What does this sentence mean? "There's a horse, Willie, that has known better days."

Why add the 'off' in the below sentence, it seems unnecessary? The buyers and sellers, too, many of them, looked not much better off than the poor beasts they were bargaining about.

What's the difference between 'receive' and 'accept'?

Recently I read original version 'Black Beauty', there some problems about it, pls help me resolve 1. How to understand 'get kind words into the bargain' in the sentence below? -All these little things help a horse very much, particularly if he gets kind words into the bargain. 2. How to understand 'stand in his light for the world' in the sentence below? -‘I don’t want to part with you, and if you left us, I know John would lose his right hand.’ ‘That I should, sir,’ said John, ‘but I would not stand in his light for the world.’ 3. 'if I beat the bush on this side the birds would fly out' , is it a proverb in English speaking? how to understand it? -… and it is not always easy to get his opinion about people, so I thought if I beat the bush on this side the birds would fly out, and I should learn what I wanted to know quickly; so now we will come to business.

' a fox's tail' what does it mean in this sentence? A man's life and a horse's life are worth more than a fox's tail; at least, I should say they ought to be.

What an embarrassed experience! I went to work by bus this morning. I noticed that many people looked at me strangely. Is there anything strange about me? I looked over my shoulder. I saw what they meant. I wore my shirt inside out in the early morning. Till the bus stopped at the station, I get off quickly, and when I pass by the facility room, I entered the house and then changed the shirt quickly. What an embarrassed experience!

What's your favorite instant message tools?

In Chian, most people like to use QQ and wechat as their instant message tools? What do you prefer to use in your country?

Personal reflections on development of Chinese city I showed my foreigner teacher around furniture market at last weekend. This furniture market mainly sells imitation antique. I told him that the original antique make use of environmentally-friendly technique without iron nail and chemical adhesive such techniques as piecing together, inlaying and tenon joint. And I suggest that if he have chance to visit Tianjing, he should visit the Porcelain Building. There are many original antique in it. Foreigners come to China, what they most to visit is something that with Chinese special. Unfortunately, with the economy development and prosperity estate market in China, many first-tier cities tear down Chinese special building and build many modern commercial building. Foreign tourist complained that it’s same every city which is full concrete building. Some of my foreign friends told me that they prefer to experience some special things and local life such as the north-eastern bed (Dongbei Dakang) which was built in brick and mud. When the governor of every city understands what the foreigner’s truth thought, how will them to think? And I suggest foreign friends that they should visit the third-tier city, there are more Chinese special buildings and special snacks available there.

What a volatile world I call my second sister tonight to understand the recovery of nephew. My nephew is 7 years old this year. If there are no accidents, he will attend first grade of primary school. But the opposite often results, one day he fell down on the field when he plays with partner. His left hand was hurt by a brick on the ground. At the beginning, his hand was swollen slightly. Sister didn’t take it seriously and applied some medical powder on it to reduce swelling. Unfortunately, the situation worsened during two week. There is no feeling beyond the wrist. My sister took him to see a doctor. My nephew was diagnosed as radial nerve injury. According to doctor’s opinion, it’s very difficult to cure. There’s no better treatment but rehabilitation training. But there are no signs of improvement after two month’s rehabilitation training. My sister just came back from Jinan. She took my nephew to #106 hospital, and they give him three injections with nutrition that could help nerve to grow. Every injection cost 1000 dollars. I don’t know whether it will be effective. What a volatile world!