Useful Engish

Ruth: Do you want to go with me to Ellen Robertson’s house?
Jim: Not on your life! After her behavior at my party, I don’t even want to see her again!R: Why not? What did she do that has you so up in arms?
J: Well, it was very late and my neighbors complained several times about the noise.
R: Why didn’t you ask everyone to quiet down?
J: I did! But every time I turned the music down, Ellen walked over to the strero and turned the music up! When I asked people not to dance, she even said I was a terrible host. I was so fed up with her that I finally showed her to the door.
R: Really? I never heard about all this. When did it happen?
J: Last year, at my birthday party.
R: A year ago?! I think you should let bygones be bygones.
J: Oh, I suppose you’re right.
New Words
even 甚至
arm 手臂
late 迟；晚
several 屡次
noise 吵闹声
everyone 每个人
music 音乐
stereo 音响
host 主人
feed 煽动（过去式为fed）
birthday 生日
bygone 过去的事

Notes
Not on your life 决不
an expression of definite refusal, certainly not
坚决地回绝；当然不
Not on your life would I ever travel by airplane!
我决不搭飞机旅游。

Up in arms 生气；激烈地抗议
angry, ready to fight
生气；预备打架
The women were up in arms about the new antiabortion law.
对于新制定的禁止堕胎法律，妇女们激烈地抗议。

Quiet down 安静下来
lower the noise level
减低噪音的程度
The father asked the children to quiet down because the baby was sleeping.
那父亲要小孩子们安静下来，因为婴孩正在睡觉。

Fed up with 极厌恶
having had enough of something; disgusted or angered by
某事物够糟了；因……而厌恶或发怒
The maid was so lazy that they finally got fed up with her and fired her.
那女仆很懒惰，最后他们对她厌恶至极，便把她开除了。

Show someone to the door 将……赶出
ask someone to leave, kick out 要求某人离开；逐出
We were very embarrassed, but he stayed so long that we finally had to show him to the door.
我们感到很为难，但他停留了那么久，最后，我们只得请他离开了。

Let bygones be bygones 既往不咎
forget about past wrongs 遗忘过去的错误
They decided to reconcile their differences and let bygones be bygones.
他们决定和解他们的异议，且不再计较过去的事。