72. We'll send out the manuals this afternoon by express mail entirely at our cost, and the manuals should arrive tomorrow or the day after at the latest.
点睛
短语send out意为“分发,发出”;at one's cost意为“由某人承担费用”。the day after是省略的表达,结合上文可知完整的表达应该是the day after tomorrow“后天”。at the latest意为“最迟,最晚”,其中latest指“最近的,最新的”,属于最高级绝对概念,而这类绝对概念也正是听力的常见考点。
考点归纳
cost作名词意为“费用;成本”,常与介词at搭配构成短语,常见的有:
at all cost(s)意为“不惜任何代价”。如:
This is your only choice. You have to win at all costs. 你别无选择,必须不惜任何代价取胜。
at any cost意为“在任何情况下,无论如何”。如:
She decided to lose weight at any cost. 她决心无论如何都要减肥。
at cost意为“按成本(价格)”。如:
I will sell you this bag at cost. 我会以成本价将这个包卖给你。
听音解惑
send

out[send

aut]里的[d]与[au]相邻,读作[sen daut];this

afternoon[ðis

ˌɑːftəˈnuːn]里的[s]与[ɑː]相邻,读作[ði ˌsɑːftəˈnuːn];at

our[æt

ˈauə]里的[t]与[au]相邻,读作[æ ˈtauə];should

arrive[ʃud

əˈraiv]里的[d]与[ə]相邻,读作[ʃu dəˈraiv]。