Andy: Leo, where can I find a nice black suit that’s not too expensive? Andy: Leo, 我能去哪儿买件好看又便宜的黑西服呢？
Leo: Uniqlo has some inexpensive suits. So you might want to try there. Leo: 优衣库的西服挺便宜的。你可以去那儿看看。
Andy: Thanks. Andy: 谢谢。
Leo: Why do you need a new suit? Leo: 你为什么要买新西服？
Andy: New Year is around the corner and there will be a big party. Andy: 新年要来了，到时会有大型派对要去参加的。
Leo: Are you talking about the Western New Year on January 1st ? Leo: 你说的是1月1日的西式新年吗？
Andy: Yeah, January 1st. But I’m really talking about the big party on December 31st. This is called New Year’s Eve. Andy: 是的，1月1日的新年。但我其实说的是12月31日的狂欢派对。也就是元旦前夕。
Leo: Oh. Is it your custom to have a big party then? Leo: 噢，在元旦前夕办派对是你们的习俗吗？
Andy: Absolutely. I’d say it’s the biggest party of the year. Girls and guys usually get dressed up and hit the town. Most bars and clubs have big parties. Also, a lot of hotels will have special parties. Actually, I plan on going to the Hilton. What’s your plan? Andy: 当然了。那是一年中最大的派对。男男女女都会盛装打扮去繁华商业区玩乐。很多酒吧和俱乐部都会举办大型派对。很多酒店也都会组织一些特别的派对。实际上，我计划去希尔顿酒店渡过这一晚。你有什么安排呢？
Leo: I’ll probably just stay at home and play computer games. Leo: 我可能就待在家里打打游戏。
Andy: Are you serious? You should come with me to the Hilton. We’ll bring in the New Year with a bang. Andy: 开什么玩笑？你应该跟我一起去希尔顿酒店。这样我们就可以开开心心热热闹闹地迎接新年的到来。
Dan: Hi Graham, I see you're having a lunch. 你好，格雷厄姆，我看到你在吃午餐。
Graham: Yes, I stopped at McDonalds and picked up a Big Mac. 是的，我停在麦当劳门口，买了个大汉堡。
Dan: Is it delicious? 那味道好吗？
Graham: Not really, but I was hungry and it was close to my work. 不是很好，但我当时很饿，那儿离我工作的地方很近。
Dan: I think you need to eat more healthy, Graham, you're looking a little pale these days. 我想你需要吃更多健康的东西，格雷厄姆，你这几天看上去有点苍白。
Graham: It's really none of your business what I eat for lunch. In fact you're a fat old man who causes trouble for everyone. 我吃什么不关你的事。事实上，你不过是一个胖胖的老男人，给每个人都制造麻烦。
Dan: Gee, Graham I was just concerned about your health. 哎，格雷厄姆，我只是关心你的健康。
Graham: I'm sorry Dan, I should eat better, but time is so short here in Shanghai, I have to eat fast food. 很抱歉，丹。我应该吃的好些，但是在上海时间总是很短。我只能吃快餐。
Dan: It's OK Graham I understand, but try eating fruits and nuts for lunch. 还好格雷厄姆，我能理解，但是午餐还是尽量吃点水果和坚果吧。
Graham: Thanks Dan, you may be old but you’re a pretty wise guy. 谢谢，丹。可能你很老，但是你很明智。
Dan: The reason I put on weight was because of poor eating habits. I am trying to eat better and exercise more. That's my goal. 我增肥的原因就是糟糕的饮食习惯。我现在正尝试着吃好些，加强锻炼。这是我的目标
听到这句话可千万别回复：You can go anywhere you like. 那可是要闹大笑话了。这句话的意思就是“我要上厕所”。当有老外这么说的时候，告诉他卫生间在哪里就行了。
2. I want to wash my hands.
“我去洗下手”是女孩子常用的一句话，隐含的意思也是“我要上厕所”。在英语中这句话就是“I want to wash my hands.” 更客气一点可以说“I need to powder my nose.”，这个就非常含蓄了。
