a plan, an organization, etc. that is so badly arranged that it could easily fail 不可靠的计划；摇摇欲坠的组织 The enormous national debt amassed in the last eight years makes all this apparent prosperity nothing but a house of cards. 过去八年积累的巨额国债使所有这些明显的繁荣只不过是纸牌屋。
a structure built out of playing cards 用纸牌搭成的房子