Larry開車接李華去看醫生，路上堵車遲到了。李華今天要學兩個常用語，meltdown和make up.

LL: I'm really sorry I am late, Li Hua. But there is no need for you to have a meltdown about it.

LH: (生氣地)如果meltdown是生氣的意思，那沒錯，I am having a meltdown.

LL: (Sheepishly) Well, Li Hua, perhaps now isn't the best time for an English lesson, but a meltdown is an excessively emotional response to a disappointment or a crisis.

LH: (還是有點生氣)meltdown是融化的意思，跟遇到挫敗或是危機，情緒過分激動有什么關系呢？

LL: Well, the term meltdown refers to the melting of the core of a nuclear reactor. When that happens, the nuclear reactor becomes unstable and may explode.

LH: 噢，原來是從核反應堆來的。Well, I guess I did have a meltdown. 你今天遲到，我確實很生氣。

LL: I must say, it is very unlike you to have a meltdown. You are usually so calm and understanding.

LH: 我生氣可是有理由的。你遲到了不是一會兒，而是整整半個小時。看來我去看醫生也要遲到了。

LL: I understand why you had a meltdown, Li Hua. But honestly, there is nothing I could do about it. You know how unpredictable the traffic is in New York City.

LH: 也是，我剛才太急了，沒有給你解釋的機會。你在路上遇到什么狀況了嗎？

LL: Well, there was a car accident that blocked traffic for a long time. It wasn't very serious accident, but when the two drivers got out of their cars, there was a total meltdown in communication.

LH: 你為什么說這兩個司機之間發生了total meltdown呢？

LL: Well, one driver was really angry. He was all red in the face and was yelling loudly. I could tell he was having a meltdown.

LH: 啊，臉紅脖子粗的大吵大鬧，真是夠嚇人的。那另外一個司機呢？他們倆沒打起來吧？

LL: The other driver ended up having a meltdown, too - but in a different way. When the first driver started yelling at her, she started to cry.

LH: 原來還是個女的，真可憐。警察來了嗎？

LL: By the time the police arrived, the two drivers had recovered from their meltdowns and were calm. The police officers were very professional.

LH: 還好最后得到了圓滿解決，最重要的是沒有人受傷。對不起，Larry，我剛才不問青紅皂白就對你大發脾氣。

LL: Don't worry about it, Li Hua. Everyone has a meltdown every once in a while.

******

LL: Well, after that meltdown, don't you think it is time for you and me to make up, Li Hua?

LH: Make up? 吵完架為什么要化妝呢？

LL: No, no. To "Make Up" means to get back to being friends after a fight.

LH: 我已經向你道歉，你也接受了，這就等于是和好了吧？

LL: Yes, I think we have made up. We are still friends, right, Li Hua?

LH: 我們當然是朋友，你也知道，我不會真跟你生氣的。I am glad we've made up. 真希望Janet也能跟她的男朋友Tom和好。他們上星期吵架，到現在都不說話。Janet痛苦極了。

LL: Well, sometimes it is hard to make up with some one - especially when the argument is over something serious or someone is really stubborn and won't listen to the other person.

LH: Janet倒并不固執，她很想跟Tom和好，可是Tom好像沒有和好的意思。他們是因為Tom跟另外一個女孩子很接近才吵架的。

LL: Hmmm...Well, if Tom hasn't tried to make up with Janet in a week, maybe he is more interested in that other girl.

LH: Larry, 快別說了，我們還得趕去看醫生呢！

LL: Don't have another meltdown, Li Hua. I'll get you to the doctor's appointment. I think it was worth taking the time to make up and be friends again, don't you, Li Hua?

今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是meltdown, 是情緒過分激動的意思。另一個是make up, 是和好的意思。