3. I need to answer the call of nature.
一种更为文雅的说法称内急为“the call of nature”，那么上厕所就成了“to answer the call of nature.”。有时个别年纪大的女士在这种情况下还会说“I need to make a pit stop.”其实“pit stop”是指在赛车过程中，赛车在途中紧急停留加油、维修的地方。看来，她们肯定将解决这个问题看作是一种“紧急维修”了。
The behavior of men in choosing urinals is different from that of women choosing restroom stalls（厕所隔间）, according to some reports. Whereas more women prefer stalls in the middle section, men prefer urinals to either end of the line, obviously hoping to draw as little attention as possible. Those men who actually choose urinals in the middle (4, 5, or 6) seem to be less self-conscious and less likely to succumb to （屈服于）external influence or pressure. 相关报告显示，男士选用厕位的思维跟女士是不一样的。更多女士会选择中间的位置，而男士则多选择靠边的位置，明显是希望尽可能减少别人对自己的注意。选择中间（4, 5, 6）位置的男士比较随和、不容易屈服于外在影响和压力。
Ladies: 女士：
Women who choose stalls 1-3 are more flexible (adj. 灵活的) and can adjust to a new situation quickly. These women tend to be direct and straightforward (adj. 坦率的；直截了当的), and they would not hesitate as much as others when confronted with (面临) decision-making. 选择1-3号位置的女士为人灵活，对新环境能快速适应。这类人个性直率，面对抉择时，她们不像其他人那么犹豫。
Women who choose stalls 4-6 are cautious and moderate. They refrain from going to extremes and generally want to feel safe. 选择4-6号位置的女士为人谨慎而随和。她们避免走向极端，需要安全感。
Women who choose stalls 7-9 have a strong sense of their own space; they would not mind going a little deeper into the corners, where it’s less likely that they’ll be disturbed, even though other women would consider such positions more “dangerous” ones. 选择7-9号位置的女士有强烈的个人空间感，她们不介意躲在角落最深处，因为在那里可以免受打扰，尽管其他人会觉得那里可能“更危险
Period (.): Type A personality. You are decisive and clear. You have no difficulty with setting limits. Often a stodgy person that no one else thinks is any fun to hang out with. You tend to be good with technology and have the latest gadgets. 句号：A型人格。你做事果断、干净利落，擅长设置各种限制情况。通常比较刻板老套，给人一种比较无趣的感觉。你是技术控，有很多最新的科技产品。
Comma (,): The peacemaker. You like to help others, and you get along with everyone. You like to make sure people understand each other. You like clarity as much as the Period type, but, unlike him, you don't subscribe to the "less is more" theory. You believe more information is better than not enough. For this reason you sometimes confuse others and can become tiresome. But, in general, you're fun, or at least tolerable, to be around. 逗号：和平主义者。你乐于助人，和任何人都能打成一片。你希望确保每个人都能相互了解。和"句号型"性格的人一样，你也喜欢把所有事都说清楚讲明白，不过，你对"少即是多"的理论并不买账，你认为消息应该是多多益善的。正因如此，有时你会把别人弄糊涂，而你自己也会感到很烦人。但是，总的来说，你还是蛮有趣的，至少让周围的人可以忍受。
Exclamation point (!): You are excitable and anxious. You don't self-censor well and think that your opinion always matters. You get nervous easily and are often too loud. You're either an overly-affectionate or a mean drunk. You're fun at parties. 惊叹号：你是一个易喜易怒的人。你不太会自我反省，总认为自己的观点很重要。你很容易紧张，也经常会大声喧哗。你不是一个自恋狂，就是一个酒鬼。你对去各种聚会很感兴趣。
Question mark (?): Indecisive and uncertain. You over-analyze. You may be shy and have low self-esteem. People usually have no idea you're there. 问号：你做事犹豫、瞻前顾后，想得太多。你比较腼腆，自信不足，在人群中没有存在感。
Colon (:): You like things to be well-delineated. Much like the Period type, you like order. You make lists. You usually get asked to organize public activities and assume important duties. 冒号：你喜欢凡事井然有序。和"句号型"性格一样，你也喜欢秩序性。你做事喜欢列清单，总被人委派去组织公共活动或担任重要职务。
