In English, the word “pig” has many idioms (习语). Now, let’s look at some of them. Let’s begin with some very interesting expressions. We all know pigs spend a lot of time eating. As a result, many pigs are fat. In English, we use the idiom “eat like a pig” to describe people who eat a lot. But it can be impolite to use this idiom.

Another interesting idiom to learn is “lipstick (口红) on a pig”. While you think this expression describes a beautiful thing, the opposite is true. We use this idiom to say that no matter how well we decorate (装饰) a terrible product, it is still terrible. Even the most expensive lipstick cannot fix it!

“Pigs might fly” is an idiom widely used in daily life. It’s used to show that you do not believe something will happen. For example, Rick has been smoking for twenty years. Once he said he would give it up. His friends all laughed and said, “Yes, and pigs might fly.”

The last idiom is “guinea pig” (豚鼠). The guinea pig is actually not a pig. It is a large mouse with short legs and no tail. Many children keep the animal as a pet. But if we say someone is like a guinea pig, it means new ideas or experiments are tested on them.

If you go to a different country, you may get to know a different way of life. Here are stories of three young people when they first went to the US.

If someone says you are smart, what do they mean? Is it a good thing or bad thing? 【小题1】 This is because the word smart has many meanings.

For example, someone could say you look smart or you are dressed smartly. 【小题2】 To use a daily expression, they could say, “You look really cool!”

【小题3】 If you fall down from a chair, you might shout, “Wow! That smarts!” Or if a friend says something that hurts your feelings, you can say your are smarting from the hurtful words. In fact, maybe that person is no longer your friend.

If you are standing too close to a campfire, you could say your eyes are smarting from the smoke of the fire. 【小题4】

But the most common meaning of “smart” is to be clever. If someone is smart as a whip (鞭), he is able to think very quickly.

【小题5】 Some people are considered street smart. They may not have a strong education, but they are good at dealing with people and problems in the real world. Other people might be book smart. They have spent many years in school, but they may not be so smart when dealing with people or real-world problems.