9 to stand on one's own two feet
To stand on one's own two feet 的意思恐怕不难猜到。一个人假如能站稳脚跟的话，他就肯定能独立自主，靠我们的力量来办事。大家下面要举的一个例子是一位爸爸担忧他的儿子吸毒或酗酒，所以在劝告他的儿子：
Son, somebody may try to get you to smoke marijuana or drink, just to fit in with the crowd. But I hope you can stand on your own two feet and say no.
儿子呀，有些人为了要你合群或许会劝你喝酒或吸毒。但我期望你可以独立自主，拒绝他们的引诱。
又如：Bill Brown has managed to stay in Congress1 now for twenty years. The voters don't always agree with him but they really like the way he stands on his own feet and makes his own decisions on which way to vote, regardless of pressures from all the lobbyists.
比尔布朗在国会当议员已经二十年了。选民们不肯定都赞同他的看法，但他们倒非常赏析他在对各种提案投票时的那种独立自主精神。不管那些游说者给他施加多大重压，他都按我们的决定投票。
10 to throw oneself at someone's feet
To throw oneself at someone's feet 这个俗语可以讲解为：公开对某人表示爱慕。
譬如说，一个男子在幻想自己将来的婚事，他对他的朋友说：
I'm still looking for the right girl to marry. And when I find her, I'll throw myself at her feet and ask her to spend the rest of her life with me.
我目前还在物色一个我觉得适合的女生作为我的老婆。一旦我找到了，我就要拜倒在她的石榴裙下，恳求她作为我的终身伴侣。
To throw oneself at someone's feet 还可以讲解为：为了得到一些好处而溜须拍马，或拜倒在某人脚下。
下面的例子是说一个被判了罪的犯人：
The prisoner who has been convicted2 as a traitor3 threw himself at the feet of the judge and beg for mercy.
那个被定罪为叛徒的犯人拜倒在法官的面前，求他发发慈悲。
11 to be swept off one's feet
大家说过to throw oneself at someone's feet，这是公开表示对某人的爱慕之情，或是拍马奉承、百般讨好某人。可是，被爱慕或讨好的对象总是会忽然感到很开心而不由自主地变得飘飘然起来。这种情景在英文里是这么说的：to be swept off one's feet，就是指一个人因为一件使他开心的事而感到不由自主。
下面大家要举的一个例子就能看出一个人在 throwing himself at someone's feet 将来所可能产生的后果：
Dick was so crazy about Jane that he threw himself at her feet. Jane was swept off her feet and they're getting married next Tuesday.
迪克实在是爱简，他完全拜倒在她的石榴裙下。这一下使得简感到飘飘然，不由自主了。他们居然决定下星期二就结婚。
这种闪电式的结婚确实有点过于匆忙。下面一个例子就是一个人在劝他的朋友不要草率从事。这也说明 to be swept off one's feet 这个俗语不肯定完全适用于被爱慕的人，也可以用在其他场所：
Hal, I know how anxious you are to get married and start a family. But don't let yourself get swept off your feet by a pretty face: think about what you are doing before you get caught.
海尔，我了解你是很急于结婚成家。但，你不要被一张好看的脸弄得昏昏然的。在问题还没发生前，你得脑子了解一些，了解自己到底在做什么。
12 Don't let the grass grow under one's feet
像结婚如此的事确实应该慎重考虑，不可以操之过急。但有些时候，大家处置事情也不可以拖拖拉拉，费时。这在英文里就是：Don't let the grass grow under one's feet。从字面上来讲解，这句话的意思是：不要让草在你脚底下长出来，事实上也就是说，你不要啥事也不干，费时。
比如：Right now the house is a real bargain. Don't let the grass grow under your feet--sign the agreement today before somebody grabs4 it.
这是一个房地产经纪人在对一个买主说话。他说：目前房地产价格实在是很实惠。你不要费时，最好今天就签协议，免得给其他人把这栋房屋抢走。
Don't let the grass grow under your feet 是营销推广商品的人常常说的话。比如：
I tell you, don't let the grass grow under you feet--this is the last day of this sale and the price on this model goes up a thousand dollars tomorrow!
我对你说，今天是这次减价的最后一天。这种型号的车子，明天就要上涨一千USD。所以你不要优柔寡断，费时。