Dash (—): You're stuck up and pretentious. You correct people's grammar and complain about how stupid kids are these days. You made good grades in school and perform well at work. Your boss loves you, even if your co-workers don't. 破折号：你爱炫耀、自命不凡。喜欢纠正别人的语法错误，总是抱怨现在的孩子有多蠢。你在学校里的成绩很好，在工作中也表现出色。即使同事们不待见你，老板也会喜欢你。
Ellipses (…): An indecisive and flighty person. You lose your train of thought easily. You are a follower and like to let other people take the risks. You often misplace your keys or spend ten minutes looking for the glasses you're already wearing. 省略号：你缺乏决断力，反复无常。你很容易就走神，喜欢随大流，总是让别人去冒险。你经常会忘记把钥匙放在哪里，或者花十分钟去找已经戴在鼻梁上的眼镜。
Quotation Mark ("): You aren't very src. You tweet famous quotes a lot. You are nosy and like to gossip; mostly because you don't have anything of substance to add of your own. People like to hang out with you for a coffee break but don't really consider you a friend. 引号：你缺乏原创性，爱引用名人名言。你总是叽叽喳喳，又爱说八卦，这主要是因为你没有什么主见。人们喜欢和你出去约会，但并不把你当成真正的朋友
Celebrity couple（n.名人夫妇） Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes might have thought twice about naming their daughter Suri if they'd known that it means "pickpocket"（n.扒手） in Japanese, "turned sour" in French, and "horse mackerels" in Italian, suggest Today Translations. 这家名为“今日翻译”的公司表示，假如明星夫妇汤姆克鲁斯和凯蒂赫尔姆斯知道Suri在日语中的意思是“扒手”，法语中为“变酸”，意大利语中为“竹荚鱼”，他们给女儿取名为Suri时，应该会三思。
For 1,000 pounds ($1,678), the company's linguists will carry out a "basic name translation audit（n.核查）" of names, checking their meaning in 100 languages, or more for an additional cost. 1000英镑（1678美元），你就可以让该公司的语言专家对名字进行一个“基础译名审查”，确认该名字在100种不同语言中的意思。假如舍得花费更多，语言审查的范围还可以更大。
While open to everyone, the firm said it expects the service is likely to attract celebrity clients, who are known for giving their babies unusual names. 虽然此项服务对大众开放，但该公司估计它能吸引的可能还是名流们，因为众所周知，他们更倾向于给宝宝起特别的名字。
Other celebrity baby names it has checked include Kai Rooney, the newborn son of English soccer player Wayne Rooney, whose name means "probably" in Finnish（n.芬兰语）, "pier" （码头）in Estonian（n.爱沙尼亚语）, and "stop it" in the west African language of Yoruba（n.约鲁巴人）. 该公司审核过名字的明星宝宝还包括英国球星韦恩鲁尼刚出生的儿子凯伊鲁尼（Kai Rooney），这个名字在芬兰语中的意思是“也许”，爱沙尼亚语中为“码头”，而在西非约鲁巴语中则是“停下”的意思。
And while musicians（n.音乐家） Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale may have known Zuma meant "peace" in Arabic when choosing their son's name, they may not have been aware it also translates as "Lord frowns（v.皱眉头） in anger" in the Aztec language of Nahuatl. 音乐人格温史蒂芬妮和加文罗斯代尔或许知道Zuma在阿拉伯语中的意思是“和平”，所以才给儿子起名为祖玛，但他们可能不清楚在印第安那瓦特族阿兹特克语中，它还可以翻译为“上帝怒上眉梢”。
Some unusual celebrity baby name choices are beyond easy translation however, the company admits, such as Jermajesty -- the son of Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine. 不过该公司也承认，有些明星宝宝的名字太特别了，很难翻译，例如迈克尔杰克逊三哥杰梅因之子Jermajesty。
“脑子”这个词在中文里用处不少，我们可以说一个人have brains“有脑子”，也就是说这个人有想法；我们也可以说一个人have not a brain in one’s head“没脑子”，那就是说这个人想法太简单、太单纯；还有一类人我们可以称之为“死脑子”或“死脑筋”，在英文里就是ROM brain。
ROM brain refers to a person who refuses to accept input (n. 输入) and ideas from other people. It may also be someone who spews (v. 喷出，此处意为“说出；表达”) ideas and opinions but can't seem to accept input from the outside world. ROM brain指那些拒绝接受他人建议或想法的人，也可以指四处发表见解却不肯接受外界信息的人，也就是我们常说的“死脑筋”。
This idea stems from the computer term ROM (commonly known as read-only memory), a storage media where data cannot be modified (v. 修改), at least not very quickly or easily. “死脑筋”之所以叫“ROM brain”是因为ROM在计算机术语中意为“只读”，存储在这一类别媒介的数据一般是无法修改的，至少不能快速或轻易被修改。
