今天要讲的习惯用语都有一个关键词run。我们要学的第一个习惯用语是：run like clockwork。 Cclockwork意思是钟表的机件，发条装置。钟表的机构当然该是精确无误的；run like clockwork这个习惯用语起始于十七世纪后期，沿用至今已经有三百年的历史了。那么这个习惯用语含义是不是像钟表一样准确运转呢？
让我们从一个例子来判断这个习惯用语的含义。当今让有些美国家长们头疼的一个问题是学校对孩子管束不严，校内纪律松懈。针对这个问题，不少家庭想到了一条解决途径。下面这段话说的就是这个。请你特别注意里面的习惯用语run like clockwork。
例句1: Some parents like a military school, because it runs like clockwork. Everything is strict and runs on time from physical training to classes and self-study.
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我们今天学的第二个带有run这个词的习惯用语是：cut and run。Cut and run这个习惯用语起源于航海。海上的船只如果遇上了紧急情况，例如，突如其来的风暴或者强大的敌舰，船长急于躲避灭顶之灾，往往不像平常那样下令起锚，而会叫船员砍断锚链，尽快地逃走。这就是cut and run这个习惯用语的出处。但是cut and run现在被广泛应用在其它场合。我们接下来要听一个有关房地产业的例子。
例句2: When the price of new houses dropped so fast, a lot of builders simply cut and ran - they abandoned the houses they were building and that started the bad times in the real estate market.
例句3: Okay, this is our last dry run - the show opens tomorrow. So come on, people, be serious! This is your last chance to improve before we have a live audience sitting out there.
