Zack Files Book 3

look-see   n [singular]

informal a quick look at something

  "First, can I ask you a personal question, Mrs. Coleman-Levin?"

  "Depends what it is," she said.

  "Do you believe in ESP?"

extra-sensory perception the ability to know what will happen in the future, or to know what another person is thinking

"Dad, you've met Mrs. Coleman-Levin.

Did she strike you as the murdering type?"

P.U.!

Outside my classroom, rain was flinging itself

against the windows. Lightning flashed.

Thunder crashed. Mrs. Coleman-Levin was

taking attendance. 

Zack Files 11

The night we went, they were holding a

seance as a publicity stunt. A seance is when

a bunch of people get together in a dark room

and try to get a ghost to talk to them.

seance    /ˈseɪɑːns, -ɔns US -ɑːns/ n [C]

a meeting where people try to talk to or receive messages from the spirits of dead people

poltergeist / ˈpɔltəgaɪst; ˋpoltɚˏɡaɪst/ 

A poltergeist is a ghost or supernatural force which is believed to move furniture or throw objects around.

Zack Files 19

the extension cords

I handed the other hair dryer to Dad and

pantomimed firing it at the spores.

I hit the monster

with the sweet spot of my bat and blasted a line

drive out into the hallway.

Zack Files Book 20

As I cut through the park, I saw a girl who was about my age. She looked so amazing, I almost blew my cool.

blow (one's) cool Slang
          To lose one's composure.

"I don't see why we have to ask girls to

this stupid dance anyway," said this big kid,

George Van Zandt. "Girls are boring." George

is a jock. He only cares about sports.

AmE someone, especially a student, who plays a lot of sport and is often considered to be stupid

I scratched my back. I had started itching

while I was talking to Prudence. I wondered

if there was any connection. Maybe Prudence

had cooties. Not that there was anything wrong

with cooties.

coo·tie (ktē) n. Slang
A body louse.

They had fits. They shouted gibberish.

fit - a short period of time when someone loses consciousness and cannot control their body because their brain is not working properly

　She used to have fits as a baby.

gibberish--something you write or say that has no meaning, or is very difficult to understand

Twenty innocent people died.

If someone is innocent, they did not commit a crime which they have been accused of.

"Ssshhh!" she said. She looked nervous enough 

to jump right out of her skin

Fig. to react strongly to shock or surprise.

"Why, how short your skirt is!" said

Prudence. "Will they not take you to the

ducking stool and hold your head underwater

until you gasp for breath?"

    The waitress got very huffy.

Someone who is huffy is obviously annoyed or offended about something. (INFORMAL)

I really didn't want to sound like a wuss.

If you call someone a wuss, you are criticizing them for being afraid. (INFORMAL)

Prudence suddenly leaned across the table and kissed me.

That really caught me off-guard.I guess it left both of us pretty flustered.

catch/throw sb off guard
to surprise someone by doing something that they are not ready to deal with

flustered--confused and nervous

Dad managed to tear himself away from his article 

on antique stores long enough to drive me 

to Mrs. Coleman-Levin's to pick up Prudence.

tear away [tear sb away] phr v
to make yourself or someone else leave a place when you or they do not want to leave

Prudence, your escort is here!

to take someone somewhere, especially when you are protecting or guarding them

crepe `paper 

thin paper with a wavy or wrinkled surface 縐紋紙.

punch bowl--

Punch is a drink made from wine or spirits mixed with things such as sugar, lemons, and spices.

Principal Underpence scampered away in embarrassment.

When people or small animals scamper somewhere, they move there quickly with small, light steps.

I had to think about this. I was terribly torn.

I really didn't know what to do.

If you are torn between two or more things, you cannot decide which to choose, and so you feel anxious or troubled.

I fished in my pockets for something to jimmy the lock.

jimmy--a short strong metal bar used especially by thieves to break open locked doors, windows etc

She closed her eyes, held her breath, and scrunched up her face.

scrunch up your face/eyes
to move the muscles in your face in a way that makes your eyes seem narrow

"Boy, you can say that again.

I agree with you completely 

The court of Jailem Village is now in session, Magistrate John Harthome presiding!

to be in charge of a formal event, organization, ceremony etc

Zack Files Book 18

They took a Polaroid picture of me holding it. 
I took the picture to school and showed the guys in my homeroom. 
Everybody was impressed-everybody but Andrew Clancy.

A Polaroid camera is a small camera that can take, develop, and print a photograph in a few seconds.