现在大家应该都明白了“死脑筋”为何在英语中表达为ROM brain了吧？那就看看下面这个例句吧！
He is not willing to take in any new ideas. A ROM brain indeed. 他不愿意接受任何新思想，完全是个“死脑筋”。
Using scanners, they monitored (v. 监测) the brain activity of volunteers as they read works by William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, T.S Eliot and others. They then “translated” the texts into more “straightforward”, modern language and again monitored the readers’ brains as they read the words. 通过使用扫描仪，他们监测到接受实验的志愿者在阅读威廉?莎士比亚、威廉?华兹华斯、T?S?艾略特和其他作家作品时的大脑活动。他们随后将这些文本“翻译”为更为“通俗易懂”的现代语言，然后又对读者在阅读这些文字时的大脑活动进行了监测。
Scans showed that the more “challenging” prose and poetry set off far more electrical activity in the brain than the more pedestrian (adj.缺乏想象力的) versions. 经扫描发现，散文和诗歌越“具挑战性”，大脑中的电流活动就愈加频繁，而那些通俗化的版本则达不到这种效果。
Scientists were able to study the brain activity as it responded to each word and record how it “lit up” （动词词组，活跃起来）as the readers encountered unusual words, surprising phrases or difficult sentence structure. 科学家们能够研究大脑对每一个词语做出反应时的活动，并记录下读者在遇到生僻词语、新奇短语或复杂的句子结构时大脑如何“被激活”。
This “lighting up” of the mind lasts longer than the initial electrical spark, shifting the brain to a higher gear, encouraging further reading. 大脑的这一“激活”状态比最初的“电火花”持续时间更长，让大脑的转动更高速，鼓励读者继续往下阅读。
The research also found that reading poetry, in particular, increases activity in the right hemisphere of the brain, an area concerned with “autobiographical memory”, helping the reader to reflect on and reappraise their own experiences in light of what they have read. 研究还发现，阅读书籍，尤其是诗歌，可以增加与“自传体记忆”有关的大脑右半球的活动频率，有助于读者根据阅读内容对个人经历进行反思和重新评价。
The research shows the power of literature to shift mental pathways, to create new thoughts, shapes and connections in the young and the staid (adj.古板保守的；此处指代中老年人) alike. 研究显示，文学作品对年轻人和中老年人都能产生强大的力量，它可以转变思维方式，开拓新思路，引发新联想。
When the British say “I hear what you say.” They mean “I disagree and do not want to discuss it further.” But what others understand is “He accepts my point of view.” 当英国人说“我听到你说的了”时，他们的意思是“我不同意也不想就其作进一步讨论”，而其他人却理解成“他接受了我的观点。”
When the British say “With the greatest respect…”They mean “I think you are an idiot.” But what others understand is “He is listening to me.” 当英国人说“出于最大的尊重…”时，他们的意思是“我觉得你太二了”，而其他人却理解成了“他正听我说话呢”。
When the British say “Oh, incidentally/by the way…”They mean “The primary purpose of our discussion is…”But what others understand is “That is not very important.” 当英国人说“顺便说一句……”时，他们的意思是“我们讨论的最根本目的是……”，而其他人却理解成了“接下来的话不是非常重要。”
When the British say “I’m sure it’s my fault.” They mean “it’s not your fault.” But what others understand is “Why do they think it was their fault?” 当英国人说“我确定是我错了”时，他们的意思是“那其实就是你的错”，而其他人却理解成了“为什么他们会觉得是他们的错呢？”
When the British say “I only have a few minor comments.”They mean “Please rewrite completely.” But what others understand is “He has found a few typos.” 当英国人说“我只是有一点儿建议”时，他们的意思是“请从头到尾重写一次吧”，而其他人却理解成了“他只不过发现了一些语言错误”。
“Doctor, doctor, I feel like a pair of curtains” and the doctor says, “pull yourself together” 病人对医生说：“医生啊，我感觉自己就像一对窗帘（意思是我觉得自己就像散了架一样）。”医生回答说，“那就把你自己拉到一起（意思就是那就振作起来）。”这句话妙就妙在一语双关play yourself together这个词组上。
再来看看下面这个笑话： A man walks into a bar. Boiiing! It was an iron bar.
Bar有两个意思，既表示酒吧，也表示铁条、铁柱子。翻译起来就是，一个人走进酒吧，boiiing碰个鼻青脸肿，因为那是个铁柱子an iron bar. 同样地，这里还是用到了一语双关 (play on words)
最后我们来看看以下的笑话： Q: What do you call a fish with no eye? A: Fsh 这个笑话是利用人们思维上的错觉，没有眼睛的鱼，叫什么鱼？其实这里的eye与英语字母I是同样的发音，所以从fish这个词里去掉I就成了fsh.
