1254.He is over the hill, but he still fights for his right, and fights for his life.over the hill走下坡路，就是一个人老了（old geezer 见116句。）他老了，但是他仍旧在为权利而战，为生命而战。General Douglas MacArthur said: “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.”麦克阿瑟将军说过，老兵永远不死，只会慢慢凋谢。

　　1255.Teacher X is a guy for ideals, so he knows rejection, but he is not prepared to experience rejection on this scale his whole life. 信老师是为理想而生存的人，所以他深知遭拒绝的味道，但是他还是没有料到他会遭遇一生中如此彻底的拒绝。Guy for ideals, 为理想而活的人，指不是为物质等而活。on this scale, 如此程度。

　　1256.It is the time he faces the music. 是面对现实的时候了。face the music, 面对（自己行为带来的）困局，The partners ran away and poor Venu was left to face the music. 合伙人都跑了，可怜的Venu只好一个人来处理残局。
　　1257.You can’t fight the City Hall. You can’t see any way to turn the situation around and win. 你根本没有办法跟政府去斗。你根本就没有法子来扭转局面获胜。fight the City Hall, 跟市政府去斗，跟官僚斗。如果有人上丨访丨之类，你就可以说这句话了。更***斗？没门。还有一个类似的说法， spit in the wind, 做徒劳无益的事。Trying to get a pay increase here is like spitting in the wind. 想要加工资那才是枉费心机。

　　1258.His approach is to fight fire with fire. 他的法子不过是以其人之道还治其人之身。
　　1259.If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.如果第一次不成功，就一试再试，绝不言弃。记得这里的try 一定要用两次。
　　1260.Getting laid off is often the perfect opportunity to rediscover your passion and purpose.You can emerge from this challenging period happier and more successful. 失业通常也是绝佳的一次机会，让你能重新找回自己的激情与人生目的。度过难关后，你会更幸福，更成功。

日期：2009-1-9　10:44:46

　　1261.With his savings decimated, he is resigned to working longer than planned. 随着存款见底，他不得不延迟退休日期了。decimate, 清除。be resigned to 只得接受
　　1262.At this age, he is vulnerable when the ax falls. 到了这个年龄，他很难应付危机了。the ax falls, 发生危机。So what do you do when the ax falls, and your head is on the chopping block? 危机发生时，而你又身处其中，你会如何反应？
　　1263.If you can’t take the heat than stay out of the kitchen. 如果你缺乏承受力，就离麻烦远一点。（例如，想要待遇好，又不敢维权，就躲远一点好了。）直译是，受不了热，就不要进厨房。这是Truman总统说的一句话，后广为流传。
　　1264.You need to find some kind of bridge job first while looking for a nice one. 骑驴找马，这样去找理想的工作比较好。bridge job过渡性工作，如零工。That is when the light bulb goes off. 这是柳暗花明又一村的时刻。
　　1265.Everything old is new again. 推陈出新。新的时尚不过是旧的翻版。

　　1266.“Right or wrong, the customer is always right”， according to Marshall Field. 菲尔德说得好，不管对错，顾客永远是对的。你在引用这句大家都知道的话时，要加上菲尔德，这才显得你有水平。这个叫name-dropping。
　　1267.Respect the customers is the phrase that speaks to everything we do. 尊重顾客，这就是我们所作的一切。 It speaks volumes on the subject of respect. 这事最有力地阐述了尊重是回什么事。speak 这里是“解释，阐述”。
　　1268.Flattery will get you nowhere. 这是一句幽默话，你的马屁帮不了你。Well, I’m glad you liked the meal, but flattery will get you nowhere! 嗯，我真高兴你喜欢这顿招待，但是不用客套了。
　　也有人反其道而说：Flattery will get you everywhere.
　　1269.Two wrongs don’t make a right. 两个错误并不等于一个正确。这句话当然是从Two negatives equal one positive. 发展出来。（两项负数等于正数。）上句话也可以说成：Two negatives don’t equal a positive.
　　1270.Like a bad penny, he keeps coming back. 他是个扫把星，肯定会再来。又可说成：turn up like a bad penny. a bad penny 甩也甩不掉的霉气。

日期：2009-1-11　19:51:58

　　1281.Many hands make light work.众人拾材火焰高。又可以说Two heads are better than one. 这句话还可以说成：Two hands are better than one. 但也有反其道的说辞：Too many cooks spoil the broth. 厨师多了会坏汤。
　　1282.Everyone else does it. 大家都这么做呀！（给自己找借口下台的说辞）或者说：But all the other people are doing it.或者说： Well, everyone does it that way.这话又可以说成：If everyone else does it, it must be OK. 如果人人都这么干的话，那肯定是没有问题啦。
　　1283.pull an all-nighter熬夜: I pulled an all-nighter to study and ended up in the wrong class twice. （昨晚）我熬夜学习，结果两次跑进了其他班。Sorry I’m so out of it, had to pull an all-nighter last night! 对不起，我有点迷迷糊糊，昨晚一夜赶工没有睡。
　　1284.I can’t get through what I went through without your help. 没有你的帮助，我根本不可能走过这段低谷。（我根本走不到现在。）
　　1285.The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. （我们）主要的事就是保持主要的事一直是主要的事。
　　1286.Get over it. Get through it. 这两句话差不多。意思都是：不要再计较了。算了吧。
　　1287.这件衫没有那件删贵。This shirt is less expensive than that one.这件衫没那件好。注意不能说成：This shirt is less good than that one. 最好也不要说成This shirt is worse than that one. 因为我们最好避免使用bad, worse, worst这几个词。正确的说法是：This shirt is not as good as that one. 但是英语有less than good的表达法，委婉语，表示不好，不理想：Good news and less than good news. 好消息与坏消息。

　　1288.These overnight millionaires spend like there is no tomorrow. 这些暴发户挥霍无度。
　　1289.Let us get the party started. 我们开始行动吧！还一句类似的话：Let us get the ball rolling. 差不多是同样的意思。I am glad you have started the ball rolling.很高兴你把这事推动起来了。
　　1290.She is taken and not available any more. 她已经是名花有主了，不要再打主意。

日期：2009-1-12　20:04:10

　　1291.Sin is red-handed mutiny against God. 罪就是对神的最直接的反叛。 Hah! I knew it was you stealing the cookies. I caught you red handed!我就知道是你在偷饼干，我抓到你的现场了。red-handed 现场，
　　1292.Action speaks louder than words. 行动胜于雄辩。也可以简化为Action speaks louder. 如果有个人夸夸其谈，你就说Do something, man. Action speaks louder. 老兄，做点实事吧，行动更有力。类似的话还有Facts speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩。