" I have bad news: our sales were off 18 % for the last quarter. So I'm telling you guys -- you have to pull your socks up and get out and sell more stuff, or you'll be looking for new jobs this summer.”
场景三：我同桌要上讲台作演讲了，地道的表达是对他说“Break a leg”。Break a leg" is sourced in superstition. It is a wish of good luck, but the words wish just the opposite. It was once common for people to believe in Sprites. Sprites are actually spirits or ghosts that were believed to enjoy wreaking havoc and causing trouble. If the Sprites heard you ask for something, they were reputed to try to make the opposite happen. Telling someone to "break a leg" is an attempt to outsmart the Sprites and in fact make something good happen. Sort of a medieval reverse psychology. Of course it has became a popular wish of luck for theater performers.虽然各种祝好运的场合都可以用break a leg，但被祝福的人需要作出努力（考试、演出、找工作等等都需要hard work）。这么想好了：如果一个人努力了，你祝他/她好运就相当于对努力的肯定，希望努力有回报。如果不需要努力，纯粹只是运气问题（比如中彩票）， break a leg不适用，还是说good luck好。
场景四：我朋友准备参加某科考试，我可以对他说“Good luck”。同场景一有何区别呢？这时考试如果离现在还有一段时间，我们用“Good luck”，但是如果考试即将进行了，我们应该说“Break a leg”。
