英语中有的短语，正说也行，倒过来说也行，但它们的意思是不一样的。中学英语中这类短语常见的有：
1. as much同样地 / much as很像；虽然，尽管。如：
He said as much. 他就是这样说的。
He was dressed much as a policeman. 他打扮得很像个警察。
Much as I would like to stay, I really must go home. 我倒是很愿意呆在这儿，可确实得回家了。
2. above all首先，最重要的是 / all above以上所有的都。如：
Above all, he was not honest. 最重要的是他不诚实。
But above all tell me quickly what I have to do now. 但现在首先要告诉我要去做什么。
The answers all above are correct. 以上所有答案都是对的。
3. before long 不久以后 / long before 老早，早就；在……前很久。如：
I hope to write to you before long. 我希望不久就能给你写信。
That had happened long before. 那事老早就发生了。
She had left long before his return [he returned]. 在他回来的很久以前她就走了。
4. for good永远地，一劳永逸地 / good for适于，对……有益。如：
It isn’t as if you were going away for good. 又不是你离开不回来了。
Too much rich food is not good for you. 吃太多油腻的食物对你的身体不好。
This beach is good for swimming but bad for surfing. 这片海滩宜于游泳而不适合作冲浪运动。
5. for fear由于害怕，以免 / fear for为……担心。如：
We spoke in whispers for fear of waking the baby / for fear (that) we might wake the baby. 我们轻声谈话, 以免吵醒婴儿。
They feared for the lost child. 他们为丢失的孩子担心。
He feared for his son’s safety. 他为他儿子的安全担心。
6. for long长久地，很久地 / long for渴望。如：
We cannot survive for long without food and drink. 我们没有食物和饮料就活不了多久。
People all over the world long for peace. 全世界的人民都渴望和平。
7. in all 总共，总之 / all in筋疲力尽的；一切包括在内。如：
There are 100 people in all. 一共有100人。
In all, the book is worth reading. 总之，这本书值得一读。
I am all in at the end of the day. 一天下来我筋疲力尽。
I reckon it costs me two hundred pounds a year to run my car, all in. 我估计，包括一切费用在内，使用我的车一年得花200磅。
8. in advance预先，事先 / advance in在……有进步(提高，发展)。如：
The heavy luggage was sent in advance. 笨重的行李已事先送去。
Everything has been fixed in advance. 一切都已预先安排好了。
He advanced in his career. 他在事业上有进步。
This tribe advanced in civilization. 这个部落逐渐文明起来。
9. in hand 手头有，掌握住，在进行 / hand in交上来，交来。如：
I still have some money in hand. 我手头还有些钱。
The work is in hand and will soon be completed. 工作正在进行中，不久就可完成。
Give them a call and let them know we have the matter in hand. 给他们打个电话，告诉他们我们已控制了局势。
Hand in your examination papers now, please. 现在请把考卷交上来。
Someone handed this parcel in this morning. 今天早上一个人把这个包交了上来。
10. on hand 在手边(随时可用) / hand on 传递给另一个人。如：
She always has her dictionary on hand when she studies. 她学习时总是把词典放在手边。
Please read this notice and hand it on. 本通知看后请传阅。
Please hand on the magazine to your friends. 请把这本杂志传给你的朋友看。
11. in turn依次，轮流 / turn in 上交，就寝。如：
They answered the teacher’s questions in turn. 他们依次回答老师的问题。
Turn in your homework, please. 请把家庭作业交上来。
We turn in at nine and get up at six. 我们9点钟上床睡觉，6点钟起床。
12. on call 随时可用，随叫随到 / call on拜访，号召，要求。如：
We should thank the doctor on call at any hour. 我们应感谢那位日夜候诊的医生。
I had meant to call on you, but I was so busy. 我本想来看你的，但是我太忙了。
Then the teacher called on me to answer the question. 这时老师叫我回答问题。
The Party called on us to study hard for the people. 党号召我们要为人民努力学习。
13. on fire 着火，急切地 / fire on攻击，射击。如：
Her clothes were on fire. 她的衣服着火了。
The enemy fired on the town. 敌人炮击那座城镇。
14. only if只有……才，只要 / if only 只要；但愿，要是……就好了。如：
We can succeed only if everyone in the team pulls his weight. 我们全队只有人人各尽所能才能取得成功。
Only if a teacher has given permission is a student allowed to enter this room. 只有得到教师的允许，学生才可以进这间屋。
If only he gets the job, it will make a great deal of difference. 他只要能得到这份工作，情况就大不相同了。
If only they would tell me what they’ve decided. 但愿他们能把决定告诉我。
If only he’d remembered to buy some fruit. 他当时要是记得买些水果来该多好。
15. much too太，过分，非常 / too much过多，太多。如：
You are much too kind to me. 你对我实在太好了。
This cake is much too sweet. 这块蛋糕太甜了。
Don’t take too much medicine. 不要吃太多的药。
You have given me too much. 你已经给我太多了。
He drank (far) too much last night. 昨天晚上他喝得太多了。
16. a kind of一种，某种，有点 / of a kind同类的，一样的。如：
It was a kind of animal with long ears and a short tail. 那是一种长耳朵短尾巴的动物。
They look alike, talk alike, even think alike—they’re two of a kind. 他们长得很像、说话很像、连想法都很像——他们俩完全是一个类型的。
17. so do I我也如此 / so I do我的确如此。如：
He watches TV every night, and so do I. 他每晚都看电视，我也一样。
Mother often says that I like to watch TV, and so I do. 母亲说我爱看电视，我的确如此。
The teacher asks me to remember three English words every day. I do so. 老师要我每天记三个英语单词，我这样做了。
18. not too…to不太…不 / too…not to如此……不会不。如：
English is not too difficult to learn. 英语并不难学。
He is too clever not to see this. 他很聪明，不会不明白这一点。
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