降低门槛，给别人一个机会，也给自己一个机会。不可否认的是至善至美是人类追求的最高境界，但是万千世界，无所不有，计划往往赶不上变化，更多的时候只要随机应变或灵活变通，就能迎刃而解，甚至是事半功倍。
“降低”用英语准确地表达是 lower，它是一个词性和用法都很丰富的单词，又是 low 的比较级；lower 作为动词时，表示降低声音、价格或数量等，相当于 reduce，对应的反义词是 raise，例如：He lowered his voice to a whisper.The Central Bank has lowered interest rates by 2 percent.
对应 lower 常见的习语有 lower yourself (by doing sth)，lower your sights 和 lower the temperature，例如：
1. lower yourself (by doing sth)，意为“降低自己的身份；自贬人格”，通常用于否定句中，例如：I wouldn’t lower myself by working for him.I refuse to lower myself by engaging in a smear campaign just to win an election.2. lower your sights，意为“降低要求；眼光变低”，因此它也可以类似地用来表示降低门槛的意思，例如：Even though you get frustrated, don't lower your sights.I shouldn't lower my sights. If I work hard, I can do what I want.我不应该降低我的要求。如果我努力工作，我可以做我想做的事。3. lower the temperature，意为“降温；降低热烈程度”等，例如：With the region on the cusp of war, ambassadors from several nations are entering into talks to try and lower the temperature.由于该地区正处于战争的风口浪尖，一些国家的大使正在进行谈判，试图降低紧张气氛。His angry refusal to agree raised the temperature of the meeting.
其实“降低门槛”地道的英语表达方式是习语 lower the bar，它的字面意思很形象地描述了它的寓意，用来比喻降低价值或质量，例如：
The revision bill aims to lower the bar on picking candidates.We have played on a par with any opponent so far. We can’t lower the bar.到目前为止，我们与任何对手都打得不相上下。我们不能降低标准。During the economic boom, regulators lowered the bar for investment bankers' accountability.在经济繁荣时期，监管机构降低了投资银行家问责制的门槛。
多数的英语知识点都是孤立存在的，要关联记忆知识点，方能加强记忆。Lower 作动词时的反义词是 raise，因此那里有 lower 的地方，对应的都有 raise 的踪迹，那么”提高门槛“就是 raise the bar，例如：Just as I was getting accustomed to my job, the manager raised the bar and I had to perform even better.正当我渐渐习惯了我的工作时，经理提高了标准，我必须表现得更好。Since higher education became available to a greater number of people, businesses have increasingly been raising the bar for entry-level employees.自从越来越多的人接受高等教育以来，企业对初级雇员的要求越来越高。当你感到筋疲力尽或殚精竭虑的时候，是否应该换位思考或降低标准呢？你没试过改变，又如何知道改变不好呢？
1. whisper [ˈwɪspə(r)] n/v，意为”低语，小声说“2. smear [smɪə(r)] n/v，意为”弄脏，毁谤，污渍，污点“4. ambassador [æmˈbæsədə(r)] n，意为”大使，使节“5. on a par with sb/sth，意为”与…同样好（或坏、重要等）；不相上下；伯仲之间 “6. soar [sɔː(r)] v，意为”急升，猛增“
