短语make a mountain out of a molehill是英语中流传极广的经典习语，最早可追溯至16世纪英国作家尼古拉斯·尤德尔（Nicholas Udall）的作品，字面意思是“把鼹鼠丘当成大山”。molehill 指鼹鼠打洞堆出的小土堆，本是微不足道的事物，与高大的 mountain 形成强烈反差，这一夸张对比逐渐固定为习语，用来形容人对小事小题大做、大惊小怪、言过其实、夸大其词等过度反应、夸大问题严重性。意指对原本轻微、无关紧要的问题过度焦虑、指责或渲染，让简单事情复杂化，语气多为批评、劝解或调侃，属于中性偏贬义，常用于劝阻他人冷静、评价他人反应过激的场景，是中高考词义猜测、完形填空、情景交际的必考习语。

如：

The teacher made a mountain out of a molehill about a tiny spelling mistake.

老师对一个小小的拼写错误小题大做。

She was only a few minutes late, but he made a mountain out of a molehill, which made her angry.

她只迟到了几分钟，但他小题大做，这让她很生气。

The media made a mountain out of a molehill over the minor policy error.

媒体对这个微小的政策失误大肆渲染、小题大做。

He made a mountain out of a molehill when she was five minutes late.

她迟到了五分钟，他就小题大做。

Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill—forgetting one date isn’t the end of the world.

别小题大做，忘记一次约会又不是世界末日。

She made a mountain out of a molehill about his small mistake and started a big fight.

他犯了个小错，她就小题大做，引发了一场大争吵。

Investors made a mountain out of a molehill and caused unnecessary market panic.

投资者小题大做，引发了不必要的市场恐慌。

Neither side should make a mountain out of a molehill over this small diplomatic difference.

双方都不应就这一微小外交分歧小题大做。

The general warned not to make a mountain out of a molehill about the small border conflict.

将军警告不要对这场小型边境冲突小题大做。

He always makes a mountain out of a molehill over tiny little problems.

他总对鸡毛蒜皮的小事小题大做。《生活大爆炸》