Y: 谢谢你邀请我和你一起过圣诞节。
P: You know, Yang Chen, I think the best thing about Christmas is spending time with people you care about.
Y: That’s true. 还有壁炉,太棒了。你点壁炉的木头是哪里来的?
P: I chopped down the trees and cut the wood myself. I really enjoy doing logger sports.
Y: Logger sports?
P: Yeah, in America people race to see who can cut down trees and chop wood the fastest.
Y: Oh, that’s so stupid,比赛谁砍木头砍得快。
P: That’s right. In college I was on a wood chopping team, but eventually I got the axe.
Y: Got the axe? 看来你真的很投入,还自己买一把斧头。
P: Actually, no. When you say you got the axe, it means you were kicked out of a group. For example, after I was late to work three days in a row, my boss finally gave me the axe.
Y: 你老板把你开除了?
P: I really have an axe to grind with him.
Y: 你可不要拿着斧头去威胁你的老板。
P: When you say you have an axe to grind with someone, it means that you are mad because he or she did something bad to you.
Y: For example?
P: If I generously invited someone to my house for Christmas and she didn’t even bother to bring me a present, I would probably have an axe to grind with her.
Y: Of course I brought you a present!
P: What is it?
Y: Me! My wonderful company!
P: Can I exchange your wonderful company for something else at the store?
Y: Hohoho, Merry Christmas!