1205. This young couple is always at each other’s throat. 这对年轻人总是吵得不可开交。 at each other’s throat, 吵架
　　1206.He knows how to smooth talk people. 他特别会哄人。They smooth-talked the company into a huge donation. 他们说服了这家公司捐了一大笔款。Don’t sweet talk me. 别跟我甜言蜜语。They tried to sweet-talk the boss into giving them raises. 他们跟老板说好话，想要加工资。一个人会花言巧语也可以说是silver tongued. Don’t sugarcoat the situation. 不要掩盖这问题了。There is no way to sugarcoat the bad news. 根本无法去粉饰这糟糕的消息。

　　1207.You can try to flatter the person you are talking to, but don’t go overboard. Light compliments might help you, but over-the-top compliments will make you look slick. 你可以试着去恭维交谈的对象，但不要过分。说几句好话会对你有益，但是过了头的奉承只会让人觉得你是别有用心。overboard 原意是从船上掉进水里去了。overboard 与over-the-top 都是“过了头，过分”的意思。slick 光滑的，狡猾。

　　1208.I have been there and done that. 这事我也经历过。（直译是：我已经到过那里，也做了那件事。）
　　1209.Every little bit helps. 集腋成裘助大事。相当于“莫嫌善小而不为”之意。鼓励大家做奉献的用语，不管你奉献多少都会有帮助。
　　1210.Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. 有时会只见树不见树林。不识庐山真面目。

日期：2008-12-30　22:54:57

　　1211.You have changed a lot. Have you had a bit of the nip and tuck? 你变化真大呀，你是不是做了整容手术？
　　1212.He is very good at covering his tracks. 他很会躲避追踪。
　　1213.I don’t know he is Old Bill. 我不知道他是丨警丨察。
　　1214.I was even thinking I might up sticks and move to somewhere completely new.我当时甚至想过搬到一个无人知晓的地方去住。up sticks 搬家。
　　1215.Business 101: Six ways to start a small business. 商业入门：小型商业的六种启动法。大学每门入门课都叫101. 所以凡是标101就意味着是入门课。如果标的是401，很可能就是四年级的课程了。

　　1216.I’ve just got to tell you, your assistant is simply not up to par. I mean, she’s an actual liability at this point. 我只好告诉你，你的助手根本就不行，现在她只会是你的累赘。
　　1217.I’ve heard her badmouth you on more than one occasion. 我不止一次听到她说你的坏话。badmouth 说人的坏话。
　　1218.The world never works like that. Life is hard and life is unfair. 世界不是你想象地那样运作，生活不易，不会有公平可言。
　　1219.Can you loan me 100 Yuan to tide me over till payday? 你能不能借给我100元，帮我熬到发工资。This can tide us over for a long time. 这可以帮我度过一段日子了。This £50 will have to tide me over until I get paid. 我就这50英镑了，一直要熬到发工资。
　　1220.This is going to cost him the best part of a week’s salary. 他一个礼拜的工资都得花在这上面了。（这会要耗掉他一个礼拜的大部分工资。）

日期：2009-1-2　13:18:58

　　1221. Let us have a brief rundown of the events. 让我们给这些事件再作个简单的回顾。rundown, 总结。相当于sum-up。Let us run down the list once more. 我们再把这个单子过一遍吧。rundown 也有停下之意，a rundown watch.
　　1222.Keep tabs on the whereabouts of the children. 留神孩子们的行踪。keep tabs on 注意观察。Let’s keep tabs on expenditures. 花费多少，我们心里一定要有数。The tab to hire him would be high. 雇他，代价可不会小。
　　1223.He craves a good deal. He is a good bargain shopper. 他最喜欢找便宜货，他买东西最会砍价。
　　1224.It costs only 5 Yuan. You can’t beat this price. 这才五元，你不可能找到比这更便宜的了。
　　1225.Bargain hunter,专找便宜货的老手；bargain hunting, 专找便宜货；Bargain shopping is too much work.找便宜货太费时间。
　　1226.She is a tough customer. 她这个顾客不好忽悠。

　　1227.At 50 Yuan a night for a standard room, it is a good-value place to stay. 这标间才50元一晚，值得。
　　1228.If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is never to take anything you are told at face value. 如果这一生中我学会了一件事的话，那就是绝不要听什么就相信什么。face value, 表面的东西。
　　1229.I have tried to put all that behind me, to start afresh. But I found out that no one can really escape the past forever. 我已经费了很大的努力，要忘记以往的一切，但是我发现没有人可以真的永远逃避历史。
　　1230.My wife and I have had our ups and downs. 我和老婆关系经历了不少起起伏伏。

日期：2009-1-4　17:49:00

　　1231.打水漂有三种说法，1. skip a stone/ skip stones, 打水漂，skip rope, or jump rope, 跳绳，a skipping rope,一根跳绳. 2. skim a stone/stone: In skimming, spin is the thing. 水漂打得好，关键是要石头旋转得快。3. ducks and drakes. play ducks and drakes, 玩打水漂游戏。在这三个表达法里，只有第三个有中文的比喻用法，“浪费” You have no right to play ducks and drakes with money that from your parents. 你没有权利把父母的钱去打水漂。duck-stone是打水漂的石头。

　　1232.To study English with Xindongfang is just pouring money down the drain. 跟新东方学英语就是把钱打水漂。pour money down the drain 把钱冲了下水道，就是浪费的意思。
　　1233.Teacher X’s writing gives your handy tips and bits and pieces of information for easy learning of English. 信老师的东西能给你带来一些实用的指点，以及各种各样的内容，来帮助你的英语学习更容易入门。You can create the whole story from bits and pieces. 你可以从这些支离破碎的消息中勾勒出一个完整的故事。bits and pieces 零零碎碎的。

　　1234.No-one is saying anything at the moment. It is all very hush hush. 到目前为止还没有人就此发表意见，大家都在保持沉默。
　　1235.He failed to make the short list of the top five. 他没有能进入前五名。make a short list of, 进入前几名。Who will make the short list for the poli-bureau? 谁最有希望进入政治局？
　　1236. 比较look at somebody 和look somebody in the eye: I remember the first time that I really looked you in your eyes I was thinking to myself there will never be anybody else. 我记得我第一次真正地注视你的双眼时，我就在想，绝不会再有第二人了。 I love how you look at me with those gorgeous eyes.我很迷恋你看着我的那对漂亮的眼睛。