李華在咖啡館跟Larry見面。今天我們要學兩個常用語：taking stock和dead tired.

LH: Larry, 這兩天還好嗎？

LL: I'm doing pretty well. How are you?

LH: 還可以，就是這個周末有好多功課要做，肯定會忙得不得開交。

LL: I know how that goes. I am taking stock of all the errands I need to run this weekend.

LH: Taking stock是什么意思？

LL: Taking stock means to step back from a situation and try to look at the whole picture. In this case it means the same thing as collecting one's thoughts.

LH: 我知道了，taking stock就是縱觀全局，全面考慮。你是說我應該從整體出發，安排所有要做的事情。

LL: Exactly! When you take stock of a situation, you think about it more clearly as a whole.

LH: 你剛才說，這個周末你也有一大堆事情要做。What things are you taking stock of?

LL: This weekend I have to go to the dry-cleaners; drop off some mail at the post office; wash my car; and pick up some groceries. I don't think it will take too long.

LH: 看起來，你已經taking stock of the situation，把所有要做的事情都安排好了。

LL: Yes, taking stock of what I need to do certainly helps put things in perspective and lets me realize how to best go about getting things done.

LH: 下星期上課前，我要完成兩篇論文，有三篇文章要讀，還要借同學的筆記，把上星期生病缺席的功課補上。

LL: It certainly sounds like you have quite a bit of work to do.

LH: 不過，我肯定能完成，特別是如今在你的幫助下，把思路全部整理清楚了，我準備在圖書館泡上一整天，不完成作業絕不出來。

LL: That's the spirit.

星期天晚上，Larry和李華一起吃晚飯。

LL: So Li Hua, did you get everything done?

LH: 做是做完了，可我現在連說話的力氣都沒有了。

LL: Yeah, I did a lot today too, and now I'm dead tired.

LH: Dead tired? 意思應該是特別累吧？

LL: I am so tired it feels like I'm dying. Chinese has similar expressions, right?

LH: 有啊，可以直接翻譯成“累死了”。

LL: Since I am dead tired, what do you say we just order a pizza for dinner?

LH: 雙手贊成！我整整一個周末都是在圖書館里度過的。

LL: That sounds exhausting, but are you done now?

LH: 總算是把功課都做完了，今天晚上可以好好休息一下，明天早上去上課就好了。

LL: That sounds like a smart idea. Here let me call in the order.

LH: Larry, 你說，這么熱的天，烤比薩餅的人多辛苦，they must be dead tired from working in the heat.

LL: The person who answered the phone did sound dead tired. At least we will be able to eat soon though.

LH: 這個周末可真是一個名副其實的工作的周末。

LL: I agree, there sure was a lot to do. Hopefully I can get a good night's sleep tonight so that I am not dead tired at work tomorrow.

LH: Yes, me too. 上次熬夜復習功課，第二天雖然dead tired, 但還是硬挺著去上課，結果整堂課都是睡過來的。

LL: Oh, I've experienced that before. I guess that's the result of exhaustive research.

LH: 還說呢，這個周末我在圖書館里看到好多人都累得不行，索性趴在圖書館的桌子上呼呼大睡。

LL: I believe it. There have even been meetings at work where someone is so dead tired that they drift off to sleep.

LH: 老實說，你開會睡沒睡過覺？

LL: No, definitely not. I've been dead tired before, but I avoid falling asleep in a meeting no matter what.

LH: 說起來容易，我也不想上課睡覺，可有時候實在是太累了，一閉眼就睡著了。

(Door Bell)

LL: It sounds like the pizza is here!

LH: Great!

今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是taking stock，意思是全面考慮。另一個是dead tired，意思是累死了。