必须指出，困难能显示一个人的最佳素质。(bring out a person's best qualities)

be just about to do ~ when~/ be close to doing ~ when~/ be on the point of doing ~ when~

I was on the point of buying that piano when my wife reminded me that this amount of money was for my son's tuition.

I was close to buying that piano when my wife reminded me that this sum of money was for my son's tuition.

I was just about to buy that piano when my wife reminded me that this sum of money was for my son's tuition.

我刚要买那架钢琴时，突然我太太提醒我这笔钱是付我儿子学费的。

not so much ~ as ~

It is not so much with their wishes as with their actions that they can shape the future.

他们打造未来与其用希望还不如用行动。

prefer to do~ rather than do~

To face whatever you might prefer to hide rather than acknowledge requires courage

要面对你宁可隐藏也不承认的任何事需要勇气。

more ~ than ~

Being obliged to leave the stage due to his illness, he has an emotion, which is more of regret than attachment.

因病得离开舞台时，他有着一种情感, 这种情感与其说是留恋，还不如说是遗憾。

There is no doing ~

There is no denying that bad things do happen to us sometimes.

不可否认的是，有时候不好的事情确实发生在我们身上。

It can't be denied that~

It can't be denied that he has a gift for music however lazy he is.

无法否认的是他对音乐有天赋，不管他是多么的慵懒。

There is no doubt that~

There is no doubt that he will win the election by a large majority