(14) Cheating 騙人

1. fall for the line 受騙
2. pull the wool over one’s eyes 騙人
3. make myself scarce 躲起來

A: This is amazing…I can’t believe Bob fell for that line. It’s one of the oldest in the books.
真令人吃驚…真不敢相信Bob會上當。那是老掉牙的手法了。
B: You know, it’s not too difficult to pull the wool over his eyes, he’s kind of slow.
你知道嗎，要騙Bob並不難。他本來就有點阿達阿達的。
A: Yeah, well…you’d better hope he doesn't find out what a fool you’ve made of him. He may be slow, but he is as big as a truck.
是啊，不過…你最好別讓他發現你在愚弄他。他雖然遲鈍，但壯得跟卡車一樣呢！
B: You’re right. I’ll make myself scarce when he’s around.
你說的對，他來的時候我得迴避一下。

(13) Sticky Situation 窘境

1. sticky situation 窘境
2. wind up 結果
3. look on the bright side 想開一點

A: You were really nervous about your blind date last night. How did it go?
你對昨晚的初次約會很緊張，進行的如何？
B: Not very well, half way through our expensive meal I forgot my date's name.
不太好，吃昂貴的大餐到一半時，我竟然忘了她的名字。
A: Oh no! How did you get out of that sticky situation?
噢，真糟糕！你怎麼擺脫這窘境？
B: Well, I took a shot and wound up sitting at the table all alone.
唉，我猜了一猜，結果就只剩我自己一個人吃了。
A: Look on the bright side. Since your date left, you had all of that expensive food for yourself.
想開一點。既然她先走了，你自己就獨享了那頓大餐。

(12) Taking A Hint 識相

1. three’s a crowd 三人不便
2. hit the dance floor 跳個舞
3. take a hint 聽懂暗示

A: Hi there, sweet stuff! I thought I’d break the ice and come over to introduce myself.
嗨，親愛的! 我想我該做個開場白來自我介紹。
B: Well, that's very thoughtful of you… but I’m here with someone and as you know three's a crowd.
嗯，是滿好的啊，可是我已經和朋友有約了。你也知道，三個人不太方便。
A: That may be, but your friend doesn’t seem to be here now. So why don’t you and I hit the dance floor and…
可能吧，但你的朋友好像不在這裡。我們何不跳個舞…
B: Hey buddy! Can’t you take a hint… I’m not really interested!
嘿，老兄，你是聽不懂是不是……我真的沒興趣。

(11) U.S. Postal Service 美國郵政

1. settle down 定居
2. lose touch 失去聯繫
3. fate 命運


A: Hey, good news! I’m moving to the U.S. to settle down。
嘿，好消息！我快要搬到美國去定居了。
B: That's great! When you get there, don’t forget to write. I’d hate to lose touch.
那太好了！等你到了那兒，別忘了寫信給我。我最討厭失去聯繫。
A: We’ve been friends for a long time. Of course I’ll write. But you know, as soon as I drop the letters into the mailbox, their fate is out of my hands.
都已經老朋友了，我當然會寫信給你囉！但你知道，當信丟入郵筒後，就不是我能掌握的了。
B: That’s right… and if the U.S. Postal Service delivers letters anything like Clinton delivers his health care package, I could be waiting for those letters for a long time.
對啊。如果美國的郵局送信的速度都像柯林頓實行的健保案一樣，那就有得等了。

(10) Being Grounded 被禁足

1. long face 板著臉
2. count on 依靠，指望
3. back someone up 支持

A: You don’t look very happy. Why the long face?
你看起來很不高興。為什麼板著臉？
B: I was really counting on you to back me up in that argument I was having with Dad.
我和老爸爭執時，我還一直指望你會替我說話。
A: Well, I don’t think it’s that big a deal. It’s not like you’re grounded or anything.
唉呦，沒什麼大不了嘛！你又沒有被禁足。
B: Yeah, but now since we can’t use the car, we can’t go to the movies like we planned.
是啊，但現在既然我們沒有車開，也就不能照原訂計畫去看電影了。

(9) Breaking The Ice 開場白

1. make a move 採取行動
2. receptive 接納的
3. flirt 搭訕
4. break the ice 開場白

A: Wow! Look at that guy over there. What a hunk!
哇澳！看看那傢伙。真是帥呆了！
B: Why don’t you make a move on him? I’m sure he’ll be receptive.
妳何不採取行動呢？我肯定他會接納你的。
A: I’m not comfortable with flirting. What if he rejects me?
我不太會搭訕。如果他拒絕我怎麼辦？
B: Don’t worry! Let’s go talk to him. I’ll help you break the ice.
放心啦！我們一起過跟他聊聊。我會幫你開場白。

(8) String Along 吊胃口

1. stand with someone 受到某人的評價
2. back off 退讓
3. take advantage of 利用

A: I really am infatuated with Ruth, but I don’t know where I stand with her.
我真的好迷戀Ruth，但是我不知道我自己在她心中的地位為何。
B: Did she tell you that she is interested?
她跟你說過她喜歡你嗎？
A: Yeah, but I think she may be stringing me along.
有啊，可是我覺得她只是在吊我胃口罷了。
B: I think you’d better back off before she takes advantage of you!
我想你最好在她還沒利用你之前先退讓一下。

