1.Christmas comes but once a year.

2.A friend in need is a friend indeed.

3.To count one's chickens before they are hatched.

1.圣诞一年只一度。

2.患难时的朋友才是真正的朋友（患难见真情）。

3.蛋未孵出先数鸡（过早乐观）。

Learn the following by heart:

1.but adv. 只有；仅仅，意思接近only，是比较文气的用法。如：

He is but a child.

他只是个孩子。

I saw him but a few minutes ago.

我只不过在几分钟前见过他。

2.in need (of...)穷困；需要。如：

We should always help those in need.

我们应当总是要帮助那些家境困难的人。

He was not in need of money.

他不需要钱。

3.hatch v.孵出；出壳。如：

Ten chicks hatched (out ) this morning.

今早有10只小鸡出壳了。

The eggs are about to hatch.

这些蛋就要孵化了。