短语动词是高考英语的一个十分重要的考点，每年必考。根据近五年的高考英语短语动词考题情况来看，此类考题主要涉及由 agree, blow, burst, bring, call, come, do, die, go, get, give, have, keep, look, make, put, pick, save, set, take, turn, work, watch 等常用动词所构成的短语动词，这些动词构成短语动词时通常搭配的介词或副词有 across, after, away, back, down, in, up, off, into, through 等。虽然看起来短语动词所涉及的词汇并不多，难度也不大，但是，二十多个常用动词与十余个常用介词或副词搭配构成不同的短语动词，学过排列组合的同学都知道，这是一个不小的数字――至少也有数百条。但是，好就好在高考命题很有规律，即只考查其中的重要短语，比如本文为同学们归纳的26条短语动词就是重点中的重点！
1. break down (机器等)损坏；(谈判等)失败；(谈话等)中断；(健康等)变坏；拆分
Our car broke down and we had to push it off the road. 我们的车坏了，我们只好把它推到路边。
After years of overwork his health broke down and he had to retire. 在多年劳累之后，他的身体垮了，只好退休。
He showed us the whole dance, then broke it down so that we could learn it more easily. 他给我们演示了整个舞蹈，然后拆分开来让我们更容易学习。
2. bring down 使落下，打倒；降低，减少
Stronger measures will have to be taken to bring down unemployment. 需要采取更有力的措施降低失业率。
The government hopes these measures will help to bring down inflation. 政府希望这些措施会有助于减轻通货膨胀。
3. bring up 提出，提起；抚养，培养；呕吐
Every time I bring the matter up, he changes the subject. 每当我提起这件事，他就会转移话题。
Her parents died when she was a baby and she was brought up by her aunt. 她出生后不久父母双亡，是由姑母抚养大的。
4. come across偶然遇见，碰上；（想法等）传达；被理解(不及物)；给予印象(不及物)
These themes come across very strongly in the novel. 这些主题在小说中表述得淋漓尽致。
When I was looking for my passport I came across these old photographs. 我在找护照时碰巧找到了这些旧相片。
5. cut down 砍倒；削减，压缩，缩减
We must cut down expenses or we’ll be getting into debt. 我们得减少支出，否则就要负债了。
Your essay's too long―it needs cutting down a little. 你的论文太长――需要删减一点。
若表示“削减或缩减……”，则通常后接介词on。如：
Cut down on fatty foods and alcohol if you want to lose weight. 如果你想减肥，你就要少吃高脂肪食物和少喝酒。
6. end up 结束，完事，告终；最后变成（成为）
Much of this meat will probably end up as dog food. 这块肉的一大半最后可能得当狗食。
I really wanted to work in television but I ended up in radio, which is the next best thing. 我确实想做电视工作，最后到了电台工作，这是仅次于它的最好的工作。
7. get through 通过；到达；做完；度过；接通电话；让……了解
I’ve been trying to ring up all day and I couldn’t get through. 我整天都在设法打电话联系，可是就是没有接通。
The doctor finally got through to him that smoking was dangerous for his health. 医生终于让他明白吸烟有害健康。
My sister helped me get through the difficult days after our mother’s death. 妈妈死后，姐姐帮我熬过了艰难的日子。
8. give back 归还，退回
I must call at the library to give back this book. 我得去图书馆把这本书还了。
The company had to give back all the money customers had paid. 这家公司只好将顾客付的钱给退了。
9. give in 认输，投降，屈服；交上，呈上
I pressed my parents until they finally gave in and registered me for skating classes. 我给父母施加压力，直到他们最后让步，帮我报名参加溜冰班。
The little boy cried so much that his mother finally gave in to him and bought some candy. 小孩哭得那么凶，妈妈终于让步了，给他买了糖。
At first he wouldn’t let her drive the car but she was so persuasive that eventually he gave in. 起初他不肯让她开车，可是她这么能说，最终他还是答应了。
10. give off 发出(光、声音等)，散发出(气味)
Burning apple wood gives off a pleasing smell. 燃烧苹果木散发出芬芳气味。
When they die, plants give off gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. 当植物死的时候，它们会发出二氧化碳和沼气。
11. give up 停止；放弃，戒除；自首
His wife finally persuaded him to give up smoking. 他的妻子最后说服他戒烟。
I tried to climb the wall but after I had failed three times I gave up. 我试图爬上那堵墙，但失败三次之后我放弃了。
Decide what you want and then don’t give up until you’ve achieved it. 先决定好想要的东西，然后不要放弃，直到成功获得你想要的。
12. give away 泄露；赠送
If captured, they might give away vital military secrets. 如果被抓，他们有可能会泄露极其重要的军事机密。
I gave away the surprise party when I mentioned buying balloons and other decorations. 我提到买气球和其他装饰品，把惊喜聚会的事说漏嘴了。
We have 200 tickets to give away free to our viewers. 我们有200 张票免费赠送给我们的电视观众。
13. go up 上升，上涨，增长
The price of strawberries went up towards the end of the season. 草莓将要下市时，价格上涨了。
The average cost of a new house has gone up by 5% to $76,500. 新房的平均费用上涨了5%，达到了76,500美元。
14. hang up 挂断(电话)；悬挂，挂起
He said good-bye and hung up. 他说了声再见，然后把电话挂了。
It’s a very bad line. I’ll hang up and call again. 杂音太大，我挂上重打吧。
15. hold back 阻挡，抑制；踌躇，退缩；保守(秘密等)，隐瞒
She held back from telling him what she thought of him. 她要把自己对他的看法告诉他，但又觉得难以启齿。
I think he’s holding something back. I’m sure he knows more than he admits. 我认为他有所隐瞒，他知道的比他承认的要多。
They felt the British economy was being held back by excessive government controls. 他们认为由于政府过度控制，英国的经济发展受到了阻碍。
Do you think that mixed ability classes hold back the better students? 你认为把不同能力的学生混合在一起的班级会妨碍较高水平的学生的进步吗?