Everyone was hoping Andrew Clancy might finally get

caught in one of his whoppers.

informal  a lie

The Space Shuttle was now embedded in the ceiling of the gym.
be embedded in sth --to put something firmly and deeply into something else, or to be put into something in this way

plainclothes policemen

And I have to tell you-I never solved a homicide case for him. 

homicide AmE
the police department that deals with murders

A sergeant is a non-commissioned officer of middle rank in the army, marines, or air force.

"He's shot twelve perps." said Andrew.
perpetrator formal
someone who does something morally wrong or illegal

interrogate   

to ask someone a lot of questions for a long time in order to get information, sometimes using threats

I actually thought we might have a shot at winning that hundred bucks.

have a chance

I dreaded to see what he'd come up with.

dread 

to feel anxious or worried about something that is going to happen or may happen

The components of something are the parts that it is made of.

Vernon was going to egg on Andrew to brag and lie until he couldn't get on the bike at all. 

egg on [egg sb⇔on] phr v
to encourage someone to do something, especially something that they do not want to do or should not do

my bathtub has a Jacuzzi. 按摩浴缸

"Big deal," said Andrew. "My bathroom has a sauna."

三溫暖

he thought he could pry Andrew out with a crowbar. 

If you pry something open or pry it away from a surface, you force it open or away from a surface.

crowbar -- a heavy iron bar used to lift something or force it open

A serum is a liquid that is injected into someone's blood to protect them against a poison or disease.

"I think Andrew would like to start telling the truth now. But he needs a head start.

head start n [C]
an advantage that helps you to be successful

"My butt," Andrew said. "It's shrinking! It's shrinking

 big-time!"

big-time   Informal

adj. Significant or important; major: a bigtime comedian.
adv. To an extreme degree; very much: Sales are expanding, big-time.

stationary bike -- A stationary bicycle (also known as exercise bicycle, exercise bike)

labonza  -- the buttocks. Good grief, what a gross labonza!

And I know I'm a pain in the butt. 

pain in the ass and a pain in the butt

Fig. a very annoying thing or person.

Zack Files Book 17

"Sheer poppycock. Zack, I'm very disappointed in you. Coming in here and telling me such poppycock.

Senseless talk; nonsense.

But I'd steer clear of Mrs. Wolfowitz today if I were you.

to avoid something or someone because they are dangerous or bad for you
I'd steer clear of Joe if I were you - he'll only cause trouble.
I try to steer clear of heavy meals these days.

Mrs. Coleman-Levin was good enough to oblige us. What sort of problem are you having with Mrs. Wolfowitz?"

To oblige someone means to be helpful to them by doing what they have asked you to do.

"That's preposterous," he said. "Why on earth would

Mrs. Wolfowitz eat your homework?"

preposterous -- completely unreasonable or silly
= absurd

Vernon Manteuffel, the rich kid in our class who sweats

a lot. He's the biggest blabbermouth in school,

and he's always trying to get me in trouble.

blabbermouth -- informal someone who tells secrets because they always talk too much

I distinctly heard Spencer say that she was a werewolf.

distinctly    /dɪˈstɪŋktli/ adv clearly

hazy -- air that is hazy is not clear because there is a lot of smoke, dust, or mist in it

"W-we're making a d-documentary," said Spencer.

A documentary is a television or radio programme, or a film, which shows real events or provides information about a particular subject.

I skipped both homeroom and science class that day.

Another term for "truancy" is also "skipping class"

A few minutes later, we buzzed Mrs.

Coleman-Levin from the lobby of her building.

She didn't buzz back. She got on the intercom

instead.

We were ready for her. Mrs. Coleman-Levin found

an old hammock made of rope. We rigged it over the door.

"Far out," said Spencer.

"Remarkable," said Mrs. Coleman-Levin.

far out Slang Extremely unconventional

"Because you can take a wolf out of the woods," she said, "but you just can't take the wolf out of the teacher."
你可以把狼帶出森林，但是你不能改變它的本性。

Zack Files Book 14，15

There are a lot of things in this world I don't

understand, but two things stump me the most

The key-chain was broken and so tarnished it

looked almost black.
If a metal tarnishes or if something tarnishes it, it becomes stained and loses its brightness.

An auction is a public sale where goods are sold to the person who offers the highest price.

a polishing cloth
Polish is a substance that you put on the surface of an object in order to clean it, protect it, and make it shine.

reclining chair
When a seat reclines or when you recline it, you lower the back so that it is more comfortable to sit in.

Just let me change into more comfortable shoes.

batting stance

a position in which you stand, especially when playing a sport

"I have a big brisket to cook tomorrow. And that will

take nearly all day."

