感恩節的早晨，讀書的女兒在公用電話亭給母親打來電話。雖說是家人，但互相所用的語匯非?？吞?，彬彬有禮，任何情景下都可以套用。我們也可以從中了解西方人的禮貌傳統。

Mother: Hello?
你好。

Daughter: Hi, Mom.
你好，媽媽。

Mother: Oh, Gina. Hi, how are you, sweetie?
噢，吉娜。你好，你怎么樣，寶貝？

Daughter: I'm fine. How are you?
我很好，你呢？

Mother: I'm good, I'm OK. Everything's OK here.
我很好，還不錯。家里一切都好。

Daughter: Yeah, listen, don't do all the work tonight 'cause I wanna be there when you're doing it.
聽我說，今晚別把事都做完了，因為我想在你做事的時候回來幫你手。

Mother: OK, I promise.
好的，我答應。

Daughter: And tell Anthony to get off his flabby butt and help you out.
告訴安東尼別一天到晚懶坐著，幫幫你的忙。

Mother: OK, I will … he … everything … he'll be good, he's fine, he's trying very hard. Listen, I'm very glad you're bringing your boyfriend with you.
好的，我會的……他……一切……他會聽話的，他會好的，他正努力呢。聽著，我很高興你帶男朋友回來。

Daughter: You're gonna really like him, Mom.
媽媽，你會喜歡他的。

Mother: One more thing. There's a lot of traffic tomorrow, so drive safely, OK?
還有件事。明天路上車會很多，所以小心開車，好嗎？

Daughter: Listen, the change is running out, so I'm gonna get going. Now don't work too hard.
聽我說，投幣快沒了，我得走了。別太累了。

Mother: Bye.
再見。

Daughter: OK, love you.
好的，我愛你。

重點注釋

get off 從...下來，離開，出發，動身
Jason saw me and got off the horse immediately.杰遜看到我，立即從馬上下來。
We will get off after breakfast.我們將于早餐后出發
What time will you get off tomorrow?你明天什么時候動身?

get off 還有一個意思是“免于遭受...”，例如：

A good lawyer might be able to get you off.請位好律師有可能使你免受追究。
He got off with a small fine.他交了一小筆罰款了事。

這里還要再介紹一下另一個短語go off.短語go off 的含義十分豐富，且用法靈活：

1.爆炸；怦然發射；（槍）走火。如:
The balloon went off with a crack.氣球啪的一聲炸了。
The gun went off by accident.那槍走火了。

2.離去，動身。如:
I don't know why he went off without saying goodbye.我不知道他為什么不辭而別。

3. (食物)變質，壞掉。如:
Meat and fish go off quickly in hot weather.肉和魚在熱天很快就會變質。

4.水、電等斷掉，燈熄滅。如:
Lights will go off if no one is in the room.若房間里沒人，燈會自動熄滅。

flabby a.軟弱的;松弛的

butt n. 屁股

change n. 零錢;找頭