An idiom is a phrase that we can't understand from the m{#blank#}1{#/blank#} of each word. For example, if an American boy asks his mom what's for dinner tomorrow, she may say “I'll play it by ear”, that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will d{#blank#}2{#/blank#} later.

    “Play it by ear” used to mean playing music w{#blank#}3{#/blank#} using the sheet music (乐谱), but now people often use it when they're not talking about music!

    There are many idioms in English. If you learn to use them, your English will be much more vivid (生动的) and colorful.

    Have you ever heard the idiom “He bought the farm”? It means he died. Do you know how it became p{#blank#}4{#/blank#}? It was first used in World War I. When a soldier died, the government gave his family enough money to buy a farm.

    In the early 1930s, people in the US often didn't know when or where their next meal was. So once they got something in their hand that could be e{#blank#}5{#/blank#}, it would go into their mouth. That was how people began to use the idiom “living hand to mouth” to mean “living a p{#blank#}6{#/blank#} life”.

    And don't be a{#blank#}7{#/blank#} if your English friend says this to you, “Break a leg in your game!” He is wishing you good luck! Hundreds of years ago, people believed in sprites (小妖精). Sprites enjoyed causing t{#blank#}8{#/blank#}. If the sprites heard you ask for something, they would make the o{#blank#}9{#/blank#} happen. Tell someone to “break a leg” and the sprites would make something good happen.

    Aren't English idioms interesting? And break a leg in your next football m{#blank#}10{#/blank#}!

    Stan Lee, original name Stanley Martin Lieber, was{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(出生) in New York City in 1922. At the age of 17, he got a job at Timely Comics, the company that later{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(发展) into Marvel. There he soon learned writing duties and penning superhero stories.

    Lee spent nearly 80 years of his life{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(创造) hundreds of characters and teams.

    Some of them are{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(广泛地) known around the world, such as the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Avengers, X-Men and Thor.

    Actually, Marvel's superheroes existed long before Lee got into the {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(商业). They were perfect in comic books. However, Lee's heroes are quite different. They do have superpowers that ordinary people don't have. But they are also troubled by{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(日常的) problems. People who like Lee's heroes think that they can even feel for these superheroes.

    Lee has also played many cameo roles in Marvel movies, a {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(传统) that continued

    after Walt Disney. In these films, he waters the flowers, delivers {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(邮件) and even works as a security {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(警卫). In 2008, Lee was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

    On November 12, 2018, this{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(活跃的) old man died of illness in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 95. But we will always remember him and his superheroes.