英语口语练习对话：反复尝试也不成功，怎么回事？

　　李华正在为了实现一项作业而焦头烂额。她跟Larry的英语口语练习对话要用到两个常用语：Do something till you're blue in the face跟run a tight ship。

　　Larry: Hey, Lihua, are you ready to go to dinner? I'm starving。

　　LH: 吃饭?我可没心情吃饭。我没想出这功课要怎么写。我们小组的组长断定饶不了我!

　　Larry: You've been sitting there for almost four hours! Let's go get something to eat, and then you can come back and think about it some more。

　　LH: 不行，我发誓，不写出个提纲我就绝食!

　　Larry: Look, Lihua, if you don't eat anything, you can sit there and think about your project till you're blue in the face and you still won't get any good ideas。

　　LH: 啊?我的脸变成蓝色?这怎么可能?

　　Larry: That's just an expression, Lihua. If you do something till you're blue in the face, you're doing something over and over again for a very long time - and making no progress。

　　LH: 哦，Do something till you're blue in the face，就是说反复做一件事，但始终没有成功。你是说我憋了半天也写不出论文，可还拼命地想。然而，我不管，我非写出来不可!（英语口语练习对话中的常用语练习）

　　Larry: But, Lihua, I'm starving!

　　LH: Larry, 别嚷嚷了，就算你始终抱怨到you're blue in the face!我是不会理你的。

　　Larry: OK, OK. I get the point. Maybe I can help you. What's the project about?

　　LH: 这就对了!这个作业是美国历史课的。我们小组的每个人都要介绍一个美国历史人物，可是别的组员都是美国人，他们的历史常识当然比我丰富啊!

　　Larry: Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Why don't you ask your group for some help? That would be more productive than sitting here until you're blue in the face。

　　LH: 可是，咱们组长凶巴巴的，特别不好谈话，还让我们明天将来都要交一份提纲出来!

　　Larry: Hmm...I think I have an idea, Lihua. Why don't you do your report on George Washington! He was a military leader who ran a very tight ship in the American Revolution。

　　LH: A tight ship? 一艘很紧的船?乔治华盛顿不是美国第一任总统吗?难道他还在美国独破战役期间当过船长??

　　Larry: No, he wasn't the captain of a ship; he was the Commander in Chief of the entire army! And he ran a very tight ship with his soldiers - meaning, he was a very strict leader。

　　LH: 原来如此!To run a tight ship就是指纪律严明的领导风格，严格管理的英语口语练习对话用语。

　　Larry: That's right. He ran such a tight ship, in fact, that he was able to lead an army of largely untrained soldiers through a very harsh winter during the war。

　　LH: 率领没受过什么训练的士兵在寒冬作战，这可不简单!

　　Larry: Well, Lihua, a good leader can run a tight ship no matter how bad the situation is。

　　LH: Larry, 这倒让想起了我们的组长。她对我们特别严格。

　　Larry: It certainly sounds like your group leader runs quite a tight ship, but a good leader can command the respect of his soldiers by setting a good example, not yelling. Without that respect, you could yell until you're blue in the face and you still wouldn't be able to lead effectively。

　　LH: 没错!严厉治理并不等于每天冲手下人大喊大叫。咱们这个小组的组长人特殊厉害，可说瞎话没什么权威。我真渴望下次分到别的组，不要再待在她的tight ship上。

　　Larry: I hope so, too. Now, since you have your topic, let's go eat pizza!

　　LH: Pizza?? 不行!我在减肥!

　　Larry: Oh, Lihua, you're so skinny already! You could diet until you're blue in the face and it won't make any difference. Don't be so hard on yourself!

　　LH: 啊?你说我已经很瘦了，所以再怎么减肥也不会变更瘦?得了吧!我当初比在中国时胖了好多，我要看牢自己的嘴，I'm going to run a tight ship，只吃健康食品!

　　Larry: Not another tight ship! I think I'm getting sea-sick。