礼节美语071讲
陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作。他中午吃饭在餐厅找到美国同事Amy。
(Office ambience)
C：Amy, 能找到你，太好了。
A：Will you join me?
C：好啊，我正好有事问你。
A：What is it?
C：我有个同事两个星期后结婚。
A：Where is the wedding going to be held?
C：婚礼在北京举行，但是因为新郎和新娘都是美国人，所以要按美国的方式。
A：How interesting!
C：他们不回美国去结婚，是因为家里人想到中国来玩。
A：I can`t blame them for wanting to see this beautiful part of the world where their relatives live and work.
C：这下我有机会体验一下美国式的婚礼了，不过我也遇到了一些问题。
A：I can probably guess what some of them are.
C：我记得你说过，要RSVP，就是不管能否出席，都要尽快跟人家说一声。
A：So did you?
C：邀请函里夹了回执卡和信封，我已经填好寄出去了。
A：Sounds as if you have it all figured out, Chen Hao.
CH：可我不知道应该送给他们什么礼物。
******
陈豪和Amy坐下边吃午饭。
C：我想知道美国人结婚，一般送些什么。
A：It is a tradition in change so you need to pay attention to what the bride and groom want.
C：我怎么能知道新郎新娘需要什么呢？
A：In today`s wedding world, couples often register for gifts with an online registry.
C：什么叫Online Registry ？网上注册？
A：It`s a wedding site on the Internet. Couples use registries to indicate gifts they like or need. You just go to the site they indicate and order.
C：哦，结婚的人可以上网注册，把需要的礼物列出来，供亲朋好友参考。可我怎么找到那个网站呢？
A：If the bride and groom have registered, they will send you the website as part of the invitation or in a follow-up e-mail.
C：邀请函上好像是有个网址，不过我当时没太注意。好，我回去先看看他们注册的礼品单子上都有些什么。
A：That`s the idea.
C：我买好了礼物，婚礼那天一块儿带去。
A：Oops. Bad idea.
C：为什么？我想看着他们打开礼物时高兴的样子。
A：Chen Hao, they will not open presents during the wedding ceremony or reception.
C：干嘛不拆礼物？
A：It is not part of the American tradition and it only complicates things.
C：我不太明白。
A：When the bride and groom have left the event, a family member or friend has to gather any gifts that were brought to the wedding and be responsible for keeping them for the newly-weds until they return from their honeymoon.
C：那不是很麻烦吗？
A：It could be a lot to manage.
C：我知道了，所以最好是事先买好礼物寄过去。
A：You got it!
流行美语第304课
李华在Larry办公大楼门口遇到他。Larry看上去十分疲倦。今天我们要学两个常用语： back to square one和hankering.
LH: Larry, 你昨天晚上是不是又熬夜加班了？看上去一脸疲惫。
LL: Did I ever! I was here all night doing work on this new marketing project, but ultimately I did not get anywhere. I may have to change the ad`s concept completely, even though that would mean going back to square one.
LH: 你要去square one出差？远吗？
LL: Square one is not an actual place. It means going back to the beginning.
LH: 我明白了，square one就是从头开始的意思。那上星期我写论文忘了存盘，结果电脑死机全丢了，只好从头再来，这种情况就可以说I was back at square one. 对不对？
LL: Yes, that`s right, Li Hua. Because you had to go back to the beginning and all of the earlier work was deleted, you had to go back to square one.
LH: 我手里还有一篇论文要写，但是还没有下笔，能不能说I am only at square one?
LL: You can use "square one" that way, but usually people say, "back to square one." This means that they did a lot of work, but it did not help them get any closer to their goal.
LH: 这么说，我可不愿意go back to square one.
LL: Exactly, I`m very frustrated that all of my work last night did not get me anywhere. Even though I was here all night, I`m back to square one.
LH: 这么说，你的新市场营销计划如今又回到了起点，要从头开始，你下一步打算怎样办？
LL: You know, to be honest, I am really not sure. I think maybe I need some sleep to help clear up my head.
LH: 我对你深表同情。不过我比你还惨。上星期论文都快打完了，结果没存，I got sent back to square one. 更糟糕的是，第二天就要交。
LL: That does sound stressful, luckily I have still got a few weeks before this project is due, so I think that I am going to go home and get some sleep before starting again at square one.
LH: 你重新开始之前要不要一起吃点东西？
LL: That sounds great Li Hua, but first I need to get some rest. How about we meet here at noon, grab something to eat and then I get back to work?
LH: Sounds great!
******
LH: Larry, 你一觉醒来，一定是精神饱满，干劲十足。
LL: Yes, I had a very good nap, and now I have a hankering for some Italian food.
LH: A hankering? 你是说你想吃意大利饭吗？
LL: Exactly, Li Hua! To have a hankering, for something means that you want that thing. Usually someone would say they have a hankering for a type of food or drink.
LH: 意大利饭也有很多种啊，你想吃意大利面，比萨饼，还是肉酱千层面?
LL: You know, lasagna sounds really good to me, but what do you have a hankering for Li Hua? What are you in the mood to have for lunch?
LH: 我也说不清楚想吃什么。要不吃个三明治，还是去吃中国饭？
LL: It doesn`t really sound like you have a hankering for anything in particular at all.
LH: 肚子饿的时候，当然是吃什么都香。
LL: Maybe you should compare the types of food that you have a hankering for to decide what you want to eat.
LH: 一方面，我特别想吃辣的，可另一方面，我又怕麻烦。
LL: Either food that you choose is fine by me. Italian, Chinese, sandwiches...
LH: 现在听起来，我好象又都不那么想吃了。
LL: No? Then it looks like we are back at square one then.
LH: Yes, we are back at square one. 不过，我已经知道要吃什么了。
LL: Well what do you want to have for lunch?
LH: Sushi! 快走吧，我已经在流口水了。
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是back to square one意思是回到起点。另一个是hankering，意思是特别想要。