Nevertheless, it’s commonly recognized that British humor is mainly characterized by irony and sarcasm which is not always shared by other countries. To British people themselves, that’s not good or bad, it’s just a fact of characteristics of British people. 但大家普遍认可的是，英国幽默主要以嘲弄、讥讽而著名，这一点与很多国家不大相同。在英国人自己看来，无法说这一点是好是坏，因为那就是英国人的特点。
2013年的第一个月，想必大家都在争分夺秒按计划执行自己的New Year Resolution（新年规划）吧！今天我们就一起来学学time相关习语，和时间赛跑吧！
1. Pressed for time: not have much time 时间紧迫；时间不足 I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment. Do you mind if we have the meeting tomorrow? 我现在时间有点紧，要不咱们明天再开会？
2. A race against time: have to do something fast within a deadline
和时间赛跑；迫在眉睫 There's a race against time to save the rainforests. 拯救热带雨林迫在眉睫。
3. Two-time: go out with more than one person at the same time
脚踏两只船 She ought to be careful. She's two-timing Jack with Bill and Jack is a very jealous person… 她可得小心点了。她同时跟Jack和Bill都处于暧昧关系，而Jack是一个嫉妒心超强的人。
4. Behind the times: old-fashioned 落伍；过时 He's so behind the times. He still plays records! Can you believe it? 他真是太过时了。居然还在听唱片！你相信吗？
5. High time: the right time 正是时候 It's high time you got a job! 你是时候找个工作了！
6. Time and a half: when a worker is paid extra for working overtime
一倍半工资的加班费 We get time and a half if we work on Saturdays. 我们周六加班时可以拿平时一倍半的工资。
While fantasy football might have little to do with the real world, it certainly takes real time to attend to your team. Not only do you have to watch all the games, but then you have to trade your players. You have to analyze your stats (信息分析表) and plan accordingly, spending large amounts of time on the painstaking（需煞费苦心的） details so that you can win a pot of cash and the admiration of your friends. 尽管虚拟足球游戏与现实世界或许没有一点关系，但你无疑需要花时间去关注你的球队。你不仅得观看所有的比赛，而且还得买卖队员。你必须分析统计数据并据此制定计划。在这些细节上，你得花费大量心血，才能赢钱，才能让朋友们崇拜你。
The Spree 看视频
The great thing about a video web is that it has everything. The awful thing about a video web is that it has everything. I mean, you go looking for George Clooney `s Oscar acceptance speech and somehow you end up clicking （点击）on everyone of those "related video" until you`ve worked your way to the collected works of the fake (假装的；伪造的) Tom Cruise. With such a video web you never intend to spend that much time, but you end up "one more clip"-ing yourself to death. 视频网站的优点就是无所不包，而视频网站的缺点亦是如此。比如说，你想看乔治?克鲁尼发表奥斯卡获奖感言的视频，结果不知不觉中，你就点击观看了所有的相关视频，一直看到模仿汤姆?克鲁斯的视频集。你从来就没有打算花那么多时间浏览这个视频网站，但最终你都会克制不住地继续观看下一个视频，直至精疲力竭。
The SNS Fugue 神游社交网站
Oh, SNS, we couldn`t do anything without you. But I`m not talking about your normal visits during work hours. There is a different, darker SNS that comes out late at night, when you start searching for all of your ex-girlfriends and clicking to see if any of them have changed their last names recently. This is the dark side, and it will attack you and make you feel like a Saturday on the couch with scattered （分散的；散乱的）tissues （面纸）lying around your nearly lifeless （死气沉沉的；无趣的）body. 噢，社交网站, 我们不能没有你。在工作时间，正常访问社交网站并不是我要谈论的内容。我想要说的是它们的阴暗面。在深夜里，你开始在上面搜寻自己的历任女友，想知道她们当中有没有人已经结婚时，阴暗面便降临了。它会狠狠的打击你，那感觉很糟：就如同你在某个周六萎靡不振地蜷在沙发上，周围散乱地堆着餐巾纸一样。
The Online Shopping Cage “网购陷阱”
Look, there`s a sale on Taobao. But there`s always a sale on Taobao. Oh, what about EBay? There`s always something you need there, too. Don`t forget that shower curtain with the pink bunnies and deer on it that you saw at the store and wanted to buy but didn`t and now it`s discontinued and you just have to have it. As long as you remember the security code on the back of your credit card, you`re going to find your way there. Oh, yes you are. Yes. You are. 瞧，淘宝上的东西打折了。其实该网站上的东西向来都有低价促销。那易趣如何呢?那儿也总是有你所需要的东西。别忘了你在商店看到的那个有粉色小兔子和小鹿的浴帘，当时想买又没买，现在已经断货了，你必须要买到它。只要你记得信用卡后的安全密码，你就能在购物网站上找到你的天地。是的，你绝对可以。
The Search Engine Hole 搜索引擎之害
Ever go look up something on a search engine, something totally innocuous （无害的；无伤大雅的）like Elizabeth Taylor, and it kicks off an awful journey that leaves you bleary-eyed （睡眼惺忪的）three hours later? It`s so easy. 你有没有使用搜索引擎上搜索过什么信息，一些完全无害的信息，比如关于伊丽莎白?泰勒的，结果这却让你踏上了糟糕透顶的搜索之旅，3个小时后，你的眼睛已酸胀不已。这种情况太常见了。
Reading Blogs 阅读博客
Wow, you really got all the way down here to the end? What the hell are you doing reading this on the weekend. Go see your family or read a book or watch Pirates of the Caribbean 4D or something. There`s a whole world out there! 噢！你一定要看完这篇文章吗？你这个周末究竟在干些什么?就是看这篇文章吗？去看看你的家人或者去读一本书吧，要不就去看4D的《加勒比海盗》或者别的什么!在网络之外,还有更多精彩!
