美国街头常用英语俚语K-5: Kick sb. upstairs/ Kickback (mp3和文本下载)

1. Kick sb. upstairs 明升暗降

To weaken his hold on the government, the President kicked the Secretary of State upstairs by making him Vice President.
为了消弱国务卿对政府的影响力，总统对他明升暗降，委任他为副总统。

释义：源于英国的议会制度。英国议会分上下两院，上院（the Upper House）地位高却没有实权，下院(the Lower House）地位低却实权在握。与权贵意见相左的下院议员，往往会被“晋升”到上院，其实就是被“踢上楼”了。

2. Kickback （名词）回扣，贿赂

The former mayor is charged with taking a 50,000-dollar kickback from the Construction Company.
前任市长因接受建筑公司给他的5万美元回扣而被起诉。

疯狂联想：美国人把政府官员接受的回扣称为kickback，字面意思是踢回来，挺形象吧。