be held in public esteem

use local materials

chirp(buzz; twitter)

a house empty of all furniture

lasting

None is perfect.(No gold without some dross.)

preserve one's purity

make a long story short(briefly; in brief; in one word; put it in a nutshell; put it briefly)

with all one's mind and energy

eager to succeed

gather together

take a sudden decisive turn

be still fresh in one's memory

becoming dangerously explosive

be a stranger in a strange land

fall sick from overwork

cautious and attentive

constantly strive for perfection

take all the plums(appropriate to oneself)

see how the wind blows