Phil想去拉斯维加斯玩儿，可是没有租到合适的车。所以他决定向自己的朋友Tom借敞篷车。
Professor: Winnie, if you had a nice convertible, would you lend it to a friend to go to Las Vegas?
可以借，不过条件是，带我一起去拉斯维加斯！
[Doorbell, door opening]
Tom: Well hello Phil. This is certainly a surprise. What are you doing at my apartment?
Phil: Oh … no reason. I haven’t seen you in a while, so I thought I would go see my very, very good friend Tom.
Tom: Oh really. Well something tells me that isn’t the only reason. You never come by unless you want a favor.
Phil: What? Of course not! I came by just because I like you and wanted to say hello!
Tom: Come on Phil, you can’t fool me. What do you want?
Professor: It sounds like Tom has given Phil lots of favors before.
可不是么，Phil以前一定经常麻烦Tom。这次，他虽然一直和Tom套近乎，但Tom似乎有点不为所动。
Phil: Well … alright. I want to drive to Las Vegas this weekend. Would it be possible for me to borrow your car?
Tom: You want to borrow my car? But it’s brand new! I’ve only made one payment.
Phil: I know, but I promise I’ll be really careful.
Tom: I don’t know … Las Vegas is a pretty wild place. I don’t want anything to happen to my car.
看来Tom不愿意把车借给Phil，因为他的车是新买的，而且，拉斯维加斯那种地方什么人都有，把自己的新车交给别人还真不放心呢！
Professor: Exactly. But do you know what Tom meant when he said he had only made one payment?
Tom说的payments就是每个月要还的买车贷款。 他说，自己才只还了一个月的钱。
Phil: Oh please? I’m a really good driver. I’ll return it without a scratch.
Tom: You? A good driver? You don’t even know how to parallel park!
Phil: Don’t worry, I won’t park it on the street. I’ll park it in the hotel parking lot.
Tom: But people really like to party in Las Vegas. I’m worried someone who has been drinking and driving will hit my car and damage it.
Phil: Don’t worry, I’ll only drive during the day.
Tom担心有人drinking and driving – 酒后驾车，会撞坏自己的车，可却丝毫不担心车里的人 – Phil的安全，这算什么朋友！
Professor: Well, it’s a brand new car. It probably has airbags and plenty of safety features.
那倒也是，新车都会配备airbags – 气囊，和其它的safety features – 安全设备。不过，professor Bowman, Tom说Phil不会parallel park，这是什么意思？
Professor: The word “parallel,”, means extending in the same direction. So parallel parking is to park directly behind another car.
哦，parallel是“平行”的意思，所以parallel parking就是就在街上平行停车，或者叫“入库停车”。Phil不会parallel parking,所以他保证，只把Tom的车停在酒店停车场。
Tom: Alright Phil, I’ll lend you my car but there are some rules.
Phil: Sure, what are they?
Tom: First, no speeding. If you get a ticket in a speed trap, I will never lend you my car again.
Phil: Of course not. I’ll drive really slow.
Tom: Rule number two. No talking on your cell phone while you drive.
Phil: Of course, I promise I won’t talk on my phone.
Tom: Rule number three. If you make any money gambling, you give half to me.
Phil: Well, you drive a hard bargain, but it’s a deal!
Tom最终还是同意借车了。不过，他要求Phil，不能超速；不能开车时打电话；而且如果在赌场里赢了钱，就要分一半给他!
Professor: Do you think that’s a good deal?
我觉得，就象Phil说的，Tom “drives a hard bargain.” 太能讨价还价了。
Professor: But I think it’s a fair deal! Let’s tune in next time to learn about Phil’s trip to Vegas.
这次的美语三级跳就播送到这里。