I want to assemble（v.组装） a computer for game playing, 我想组装一台电脑打游戏。
-For game playing? You’d better have a bigger memory（n.内存）and a better quality video card. 要打游戏的话，你最好弄一个稍大点的内存和更好的显卡。
-I guess Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 would be good. 我想英特尔双核E4300应该不错。
-OK. What size hard drive do you want? 好。你需要多大的硬盘？
-At least 160G. 至少160G。
-If you are concerned about game effects（n.效果）, I suggest you buy a higher quality sound card and video card. 如果你很在乎游戏的效果，我建议你买质量更好点的声卡和显卡。
-Effects are very important. Give me the best. 效果很重要。给我最好的。
-How about the screen? 显示屏呢？
-I want a big wide screen（宽屏） LCD. 我要一个大的宽频LCD（液晶显示屏）。
-What about other accessories（n.配件）? 那其他的配件呢？
-The memory should be 1G. The main board（n.主板）, I’d like ASUS P5B. 内存得1G。主板的话，我要ASUS P5B这个型号的。
-No problem. 没问题。
Let’s go through some words and phrases: 让我们一起来回顾一下实用词汇吧！ assemble a computer 组装电脑 memory 内存 game effects 游戏效果 sound card 声卡 big wide screen 宽屏 accessories 配件 main board 主板
I’d like a private room in the smoking/non-smoking area. 我想要一个吸烟区/非吸烟区的包间。 I’ve booked/reserved a table for two. 我定了一张两个人的桌子。
在点餐前，一般先要份菜单： May I see the menu/wine list? 可否让我看看菜单/酒单？
准备好点菜时可以说： Please take my order. 可以点菜了。
如果对当地的菜肴不熟悉，可以问：
What do you have for today’s special? 今天的推荐餐是什么？ What would you recommend? I prefer something light. 我想来点清淡的。你有什么推荐吗？ What’s the specialty here? 你们的特色菜是什么？
也可以让同来的人替你作主，或是点一样的饭菜：
I’ll leave it to you. 你来点吧。 I’ll have the same as that one. 我要一份和那个一样的。
用餐结束时，可以说：
Could I have my bill, please? 请拿账单来，好吗？ Check, please. 麻烦请结账。
Shake hands with all present at the table. If necessary, introduce yourself. 与就餐的所有人握手。如有必要，介绍一下自己。
Place your napkin on your lap after everyone is seated and after your host has moved his/her napkin. 在所有人都坐下，招待方也拿起他/她的餐巾后，你才可以将自己的餐巾放到膝上。
Don’t ask the waiter to explain everything on the menu; you will annoy others and appear indecisive. 别就菜单问服务员各种细节性问题，这样会烦扰他人，也显得你犹豫不决。
Let the host take the lead when ordering; if the host isn't first in line to order, then ask for his/her recommendation. 让招待方第一个点菜；如果招待方不是第一个点菜，就要先问一下他/她的意见。
Don’t order the most expensive item on the menu and don’t order any unfamiliar food. 不要点菜单上最贵和自己未吃过的食物。
Sit up straight and don’t tip your chair back. 坐直了，别靠在椅背上。
DURING THE MEAL: 就餐期间
If your place is set with more than one fork, begin from the outside and work your way in. 就餐期间：如果你面前放有多只叉子，应该按从外到内的顺序开始使用。
When looking at the place setting in front of you, remember: solids on your left (bread plate), liquids on your right (water, ice tea, coffee). 留意你桌面上食物的摆放位置：固体食物放左边（面包碟），流体食物放右边（清水、冰茶和咖啡）。
Cut your meat or meal one piece at a time; avoid dicing it into bite-sized pieces all at once. Cut your salad into bite-sized pieces. 切肉时，要切一块吃一块；不要一次将肉切成多个一口吃得下的小块。相反，沙拉要切成一口吃得下的小块。
When sharing seasonings such as sauce with others, spoon some of it onto your plate; don’t dip your food into it. 对于大家共用的调料如酱油，先用汤匙舀一点到你自己的碟子上，千万不要将你的食物直接往公用的酱油里蘸。
Do keep your elbows off the table. 手肘别搁在桌子上。
When you speak, put your silverware on your plate, not on the table. 讲话时，应该将餐具放到碟子里，不要直接放在桌子上。
Don’t speak with your mouth full. 嘴里含着食物就别说话。
Avoid talking about religion, politics and other controversial topics. 就餐期间，最好别谈论宗教、政治和其它有争议性的话题。
Maintain good eye contact. 谈话时，尽量与对方保持眼神接触。
Do take your time eating, talking and especially listening to everyone at the table. 谈话和进食的时间要有分寸，特别是聆听别人说话的时候。
Don’t over indulge; this is not your last meal. 别太贪吃，这不是你的最后晚餐。
Don’t lick your utensils or fingers. 味道再好，也别去舐你的餐具或手指，这样很恶心。
Do say “please” and “thank you,” people do notice. 多说“请”和“多谢”，大家都乐意听到这样的客气话。
AFTER THE MEAL: 就餐后
When you are finished eating, place the knife and fork prongs down side by side on the plate with the handles at 4 o’clock; the waiter will understand this as the “I am finished” position. 餐后：用餐完毕后，请将刀叉并排放在碟子上，尖端朝下，刀叉柄指向4点钟的位置，好让服务员知道你已经吃完了。
