第一、迷你對話

A: Did you say that Ted was at your mercy?

你說泰德聽你的話，是嗎？

B: Sort of yes.

就算是吧。

A: But he is not someone who can be led by the nose.

但是他不是那種什么都能讓人牽著鼻子走的那種人。

B: But I am not that someone. I can easily talk him into doing what I want him to do.

我不是個什么重要人物，但是我輕而易舉就能想讓他干什么，他就干什么。

第二、對話精講

1. 核心地道表達

【核心短語】be at the mercy of

【解詞釋義】be at the mercy of的字面意思是“在某人的仁慈下”，常用來表示“受某人的支配”“由......任意擺布”“在…前毫無辦法”。也可用作at sb.s mercy。

【典型例句1】The enemy were at the mercy of us.

敵人在我們面前毫無辦法。

【典型例句2】I should not like to be at the mercy of such a cruel man.

我可不愿受這樣殘酷的人擺布。

【典型例句3】They are absolutely at the mercy of providence.

他們完全聽天由命。

【典型例句4】The ship was at the mercy of the storm.

那只船在暴風雨中失去控制。

第二、詞海拾貝

be led by the nose：受別人支配，操縱

【典型例句1】Don't let other people lead you around by the nose.

別讓別人牽著你的鼻子走。

【典型例句2】She doesn't like to be led by the nose.

她不喜歡被人家牽著鼻子走。

【典型例句3】We can lead her by the nose; she has no will of her own.

我們可以牽著她的鼻子走，因為她沒有主見。

【典型例句4】Paul lets his wife lead him by the nose.

保羅完全聽命于自己的妻子。

talk sb into doing：說服某人去做某事

【典型例句1】Let me talk him into the project we are handling at the moment.

讓我說服他加入我們這會兒正在做的這個項目。

【典型例句2】In case he is too lazy to go in for any sport, you must talk him into it.

萬一他懶得搞任何運動，你就一定要說服他參加運動。

第三、 句海拾貝

【句型模板】Sb is not someone. （某人不是個大人物。）

【指點迷津】Someone在這里的意思是“重要的人物，大人物”。