Do you know the following expressions?
Faustian bargain
According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life．The devil（魔鬼）, Mephistopheles, promises him that in return for his soul．he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge．Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul goes to the hell．A “Faustian bargain” therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin．It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration．
A three-ring circus
When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion．There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed．The expression comes from the world of entertainment—the circus．The area where the artists perform their acts is called the “ring”．In the past, some of the circuses were so large that they had three acts taking place meanwhile in three different “rings”．The audience had to decide which “ring” they wanted to focus on．
In the swim（of things）
When someone is in the swim of things, he is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in “I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of things.” In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word “swim” to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty．So, if you are a fish man and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be “in the swim”!
小题1:If a person makes a Faustian bargain, _____．
A．he might come to a bad end
B．he would be considered clever
C．his life would become satisfying
D．he would gain power and knowledge小题2:In the past, why did a circus perform different acts at the same time ?
A．It was the audience’s requirement.
B．The time was limited.
C．The circus was very big.
D．They wanted to earn more money.小题3:What do we learn about the expression “in the swim（of things）”?
A．It means having a lot of things to do．
B．It has nothing to do with swimming．
C．Originally it was used to refer to "going fishing"．
D．Patients use it to express their desire for health.小题4:What is the text mainly about?
A．The development of English phrases
B．Some old and interesting stories
C．Some phrases' meanings and origins
D．Some misunderstandings about words
