off：they try to show they are smarter，or that they know more than the person they are talking to；this kind of conversation gives you nu useful information or understanding.
经常，人们谈话时总是争相表现自己，这类谈话对双方都无多大益处。
Lead to：to result in；to bring about通
向；导致
All roads lead to Rome.
Hard work can lead to success.
18.try to understand………what you can learn from or about them
——try to learn something from what they say，or try to find out the kind of person they are.
而是设法搞懂他们说的是什么，什么样的经历才能使他们说这些话，你从这些话中能学到什么，你对说这些话的人又能了解到什么情况等。
19.The only embarrassment is in not learning from your mistakes.
Be in：lie in/exist in 在于；存在于
The cause of the accident was（lay/existed） in the drinking of the driver.事故的原因在于驾驶员喝酒了
20……often for some short-term advantage when the long term implications are unknown.——often for some quick profit now，when you don't know possible harm or danger might arise in the future.
我们往往为了短期的利益，在尚不了解（这些做法）长远影响的情况下——
The citizens of any country should have at least something to say about the direction in which we are doing.——All people in the world have the right at least to express their views on the future of our planet.
任何一个国家的公民至少对我们人类要走向何处有发言权。
Have sth. to say：have a say，have a right to make a decision about sth.
