A:You told me that John likes to boast about his capability.
你告诉我约翰喜欢自吹自擂。
B: Yes. He always talks about things that are beyond his reach.
是的，他总是谈论他办不到的事情。
A: But when I went to ask him to help me, he kept on poor-mouthing himself.
但是我去叫他帮我，他却很“谦虚”。



发音讲解
boast about /bəʊs dəˈbaʊt/
talks about /'tɔ:k səˈbaʊt/
When I /we naɪ/
kept on /kep dɑ:n/



对话解析
boast /bəʊst/ 自吹自擂；以有...而自豪
解释：If someone boasts about something that they have done or that they own,they talk about it very proudly,in a way that other people may find irritating or offensive.
He's boasting about how much money he has made.
他在吹嘘自己赚了多少钱。
She is always boasting about how wonderful her children are.
她总是在夸耀她孩子多么出色。
I don't want to boast,but I can actually speak six languages.
我不是吹嘘，但是我确实会说六种语言。

poor-mouth 装穷酸；哭穷
Don't poor-mouth to me,I have your number.
不要向我哭穷，我知道你的底细。
（这里的number不是指号码；在非正式用法下，number有“对某人心中有数，摸透某人底”的意思，“Judy had always had his number”,朱迪总是能看透他）。

beyond one's reach
力所不及；无法达到；超出..的能力范围
I'm sorry,but it's really beyond my reach,I can't help you.
很抱歉，这真的在我能力范围以外，我帮不了你。
My mother used to keep the kitchen utensils beyond my reach when I was a little child.
在我还小的时候，母亲总是把炊具放在我够不着的地方。
（utensil/ju:ˈtensl/，表示（家庭）用具；器皿。比如碗，蒸锅，平底锅等）。
I find salemanship is beyond my reach.
我发现推销超过我的能力范围。