流行美语 (Popular American) 278

李华通过了博士生的资格考试。Larry涨了工资。两人一起去吃饭庆祝。李华今天要学两个常用语，go out和more than friends.

LL: It is so nice to be celebrating such happy events with you, Li Hua! And on such a wonderful evening, I have an important question to ask you.

LH: 重要问题？好，有什么问题尽管问！

LL: (Nervously) Uh...Well...I was wondering if you wanted to....go out with me.

LH: 出去干嘛？我们还没吃完饭呢？再说，外面又那么闷热。

LL: (A little embarrassed) Uhhh...Noooo. I don't actually mean for us to go outside *right now*, Li Hua. By asking if you wanted to go out with me, I meant: Would you date me?

LH: 哦，原来go out with you是约会的意思。

LL: (Hopefully) Yes...So, would you like to go out with me, Li Hua?

LH: Larry, 我们做朋友这么久了，你现在要跟我谈恋爱，我还真觉得有些突然。

LL: We *have* been friends for a long time, Li Hua, and I realized that there isn't anyone else I enjoy doing things with as much as you. That's why I decided¹ to ask you to go out with me.

LH: 我得考虑一下，因为这样一来，我们的关系就全变了。

LL: Well, it wouldn't change things that much. If we are going out, we will still do all the things we do now: go to restaurants, see movies, and take trips to fun places.

LH: 你说得没错，那我们就不能跟别人约会了吧？

LL: That is generally² the idea, Li Hua. When you go out with someone, you don't usually date other people.

LH: 我现在倒是没跟什么人约会，可是...

LL: What? Is it that you don't want to go out with me, Li Hua?

LH: 不是。我很喜欢你，我就是希望我们永远能象现在这么好。

LL: So, you will go out with me?

LH: 好，我愿意！

******

LL: This is so great! You've made me so happy, Li Hua. I was worried you were going to say you wanted to be "just friends."

LH: 我知道，如果女孩子不接受男子的追求，就可以说She wants to be "just friends." 只做普通朋友。

LL: How do you know about being³ "just friends", Li Hua?

LH: 以前我跟两个室友住在一起，经常说起交男朋友的事。

LL: So, what did your roommates⁴ tell you?

LH: 有个男孩约Nancy出去，可Nancy并不喜欢他，所以她就打电话给那个男孩，说更愿意做普通朋友。

LL: Well, Li Hua, it takes a lot of courage⁵ for a guy to ask a girl out on a date - and there is nothing worse than hearing⁶ a girl say she wants to be "just friends."

LH: 这我可不信。

LL: I guess you are right, Li Hua. A girl could say worse things!

LH: 不过我可以想象，被谢绝的男孩子的自尊心肯定会受到打击。

LL: That's right. And that is why I am so glad you didn't say you wanted to be "just friends", Li Hua, just a moment ago. I would have been sad.

LH: 如果不是"just friends"普通朋友，那我们是什么呢？

LL: Well, when a girl says she would like to go out with a guy, she and the guy become "more than friends."

LH: 也就是说我们原来是普通朋友，那现在开始约会，所以我们的关系已经不只是朋友，超越了朋友的界限了？

LL: Right, being "more than friends" is a way of saying you are dating someone. So now we are "more than friends."

LH: 两个"more than friends"的人做的事情，一定跟"just friends"的人做的不一样喽？

LL: Like date each other.

LH: 还有拉手，拥抱...

LL: Oh, look! It's the waiter with our bill, Li Hua. Maybe we can continue this conversation later...

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是go out, 是约会的意思。另一个是just friends做普通朋友，和more than friends, 恋爱的关系。
 

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 generally   

adv.一般地，通常；普遍地，广泛地

参考例句：

• We generally go to the sea for our holidays.我们通常去海边度假。
• Generally speaking,parents love their children.一般说来，父母爱他们的孩子。

3 being   

n.存在；生存；生命存在，生命，人， 本质；art.在，有，是

参考例句：

• Can you explain to me the purpose of being?你能对我解释一下存在的目的吗？
• What is the purpose of our being?我们生存的目的是什么？

4 roommates   

n.室友，住在同室的人( roommate的名词复数 )；同住一屋（一套公寓等）的人

参考例句：

• The uncongenial roommates were always fighting. 意气不相投的室友们经常争吵。 来自辞典例句
• I can distinguish my roommates by their footsteps. 我能根据室友的脚步声辨认出他们。 来自辞典例句

5 courage   

n.勇气，胆识，气概

参考例句：

• I wouldn't lose courage even if I should fail ten times.即使要失败十次，我也绝不灰心。
• He has the courage to speak out what he thinks right.他敢于说出他认为正确的东西。

6 hearing   

n.听，听见，听到，听说，听取；听力，听证会，诉讼，审讯

参考例句：

• I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.我盼望着不久收到你的信。
• The old man's hearing is poor.那位老人听力差。