Don’t argue over that check or offer to pay the tip; the host who invited you must take care of both. 别讨论帐单和给小费，这是邀请你来这里就餐的招待方家应该做的事情。
Make sure you thank the host for the meal. Shake hands before you leave and maintain good eye contact. 一定要记得感谢宴请你的招待方。离开时，要与招待方握手道别，同时保持友好的眼神接触。
---Good evening. Welcome to Joe’s restaurant. Do you have a reservation? 晚上好。欢迎来到乔餐厅。你预订了吗？
---Hello! Actually I’m afraid I haven’t reserved a table – is that going to be a problem? 你好！我没有订位——会是个问题不？
---Not at all sir. How many people are in your party? 没关系，先生。你们有多少人？
---There will only be two of us – my friend is running slightly late – he should be here soon. 只有我们两个人——我的朋友会晚点——他马上就会到。
---No problem sir, let me show you to your table. 没问题，先生，那让我带你去你们的桌子吧。
---Thank you. Could you please bring me a menu to look at? 谢谢。你能给我一份菜单让我看看吗？
---Certainly sir, here you go. If you like fish I would strongly recommend our river bass（n.鲈鱼） in spicy sauce. 当然，先生。给你。如果你喜欢鱼，我强烈推荐我们辣制鲈鱼。
---That sounds delicious! I love spicy food. Do you have a good dish with pork in it? 听上去很美味。我喜欢辣的食物。你们有什么猪肉菜吗？
---We have a tasty sweet and sour (adj.酸的) pork dish. 我们有美味的酸甜猪肉菜。
---OK I’d like one of those please, and two bowls of rice on the side（adv.另外）. 好，我要一份。另外要两碗米饭。
---Certainly. Can I get you anything to drink? 当然。要什么喝的吗？
---Yes, please. May I see the wine list? 好的。我可以看看酒单吗？
---Here you are. 当然。给您。
---A bottle of Chablis, please. 一瓶夏布利葡萄酒。
---Excellent choice! 选得好！
Let’s go over some phrases now. 让我们一起来回顾一下实用短语吧！ Party: 在文章中是group的意思 Do you have a reservation? 你预订了吗？ Let me show you to your table. 让我带你去你们的桌子。 Spicy food 辣的食物 Excellent choice 好的选择
361.Is there a garage sale at the ways this coming Sunday?
362.You can usually get good staff at a garage sale for very little money.
363.Wendy likes to visit flea markets.
364.My wife likes to go to supermarkets.
365.Shop till you drop!
366.It is a little bit expensive.
367.If I buy two, can you give me a discount?
368.Is there a discount for three?
369.I can give you a 20% discount.
370.These DVDs are on sale. (for sale)
371.Things are not expensive in that mall.
372.Can you sell that blouse to me for $40?
373.No,thanks. I am just looking.
374.She likes to go window shopping.
375.May I try this skirt on?
376.Where are your fitting rooms?
377.What is your size?
378.How much is the total?
379.Do you accept traveller’s checks?
380.Debit or credit? (debit card 借记卡， credit card信用卡)
Conversation One A yard sale
A: I heard there is a big yard sale at the ways this Saturday morning. I may go there to see if there’re some nice clothes, do you want to go with me?
B: Well, I want to go to the university flea market, they got tons of books, DVDs, and lots of nice clothing, too.
A: How about we go to the ways yard sale first and then to the university flea market?
B: Good idea! Let’s shop till we drop!
Conversation Two At a Clothing Store
A: May I help you?
B: I hope so. Do you have a sharp looking red skirt? Something I could wear working at a bank?
A:Sure,here you are.
B: It is nice. May I try it on?
A: Yes, the fitting room is over there. It looks fantastic on you; this style, color and size match your hair and figure perfectly.
B: Does this fashion really flatter my figure?
A: I think so. But the true thing is you’d look sharp in any style.
B: Oh,thank you. Just shows you what going to Max’s gym everyday can do for this old body.
A: Absolutely, I go there to work out three times a week, been at it for 6 months now.
B: I thought I recognize you from there.
A: Ditto(). You like the rolling machine.
B: Yes, it is really good for my arms and shoulders. OK, I’ll take this one. Do you have a blue, size 6 in this style? I want one for my sister, she has a great figure and she loves blue.
A: No problem, is this blue OK?
B: Oh, good. Do you have a discount for two?
A: Yes,we do. There’s a 10% discount for two.
