larry和李华开车去多伦多渡假，结果在路上遇到了一些问题。他们会用到两个常用语：dodge a bullet和cheapskate。

lh: larry, 还要开多长时间才到多伦多啊?

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

lh: 啊，天黑的时候才能到？可我已经快饿死了! 咱们停下来找点东西吃吧？

larry: actually, we have a free dinner waiting for us at the hotel in toronto.

lh: 我知道酒店有免费晚餐，可是还要几个小时才能吃到，我坚持不住啦!

larry: you know me, lihua, i'm a cheapskate. sorry.

lh: cheesecake? 你带了芝士蛋糕? 快给我吃！

larry: no, not cheesecake... cheapskate. a cheapskate is someone who is very cheap, or doesn't like to spend money.

lh: cheapskate就是小气鬼。没错，你就是个cheapskate! 要不是你舍不得花钱，我们才不会选多伦多渡假呢，早买张飞机票飞去泰国了!

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，就算去不起泰国，咱们停下车吃顿饭总可以吧？

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?? 咱们刚开始约会的时候，你可是特别喜欢给我买吃的呢!

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) 还真有诶! 可这包已经过期了。不过我太饿，将就吃了!

larry: phew! looks like i dodged a bullet there.

******

lh: (with candy in her mouth) dodge a bullet? 躲避子弹？你又在说什么我听不懂的话了？

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 “逃过一劫”，躲过了非常糟糕的事情。你说，要不是因为你包里正好有糖，我肯定会因为饿肚子而大发脾气，所以你算是躲过了我的一顿数落。

larry: that's right.

lh: 可是吃糖吃不饱啊!

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， 什么声音？是不是没油啦？你看看!几个小时前我不是让你把油箱加满么!

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？你因为觉得加拿大的汽油便宜，就不舍得在美国加油，打算坚持到多伦多再说？你怎么这么小气! 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! 附近没有加油站？那我们岂不是要身陷荒野!

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

lh: 打电话求救？呃，我刚才一直拿你的手机玩游戏，已经没电了。

larry: oh good grief. luckily, i think i have an extra battery in my backpack. check the outside pocket.

lh: 啊! 真的，这里有块备用电池! we dodged a bullet! 我们逃过了一劫!

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，咱们快去把油箱加满!

larry: ok, i won't be such a cheapskate this time.

lh: 对!这次别再小气了! 还有，在加油站给我买点吃的来!

larry: ok, fine. you got it.

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是dodge a bullet，意思是“逃过一劫”。另一个是cheapskate，意思是“小气鬼”。

更多精彩就在：常州环球雅思：http://www.cz-ielts.com