I think athletes sink or swim depending on how they motivate themselves.

我认为运动员的成败取决于他们如何激励自己。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

The new students were just left to sink or swim.

学校完全让新生自生自灭。

《牛津词典》

If you've suddenly been dumped, you'll have had a picture in your mind of how your life was going to be and, when it all comes crashing down, you either sink or swim.

如果你突然被人抛弃，你一定会在脑海里想象未来的生活将会变成什么样子，然而，当这一切如洪水般从天而降，您所能做的，就是要么沉入水底葬身鱼腹，要么奋力拼搏去击水中流。

youdao

These impressive figures probably understate the impact of Taiwan's sink-or-swim attitude toward business.

ECONOMIST: The flexible tiger

While the dealer and manufacturer dance is always a tricky one, the sink-or-swim times seem to have pushed these entities closer into a more seamless experience.

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No longer would Citigroup or General Motors, which were saved by taxpayers and are wards of Washington, be able to lobby as if they were stalwarts of sink-or-swim free enterprise.

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