I'm sitting pretty in a pretty little city.

        我在一个漂亮的小城市里过得很好。

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　　这是一句英文歌曲的歌词。sit是一个动词，意思就是坐下。Sitting就是 to sit这个动词的现在进行式；pretty 就是好看，漂亮。但是，sitting pretty作为一个习惯用语，它的意思并不是具体地说一个人坐在那里很漂亮。Sitting pretty作为习惯用语的真正含义就是一个人处于优势的地位；每各个方面的条件都对他有利。
　　例句：
　　Federal workers thought they were sitting pretty until the White House announced its plans for reform. The plan calls for cutting a quarter million jobs so now people are worried.
　　在白宫宣布改革政府的计划前，联邦政府雇员一直认为他们的处境很优越。改革计划要求裁减二十五万个职工，所以人们现在都很担心。

Do you know where to get the old exam?

你知不知道哪里有以前考试的真题？

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　　无论参加什么考试，都会去做“真题”，即从前考试的考卷。这个“真题”相对应的英文就是“old exam”或“previous exam”、“past exam”。
　　例句：
　　The website currently provides access to exam papers from the last three academic years.
　　本网站目前提供最近3学年的考试真题。（本句选自《小苯霖英语笔记本》）

The 5-mile run left us all out of breath.

        五公里长跑让我们上气不接下气。

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　　out of breath，副词片语，表示喘不过气来，上气不接下气
　　例句：
　　I'm out of breath after running up the stairs. 跑上楼梯我气喘吁吁。

技巧口语每日一句（3.29）
      I'm a dyed in the wool Robbert fan.

      我是罗伯特的铁杆粉丝。

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　　片语dyed in the wool最早用来形容一个人的政治信仰很坚定。这个习惯用法来源于染羊毛的工业。染羊毛的最好办法就是在编织成毛料之前就染色。这样就不会变色，也不会退色。形容一个人的政治信仰很坚定，难以改变，就像羊毛染的颜色不会变一样。
　　例句：
　　He is a dyed in the wool Republican. 他是一个坚定的共和党成员。
　　Mary is a dyed in the wool liberal. 玛丽是一个铁杆自由派人士。

I just want some easy grades.

       我只想混学分。

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　　国内的大学也越来越多第采用学分制。同样是三学分的课，有些课就要考三次试、十次作业外加一份期未报告；而有些课不但不用考试，连作业也没几次。像这种很好拿的分数，英文里就叫“easy grade”，相当于中文里的“容易混的课”之类的意思。
　　例句：
　　Just give me some easy grade!
　　让我混几分吧！（本句选自《小苯霖英语笔记本》）

提示：此帖子最后被 nbc2002 在 2008-3-30 14:08 做过手脚，嘿嘿……

I would not wish to be inferior to others.

      我不希望自己比别人差。

　　be inferior to，比……差，劣于，次于，不如……
　　例句
　　He is inferior to others in many respects.
　　他在许多方面不如别人。

I advise you to buy out his all share of power.

      我建议你买下他的全部股权。

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　　buy out 买断全部股份、商业股权或利息（To purchase the entire stock, business rights, or interests of）。
　　例句：
　　We are now financially sound enough to buy out the next failure.
　　如今，我们（公司）财务运营足够健全，承担得起再一次的失败。

nice job

The coat was a real buy.

        这件衣服买得真划算。这件衣服物超所值。

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　　作为名词，buy的含义是，something that is underpriced; a bargain（合算的购买，便宜货）。
　　例句：
　　It's a real buy at that price. 以那个价钱真的是物超所值。

Call Mary, she can come at the drop of a hat.

        给玛丽打电话吧，她召之即来。

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　　中世纪，在欧洲社会中，流行着决斗的风气。这些人在决斗之前，往往把帽子狠狠地往地下一摔，意味着决斗马上就开始了。这一习俗不仅在决斗中，在其它场合也意味着坏事立即就要发生了。时过境迁，决斗这一现象已成为历史的过去。然而at the drop of a hat这一短语却流传下来，而且保留了“立即，马上”这一意义。
　　例句：
　　Don't mention basketball to Tom. He would go and play at the drop of a hat. 　　别对汤姆提起篮球，他只要听到这两个字，马上就会直奔篮球场。
　　At the drop of a hat, he would tell the story of the road he wanted to build.
　　他抓紧一切机会向他遇到的人宣布他的修路计划。
　　He was quarrelsome and ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
　　他一副要吵架的样子，马上就能打起来似的。

all crab

can you spot the contradicitional wrongs in the following article:

one fine day in the middle of the night ,two dead man got up to fight,back to back they faced each other,drew their swords and shot each other.one fell over the fance that wasn`t there the other drowned in a dried ditch.A deaf police man heard the row and came to save the day.

10% discount to parties of more than ten.

      十人以上团体优惠百分之十。

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　　“打折”比较规范的说法，就是discount这个词，既可以用作名词，也可以用作动词。　　例句：
　　I can give you a small discount. 我可以给你打点折扣。
　　That store does not discount at all. 那家商店出售商品一概不打折。
　　We are selling these ties at a 5 percent discount. 这些领带我们打95折出售

Maybe you get the sencents like this:

One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other

One was blind and the other couldn't see
So they chose a dummy for a referee
A blind man went to see fair play
A dumb man went to shout "hooray!"

A paralyzed donkey passing by
Kicked the blind man in the eye
Knocked him through a 9 inch wall
Into a dry ditch and drowned them all

A deaf policeman heard the noise
And came to arrest the 2 dead boys
If you don't believe this story's true
Ask the blind man, he saw it, too!

I hate to see you in such low spirits.

         我讨厌看到你这么情绪低落。

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　　主要是注意spirit这个词的复数形式。作为“精神、心灵”意义的时候，是不可数名词；而作为“情绪，心情”的意义时，则一般都使用复数形式。
　　例句：
　　He felt in excellent spirits when he arrived home.
　　他回到家里时情绪非常好。