1345.I am not telling you how to do your job, but this is what I feel you need to do. 我并不想对你指手画脚告诉你如何干你的工作，但这是我觉得这是你该做的事。
　　1346.Never Land. 相当于Utopia,乌托邦，现实中没有的地方，又作never-never land。Communism into is merely some meaningless utopian notion, in some far-off never-never land. 共产主义不过是个毫无意义的乌托邦理念，在一个遥不可及的地方。

　　1347.The merry-go-round快乐旋转木马，这是西方游乐园里常见的一种游戏。I loved to ride the merry-go-round when I was young. 我孩提时代很喜欢骑快乐旋转木马。因为这种游戏可以不停地旋转，所以又比喻为不停的快乐。the communist merry-go-round 共产主义永乐境界
　　1348.the reality check,核实。If your parents have been covering your living expenses at college, you probably need a reality check before stepping out on your own. 如果一直是你父母付你大学的生活费，做独立生活前，你或许得了解一下真实世界了。
　　1349.chime in 与---一致 Their views chimed with ours. 他们的观点与我们的相当吻合。The seafood and wine chimed perfectly.海鲜与红酒是很好的搭配。类似的表达法有：accord with, agree with,
　　1350.I am not gonna flinch. 我不会胆怯的。Let us see who will blink first. 那我们就瞧瞧，谁会先怕事。

日期：2009-02-06　14:53:08

　　1351.Heavy markdowns are not enough to pull retailers out of a months-long slump. 大减价也不足以让零售商度过长达数月的萧条。markdown 减价。slump 疲软。pull someone out of 使谁摆脱困境。I wish I knew how to pull you out of you misery. 我真希望我能知道帮你摆脱痛苦的办法。
　　1352.There is a steep drop-off in consumer spending. The only thing retailers can do now is to further slash prices. 消费者花钱遽然减少，现在零售商唯一能做的就是进一步减价。a steep drop-off 悬崖峭壁。to further slash prices 进一步削价。
　　1353.They are cutting into their margins, but they really don’t have another choice. If they don’t discount, no one’s coming into their store. 他们只好忍痛降低本来就低的利润，因为他们已别无选择。如果他们不削价，就不会有人来他们的店铺了。They offer deep discount.他们提供大减价。
　　1354.The men and women who build China are struggling with unemployment like no time in recent history.中国的建设者们正在竭力挣扎，应付这些年来最大的失业危机。like no time in recent history 最近历史上最….也可以说：like never before (in recent history)。
　　1355.My business has only a razor-thin profit margin. 我的生意利润薄得很。The profits are too good to pass up. 利润颇丰，不可错过。

　　1356.Retail sales have plummeted. Who is to blame? 零售业惨跌, 这该怪谁?
　　1357. 形容经济糟糕的说法：Now the economy is on the rocks. 现在经济已经触礁。economic nosedive, 经济直线下降；economic meltdown, 经济崩溃economic downturn, 经济下滑；economic recession, 经济衰退。economic depression 经济大萧条。
　　1358.We haven’t hit the bottom yet. 还没有探底。I can’t afford it now. I will wait until I think it’s a reasonable price. 我目前负担不起，我还想等等，等到我觉得价钱合理，不太贵。 They graciously wiped the slate clean as a gift. 他们很慷慨地把债务一笔勾销，算是一笔大礼。
　　1359.A penny saved is a penny earned.省一文就是赚一文。You need to cut your losses.你得设法减少损失。You need to weigh the cost before your move. 在行动前你得衡量得失。He lives hand to mouth. 他仅过着温饱的生活。Look before you leap. 周密准备再行动。
　　1360.There is no such thing as a free lunch. 天下没有免费的午餐。也可以简单地说：There is no free lunch.

日期：2009-02-08　17:53:30

　　1361.Safety never takes a holiday.2009年2月5日的汉正街起火使我想起了这句话，几年前武汉的好友还带我走过这条街。也可以说 Don’t let safety take a holiday. Remember, being safe should never take a holiday.
　　1362.He is just not that into you. 他对你不感兴趣了。
　　1363.Bad news travels fast. 坏事传千里。
　　1364.Lock, stock and barrel,全部。We’re going to immigrate, lock, stock and barrel, to U.S.A. and begin a new life there. 我们准备移民美国，把一切都搬到那里，开始一个全新的生活。The fire burned down our house - lock, stock and barrel. We lost everything. 一场大火把我们家烧了个精光，我们什么都没有了。前面我们还曾学个一个词， enchilada，也是表示全部，谁能翻出来？

　　1365.It is very important to keep in touch with friends.keep in touch with 与 保持联络。 类似的词组有touch base：I had a really good time in Beijing. I touched base with some old friends and made a few new ones. 在北京的时间过得不错，我联络了一些老朋友，也交了一些新朋友。I love to keep up correspondence with far-flung friends. 我很喜欢与远方的朋友保持联络。I love to keep track of my friends. 我很喜欢了解朋友们的近况。

　　1366.All that glitters is not gold. 闪闪发光物未必尽金子。也有人会简单地说，all that glitters. 甚至有珠宝商店就叫“All that glitters”。你也可以套用这个句型，说All that glitters is not healthy food. 闪闪发光菜未必是健康食品。“黄金”也有最宝贵的意思。His talk on democracy is gold to China. 他对民主的讲话对中国来说太重要了。

　　1367.domino effect, chain reaction, 这两个词组都是表示连锁反应。
　　1368.stick your head in the sand, 鸵鸟政策，假装不知道。Washington still prefers to stick its head in the sand. 美国政府仍就宁愿装聋作哑。有人以为鸵鸟遇到危险时，会把头埋在沙里，好像危险就不存在，所以有此成语。但事实上，鸵鸟并没有这种行为。You cannot stick your head in the sand as if nothing is happening. 你不能装着好像什么都没有发生。

　　1369.outflank 与outwit意思差不多，都是“胜过，技高一筹”的意思, We can outflank our opponent by lowering the price and providing better service. 如果我们能降低价格，提供优质服务就可胜过对手一筹。He once again outwitted people, telling them he was bringing development.他又一次（耍手段）让大家相信他会拉来建设项目。

　　1370.It will take a big bite out of my salary to sit in that English class. 要参加那个英语班得花掉我大部分工资呀。a big bite 也可以说a big chunk。

日期：2009-02-14　09:54:18

　　1371． Finally I see the light at the end of the tunnel. 我终于看到了希望。
　　1372． Don’t belong to your belongings. 不要做身外之物的奴隶。