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Last week， I told about the number one. Today， I will tell about expressions using other numbers.
Some problems are difficult to solve. But there are a lot of number expressions that can help. For example， if we put two and two together， we might come up with the right answer. We know that two heads are better than one. It is always better to work with another person to solve a problem.
Sometimes there are no two ways about it. Some problems have only one solution. You cannot be of two minds over this.
But with any luck， we could solve the problem in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. We could have our answers quickly and easily.
Sometimes we can kill two birds with one stone. That is， we can complete two goals with only one effort or action. But we must remember that two wrongs don’t make a right. If someone does something bad to you， you should not do the same to him.
If you are going out with your girlfriend， or boyfriend， you do not want another friend to go along on your date. You can just say to your friend： two’s company， three’s a crowd.
When I was a young child in school， I had to learn the three R’s. These important skills are reading， writing and arithmetic. These three words do not all start with the letter “R.” But they have the sound of “R.” My teachers used to give three cheers when I did well in math. They gave praise and approval for a job well done.
Some of my friends were confused and did not understand their schoolwork. They were at sixes and sevens. In fact， they did not care if they finished high school. They saw little difference between the two choices. Six of one， half a dozen the other—that was their position. But they were really happy when they completed their studies and graduated from high school. They were in seventh heaven. They were on cloud nine.
Nine times out of ten， students who do well in school find good jobs. Some work in an office doing the same things every day at nine-to-five jobs. You do not have to dress to the nines， or wear your best clothes， for this kind of work.
Last year， one of my friends applied for a better job at her office. I did not think she would get it. I thought she had a hundred to one shot at the job. Other people at her office thought her chances were a million to one. One reason was that she had been caught catching forty winks at the office. She slept at her desk for short periods during the day. But her supervisor appointed her to the new job at the eleventh hour—at the very last minute. I guess her lucky number came up. ● put two and two together 从字面上看是指“把二和二放在一起”，但实际上它的意思是“根据所知、所闻、所见推断事物，做出结论”。想一想，要正确判断事实是不是需要从其正反两方面反复推敲，再综合评定？所以人们用put two and two together来表示“根据事实推断”。
● two heads are better than one 直译是两个脑袋比一个脑袋强，就是说两个人在一起商量一件事、解决一个问题会比一个人在那里苦思冥想要好。所以可以译作：三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮;人多智广 ;一人计短，二人计长。
● no two ways about it 意思是“不可避免;别无办法;板上钉钉;毫无疑问”。例如：You stay here， you die. No two ways about it. （你若留在这里，必死无疑。）
● of two minds 是“左右摇摆;拿不定主意;三心二意;犹豫不定”的意思。例如：He always seems to be of two minds about everything. （不管什么事情，他似乎总是犹豫不定。）
● in two shakes of a lamb’s tail 是“马上，立刻”的意思。试想，小羊摇两下尾巴的时间不是很快很短吗？
● kill two birds with one stone 谚语，意思是“一石二鸟;一箭双雕;一举两得”。
● two wrongs don’t make a right 意思是“两个错加不出一个正确来;二错相加仍是错;以牙还牙行不通;不能因别人错了自己也就可以犯错”。
two’s company， three’s a crowd 意思是“两人成伴，三人成患”。例如：Two’s company， three’s a crowd， so please don’t come with my girlfriend and me. （两人刚好，三人嫌太挤，所以请不要跟着我和我的女朋友来。）
the three R’s 就是基本三会：读，写，算。
give three cheers 是鼓掌的意思。例如：Let’s give the girls three cheers.（让我们为女孩们鼓掌！）而three cheers for…意思是：为……三欢呼。例如：Three cheers for the winner！（为获胜者三呼喝彩。）
at sixes and sevens 意思是乱七八糟或所有的事情都是一团糟。
six of one， half a dozen the other 意思是“半斤八两，不相上下”。这个俗语的直译为“一个人的六个，另一个人的半打”。半打就是六个，两者完全相同，只是说法不同而已，故用来比喻两种东西一模一样，相当于汉语里的“半斤八两”。据认为，该俗语最早出现在19世纪英国作家弗雷德里克·马里亚特（Frederick Marryat，1792～1848）的小说《海盗和三只小艇》（The Pirates and the Three Cutters， 1836）中。该俗语有时也作six and two threes。例如：What difference does it matter？ They’re both the same—six of one， half a dozen of the other.（这有什么区别？两者是相同的——一模一样。）
seventh heaven 意思是极乐世界;七重天（天之最高處）。暗喻心情极为快乐、满足。
on cloud nine 是“非常高兴，九霄云上”的意思。从字面上理解，是指“在第九层云端”，在那么高的云上飘，是不是有点神仙的感觉呢？所以on cloud nine引申为飘飘然;非常快乐;非常高兴;沉浸在幸福之中。
nine times out of ten 意思是“十有八九;十之八九;通常;几乎总是”。
nine-to-five 意思是“上班时间朝九晚五的”。例如：She works a nine-to-five job. （她有一份朝九晚五的工作。）
dress to the nines 是习语，动词短语。意为“盛装，穿得漂漂亮亮”。
a hundred to one shot 意思是“百分之一的可能;可能性很小”。
a million to one 是“可能性极小;百万分之一的可能;微乎其微”的意思。
forty winks 意思是“白天小睡;打盹”。
at the eleventh hour 是“最后一刻;危急之时;在最后时刻;在关键时刻”的意思。
one’s lucky number comes up 意思是“某人走运;交上好运”。
Some problems are difficult to solve. But there are a lot of number expressions that can help. For example， if we put two and two together， we might come up with the right answer. We know that two heads are better than one. It is always better to work with another person to solve a problem.
