英语口语、习惯语、经典语录5000句(28)

英语口语、习惯语、经典语录5000句(28)

271. drop the ball, 失手，犯错（球到手了却不知为什么丢了）A. You can trust me. B.  I don't know. Every time I depend on you, you drop the ball. A. 你可以相信我。B. 那我就不知道了。每次我需要你时，你都辜负了我。I thought Sam was going to reserve the room, but somebody dropped the ball. 我以为Sam会定房间呢，有人出了错，并没有定。

272. That’s the way the ball bounces. 这是没办法的事。球蹦起来是无法掌控的，可能会把窗给砸了。你犯了错，就替自己开脱说That’s the way the ball bounces.

273. He has a lot of balls in the air, such as writing, giving lectures and so on; and he can handle them all.  他又是写作，又是授课，事情很多，但他都能应付。这个用语出自杂耍，一个人要抛出几个球都能接住。

274. curve 意为“曲线”，口语中有好些用法：
a) a curve ball,棒球投球手（pitcher）投出难接的曲线球，意为“意外的难题”， The weather threw a curve ball at their outdoor picnic and they had to eat indoors. 天气忽然变得很糟糕，他们不得不中断室外的野餐，转到室内吃。throw someone a curve/ curveball 给某人出难题。
b) 函数表格中常常出现曲线，表示两个点之间的关系，现在也喻事务中间的关系：the learning curve，progress curve, cost improvement curve，gradual learning curve（学习要循序渐进）等等，都有这个意思。
c) They are stepping up to do whatever they can do to bend the cost curve.The learning curve proves steep. 学习的代价很大。
d) powerball:强力球（美国的一种彩票） 
e) screwball:n. 怪人；略带神经病的人；内曲线球 /adj. 精神有点怪的；怪僻的

275. softball and hardball：softball( 垒球，从字面上看是“软球”，因此是些无关紧要的事)，hardball（棒球，从字面上看是“硬球”）, The Focus (焦点访谈) once a while will have some high level cadres on the program, but only for friendly softball interviews and rhetorical backrubs with off-camera happy endings. “焦点访谈”有时也会弄一两个高官来做节目，不过都是问些友好、无关痛痒的问题，或者貌似严厉不过是挠挠痒罢了，节目一完，皆大欢喜。

276. He played hardball by walking out of his boss’ office. 他走出了老板办公室表示了他的强烈不满。fastball, 极难接的快球：So when I threw this inside fastball, he was surprised. 当我出奇不备地向他提出了这个含有内幕的问题时，他大吃了一惊。I’m sorry I didn’t get the contract. Their team threw a fast ball . They talked to the boss first.抱歉，我没有得到合同，他们那组人马行动更快，他们先接洽了老板。oddball

277. play ball打球，也表示“开始干活”：Let’s play ball and start negotiating the contract. 我们可以开始办正事了，来协商一下这个合同吧。I am glad that you have got the ball rolling.我很高兴你已经把事情推动运作起来了。

278. You need be always ready for a ballpark idea of the cost to your clients.当顾客问起时，你得随时做好准备告诉顾客费用大致会多少。Give me a ballpark figure.告诉我大致数额是多少。Do you think the projected sales figures are realistic? They're in the right ballpark. 你觉得预计的销售额还现实吗？大致正确。ballpark大致，一定范围内的。

279. Three strikes, you are out. 这是一句棒球语，“三振出局”，但也开始用在日常生活中，意思往往为：“如果你犯三次，就把你开除。”好些年前，美国曾讨论一个叫“three strikes law”，又叫“habitual offender laws”，该法律主要是针对那些刑事犯罪惯犯，如果一连犯了三次重罪，刑期就得自动延长，甚至是终生监禁，有点中国“严打”的味道，但也有人指出这法律不合宪法，因为宪法中规定，一罪不二罚。

280. Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.哈利路亚！因为主我们的上帝，全能者作王了。……世上的国成了我主和主基督的国；他要作王，直到永永远远。……万王之王，万主之主。《启示录》第11、19章