Larry和李華打算乘火車去Larry家玩。Larry家住在紐約郊區(qū)。 Larry和李華還打算去紐約市旅游。李華會(huì)學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)：do the math和know the drill。

LL: Okay, Li Hua, I don't know how we are going to do the sightseeing and also spend time with my family. I mean, you do the math - how is it going to work?

LH: Do the math? 這很好算嘛。我們有四天時(shí)間，24小時(shí)乘以4等于96個(gè)小時(shí) 。我們總共有96個(gè)小時(shí)。

LL: Oh, Li Hua, I guess I didn't mean for you to actually do the math. When I said "you do the math," I meant something like "you think about it."

LH: 原來(lái)你說(shuō)"do the math"，意思是考慮一下，不是真的要我算。Larry，是你請(qǐng)我到你家去，還要到紐約玩， 你應(yīng)該考慮呀 - You should do the math。另外，去紐約玩要花多少錢呢？我這個(gè)當(dāng)老師的可沒(méi)有很多錢啊。

LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. I've done the math. We'll save a lot of money by staying at my parent's house. Plus they will feed us.

LH: 能住在你父母家就太好了，可以省很多錢。 Larry，你知道我是窮學(xué)生，凡事都要精打細(xì)算才行。I have to do the math all the time。

LL: You know that is very smart. My younger brother could really have learned something from you.

LH: 你弟弟向我學(xué)習(xí)？我有什么好學(xué)的呢？

LL: Well, when he moved out and got his first job, he really didn't do the math. He ended up needing help from my parents, because he wasn't making enough money.

LH: 你弟弟真傻，第一次拿到工資就覺(jué)得自己很有錢，要搬出去住。他肯定沒(méi)想到房租那么貴。你弟弟現(xiàn)在怎么樣了？

LL: Yes, he is now making very good money waiting tables at a restaurant.

LH: 我也聽(tīng)說(shuō)餐館服務(wù)員收入不少。

LL: In one hour he might wait on ten tables. If each table tips him between five and ten dollars。Well, you do the math.

LH: 每小時(shí)服務(wù)十桌客人，每桌客人給5塊或是10塊美元的小費(fèi)。喲，你弟弟一個(gè)小時(shí)就能掙50到100美元。 看來(lái)，我也改行作服務(wù)員算了。

LL: No, Li Hua. You are definitely meant to be a teacher. He's making what seems like a lot now, but in the long term - if you do the math - I think you'll be doing better in the end.

LH: 從長(zhǎng)遠(yuǎn)來(lái)看，我以后會(huì)掙得比你弟弟多？但愿如此。

******

LL: Okay, Li Hua, we're now at the subway station. You know the drill. Have your ticket ready ...

LH: 地鐵票？我有呀。 Larry，你剛才說(shuō)： You know the drill， 這是什么意思啊？ Drill不是一種工具嗎？

LL: Well, a drill is a tool。But a drill can also be a routine. Knowing the drill is knowing a routine - it is knowing how things are done.

LH: 噢，to know the drill就是知道一件事該怎么作。我當(dāng)然知道怎么坐紐約地鐵了。先要買票，然后把票放進(jìn)自動(dòng)檢票機(jī)，否則就進(jìn)不去。對(duì)嗎？

LL: That's good. But do you know the drill when it comes to taking a taxi in the city? We have to do that next.

LH: 什么？我們下了地鐵還要打的？我可沒(méi)有在紐約打過(guò)的， 我是隨時(shí)攔車呢，還是要到指定的街口等呀？ I really don't know the drill。

LL: That's OK, Li Hua. I'll teach you what you need to do - then you'll know the drill.

LH: 我是得學(xué)學(xué)。我在紐約人生地不熟的。 沒(méi)有你，我一定很緊張。

LL: Yeah, it can be very disconcerting when you are in an unfamiliar place and don't know the drill.

LH: 是呀，在不熟悉的地方有時(shí)心里是很不安。我剛來(lái)的時(shí)候不知道怎么乘公共汽車，有一次差點(diǎn)走丟了。

LL: But now you are an expert. No one would say you don't know the drill now!

LH: 當(dāng)然了， 不過(guò)我也不是什么都知道， 還要向你多多請(qǐng)教。Larry，我們這是去哪里呀?

LL: Oh, the usual places in New York City. You know the drill: go see the Statue of Liberty, go see a play on Broadway, and then go eat in Chinatown.

LH: 對(duì)，到紐約來(lái)玩的人都是去這幾個(gè)地方， I know the drill。先去自由女神像， 然后接著去百老匯看戲，然后去唐人街吃飯。

LL: I'm glad you are excited about eating in Chinatown. Because when it comes to ordering in Chinese, I really don't know the drill.

LH: 這你放心，Larry。 你不會(huì)點(diǎn)菜，我來(lái)點(diǎn)。 I know the drill 。

今天李華學(xué)到了兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)。一個(gè)是do the math，意思是考慮、算計(jì)一下。另一個(gè)是know the drill，也就是說(shuō)知道怎么作某件事情。