Sometimes there are no two ways about it. Some problems have only one solution. You cannot be of two minds over this.
But with any luck， we could solve the problem in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. We could have our answers quickly and easily.
Sometimes we can kill two birds with one stone. That is， we can complete two goals with only one effort or action. But we must remember that two wrongs don’t make a right. If someone does something bad to you， you should not do the same to him.
If you are going out with your girlfriend， or boyfriend， you do not want another friend to go along on your date. You can just say to your friend： two’s company， three’s a crowd.
When I was a young child in school， I had to learn the three R’s. These important skills are reading， writing and arithmetic. These three words do not all start with the letter “R.” But they have the sound of “R.” My teachers used to give three cheers when I did well in math. They gave praise and approval for a job well done.
Some of my friends were confused and did not understand their schoolwork. They were at sixes and sevens. In fact， they did not care if they finished high school. They saw little difference between the two choices. Six of one， half a dozen the other—that was their position. But they were really happy when they completed their studies and graduated from high school. They were in seventh heaven. They were on cloud nine.
Nine times out of ten， students who do well in school find good jobs. Some work in an office doing the same things every day at nine-to-five jobs. You do not have to dress to the nines， or wear your best clothes， for this kind of work.
Last year， one of my friends applied for a better job at her office. I did not think she would get it. I thought she had a hundred to one shot at the job. Other people at her office thought her chances were a million to one. One reason was that she had been caught catching forty winks at the office. She slept at her desk for short periods during the day. But her supervisor appointed her to the new job at the eleventh hour—at the very last minute. I guess her lucky number came up. ● put two and two together 从字面上看是指“把二和二放在一起”，但实际上它的意思是“根据所知、所闻、所见推断事物，做出结论”。想一想，要正确判断事实是不是需要从其正反两方面反复推敲，再综合评定？所以人们用put two and two together来表示“根据事实推断”。
● two heads are better than one 直译是两个脑袋比一个脑袋强，就是说两个人在一起商量一件事、解决一个问题会比一个人在那里苦思冥想要好。所以可以译作：三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮;人多智广 ;一人计短，二人计长。
● no two ways about it 意思是“不可避免;别无办法;板上钉钉;毫无疑问”。例如：You stay here， you die. No two ways about it. （你若留在这里，必死无疑。）
● of two minds 是“左右摇摆;拿不定主意;三心二意;犹豫不定”的意思。例如：He always seems to be of two minds about everything. （不管什么事情，他似乎总是犹豫不定。）
● in two shakes of a lamb’s tail 是“马上，立刻”的意思。试想，小羊摇两下尾巴的时间不是很快很短吗？
● kill two birds with one stone 谚语，意思是“一石二鸟;一箭双雕;一举两得”。
● two wrongs don’t make a right 意思是“两个错加不出一个正确来;二错相加仍是错;以牙还牙行不通;不能因别人错了自己也就可以犯错”。
two’s company， three’s a crowd 意思是“两人成伴，三人成患”。例如：Two’s company， three’s a crowd， so please don’t come with my girlfriend and me. （两人刚好，三人嫌太挤，所以请不要跟着我和我的女朋友来。）
the three R’s 就是基本三会：读，写，算。
give three cheers 是鼓掌的意思。例如：Let’s give the girls three cheers.（让我们为女孩们鼓掌！）而three cheers for…意思是：为……三欢呼。例如：Three cheers for the winner！（为获胜者三呼喝彩。）
at sixes and sevens 意思是乱七八糟或所有的事情都是一团糟。
six of one， half a dozen the other 意思是“半斤八两，不相上下”。这个俗语的直译为“一个人的六个，另一个人的半打”。半打就是六个，两者完全相同，只是说法不同而已，故用来比喻两种东西一模一样，相当于汉语里的“半斤八两”。据认为，该俗语最早出现在19世纪英国作家弗雷德里克·马里亚特（Frederick Marryat，1792～1848）的小说《海盗和三只小艇》（The Pirates and the Three Cutters， 1836）中。该俗语有时也作six and two threes。例如：What difference does it matter？ They’re both the same—six of one， half a dozen of the other.（这有什么区别？两者是相同的——一模一样。）
seventh heaven 意思是极乐世界;七重天（天之最高處）。暗喻心情极为快乐、满足。
on cloud nine 是“非常高兴，九霄云上”的意思。从字面上理解，是指“在第九层云端”，在那么高的云上飘，是不是有点神仙的感觉呢？所以on cloud nine引申为飘飘然;非常快乐;非常高兴;沉浸在幸福之中。
nine times out of ten 意思是“十有八九;十之八九;通常;几乎总是”。
nine-to-five 意思是“上班时间朝九晚五的”。例如：She works a nine-to-five job. （她有一份朝九晚五的工作。）
dress to the nines 是习语，动词短语。意为“盛装，穿得漂漂亮亮”。
a hundred to one shot 意思是“百分之一的可能;可能性很小”。
a million to one 是“可能性极小;百万分之一的可能;微乎其微”的意思。
forty winks 意思是“白天小睡;打盹”。
at the eleventh hour 是“最后一刻;危急之时;在最后时刻;在关键时刻”的意思。
one’s lucky number comes up 意思是“某人走运;交上好运”。