（4）会话中的单词和习语W ords and Idiom s in the D ialogues
Fiscal year n.财政年度
a real bargain n.（习语）很划算的交易；真正的便宜货
in real bad shape（习语）身体状况很差
nervous breakdown神经衰弱；精神失常
staffing requirements所需人员编制；职员雇用要求
He justwent to pieces.（习语）他彻底崩溃了。
a flop（习语）一次失败
miss the boat（习语）错过机会；错失良机
bite offmore than one can chew（习语）贪多嚼不烂；承担自己胜任不了的事
caught red-handed（习语）被抓现行；被逮个正着
haven't got a leg to stand on（习语）站不住脚
on the rocks（习语）婚姻关系濒临破裂
draw a blank（习语）一无所获；徒劳无功
He JustW ent to Pieces
A：Is Jack back atwork？
B：Not for a long time.Iwent to him on the weekend and he was in real bad shape.
C：Still，eh？Iknew thatwhen his wife and kidswere killed he justwent to pieces.
B：Yeah，and since then，he's had one nervous breakdown after another.
C：Poor guy.
M y Presentation w as a Flop
A：Hi，Don.How did your talk go at the conference？
B：Horrible！I tried to explain our new approach to the groups but it was over their heads，I'm afraid.Most of them left before I finished.My presentation was a flop.
A：It couldn't have been as bad as that.I just got a request from a guy who attended for you to give your talk at another conference.
You Haven't Got a Leg to Stand on
A：I tell you，Andy，I'm going to sue that guy.
B：Sue him for what？
A：For wreckingmy car.
B：Come on，Bill.You were following too close.It's the driver behind who is responsible，not the one in front.If you take him to court，you haven't got a leg to stand on.(https://www.daowen.com)
IGuess You Really M issed the Boat
A：Hi，Joe.Hi，Edith.Still house hunting？
B：Yes，but not very successfully.Iguesswe reallymissed the boatwhen we didn't buy that bungalow in Oakland.
A：Yeah.Thatwas a real bargain.
B：You wouldn't happen to have another one like that on your book，eh？
A：Ihave one just like it-but it's 5，000 more.
He Adm its He Bit off M ore Than he Could Chew
A：Linda，would you give Rick a hand with the report on our staffing requirements for the next fiscal year？
B：Ialready offered to help him but he insisted he could handle it on his own.
A：Well，Management Committee wants the report on Monday and Rick says he'll need help to have it ready on time.
B：So，he admits he bit offmore than he could chew，I told him so.
ID rew a Blank
A：Did you find that book Iasked you to get forme？
B：No，I'm afraid not.I tried the department library，the National Library and all the other libraries in town but I drew a blank.Then I called the bookstores but none of them ever heard of it.
A：Maybe Igave you the wrong title.Letme check.
B：Now you tellme！
On the Rocks
A：What do youmean，you think we should see amarriage counselor？
B：Let's face reality，Brian.For the last two years all we've been doing is living in the same house.There's nothing left of ourmarriage.
A：Are you saying you want a divorce？
B：No，I'm saying that our marriage is on the rocks and I think we need professional help ifwe want to try and make a go of it again.
He Got Caught Red-handed
A：Hey，did you hear that Jim got fired.
B：No kidding！What happened？
A：He was robbing the company.
B：Is there any chance theymade amistake？He seemed to be such an honest guy.
A：The night guard caught him in the director's office，with the safe open，stuffing money and bonds into his attache case.In other words，he got caught red-handed.