如何通过英语习语培养文化意识

习语是一门语言最生动的组成部分，蕴含丰富的历史、地理、宗教信仰、文化习俗、思维方式和审美习惯等文化因子。在英语教学过程中，教师积极正确地引入英语习语，可以在提高学生的表达能力、培养学习兴趣等方面起到事半功倍的效果。

语言是文化的载体，习语又是语言的精华。英语习语就其广义而言，包括成语、格言、典故、谚语、俗语等，具有特定形式的词组，其蕴含的含义往往是不能从词组中单个词的意思推测而得。英语习语形象鲜明，寓意深刻，蕴含丰富的文化内涵，具有鲜明的民族特色，是人类智慧的结晶。它是英语中表达力最强、文化内涵最丰富的一部分，在英语教学中，必须注意英语习语的教学。虽然它一直是英语学习或英语教学的重点和难点，但对英语教学有着极其重要的促进作用。

What do you think these phrases mean in the sentences?

1. I know you’ve had a lot of fun tonight but it’s time for bed before you turn into a pumpkin.

2. The office has skeleton staff on Saturdays.

3. If you 'ride on a wave’ of something, you benefit from a period of success and/or popularity.

4. I have to rack my brains to think of what to buy her for Christmas every year.

5. I am sorry you lost your camera but it’s no use crying over spilt milk. Go and get a new one.

6. If you have 'the lion’s share’ of something, you have the largest part of it.

7. If something is described ' a piece of cake’, it means it’s easy to do.

8. It’s only a 2000-word essay--stop making a mountain out of a molehill!

9. In Britain, when we say ' across the pond ’  or ' the other side of the pond’  we might be referring to the Atlantic Ocean and the US.

10. We say ' it’s on the cards’ when we mean that something is likely to happen.