今天Larry和李華要到朋友Bob家里,Bob因為要搬家,所以把他的立體音響賣給Larry。今天李華會學到兩個常用語:dibs和shotgun.
LL: I'm really glad that Bob gave me first dibs on his stereo. He knows I've always admired it, but I couldn't afford to buy a new one just like it.
LH: 我知道你一直很喜歡Bob的立體音響,可是又買不起全新的?,F(xiàn)在他要賣給你,怪不得你那么興奮。哎,可是你說Bob給了你first dibs, 那是什么意思?是不是說Bob第一個先賣給你?
LL: Something like that. To have first dibs on something is to have the opportunity to decide if you want it before anyone else.
LH: 所以我真猜對了。First dibs就是有優(yōu)先的機會來決定是不是要買。Bob讓你優(yōu)先決定是否要買他的音響設備,也就是給了你first dibs.
LL: Exactly. For example: I know that you like my car, so if I ever decided to sell it, I would give you first dibs.
LH: 真的嗎?我可以有優(yōu)先買你車子的權利?Larry你真好!這樣吧,我記得你愛吃我做的蛋糕,下回我再做的時候,你可以優(yōu)先享用,you'll get first dibs on it.
LL: I like the sound of that. While we're on the subject, "dibs" has another use, too. If I say I have dibs on the last piece of cake, then that means that I claim it for myself.
LH: 噢!Dibs還可以用來表示某種要求或權利。好,那我先說了,這塊糖是我的。I have dibs on this candy bar.
LL: Hey, that's the last one! We won't be able to get lunch until after we bring the stereo back to my apartment. Can't you share it with me?
LH: 嘿!我已經(jīng)說了,I have dibs on it. 這塊糖就是我的。
LL: That's not very generous. You know I would share it with you.
LH: 好啦!好啦!我是開玩笑的。你可以和我一起分這塊糖。
LL: Thank you. You can have first dibs on the next candy bar you find.
LH: 對了,Bob還有那么多東西要賣。他有沒有也讓你優(yōu)先決定呢?
LL: He gave me first dibs on some of his furniture, too, but I don't really need anything right now. Well, we're here. Let's go get my new stereo.
******
LL: I'm sorry, Li Hua, but you don't get to ride shotgun on the way home. I need you to sit in back and hold the stereo.
LH: 你要我坐在后座抱住你的音響???可以??!可是你怎么說我不能坐shotgun?我本來就沒想拿槍呀!
LL: You don't get to ride shotgun means that you can't sit in the front passenger seat. The front passenger seat is often referred to as "shotgun."
LH: 原來shotgun就是指前面駕駛座旁的座位???好奇怪!為什么要用“槍”來形容一個座位呢?
LL: Have you ever seen an old Western movie about cowboys and Indians?
LH: 西部電影,我當然看過?。≈皇俏矣X得西部電影都挺暴力的,我不是很喜歡。
LL: In the old days, it wasn't very safe, so there was often a person who sat next to the driver of the horse-drawn carriage. This person carried a shotgun to protect the carriage.
LH: 原來如此。過去由于不安全,所以為了保護馬車的安全,坐在馬車前排的人手上都拿著槍。前排那個座位就被稱為shotgun. 真有意思!
LL: Exactly. Do you mind if you can't ride shotgun on the way home?
LH: 沒問題!我可以坐在后面保護你的音響。反正我經(jīng)常坐在前座,偶爾換換坐后面,也沒關系!
LL: Thanks, Li Hua. From now on, you always have first dibs on shotgun, no matter who else is riding with us.
LH: Larry!你說了就得算數(shù)喲!以后不管跟誰一起坐車,我都可以有優(yōu)先權坐在前座。太好了!Larry,我們可不可以去吃午飯?那半塊糖根本不夠,我好餓噢!
LL: I agree. Let's go.
今天李華學到兩個常用語。一個是: first dibs, 就是有優(yōu)先權。另一個常用語是shotgun. 這是指汽車駕駛座旁的那個座位。