Brisket is a cut of beef that comes from the breast of the cow.

The pitcher adjusted the bill of his cap.

AmE the front part that sticks out on a hat such as a baseball cap

And then something grabbed me from behind!

  Yikes! I practically jumped out of my skin.

(=was very shocked or frightened) !

They were really, really

hairy, and they stank to high heaven.

stank to high heaven--Fig. to smell very bad.
What happened? This place stinks to high heaven.
This meat smells to high heaven. Throw it away!

I leave a roll of quarters right under the window of the Neanderthal exhibit, so the gang can stock up on Cheez Doodles and Yoo-Hoo.

stock up phr v
to buy a lot of something in order to keep it for when you need to use it later

放屁

gives you gas for two days

there are over dozens of ways to say "pass gas" including flatulence, fart, toot, break wind, and the all-time most colorful phrase, "cut the cheese". Regardless of what name you give your emissions, most healthy people release gas throughout the day – the average is between 14 and 23 times per day. Excessive flatulence has two harmless causes: Eating foods that make you pass gas and swallowing air.

Zack Files Books 10, 12, 13

I screamed and banged my head against the wall. 

Spencer and Dad looked like I'd gone bananas.

go bananas
to become very angry or excited

If I married you, 

people would say I was robbing the cradle."

rob the cradle
AmE to have a sexual relationship with someone who is a lot younger than you - used humorously

"No, Zack," said Dad. He could tell I was hurt. 

"I'm starting to like it. It's beginning to

grow on me, you know? I'm liking it more already."

    grow on [grow on sb] phr v
    if something grows on you, you gradually like it more and more
　    I hated his music at first, but it grows on you.

My editor at Wool World gave me her number. 

He said two bachelors like us need somebody to do a little

straightening up around here, and maybe cook us a meal or two. 

    straighten up ----    to make something tidy
　Mum told me to straighten my room.

go/fall into a trance
　She went into a deep hypnotic trance.
a state in which you are thinking about something so much that you do not notice what is happening around you

A thin wisp of green smoke curled out of the top of the egg.

"put him in the bathtub. Otherwise his skin will get flaky and peel.

Something that is flaky breaks easily into small thin pieces or tends to come off in small thin pieces.
...a small patch of red, flaky skin.
2 [ADJ]
If you describe an idea, argument, or person as flaky, you mean that they are rather eccentric and unreliable. (INFORMAL)

"Zack, you be quiet or you're going to have a time-out!"

Sports. A brief cessation of play at the request of a sports team or an official for rest, consultation, or making substitutions.
A short break from work or play.
A corrective measure or punishment for young children in which they are separated from others for a brief period. The place, especially a chair, used for such a measure or punishment.

"Or else you're evicted!"

to tell someone legally that they must leave the house they are living in

perky /p'ɜː^rki/ (perkier perkiest)
If someone is perky, they are cheerful and lively.

double up phr v
also double over
to suddenly bend over at the waist because you are laughing so much or are in pain
　Emilio doubled over, grabbing his leg.
be doubled up/over with laughter/pain etc
　Both the girls were doubled up with laughter.

Everybody was pumped to see her.

We both thought my grandma was being a little cuckoo.

cuckoo    informal   crazy or silly

　     You're completely cuckoo!

     
a little peppier
      pep·py (pěpē)
          adj. Informal pep·i·er, pep·i·est
          Full of or characterized by energy and high spirits; lively.
zit  n. Slang
        A pimple.
        Grandma Leah has two zits on her chins.
push (the edge of) the envelope

to move beyond the limit of what has usually been done or was the accepted standard 

TV shows are really pushing the envelope by showing so much sex and violence.

nook hd+, 在看中文epub時，常有亂碼

最近新買的nook hd+, 在看中文epub時，常有亂碼，在電腦卻很正常，
這是由於這本書的css沒有寫好，所以，這時候須要重寫css，在重新
封存。
首先用winrar解開，找出css的檔案，打開後，
將下列的內容copy取代後save，接下後重新封存就可以了。
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src: url(res:///system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
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@font-face {
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@font-face {
font-family: "DroidFont", serif, sans-serif;
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body { font-family: "DroidFont", serif;}

EXCEL保護部份儲存格

首先先把整張工作表鎖起來。
1、選取整張工作表。
2、按右鍵，選儲存格格式，再選保護，確定鎖定有打勾。
接著，選取允許使用者輸入的儲存格。
3、利用crtl鍵把允許使用者輸入的儲存格的格子選起來。
4、按右鍵，選儲存格格式，再選保護，把鎖定的勾勾弄掉。
接著把工作表用密碼保護。
5、最上面的工具---保護，給一個密碼，工作結束。
       (記得把保護的鍵不要讓使用者選取)

Good Luck Charlie S2E04

Bedbug infestation

if insects, rats etc infest a place, there are a lot of them and they usually cause damage

be infested with sth
　The kitchen was infested with cockroaches.

suite

a set of rooms, especially expensive ones in a hotel

there’s just one catch.

informal
a hidden problem or difficulty

the catch is (that)
　The catch is that you can't enter the competition unless you've spent $100 in the store.