B: That’s is great, I will take these two, how much is that?
A: The total is $98, including tax.
B: Ok, $98. Do you accept this card?
A: Yes, we do. Debit or credit?
B: Debit card.
A: Please key in your pin number here. So you want any extra cash back?
B:No,thanks.
A: Have a good day.
B: Thanks ,you too. I’ll see your at Max’s sometime.。
Floating in English Is beauty more than skin deep?
Karol and Sandra are sisters. Sandra is older; everyday she works long hours at a bank. Sometimes she feels a little jealous about Karol's life. Once at a party, Sandra overheard a woman discribe her sister as a high maintenance trophy wife. Sandra tried not to giggle too loudly, she wondered why some people are so quick to judge individuals who may know so little about.
Karol’s hobbies include shopping and exercising. She likes to visit expensive malls and buy the latest and high-quality clothing. Spending money on clothes and cosmetics makes her happy. She rarely tries to bargin, she often says “life is too short to worry about money”.
Sometimes when people first meet Karol, they think she is a bit of a blond airhead（脑袋空空的傻瓜）, a few even say she is just a clothes-horse(晒衣架，爱穿时髦衣服的人). Karol and her husband Jack have a lot of excrise equipment at home. Karol also likes to go to Max’s Gym to work out. She especially enjoys going to Max’s in order to practice Taiji with Sandra. Their Taiji class meets on Monday and Thursday evenings. Karol is proud of being in excellent physical condition. With her beautiful face and excellent figure, people often say that she could be a fashion model or an actress.
Jack doesn’t complain about Karol’s spending money because he makes a lot of money. Karol’s stunning looks and talent in making small talk are good for Jack's business; whenever he has a party for his customers, Karol is usually the centre of attention; she charms everyone inside with her smile and positive attitude.
Friends that know her well respect Karol, they know that she works as a volunteer at Saint Michael's Community Hospital on Fridays. Without the help provided by volunteers like Karol, the hospital would have to either charge higher fees or close. Saint Michael’s Community Hospital was where an ambulance brought Karol after her bad car accident 8 years ago. Through their dedicated work, the doctors and nurses managed to save her life. Saint Michael’s Community Hospital was also where Karol went for physical rehab(rehabilitate) theropy to help her recover from the painful accident. Karol sometimes laughs and says “the people who work there are really important to me. After I die, I’ll still be haunting the place, trying to help out.”
Karol also does volunteer work for All Souls Church neae the hospital, her husband Jack has attended that church since he was 8 years old. He and Karol met 6 years ago when she began working as a volunteer at the church’s shelter for the homeless and immigrants. Karol usually donates her used clothes to the shelter. She also gives the sheler a lot of new clothes that she has never even worn. Four times a week, Karol teaches English, business and computer skills to residents at the shelter, she tries to make sure that any man or woman that is going out for a job interview is appropriately dressed and well prepared.
Karol always encourage her friends to work as volunteers at either the hospital or the shelter, and many do, simply because she sets an example that others want to follow. The truth is Karol is a hard-working, beautiful woman who never earns a penny. Jack knows that Karol will still be beautiful when she is 70 years old, he knows that true beautty is more than skin deep, it is something that comes from the soul and is seen in what that person says and does, that’s why Jack loves Karol. Karol’s positive and helping attitude is what Sandra admires the most. Sander is looking for a boyfriend that has an attitude similar to her sisters’. Both sisters know that a healthy body makes for(有利于) a healthy mind. Karol once says to Sandra, “A positive attitude attracts people. In our marriage partnership, my husband’s attitude and my attitude are what we live with. If they are not positive, our marriage will fail.” Sandra has never forgotten her younger sister’s words.
Spoiler: 剧透 A spoiler will reveal the end of a movie before you find it out by yourself. 剧透能让你在亲眼观看前就了解到一部电影的结局。
Plot twists: 出人意料的情节 Plot twists are the development that viewers don't expect to happen. Good writers use plot twists to keep viewers interested. 出人意料的情节是观众不希望看到的故事发展，好的编剧会用这一点来提起观众的兴趣。
Cliffhanger: 电影或电视结尾的悬念. It's usually a dilemma or a dangerous situation. So you want to watch the next episode to see how the characters deal with it. 这种悬念通常会是一个窘境或危险的处境。这样作为观众的你就会非常期待下一剧集，看看主人公们会怎样应对。
Has-been: 过气名人 Has-been is the person who is longer popular. 过气名人，顾名思义就是现在已经没有名气的人。
Catapult to fame: 一炮而红 She catapulted to fame right with this film. 她就是因为这部电影一炮走红的。
Star-studded: 众星云集的 It means a great proportion of the actors in a movie are well-known. “众星云集”也就是说一部电影里的大部分演员都很出名。