Part 2
21. as long as your arm 漫长的
22．It’s a short step from lip service to ass-kissing. 少拍马屁。
23．Give somebody an audible 给某人下指示
24．too much avoirdupois 太胖了
25．be awash in… 整天泡在…
26. honey-cakes 心肝宝贝儿
27．baby doll 特别漂亮的女子，和蔼可亲的人
28．a bachelor girl 未婚职业女性
29．back someone up 支持某人的行动
30．ace in the hole 戴而不露的高招
习惯用语：
1． let things drag along
2． force someone to do…
3． pull the strings 暗地里使劲
4． build a fire under someone
5． be on good terms with someone
6． nobody
7． blame someone for…
8． give someone an audible
9． not take kindly to…
10． beat about the bush
11． get a chance
12． No way!
13． make a mention of…
14． a dandy idea
15． cause suspicion
16． set one’s heart at ease
17． make a good job
18． the apple of one’s eye
19． give much preference to…
20． have a design
21． get in with…
22． see through someone
23． be big on…
24． pay someone a visit
25． have many followers
26． Nothing of the sort.
27． can’t hold a candle to someone
28． have a crush on…
29． a knock-out
30． Keep your fingers crossed.
31． make something a hit
32． have an ace
33． have a big drag with someone
34． one’s brain child
35． have a face that would stop a clock
36． quite the other way round
37． hotshots \
38． have someone eating out of one’s hand
39． a piece of cake
40． do someone a favor
41． take one’s shirt off one’s back
42． know someone like the palm of one’s hand
43． thank one’s lucky stars
44． put in a good word
45． keep it secret
46． for the time being
47． keep someone in the dark about something
48． be beside oneself
49． the cat is out of the bag
A=Jack B=john
A: How long do you think I’ll have to wait for their final decision?
B:As long as your arm. They haven’t time to consider your request.
A:But I cannot let things drag along (让谋事拖下去) like this.
B:And you cannot force them to do things for you, either.
A:I must go and speakk to the general manger about that.
B:If I were you, I would just wait. You can’t build a fire (催促) under him now.
A: I must go and build a fire under them, or they may forget it.
B: Better let someone else do it for you.
A: Nobody would pull the strings（暗地里使劲）for me.
B: Maybe I can do something for you. I am on good terms with（与某人的关系很好）the general manager.
A:It’s a short step from lip service to ass-kissing（少拍马屁）.You’re nobody（不是什么大人物）in his eyes.
B: Believe me. He will treat my request seriously.
A: I doubt(我怀疑) it. Can’t you remember last month when he refused you?
B: He had reasons to refuse me. I didn’t blame（责怪）him for doing that.
A: What will you do for me?
B: I will build a fire under（催促）him and ask the board to consider your request.
A: You want to give him an audible（给他下指示）？
B: In a mild way, not so directly.
A: But he doesn’t take kindly to（不愿接受）what you say. He doesn’t like anyone who beats about the bush（说话拐弯抹角）.
B: I know all that. But I will use his wife’s influence.
A: What do you mean?
B: His wife is too much avoirdupois and I will go to her with some weigh-reducing tea（减肥茶）and get a chance（得到机会）to talk about that.
A: You want to bribe（贿赂）his wife? No way（不行）!
B: Depends on how you do that?
A: How will you do that?
B: I will have a chat with her and talk about women. If she’s in the mood, I will make a mention of（提一下）that.
A: I hear that the manager’s wife is awash in reading fashion magazines.
B:Most women enjoy reading fashion magazines（时装杂志）, of couse.
A: Why don’t we get some copies and give them to her?
B: That’s a dandy idea（好主意）. My wife has recently bought a few copies. Maybe I can give them to her with some tea.
A: But that will cause her suspicion（引起怀疑）. I’m afraid.
B: Set your heart at ease（你就放心吧）. I will certainly make a good job（办好）of it.
A: Oh, it reminds me of his honey-cakes（宝贝女儿）. She is the big apple of his eye（掌上明珠）.
B: Yeah! He gives much preference to her. It seems that you have some design on（打算）that.
A: I’m wondering if you can get in with（套近乎）her and…
B: I know what you are aiming at. I can see through you（看穿）.
A: I’m thinking of buying a special gift for her.
B: What do you have in mind?
A: I’m thinking of buying her an elegant stamp album. She is big on（特别喜欢）stamps.
B: Give it to me tomorrow. I’ll go and pay them a visit（拜访）this Friday.
A: Actually the general manager is regarded as a baby doll（和蔼可亲的人）. He has much sympathy.
B: That’s right. And his wife is a baby doll（漂亮的女子）, too. She used to have many followers（很多的追求者）.
A: Were you one of them?
B: Nothing of the sort（根本没那回事）. I can’t hold a candle to her（配不上她）.
A: But you did have a crush on her, didn’t you?
B: Well, many of us liked her and we still think she’s a knock-out（非常漂亮的人）.
A: Don’t be knocked over（晕倒）when you see her with my presents.
B: Keep your fingers crossed（你就守着听好消息）. I’ll certainly make it a hit（成功）.
A: Don’t boast（吹牛）before you can peruade her.
B: I have an ace（有个高招）, you know? I’ll go with Sally. She has a big drag with（关系特别好）the whole family.
A: Sally? You’ve never made a mention of her.
B: She is a bachelor girl（未婚职业女性）. She is an excellent designer. Many of the company’s advertisements are her childbrain（杰作）.
A: Why is she still single? She must have a face that would stop a clock（相貌极丑）.
B: Oh, quite the other way round（正相反）. She is a knock-out, a baby doll, I’d say. There are actually many bachelor girls like her. She devotes much of her time to her career. Her designs are hotshots（热点）and she has many companies and manufactures eating out of her hand（服服帖帖的）.
A: So you’d like to use her influence, too?
B: You bet she can help build a fire under the boss.
A: Are you sure she can back you up（支持你的行动）?
B: That’s a piece of cake for her, you bet.
A: But I’m not sure she would like to do me a favor（为我办一件好事）.
B: I’m sure she’ll take her shirt off her back（她会尽心尽力）.
A: How can you be so certain?
B: I know her like the palm of my hand（了如指掌）.
A: I’ll thank my lucky stars（感到万幸）if she put in a good word（说好话） for me.
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A: You always seem to have an ace in the hole at a pass（关键时刻）.
B: But most friends fail at a pass（关键时刻不管用）.
A: You’re right. Most friends will leave you when they are most needed. I’m happy to have a friend like you.
B: Coming back to your proposal, I’d just like to know how important that is to you. You seem to have an ace in the hole, too.
A: Well, I’d better keep it secret（保密）for the time being（暂时）.
B: Keeping me in the dark（不让我知道）about it?
A: Sure! You may be beside yourself（忘乎所以）when the cat is out of the bag（秘密泄露）.