 为什么，怎么会……（那样）

eg. How come you speak English without an accent?
为什么你说英语一点口音也没有？

eg. How come some people can stick with it and others not?
为什么有的人可以坚持，有的人却不可以。

2. cook up

(1) 策划（骗局等）[非正式]

eg. He must have cooked up his scheme on the spur of the moment.
他肯定是即兴策划了他的方案。

(2) 编造[非正式]

eg. She'll cook up a convincing explanation.
她将编造一个有说服力的解释。

3. long story 一言难尽

eg. Long story short, he is now our director of retail operations.
长话短说，他现在是我们的零售总监了。

eg. It's a long story, it takes time to explain it.
说来话长，这需要花时间来解释它。