第一、迷你对话

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

你说泰德听你的话，是吗？

B: Sort of yes.

就算是吧。

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

但是他不是那种什么都能让人牵着鼻子走的那种人。

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

我不是个什么重要人物，但是我轻而易举就能想让他干什么，他就干什么。

第二、对话精讲

1. 核心地道表达

【核心短语】be at the mercy of

【解词释义】be at the mercy of的字面意思是“在某人的仁慈下”，常用来表示“受某人的支配”“由......任意摆布”“在…前毫无办法”。也可用作at sb.s mercy。

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

敌人在我们面前毫无办法。

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

我可不愿受这样残酷的人摆布。

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

他们完全听天由命。

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

那只船在暴风雨中失去控制。

第二、词海拾贝

be led by the nose：受别人支配，操纵

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

别让别人牵着你的鼻子走。

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

她不喜欢被人家牵着鼻子走。

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

我们可以牵着她的鼻子走，因为她没有主见。

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

保罗完全听命于自己的妻子。

talk sb into doing：说服某人去做某事

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

让我说服他加入我们这会儿正在做的这个项目。

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

万一他懒得搞任何运动，你就一定要说服他参加运动。

第三、 句海拾贝

【句型模板】Sb is not someone. （某人不是个大人物。）

【指点迷津】Someone在这里的意思是“重要的人物，大人物”。