李华和Larry收拾东西准备一起去海边。今天我们要学两个常用语：on the same page和come around.
LL: Are you almost ready Lihua? If we don’t leave soon we’re going to get stuck in traffic.
LH: 马上就好，我要带的东西太多了，iPod、书、象棋….
LL: What do you need all that stuff for? We’re going to the beach to swim and build sand castles, not sit around and read. We can do all those things at home.
LH: 用沙子盖城堡，你几岁了！
LL: You’re never too old for sand castles: But just so we’re on the same page, I’m planning on spending all my time swimming, so it may be hard for you to play checkers by yourself.
LH: On the same page是什么意思啊？
LL: When you are on the same page with someone it means that you are in agreement, or that you both have the same understanding of the situation.
LH: 我明白了， on the same page就是想法一致的意思。在这里说on the same page，意思就是说到海边玩些什么，我们要意见一致。
LL: That’s right. Or, say I thought that we were going to stay all weekend, and you thought we were just going for the day. We would need to talk about our plans and get on the same page before we left.
LH: Oh I see. Well Larry, just so we are on the same page, 我可有言在先，去玩是两个人的事，可不能你一个人说了算。你如果一定要去盖沙城堡，那你一个人去好了。
LL: Alright, alright. Don’t get so mad. I was just suggesting that we build sand castles. We can play some checkers too.
LH: Oh thank you, Larry. 我就知道跟你好好讲道理，你一定会明白。
LL: Just so we’re on the same page, I don’t consider threatening not to come “gentle persuasion.”
LH: 嗨，随你怎么说吧，反正你同意听我的，就好了。
LL: Alright, do we have everything? Oh boy, I almost forgot my Batman life preserver!
LH: 蝙蝠侠的救生圈？Just so we’re on the same page, Larry, 你带着那么幼稚的救生圈在沙滩上走来走去，我可假装不认识你！
******
Larry和李华开车去海边。
LL: Oh Lihua, all this driving has really made me tired. Why don’t you take a turn behind the wheel?
LH: Larry, 你才开了二十分钟就累了！难道接下来两个小时都要我开吗？
LL: Please, Lihua? If you do the driving, we can play checkers for as long as you want.
LH: OK, fine.
LL: Great! I knew you’d come around.
LH: 什么叫come around?
LL: If people disagree with you, but you gradually change their mind so that they agree with you, you can say that they “came around.”
LH: 我明白了，一开始我不愿意开车，可是你用下棋引诱我，终于把我说服了，这就叫come around，没错吧？
LL: That’s right. Or say I want to stop for breakfast, but you want to drive straight to the beach. At first you might refuse to stop, but if I complained long enough, I bet eventually you would come around.
LH: Meaning that I would agree to stop?
LL: Exactly.
LH: 你别说，我还真有点儿饿了。你说得对，咱们停下来吃个早饭再走吧。
LL: See, I knew you’d come around. And just so we’re on the same page, the only place I want to stop is McDonalds so I can get a happy meal.
LH: 去麦当劳吃儿童套餐？我坚决反对。我要去IHOP，这可是原则问题，你别想说服我。I am not going to come around on this one. 我已经同意开车了，不能再让步了。
LL: Alright alright, I guess that’s fair.
LH：你刚才说要待一个周末，是当真的吗？你明天不是还要去机场接你妹妹吗？
LL: I convinced her to take a taxi instead. At first she insisted that I pick her up, but after I told her about my great plans to go to the beach with you, eventually she came around.
LH: 去海边玩儿可比帮家里人做事重要多了，在这个问题上，你的立场还是挺鲜明的。
LL: You know, that’s exactly what I told her, but she didn’t seem to understand. I guess we’re just not on the same page.
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是on the same page意思是意见一致。另一个是come around，意思是被别人说服，改变想法。