Throw a party

Your arm is in a cast.

a hard protective case that is put over your arm, leg etc because the bone is broken
　Murray has his leg in a cast .

so, I don’t have a say in this?

the right to take part in deciding something

care for a butt chip?

would you care for sth?
spoken formal used to ask someone politely if they would like something
　Would you care for another drink?

I was standing in 15-items-or-less line.

Through this entire ugly confrontation

Like an oaf, eating a donought

someone who is stupid or awkward, especially a man

for not backing me up

not supporting

A compliment is a polite remark that you say to someone to show that you like their appearance, appreciate their qualities, or approve of what they have done.

Vein

any of the tubes carrying blood from all parts of the body to the heart 靜脈

Utensils are tools or objects that you use in order to help you to cook or to do other tasks in your home.

Dialogue

A conversation between two or more people.

I got the ball rolling here. I can’t think of everything.

I am getting the ball rolling

I can't think of them all.

get the ball rolling and set the ball rolling; start the ball rolling

Fig. to get a process started.

Demonstrate

to show or prove something clearly

it’s gross.

very unpleasant

attaboy  

Used to show encouragement or approval to a boy or man

Is there anything I can give you, Miss Keener.

I mean besides a refund….which I can’t give you.

an amount of money that is given back to you if you are not satisfied with the goods or services that you have paid for

so elegant

If you describe a person or thing as elegant, you mean that they are pleasing and graceful in appearance or style.

So poise

If someone has poise, they are calm, dignified, and self-controlled.

Poise is a graceful, very controlled way of standing and moving.
Ballet classes are important for poise and grace...

Good Luck Charlie S2E03

But then we’re gone have to unhook the game system. 
And rehook it up over there.

to connect the TV and the Video game device together

Our house is being fumigated.

If you fumigate something, you get rid of germs or insects from it using special chemicals.

destroy infectious germs, insects, etc in (sth) with the fumes ofcertain chemicals

We’ve been iming. That led to texting.

IMING is "Instant Messaging"

Let’s get you all cutied up for your video chat.

"Get you all [somethinged] up" means to put you completely in that state. Here, the person suggests that they make her into a cutie so that she will be alluring, 

I’m getting too much nostril.

Seeing too much part of nostril

Flutter your eyes.

Clog up the pipe.

When something clogs up a place, or when it clogs up, it becomes blocked so that little or nothing can pass through.

Bunk desk

That getting a fresh pair of underpants every day was gonna be a little tricky.

I didn’t get electrocuted.

It sure would be helpful if we could use your bathroom till ours is up and running.

To freshen up beforehand.

freshen up phr v
to wash your hands and face in order to feel clean and comfortable

Up top.

top up [top sth/sb⇔up] phr v
to add more liquid to a container that is partly full
　I'll just top up the coffee pot.
to put more drink in someone's glass or cup after they have drunk some
　Can I top you up?

That’s the thing about us Duncuns.

We are clutch players.

person or people who's always performing highly impossible goals in a quick and almost impossible amount of time, or in the nick of time

if you do something voluntarily, you do it willingly, without anyone telling you to do it

let’s roll.

spoken used to suggest to a group of people that you all begin doing something or go somewhere

what’s taking the nachos so long?

Mexican food consisting of small pieces of tortillas covered with cheese, beans etc

He will think I blew him off.

blow off [blow sb/sth⇔off] phr v
to treat someone or something as unimportant, for example by not meeting someone or not going to an event

pool house-a house with a swimming pool

no offense-

spoken used to tell someone that you hope that what you are going to say or do will not offend them

Now get your Booty in gear.

It’s time to represent.

Don’t go street on me.

go street
to get rough, or to fight back with your words
Don't make me go street on you!

We have a power outage. The water is out too.

a period of time during which a service such as the electricity supply cannot be provided

What’s keeping Ivy?

I’m gonna freeze.

You’ve got to keep it up.

We are on a nice roll there.

be on a roll informal
to be having a lot of success with what you are trying to do

hobo

someone who travels around and has no home or regular job