On a knife edge: 处境艰难，危险Shes been living on a knife-edge since her ex-husband was released from prison last month. 从他前夫上个月从监狱释放后，她的生活就一直受到极大的威胁。The theatre is on a financial knife-edge and must sell 75% of its seats every night to survive.这个剧院处于财务危机，每晚必须卖掉75%的座位方能坚持下去。
复习：这句话在前面一节里提到过：You must rent this video. It keeps you on the edge of your seat right up to the end.
188. ruffle someone’s feathers 引起不快，引起争论
He wasnt asked to speak at the conference, and I know that ruffled his feathers a bit.
Her book ruffled a lot of feathers and put the idea of "beauty as bondage" on the fast track of social issues.
这个成语不能直接翻译成中文里的“一地鸡毛”。
189. "a blessing in disguise" 伪装的祝福，或因祸得福，有塞翁失马之意。
My computer broke down again, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise; Ive been wasting too much time online chatting anyway. 我的电脑又坏了，不过可能会因祸得福，因为我太沉溺于网上聊天，虚度光阴。
Persecution by the government on Christians is a blessing in disguise; it actually strengthed the body of Christ. 政府给基督徒的逼迫实际上是一种伪装的祝福，逼迫使基督的教会更加坚强。
190. a piece of cake, 很容易就能完成的事，易如反掌。Do you think you can win the game? A piece of cake. 你觉得能赢吗？小菜一碟。
更多的文章请看englishlaoshi.blog.tom.com
本博客开设以下栏目，文章全部为原创，欢迎留言交流：
英语学习：本栏目重点是介绍当代英语口语。读本栏保证你学到最佳的口语。
反动观点：本栏目的许多文章都被网-警给删掉，但就是剩下的文章可读性也颇高。
信仰漫谈：本栏目讨论基督教有关问题。
游遍天下：本栏目告诉你一些好玩的地方，以及如何省钱。
电影欣赏：主要介绍英语电影。
国际观察：文章不多，但是是作为一个平常人应该关心的事务。
三言两语：想说但没有时间说的一些问题。
191. cookie-cutter 同样的模式的，千篇一律的
The architects were determined that it wouldnt be just another cookie-cutter mall.
Management too often uses a cookie-cutter approach to solving problems.
192. You can be loose in our house.I am loose. 在我家你可以很随便，我是一个随便的人。还有一个成语：loose as a goose,进而发展出loosey-goosey：“Despite the pressure, he was loosey-goosey throughout the game.”尽管压力很大，他整个球赛打得都轻松自如。They are having a loosey-goosey time.
193. I would like to touch base with you. 我想跟你保持联络。
194. the end of one’s rope, = out of options: Having tried everything he could think of to get admitted to law school, Robert finally found himself at the end of his rope.也可以说：at my wits’ end,
195. plug sb/sth in把。。排进来(时间表、或其它) ；参加 You tell me when you are available, I will plug you in.告诉我你什么时间有空，我就给你排上。The best way to study English is to plug in a program.Pull plug on 对付 The net police is pulling plug on those pro-democracy articles on net.
196. sure thing 可以，肯定可以。表示赞同，有人也会说：sweet.
197. “他退步了，后来有了很大的转变”英文如何说？He got backslidden,but he has had a great turn.Backslide 退步，下降，堕落。
198. suck: suck up 这个栏目里已经提到了好几个拍马屁的词汇，suck up 是另一个：Shes always sucking up to the boss, telling him how wonderful he is.
The public school sucks. 公立学校最烂。 This bike sucks. 这辆自行车不好骑。I don’t want to get sucked in that scheme. 我才不想给弄到那个鬼计划里去呢。
In winter, this area will be sucked in heavy snow.
199. This costs only five bucks, you cannot beat that.这才五块钱，你无论如何也不可能找到比这更低的价了。
200．Blip 在雷达显示屏显出的一个小点
It appears to be a one-time blip in the historic trend.
有人顶就写。
201.Are you two ganging up on me? 你们两人是不是在串通来整我呀？gang 作动词就是串通一气，例如打牌，几个人串通一气来对付一个人。You should not gang up on the weak ones. gang的本来意思是帮派，街上的那些混混在一起就是gang.。中国几十年前流行的一个词组，“gang of four”（四人帮），这个译法总有点让人感到不严肃。应该译为“The Extreminists Four”, “Four Extreme Leftists”or “Mao’s Four” 。
202.He beat his brains out studying but could not keep up with the rest of his class.Beat one’s brains意思是用工努力，“他已经绞尽脑汁，但是赶不上同班同学。”“绞尽脑汁”还一个说法：rack up one’s brain，例句：I am racking my brain, but I can’t imagine why you’ll make this up. 我绞尽脑汁也弄不明白你为什么要编这瞎话。No-brainer 名词：根本就不必用脑去想都能明白的事，Learning Chinese can be a no-brainer if you know the right method.如果方法得当，学中文不过是小菜一碟。The exam is a no-brainer. 这次考试闭了眼也能答出。No-brainer也可以做形容词：a no-brainer action movie 情节简单的动作片，This book contains 20 no-brainer ways to improve your English vocabulary.这本书介绍了20种简易的方法来提高英语。
203.off-shore bank account, 境外的银行帐户，意思是为躲避纳税，或说明钱的来路不正。Many communist party officials have off-shore bank accounts, this is an open secret.
204.flip-flop 变来变去，例如某党的政策变来变去就是flip flop。
205.trendy, 时髦，是fashionable的意思。
206.It is time to strike up the band, air up the baloons and invite all of your friends to join in the celebration.strike up the band乐队奏乐； Air up the baloon 放气球。
207.They treat me like a doormat. I felt so let down.大家把我简直就不当人对待，我感到太沮丧了。Doormat是进门前的门垫，任由人踩。
208.bleeding edge 直译的意思是让人出血的刀刃，实际意思是“还没有完善、成熟的尖端技术（所以会让人受伤）”No longer bleeding edge, mobile and wireless are becoming essential part of the modern office. 移动无线已已经今非昔比了，现在成为办公室不可缺少的工具。
209.blue-sky蓝天，转意为“大胆”，例句： The government has been doing some blue-sky thinking on how to improve public transport.
210.chillout music 由电子乐器演奏的安静的音乐。I love chillout music. It is a great way to lie back, relax, and drift into another world.