Subject : I have racked my brain.

第一，迷你对话

A: I have racked my brain. I still have no idea about how to spend Valentine’s day.

我绞尽脑汁，仍然想不出如何过情人节。

B: Just take her to a high ranking restaurant and present her with a bunch of flowers.

那就带上她去一个高级饭店，然后送她一束花。

第二，地道表达

rack one’s brain

1. 解词释义

Rack one’s brain中的rack是“压榨”和“折磨”的意思，brain是大脑。Rack one’s brain直译为压榨、折磨某人的大脑，其实就是“绞尽脑汁”“不遗余力”等意思。用它来表示用尽心思去考虑某事。因为用尽心思，当然就饱受精神上的折磨。其英文解释为：to cause great mental suffering，to torture brain by means of the rack。

2. 拓展范例

e.g. When I went to pick up my girlfriend, there was a note on the door. She wrote that she didn't want to see me anymore. Huh?! How could our relationship be over? I've been racking my brain trying to recall everything I've done and said lately. Instead of making me struggle, couldn't she at least let me know how I upset her?

我去接我女朋友，发现门上有张条。条上说，她不想跟我交往下去了。我们怎么会就这么结束了呢？我绞尽脑汁，回想最近自己是不是做错了什么事，说错了什么话。她至少可以告诉我我什么地方得罪了她，让我不用这么百思不得其解。

e.g. He had racked his brain but he could not be able to work out the answer to the problem.

他已经绞尽脑汁了，但是还是无法相处这个问题的答案。

e.g. I rack my brain trying to remember the answer .

我绞尽脑汁想答案。

e.g. I've been racking my brain trying to recall where we put the key.

我绞尽脑汁回想我把钥匙放在哪里。

第三，咬文嚼字

1. have no idea about something：不知道做……

e.g. If you have no idea about it, consult a dictionary, please.

要是你对这个问题不清楚, 请你查字典得了。

e.g. I have no idea about her visit except that she is likely to be away for several months .

我对她的访问情况一无所知，只知道她可能外出好几个月。

2. present sb. with sth.：赠送某人某物

e.g.They presented a sum of money to the college in memory of their son.

他们向学院赠送了一笔款项以纪念他们的儿子。

e.g. Colleagues presented the retiring chairman with a cheque.

同事们把一张支票交给退休的主席。

3. a bunch of：一束……，一捆……，一群

e.g. He produced from his pocket a bunch of keys.

他从口袋里掏出一串钥匙。

e.g. Miss White received a bunch of flowers from her admirer.

怀特小姐收到爱慕者所送的一束花。

e.g. His friends are just a bunch of hooligans.

他的朋友们只是一群流氓。

4. a high ranking restaurant：高档酒店 spend the Valentine’s day：过情人节