I have seen speakers tell me to circle words like "the" and "and" in a desperate last-ditch effort to feel like the audience is listening to something they are saying.
我有见过类似的演讲者告诉我告诉我圈一下“ the ”和“ and ”，简直是拼了老命似的让自己感受到观众在听他说话。
2
Recruiting outsiders is something of a last-ditch attempt to shake up the islands' inward-looking policing culture.
招募外国人，有几分像是动摇岛国封闭警察文化的最后一招。
3
A last-ditch effort is a final attempt to succeed at something.