Larry和李華開車去多倫多渡假,結(jié)果在路上遇到了一些問題。他們會用到兩個常用語:Dodge a bullet和cheapskate。
LH: Larry, 還要開多長時間才到多倫多啊?
Larry: If we don't make any more stops, we should get there by nightfall.
LH: 啊,天黑的時候才能到?可我已經(jīng)快餓死了! 咱們停下來找點東西吃吧?
Larry: Actually, we have a free dinner waiting for us at the hotel in Toronto.
LH: 我知道酒店有免費晚餐,可是還要幾個小時才能吃到,我堅持不住啦!
Larry: You know me, Lihua, I'm a cheapskate. Sorry.
LH: Cheesecake? 你帶了芝士蛋糕? 快給我吃!
Larry: No, not cheesecake... cheapskate. A cheapskate is someone who is very cheap, or doesn't like to spend money.
LH: Cheapskate就是小氣鬼。沒錯,你就是個cheapskate! 要不是你舍不得花錢,我們才不會選多倫多渡假呢,早買張飛機票飛去泰國了!
Larry: Thailand? Don't be ridiculous! Even if I wasn't a cheapskate, you know we can't afford to go that far away for vacation!
LH: 那,就算去不起泰國,咱們停下車吃頓飯總可以吧?
Larry: If we stop for food, we'll waste time, gas, and money. I think we should just wait until we get to Toronto.
LH: Why are you being such a cheapskate?? 咱們剛開始約會的時候,你可是特別喜歡給我買吃的呢!
Larry: Oh, yeah, I remember that... Actually, now that I think about it, I think I might have some of that candy you like in my backpack...something like a white rabbit, right?
LH: 大白兔奶糖?哪里?!(Sound of LH shuffling through a bag) 還真有誒! 可這包已經(jīng)過期了。不過我太餓,將就吃了!
Larry: Phew! Looks like I dodged a bullet there.
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LH: (With candy in her mouth) Dodge a bullet? 躲避子彈?你又在說什么我聽不懂的話了?
Larry: To dodge a bullet means to narrowly escape a very bad situation. For example, a second ago you were about to get really angry because I wouldn't stop for food, but luckily, I had that bag of Chinese candy to keep you happy!
LH: 哦, to dodge a bullet意思就是 “逃過一劫”,躲過了非常糟糕的事情。你說,要不是因為你包里正好有糖,我肯定會因為餓肚子而大發(fā)脾氣,所以你算是躲過了我的一頓數(shù)落。
Larry: That's right.
LH: 可是吃糖吃不飽啊!
Larry: We have a perfectly wonderful - and free - dinner waiting for us in Toronto. Sorry, Lihua, we're not stopping.
(ding! The gasoline light comes on)
Larry: Uh-oh.
LH: Larry, 什么聲音?是不是沒油啦?你看看!幾個小時前我不是讓你把油箱加滿么!
Larry: I heard the gas is a lot cheaper in Toronto, so I didn't want to buy more gas than I needed to... I thought this would be enough for us to reach Toronto!
LH: ???你因為覺得加拿大的汽油便宜,就不舍得在美國加油,打算堅持到多倫多再說?你怎么這么小氣! Cheapskate!
Larry: I hope we can find a gas station in time... I haven't seen any signs for a gas station for awhile...
LH: 我的老天! 附近沒有加油站?那我們豈不是要身陷荒野!
Larry: Don't worry, we always have my cell phone if we need to call for help.
LH: 打電話求救?呃,我剛才一直拿你的手機玩游戲,已經(jīng)沒電了。
Larry: Oh good grief. Luckily, I think I have an extra battery in my backpack. Check the outside pocket.
LH: 啊! 真的,這里有塊備用電池! We dodged a bullet! 我們逃過了一劫!
Larry: Speaking of dodging a bullet, it looks like there's a gas station a few miles ahead. We should be able to get there without a problem.
LH: 太好了! 前面有加油站,咱們快去把油箱加滿!
Larry: OK, I won't be such a cheapskate this time.
LH: 對!這次別再小氣了! 還有,在加油站給我買點吃的來!
Larry: OK, fine. You got it.
今天李華學(xué)了兩個常用語。一個是dodge a bullet,意思是“逃過一劫”。另一個是cheapskate,意思是“小氣鬼”。