第一， 情景对话

A: Do you know the low-down on this exam?

你知道关于这次考试的内幕吗？

B: What do you mean by saying the low-down?

你说“内幕”是什么意思？

A: You are still kept in the dark?

你还被蒙在鼓里吗？

B: Tell me what on earth is the matter.

告诉我到底什么事。

第二， 词汇拾贝

low-down

exp. The truth, facts, or most pertinent information about something. （实情，内幕消息）

e.g. OK, here's the low-down: I've got a great business opportunity lined up, but I need to borrow a few thousand dollars to get it off the ground.

好吧，下面是我的一些真实情况：我有一个很好的商业机会，但是我需要借几千美元来启动这个项目。

e.g. This is Jane—she'll give you the low-down on day-to-day tasks around the office.

这是简，她会告诉你办公室日常工作的基本情况。

e.g. I need to get the lowdown on John. Is he still an accountant?

我需要了解约翰的真实情况，他还是会计吗?

e.g. Sally wants to get the lowdown on the new pension plan.

莎莉想知道新退休金计划的真实情况。

第三， 语汇积累

1. keep somebody in the dark about something：隐瞒某人，不让某人知道，使某人蒙在鼓里

Exp. To keep someone uninformed (about something).

e.g. Keeping taxpayers in the dark about how their money is being spent is not how government should operate.

让纳税人不知道他们的钱是怎么花的，政府不该这样做。

e.g. I don't fully trust John to keep our plan a secret, so I think it best that we keep him in the dark for now.

我并不完全相信约翰会把我们的计划保密，所以我认为我们最好先不让他知道为好。

She now resolved to keep Harriet no longer in the dark.

现在她决定不再把赫蕊埃特闷在葫芦里了。

2. on earth：究竟

e.g. “What on earth are you so grave about? “ she suddenly demanded.

她突然问道：“你因为什么事情这么愁眉苦脸啊？”

e.g. Why on earth did they bother to get married?

他们干么费那么大事去结婚？

其它：low-down on：关于……的内幕，关于……的实情

第四， 口语句型

What do you mean by…？（你…….是什么意思？）

e.g. What do you mean by acting like this?

你这样做是什么意思？

e.g. What do you mean by coming between me and Edward?

你离间我跟爱德华到底是什么意思呢？

e.g. What do you mean by that?

你说的那是什么意思？