1. call the shots 负责，说了算
2. a can (bag) of worms 复杂而麻烦的一大难题
3. carry the load 负责主要的工作
4. case someone/something out 了解某人/某事的真相
5. catch someone red-handed 当场被抓获
6. catch-22 难以逾越的障碍
7. be catty 爱搬弄是非，爱诽谤人
8. get the chair 受电刑
9. cheesy 品位低的
10. chemistry 人与人之间的情感融洽或厌恶
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习惯用语
1. take charge of… 负责……
2. beat about the bush 说话拐弯抹角
3. put something in the picture 把某事说明白
4. work hand in gloves with… 与……秘密勾结
5. hang out… 出没某地
6. shady-looking people 不三不四的人，可疑的人
7. be up to no good 不会干什么好事
8. pick someone’s brains 向某人请教
9. be in the dark about…对……一无所知
10. have a hunch 有预感
11. a candy man 毒品商
12. be of the cage 出狱
13. keep tabs on… 密切监视……
14. one’s whereabouts 某人的行踪
15. spy on… 暗中监视……
16. engage 雇佣
17. be at one’s wit’s end 智穷力竭
18. pass the buck 推卸责任
19. joint efforts 共同努力
20. criminal act 犯罪行为
21. be caged 入狱
22. pull one‘s weight 卖力
23. poke one’s nose into… 探听（别人的事），干涉（别人的事）
24. have a glib tongue 三寸不烂之舌
25. talk sense into… 开导
26. have a history 有前科，有犯罪史
27. Can the leopard change his spot? 本性能改吗？
28. a trouble-maker 制造麻烦的人
29. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. 这个你好好琢磨琢磨吧。
30. be misled 被误导
31. see the writings on the wall 看到危险信号
32. take someone under one’s wings 庇护某人
33. a one-woman man 只和一个女人来往的男人
34. not have the heart 不忍心
35. Love is blind. 爱情是盲目的。
36. come up with… 想出来……
37. play a lone hand 单枪匹马地干某事
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A: Excuse me, but who calls the shots here?
B: I take charge（负责）of this department. Is there anything I can do?
A: Something about your staff. I’d better talk about it in your office.
B: Well, come in this way. Take a seat and let me know what it is.
A: I think it is a can of worms. It’s about one of your employees.
B: Stop beating about the bush（拐弯抹角）. Go straight and put in the picture（说明白）.
A: A man named Thomas from your company has been working hand in gloves（秘密勾结）with my girlfriend. They are doing something that harms both you and me.
B: What are they doing? Tell me what exactly they have been doing.
A: They often hang out（出没）in some clubs with some shady-looking, but I know by guess and by God that they are up to no good（不会干什么好事）.
B: Do you know who is carrying the load（负责主要工作）, Thomas or your girlfriend?
A: It is obvious that Thomas who carries the load. That’s why I come to pick your brain（请教）about the problem. And I don’t want my girlfriend to be further involved in their activities.
B: You are still in the dark about（一无所知）what exactly they are doing, how do you know they are doing something bad and that Thomas is carrying the load?
A: I have a hunch（有预感）they are doing something illegal and Thomas used to be a candy man（毒品商）. He was out of the cage（ 出狱）only three years ago.
B: I didn’t know that. And it takes time for things to come to light.
A: I know. Maybe we can cooperate and try to case them out as soon as possible.
B: That’s not a bad idea. But do you have any idea as how we start?
A: Maybe we can engage one who keeps tabs on（密切监视）their whereabouts（行踪）.
B: Spy on（暗中监视）them, you mean? Well, I don’t think I have a particular person for the job.
A: I suggest you engage（雇佣）a girl and I employ a man. Then we ask them to do the job together. They may probably catch them red-handed.
B: You will make things more complicated. Maybe we can come up with a better and more practical idea.
A: Well, I’m at my wits’ end（智穷力竭）. I depend on you now.
B: You pass the buck（推卸责任）and ask me to carry the load?
A: It’s for the good of me and for the good of you. It’s worth our joint efforts（共同努力）.
B: Well, for you it’s personal, but for us, it’s not a serious matter. If he is caught red-handed for some criminal act（犯罪行为）, he will be caged（入狱）. As for you, there might be catch-22 on your way.
A: I’m surprised that you take it so light hearted. I thought you would pull your weight（卖力）and help sort things out.
B: I don’t think there’s anything I can do unless he endangers our business.
A: I thought you would cooperate.
B: Well, I’m too busy to be catty and poke my nose into（管闲事）things that do not matter much to me.
A: The case has something to do with your company’s image. If he is caught red-handed（当场被抓住）, you do have some responsibility.
B: You do seem to have a glib tongue（三寸不烂之舌）. Are you trying to talk sense into（开导我）me?
A: Well, I don’t want to force you to do anything. I just like you to avoid future trouble. Thomas is a man with a history（有前科）.
B: I didn’t know that.
A: He almost got the chair the first time he was caught, but he escaped the punishment. And three years ago when he was out of the cage（出狱）, he swore that he would never touch the business. But can the leopard change his spot（本性能改吗）?
B: No. I’ll consider firing him if that turns out to be true.
A: You can fire him, but you can’t escape future trouble. He’s know as a trouble-maker（麻烦制造者）. Put that in your pipe and smoke it（这个你好好琢磨琢磨吧）.
B: One thing I’ve been thinking about your girlfriend. She must be a cheesy sort, or she wouldn’t fool around with a guy like Thomas.
A: She is misled（被误导）. Maybe she hasn’t been able to see the writing on the wall（看到危险信号）.
B: You still take her under your wings（庇护）. If I were you, I would…
A: Listen! Things are not that simple. I’m a one-woman man（只和一个女人来往的男人）. I don’t have the heart（不忍心）to see her life be ruined.
B: There seems to be some unusual chemistry in your love with her.
A: Love is blind（爱情是盲目的）. Nobody can tell what the chemistry is.
B: Sounds reasonable. By the way, have you come up with（想出来）some better ideas?
A: Well, I seem to have quite a different idea. I’ll have to play a lone hand（单枪匹马）and accomplish what I’m aim at.
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To be continue.........................................