李华在春假开始前考完了期中考，Larry去学校接她。他们会用到两个常用语：take one for the team和fat chance.
Larry: Lihua, how did your tests go?
LH: 考得不错!现在我已经等不及开始春假啦!
Larry: That’s great to hear, because I have some awesome plans for us this week!
LH: 太好了! 你有什么好主意？
Larry: We’re going camping with my high school buddies!
LH: 啊？和你的高中同学出去露营？
Larry: That’s right!
LH: 我可不想去。
Larry: What?? Why not?
LH: 你们那些男生在一起就会喝啤酒聊棒球，我也插不上嘴，没意思。
Larry: What’s so wrong with that? Besides, Mike and Jason are both bringing their girlfriends – I can’t go without you. Can’t you just take one for the team?
LH: The team? 什么团队？你在说什么？
Larry: To take one for the team means to make a sacrifice for the good of your group or team.
LH: 哦，to take one for the team就是为了团队的利益牺牲自己的利益。你的高中同学都带女朋友去，如果我能跟你去露营，虽然自己可能觉得没趣儿，但是你会高兴，对不对？
Larry: Yes. Here’s another example. If you’re working on a group project with your classmates, and you agree to do a really tedious part of the project that no one else wants to do, you’d be taking one for the team.
LH: 哦，在团队作业中，如果我自愿完成最无聊的、别人都不愿意做的那个部分，我就是take one for the team – 为了整个团队能完成作业，自己吃亏喽!
Larry: That’s right! So are you going to take one for the team by going on the camping trip with me?
LH: 可是Larry, 我不懂棒球，也不喝酒，去了我会闷死的…
Larry: Come on, Lihua…Can’t you just take one for the team this once? I’m sure you will have a good time talking to my friends’ girlfriends.
LH: Larry, 我还是不去了。
Larry: Fine, Lihua. You’re a horrible teammate.
LH: Larry, 你别生气。其实春假我已经有安排了，我要为中国学生会的端午节龙舟赛作准备工作啊。
******
Larry: The Dragonboat Festival? Isn’t that months away?
LH: 没错，是还有好几个月呢，但是我现在就得开始找场地了啊! 对了，我想起来了，你春假也不能闲着，得开车带我四处去联络比赛场地!
Larry: Pfff! Fat Chance!
LH: Fat? Chance?? 你是什么意思？
Larry: No! Fat chance means no chance. Why should I help you out when you won’t go camping with me?
LH: 啊？Fat Chance就是没可能？你不帮忙啊! 真差劲!
Larry: Hmm. It seems we both need each other to do something for the other. Are you sure you won’t take one for the team and come camping with me and my friends?
LH: Fat Chance! 我坚决不去跟你露营! Larry, 你不是已经答应中国学生会的同学，说好要帮忙的么？怎么能不算话？
Larry: Well, I –
LH: Why don’t you take one for the team? 你怎么不牺牲一下？
Larry: Oh, alright. I guess I should stay and help since I already promised. But, will you at least come camping with us sometime this summer?
LH: Fat chance!
Larry: What about next year?
LH: Fat chance!
Larry:…Will you ever stop saying “fat chance”?
LH: Fat chance!
Larry: – OK, Lihua. I get the idea! Man, I should have never taught you this phrase.
LH: 哈哈哈! Larry, 你气得胡子都翘起来了! 我跟你开玩笑的! 一直以来，你总是耐心地教我英文，我很感激呢！Thanks for taking one for the team and being patient with me!
Larry: Yea yea, whatever. Just remember – you owe me one. There’s going to come a day when I will need you to do something you might not want to do to help me out, and I’ll expect you to take one for the team, OK?
LH: Fat chance!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是take one for the team，意思是“为了别人牺牲自己的利益”。另一个是fat chance，意思是“不可能”。