小故事

Lemon Squeeze
挤柠檬
The local bar was so sure that its bartender was the strongest man around that they had a standing $1,000 bet. The bartender would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and hand the lemon to a patron. Anyone who could squeeze one more drop of juice out would win the money. Many people had tried over time but nobody could do it.
当地的酒吧确信他们的侍者是附近地区最强壮的人，于是他们开了一个1000美元的赌盘。那个侍者会把一只柠檬的汁水都挤到一个玻璃杯里，然后把这只挤干的柠檬交给顾客，无论谁能再挤出一滴来，就可以赢得那1000美元。很多人都来试过了，可是没人能做到。
One day, a scrawny little man came in, wearing thick glasses and a polyester suit.
一天，一个戴着厚厚的眼镜、穿着涤纶套装的瘦小男人走了进来。
"I'd like to try the bet," he said in a tiny, squeaky voice. After the laughter had died down, the bartender grabbed a lemon, and squeezed away. He handed the wrinkled remains of the rind to the little man. But the crowd's laughter turned to total silence as the man clenched his fist around the lemon and six drops fell into the glass.
“我想试一试，”他发出一种尖而细的声音。等大家的笑声减弱了，侍者抓起一只柠檬挤干，然后把剩下的皱巴巴的东西递给那个小个子。当那人攥紧拳头又往杯子里挤了六滴柠檬汁时，酒吧里已经变得鸦雀无声。
As the crowd cheered, the bartender paid the $1,000 and asked the little man what he did for a living. Was he a lumberjack, or a weightlifter, or what?
侍者在大家的欢呼声中付给小个子1000美元，又问他是做什么的，是伐木工、举重运动员还是别的什么？
"I work for the IRS."
“我在国内收入署工作。”

重点讲解

重点讲解：
1. squeeze out
挤出；排挤；
eg. The lemon looks dry to me,but you may be able to squeeze out a few drops.
这柠檬看起来有点干，但你也能挤出几滴柠檬汁来。
eg. The audience burst into laughter, except for the actor, who could do nothing but squeeze out a bitter smile. But this disaster did not end.
观众席爆发一阵哄笑声，当然这个演员没有笑，只能若无其事的挤出一个苦涩的假笑，但是灾难还在继续。
eg. Other directors appear happy that Lord Hollick has been squeezed out.
其他董事都因为霍利克勋爵被挤了出去而显得很高兴。
2. die down
减弱；逐渐平息；
eg. The rain remained steady though the wind had died down.
尽管风势已经减弱，雨还是下个不停。
eg. The controversy is unlikely to die down.
争议不大可能平息。
3. clench one's fist
攥紧（拳头）；（拳头）紧握；
eg. Alex clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
亚历克丝攥紧拳头，牙咬得咯咯响。
eg. When you clench your fist, you won't get anything. But when you release it, you would have the whole world .
当你握紧拳头，你什么也得不到；当你松开，你得到全世界。