16. look after 照料，照顾，照管；注意，关心
Don’t worry about me ― I can look after myself. 别担心我，我可以照顾好自己。
Who will look after the children while their mother is in hospital? 孩子们的母亲住院期间谁照顾他们呢?
17. look down on [upon] 看不起，轻视
I wasn’t successful, so they looked down on me. 我没有成功，所以他们就瞧不起我。
She thinks her neighbours looked down on her a bit because she’s never been abroad. 她认为她的邻居们因她从来没有出过国而有点瞧不起她。
该短语动词的反义词是look up to（尊敬）。如：
You’re a popular girl, Grace, and a lot of the younger ones look up to you. 格雷丝，你是个受欢迎的女孩，许多年轻的女孩都尊敬你。
18. look into 调查，研究，认真考虑
I wrote a letter of complaint and the airline has promised to look into the matter. 我写了一封投诉信，航空公司答应调查此事。
We’re looking into the possibility of moving to France. 我们正在考虑迁往法国的可能性。
19. look out (for) 注意，留神
Do look out for spelling mistakes when you check your work. 你检查作业时要当心拼写错误。
“Look out!” somebody shouted, as the truck started to roll toward the sea. 当卡车开始向海边滚下去时，有人大声喊道：“当心。”
20. look through (从头至尾)浏览；详尽核查
Peter starts looking through the mail as soon as the door shuts. 门一关上，彼得就开始浏览信件。
I’ll look through these files and see if I can find a copy of my résumé. 我会浏览这些文件，看看是否能找到一份我的简历。
21. pick up 拿起，捡起；取(物)，用车接载(人)；获得，学会；好转，改进，增加(速度)；(使)重新开始，继续
Their SOS was picked up by another ship, which informed the lifeboat headquarters. 他们的呼救讯号被另一条船收到了，后者通知了救生艇总部。
I won’t have time to come to your house but I could pick you up at the end of your road. 我会没有时间到你家来，但是我可以到你家马路尽头接你。
The coach stops at the principal hotels to pick up tourists, but only if they arrange this in advance. 大客车到各主要的旅馆来接观光者，但条件是必须事先安排好。
After the first mile I started to feel stronger and my speed picked up. 跑了第1英里后我觉得有劲头了，于是加快了速度。
22. put down 镇压；记下；降低
Put down his phone number before you forget it. 把他的电话号码写下来，别等忘了。
Shops are being forced to put down their prices in order to attract customers. 为了吸引顾客，商店被迫降低价格。
23. put off 推迟，推延；阻止，劝阻
I’ll put off my visit to Scotland till the weather is warmer. 我要把到苏格兰去访问的事推迟到天气转暖以后。
Women who put off having a baby often make the best mothers. 推迟要孩子的妇女通常做母亲做得最好。
I had invited some guests to dinner but I had to put them off because a power cut prevented me from cooking anything. 我本来邀请一些客人来吃饭，但是不得不告诉他们先别来了，因为停电使我无法做菜。
24. put up with 容忍，忍受
They had put up with behaviour from their son which they would not have tolerated from anyone else. 他们容忍了自己儿子的行为，但对于其他任何人有这样的行为他们都不会容忍。
She puts up with the loud noise of living in the city because the city is so exciting. 她忍受了城市生活的嘈杂喧闹因为城市是如此令人兴奋。
25. take up 开始从事；把……继续下去；着手处理；占去，占据
Alex only took up the piano when he was 14. 亚历克斯到14岁时才开始学钢琴。
I know how busy you must be and naturally I wouldn’t want to take up too much of your time. 我知道你有多忙，当然我不会占用你太多时间。
He has a very small room and most of the space is taken up by a grand piano. 他住一个很小的房间，房间里一多半地方被一台大三角钢琴占去了。
26. turn down 关小，调低；拒绝
Turn that record-player down ―I’m trying to get some sleep. 把电唱机的声音调低些――我想睡一会儿。
I applied for the job but they turned down my application because I didn’t know German. 我申请这个职务，但是他们拒绝了我的申请，因为我不懂德语。
该短语表示“关小”“调低”时反义词是 turn up（调大）。如：
Let’s turn the heating up, I’m freezing. 把暖气开大些吧，我很冷。
Turn the TV up, I can’t hear what she’s saying. 把电视机的音量开大，我听不见她说的话。
注：本文发表于《第二课堂》2013年第3期。