(7) Buying A Scooter 買台摩托車

1. die to have  想死了
2. pry             撬開
3. lemon         爛貨
4. I can relate 我可以了解

A: I would die to have a scooter right now. I hate waiting for the bus. They’re so crowded.
我想要一部摩托車想瘋了。我好討厭等公車，公車實在太擠了。
B: Why don’t you pry open your wallet and spend some of the cash you’ve stashed away.
你為何不撬開皮夾拿點存來的錢去買一台呢？
A: It’s not that I’m cheap. I’m scared of buying a lemon!
不是我小氣，我只是怕買到一個爛貨。
B: I can relate. I just bought a lemon myself a few weeks ago.
我可以了解。幾個禮拜前我自己才買了一台爛車呢！

(6) Back to School 回到學校

1. a drag 沒意思的事
2. have one’s nose to the grindstone 孜孜不倦
3. hard-nosed 一絲不苟的
4. horse around 閒混

A: I can not believe school starts again so soon.
我真不敢相信這麼快又要開學了。
B: Yeah! I know, what a drag!
是啊！我知道，真無聊！
A: It feels like just yesterday, I had my nose to the grindstone cramming for finals.
感覺好像才昨天似的，我還在拼命的準備期末考呢！
B: My teachers this year are really hard-nosed, too. I don’t think I’ll have any fun.
我今年的老師也很嚴格。我想今年沒得玩了！
A: Yeah, no time for horsing around.
沒錯，沒時間好閒混了。

(5) Mobile Phones 行動電話

1. mobile phones 大哥大
2. on the road 在路上
3. status symbol 地位的象徵
4. I couldn’t agree more. 我再同意不過了

A: I can’t believe how many people carry mobile phones. I wonder if they really need them.
    我真不敢相信那麼多人帶大哥大。我懷疑他們是否真的那麼需要。
B: I’m going to get one myself. I’m on the road a lot, and it would really be convenient.
    我也要買一個。我時常跑來跑去，有大哥大一定會方便多了。
A: Perhaps you really do need one, but I think for most people, they’re just status symbols.
    也許你真的需要一個，但我想對大多數人來說，大哥大只是地位的象徵罷了。
B: I couldn’t agree more.
    我再同意不過了。

(4) A Lost Wallet 遺失的皮夾

1. I.D.         身分證
2. reward    獎金

A: Hey, look! Somebody lost his wallet.
    嘿！有人掉了錢包。
B: Is there anything inside?
    有東西在裡面嗎？
A: There must be 20,000 dollars here and no I.D. What do you think we should do about it?
    應該有兩萬元在裡面，但沒有身分證。你覺得該怎麼處理呢？
B: We really don’t have any choice. We’ve got to take it to the nearest police station. Once the owner realizes he’s lost it, he’ll surely go there.
    沒別的選擇。我們應該把它送去最近的警察局。如果失主發現了掉錢包，一定會去那兒的。
A: Maybe we’ll get a reward!
    或許我們還會拿到獎金喔！

(3) Buying Life Insurance 買保險

1. preoccupied 心不在焉
2. that depends 看情形
3. might as well 乾脆

A: You seem preoccupied. What’s on your mind?
    你看起來心不在焉。在想什麼啊？
B: I’m thinking about buying life insurance, but it’s so expensive. Do you think it’s worth it?
    我想投保，但太貴了。你認為那值得嗎？
A: That depends. If you have children, I think you should buy it.
    看情形。如果你有小孩的話，我認為你應該買。
B: I suppose you are right. I might as well give that agent a call tonight.
    你說得沒錯。我乾脆今晚就打電話給那個壽險顧問好了。

(2) New Neighbors 新鄰居

1. pull up 停下
2. foreigner 外國人
3. throw a welcome party 開個歡迎派對

A: A big truck just pulled up next door. It looks the new neighbors are moving in.
    一輛大卡車剛停在隔壁。好像新鄰居搬進來了。
B: Do you have any idea where they're from?
    你知道他們是從哪裡來的嗎？
A: Someone told me they’re foreigners. It should be interesting to meet them.
    有人跟我說他們是外國人。認識他們一定很好玩。
B: Why don’t we throw them a welcoming party?
    我們何不開個派對來歡迎呢？

(1) Girlfriend 女朋友

1. whining and moaning 唉聲嘆氣
2. demeaning 瞧不起人的
3. find faults with 挑剔

A: So, after nine months of whining and moaning you’ve finally found yourself a girlfriend. How are you getting along?
    唉聲嘆氣過了九個月，你終於找到女朋友了。相處的還好嗎？
B: Well, it’s not all I had hoped it would be. She’s very demeaning and seems to find faults with nearly everything I do.
    嗯，沒想像的好。她很瞧不起人的，而且好像對我做的每件事都很挑剔。
A: Beggars can’t be choosers.
    人是你追來的，就不能太挑啊。
B: True, but I was begging for a girlfriend, not a drill sergeant.
    是沒錯，但是我要找的是女朋友，又不是軍訓教官。