Larry和李華開車去多倫多渡假，結果在路上遇到了一些問題。他們會用到兩個常用語：Dodge a bullet和cheapskate。

LH: Larry, 還要開多長時間才到多倫多啊?

Larry: If we don't make any more stops, we should get there by nightfall.

LH: 啊，天黑的時候才能到？可我已經快餓死了! 咱們停下來找點東西吃吧？

Larry: Actually, we have a free dinner waiting for us at the hotel in Toronto.

LH: 我知道酒店有免費晚餐，可是還要幾個小時才能吃到，我堅持不住啦!

Larry: You know me, Lihua, I'm a cheapskate. Sorry.

LH: Cheesecake? 你帶了芝士蛋糕? 快給我吃！

Larry: No, not cheesecake... cheapskate. A cheapskate is someone who is very cheap, or doesn't like to spend money.

LH: Cheapskate就是小氣鬼。沒錯，你就是個cheapskate! 要不是你舍不得花錢，我們才不會選多倫多渡假呢，早買張飛機票飛去泰國了!

Larry: Thailand? Don't be ridiculous! Even if I wasn't a cheapskate, you know we can't afford to go that far away for vacation!

LH: 那，就算去不起泰國，咱們停下車吃頓飯總可以吧？

Larry: If we stop for food, we'll waste time, gas, and money. I think we should just wait until we get to Toronto.

LH: Why are you being such a cheapskate?? 咱們剛開始約會的時候，你可是特別喜歡給我買吃的呢!

Larry: Oh, yeah, I remember that... Actually, now that I think about it, I think I might have some of that candy you like in my backpack...something like a white rabbit, right?

LH: 大白兔奶糖？哪里？！(Sound of LH shuffling through a bag) 還真有誒! 可這包已經過期了。不過我太餓，將就吃了!

Larry: Phew! Looks like I dodged a bullet there.

******

LH: (With candy in her mouth) Dodge a bullet? 躲避子彈？你又在說什么我聽不懂的話了？

Larry: To dodge a bullet means to narrowly escape a very bad situation. For example, a second ago you were about to get really angry because I wouldn't stop for food, but luckily, I had that bag of Chinese candy to keep you happy!

LH: 哦, to dodge a bullet意思就是 “逃過一劫”，躲過了非常糟糕的事情。你說，要不是因為你包里正好有糖，我肯定會因為餓肚子而大發脾氣，所以你算是躲過了我的一頓數落。

Larry: That's right.

LH: 可是吃糖吃不飽啊!

Larry: We have a perfectly wonderful - and free - dinner waiting for us in Toronto. Sorry, Lihua, we're not stopping.

(ding! The gasoline light comes on)

Larry: Uh-oh.

LH: Larry， 什么聲音？是不是沒油啦？你看看!幾個小時前我不是讓你把油箱加滿么!

Larry: I heard the gas is a lot cheaper in Toronto, so I didn't want to buy more gas than I needed to... I thought this would be enough for us to reach Toronto!

LH: 啊？你因為覺得加拿大的汽油便宜，就不舍得在美國加油，打算堅持到多倫多再說？你怎么這么小氣! Cheapskate!

Larry: I hope we can find a gas station in time... I haven't seen any signs for a gas station for awhile...

LH: 我的老天! 附近沒有加油站？那我們豈不是要身陷荒野!

Larry: Don't worry, we always have my cell phone if we need to call for help.

LH: 打電話求救？呃，我剛才一直拿你的手機玩游戲，已經沒電了。

Larry: Oh good grief. Luckily, I think I have an extra battery in my backpack. Check the outside pocket.

LH: 啊! 真的，這里有塊備用電池! We dodged a bullet! 我們逃過了一劫!

Larry: Speaking of dodging a bullet, it looks like there's a gas station a few miles ahead. We should be able to get there without a problem.

LH: 太好了! 前面有加油站，咱們快去把油箱加滿!

Larry: OK, I won't be such a cheapskate this time.

LH: 對!這次別再小氣了! 還有，在加油站給我買點吃的來!

Larry: OK, fine. You got it.

今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是dodge a bullet，意思是“逃過一劫”。另一個是cheapskate，意思是“小氣鬼”。