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第 133 课:to tie the knot / drop-dead gorgeous

Dibs / Shotgun今天Larry和李华要到朋友Bob家里,Bob因为要搬家,所以把他的立体音响卖给Larry。今天李华会学到两个常用语:dibs和shotgun.

LL: I'm really glad that Bob gave me first dibs on his stereo. He knows I've always admired it, but I couldn't afford to buy a new one just like it.

LH: 我知道你一直很喜欢Bob的立体音响,可是又买不起全新的。现在他要卖给你,怪不得你那么兴奋。哎,可是你说Bob给了你first dibs, 那是什么意思?是不是说Bob第一个先卖给你?

LL: Something like that. To have first dibs on something is to have the opportunity to decide if you want it before anyone else.

LH: 所以我真猜对了。First dibs就是有优先的机会来决定是不是要买。Bob让你优先决定是否要买他的音响设备,也就是给了你first dibs.

LL: Exactly. For example: I know that you like my car, so if I ever decided to sell it, I would give you first dibs.

LH: 真的吗?我可以有优先买你车子的权利?Larry你真好!这样吧,我记得你爱吃我做的蛋糕,下回我再做的时候,你可以优先享用,you'll get first dibs on it.

LL: I like the sound of that. While we're on the subject, dibs has another use, too. If I say I have dibs on the last piece of cake, then that means that I claim it for myself.

LH: 噢!Dibs还可以用来表示某种要求或权利。好,那我先说了,这块糖是我的。I have dibs on this candy bar.

LL: Hey, that's the last one! We won't be able to get lunch until after we bring the stereo back to my apartment. Can't you share it with me?

LH: 嘿!我已经说了,I have dibs on it. 这块糖就是我的。

LL: That's not very generous. You know I would share it with you.

LH: 好啦!好啦!我是开玩笑的。你可以和我一起分这块糖。

LL: Thank you. You can have first dibs on the next candy bar you find.

LH: 对了,Bob还有那么多东西要卖。他有没有也让你优先决定呢?

LL: He gave me first dibs on some of his furniture, too, but I don't really need anything right now. Well, we're here. Let's go get my new stereo.

LL: I'm sorry, Li Hua, but you don't get to ride shotgun on the way home. I need you to sit in back and hold the stereo.

LH: 你要我坐在后座抱住你的音响啊?可以啊!可是你怎么说我不能坐shotgun?我本来就没想拿枪呀!

LL: You don't get to ride shotgun means that you can't sit in the front passenger seat. The front passenger seat is often referred to as shotgun.

LH: 原来shotgun就是指前面驾驶座旁的座位啊?好奇怪!为什么要用“枪”来形容一个座位呢?

LL: Have you ever seen an old Western movie about cowboys and Indians?

LH: 西部电影,我当然看过啊!只是我觉得西部电影都挺暴力的,我不是很喜欢。

LL: In the old days, it wasn't very safe, so there was often a person who sat next to the driver of the horse-drawn carriage. This person carried a shotgun to protect the carriage.

LH: 原来如此。过去由于不安全,所以为了保护马车的安全,坐在马车前排的人手上都拿着枪。前排那个座位就被称为shotgun. 真有意思!

LL: Exactly. Do you mind if you can't ride shotgun on the way home?

LH: 没问题!我可以坐在后面保护你的音响。反正我经常坐在前座,偶尔换换坐后面,也没关系!

LL: Thanks, Li Hua. From now on, you always have first dibs on shotgun, no matter who else is riding with us.

LH: Larry!你说了就得算数哟!以后不管跟谁一起坐车,我都可以有优先权坐在前座。太好了!Larry,我们可不可以去吃午饭?那半块糖根本不够,我好饿噢!

LL: I agree. Let's go.

今天李华学到两个常用语。一个是: first dibs, 就是有优先权。另一个常用语是shotgun. 这是指汽车驾驶座旁的那个座位。