6. Jenny Is Always Late 珍尼总是迟到BACKGROUND 背景A girl is complaining about her friend always being late.一个女孩在抱怨她的朋友总是迟到。
A: Hi, Ken.嗨，肯。
B: Hi, Lily. What are you so upset about?嗨，莉莉。
你为什么事这么生气？A: I’m furious with Jenny! She’s always late.珍尼快气死我了！她总是迟到。
B: Always? Why don’t you talk it over with her? Encourage her to beon time, or tell her how much it annoys you?总是？你为什么不和她好好谈一谈，鼓励她准时一点，或者告诉她你对这件事很恼火呢？A: Look! I’ve talked till I’m blue in the face. It’s out of the question.告诉你，我已经费尽口舌，却毫无成效。
要说服她真的是不可能的。
B: There must be something you can do.你一定会有办法的。
A: I doubt it. Last night we went to a concert. Do you know what time we got there? Just in time to go out for the intermission! We missed half of the show!我很怀疑这一点，昨晚我们去听音乐会。
你知道我们什么时候到的吗？正好赶上中间的休息时间，我们误了一半！B: I guess you’re just wasting your breath then. Time means nothing to Jenny.那我想你确实是徒劳了。
时间对珍尼来说是没有用的。
A: You’re right. I guess I should just stop doing things with her.是啊。
我想我以后不跟她交往了。
B: Y ou don’t have to go that far. Just don’t waste your time waiting for her.你倒没必要那么过分。
只要别再浪费时间等她就行了。
A: I guess you’re right. I could just tell her to meet me at the restaurant or movie.我想你说得对。
那我就让她在饭馆或是电影院等我。
B: Right. Then if she’s late, it’s her problem not yours.对。
那样的话，她若迟到就是她的问题而与你无关。
A: Thanks for your advice! I appreciate it!谢谢你的建议。
非常感谢！额外成就感talk something over: discuss谈一谈；讨论☆☆☆☆* I always talk things over with my good friends before I make any important decision.我每次做重要决定之前都要和我的好朋友商量一下。
* If something at work is bothering you, you should talk it over with your boss.如果工作上有什么困扰的话，你应该跟老板好好谈一谈。
* Do you have a minute? I need to talk something over with you.你有空吗？我想跟你谈点事。
on time: at the hour designated; not before or after that hour 准时☆☆☆* Bill’s very punctual; he’s always on time for everything.比尔总是很准时，做什么事都一样。
* It’s extremely important that you be on time for the meeting today.你今天准时到会非常重要。
* Is this train usually on time?这趟火车准时吗？till one is blue in the face: until one can say no more in trying to convince someone of something 尽最大努力劝说，但不奏效☆☆☆☆☆* My father talked to me till he was blue in the face, but it did no good; I quit school anyway. 我老爸费了老鼻子劲劝说我都没有奏效，到头来我还是退学了。
* You can scream till you are blue in the face. I’m not changing my min d.你把脸吵绿了都没有用，我不会改变主意的。
* I tried to convince him until I was blue in the face.我百般劝解他都不管用。
out of the question: impossible; beyond consideration不可能☆☆☆☆* Your suggestion that we go swimming is out of the question; it’s too cold today.我们不可能按你的建议去游泳，因为今天太冷了。
* Borrowing the money is out of the question.借钱是不可能的。
* Quitting is out of the question. It’s too hard to find another job right now.辞职不可能。
现在找个工作太难了。
in time to: be at a place at the right time to do something正好赶上☆☆☆* George couldn’t come for dinner, but he arrived in time to have dessert and coffee with us. 乔治吃饭没赶上，正好赶上吃甜点和喝咖啡。
* We arrived at the airport just in time to catch our plane.我们及时赶到机场才赶上了那趟航班。
waste one’s breath: speak uselessly, to no purpose徒劳；白费口舌☆☆☆☆* Don’t waste your breath try to convince him; he’s going to leave anyway.不要白费口舌劝阻他了，他反正也要走的。
* I told her she needed to work harder, but I was wasting my breath.我告诫她要努力工作，但那只是白费口舌。
* Don’t waste your breath giving me any excuses. I don’t want to hear them.别找借口了。
我不想听。
7. I Get Cold Feet畏缩不前BACKGROUND 背景One friend is encouraging another to see a dentist.一个人在鼓励他的朋友去看牙医。
A : Hi, Mike. What’s new?嗨，迈克。
你好吗？B: What’s wrong with you? Your face is swollen. You look terrible!你这是怎么啦？脸都肿了。
气色很不好！A : My jaw aches. I don’t know why.我下巴疼，我也不知道是怎么回事。
B: Let me take a look. No wonder it hurts! One of your teeth looks decayed. You’d better see a dentist right away.让我看一看。
难怪疼呀！你有颗牙齿坏了。
最好马上去看牙医。
A: Do you think I have to? I’ve been putting it off for weeks. To tell the honest truth, dentists scare me to death. I get cold feet when I have to go to one. Even thinking of it makes me shake.一定要去吗？我都拖了好几个星期了。
说实话，我害怕牙医怕得要死。
每次去到那里我就紧张得不得了。
就连想到牙医我都不寒而栗。
B: Don’t be silly. You’d be better off seeing one.I’ll make an appointment for you. Only a fool is afraid of the dentist!别犯傻了。
你还是要看医生的。
我来帮你预约。
只有傻子才怕见牙医呢！A: Okay. I might as well go. But find me one who doesn’t hurt!好。
还是去吧。
不过帮我找一个看牙不疼的牙医哦！B: Come on. I’m your best friend. You can count on me. There’s nothing to be afraid of. 好啦。
我是你最好的朋友，你就放心吧。
没有什么可害怕的。
A: Well, if you say so, I’ll take your word for it.好吧，既然你这么说，我就照你说的做。
额外成就感no wonder: it isn’t surprising 难怪；不足为奇☆☆☆* No wonder you’re tired! You stayed up the whole night.难怪你这么累，你一个晚上没睡觉。
* No wonder we couldn’t find you. You were in America!难怪我们找不到你呢。