迷你对话：

A: Our house is too small. We had better have a big one.

我们的房子太小了，最好能有座大的。

B: How could we ever manage to buy a big house when we are always living beyond our means?

像我们这样靠薪水过日子的人家，怎么可能买栋大房子呢？

A: Shut up. You should think how to make fortunes, not look for a squabble.

闭嘴吧，你应该考虑如何多挣钱，而不是找茬闹架。

地道表达：

live beyond one’s means

解词释义：

means的原意是“方法，手段”，引申为“金钱，收入”。例如：a man of means（富人）。这个短语的反义词是live within one’s means（量入为出）。

支持范例：

Eg. When you first start working, you should organize your spending so that you don't live beyond your means.

你刚参加工作时，要安排好你的开支，这样你就不会入不敷出了。

Eg. It is wrong for a man to live beyond his means.

不按自己的收入过日子是错误。

Eg. No matter how much money you have , living within your means is vital if you want to avoid stress .

不管你有多少钱，还是要按照自己的方式生活，自食其力，这对减少压力是很重要的。

词海拾贝：

1. had better：最好

Eg. In any case you had better hear what your wife has to say.

总之，你最好听听你妻子的话。

Eg. This fellow is very crafty. we had better be on our guard.

这个家伙诡计多端, 我们可得小心点儿。

Eg. You had better have thorough examination.

你最好作一次全面检查。

Eg. You had better settle down and study the lesson.

你最好安定下来并开始复习功课。

2. manage to do sth：设法做......

Eg. I wonder how he could manage to possess himself of that secret.

真不知道他是怎样把那个秘密弄到手的。

Eg. However does he manage to write music when he is so deaf?

他聋成这个样子, 究竟是怎样从事作曲的呢?

Eg. Do you think you can manage to get us some tickets?

你看你能想法给我们搞几张票吗？

Eg. How on earth did you manage to get the car started?

你到底是怎么把汽车发动起来的？

3. shut up：闭嘴

Eg. Shut up ! You' re just talking nonsense.

住嘴！你简直是胡说八道。

Eg. Shut up and do as I tell you.

少废话，我怎么说你就怎么办。

Eg. Shut up, children——I can't hear the radio!

孩子们，别说话了，我都听不见收音机了！

Eg. If you don't shut up, I'll belt you.

你再不住嘴,我就要用皮带抽你。

4. make fortunes：挣钱致富

Eg. Many people make their fortunes through hard work in our country.

在我们国家，很多人通过辛勤劳动致富。

5. look for：寻找

Eg. It's my father who came here to look for me this morning.

上午来找我的是我父亲。

Eg. The searcher fanned out to look for the missing boy.

搜寻者散开去找那个丢失的男孩。

Eg. He called on his sister to help him look for his lost wallet.

他要他的妹妹帮他找遗失的皮夹。

Eg. Relax with the family and then look for some work.

与家人轻松一段时间 ，然后找个工作。