Larry带李华去打保龄，李华以前从来没打过。今天我们要学两个常用语： put your best foot forward和break a Leg.
LL: Lihua, I feel a little dorky admitting this to you, but bowling is my favorite sport.
LH: 保龄是你最喜欢的运动？ 为什么？
LL: Bowling is the best sport to play with friends because you can drink beer and eat pizza while you play! That can’t be said for any other sport.
LH: 这倒是真的，打保龄运动强度小，还可以一边玩一边吃。
LL: I know it’s your first time bowling, and if you just “put your best foot forward” you’ll be a great bowler.
LH: 我一直不明白，怎么才能把保龄球直直地扔出去，不让它掉进球沟里去呢！还有，你让我put my best foot forward, 哪只脚是best foot? 左脚还是右脚？
LL: When you’re told to “put your best foot forward,” someone is giving you support to step up to the task and do your very best. Now, here is an 8-pound bowling ball, you should be able to do well with this.
LH: 哦，你是在鼓励我加油。好，把球给我！我先试试左脚。
(LH takes ball from LL and drops it on her foot)
LH: Ouch! 疼死我了。真倒霉，还没开始打，脚却先被球砸了。How can I “put my best foot forward” now? 看起来，左脚肯定不是我的“best foot.”
LL: Let me help you, Lihua. Take a seat right here and rest a while. You know, “put your best foot forward” is confusing to some people because one would think that “put your best foot forward” means to choose one foot and declare it the stronger one of the two. But that’s not true.
LH: 我好象有点明白了。你鼓励我”put my best foot forward”其实不是真让我选择左脚还是右脚。
LL: No, to “put your best foot forward” while you’re bowling, or in any other situation, is a way of encouraging someone to try hard and do a good job.
LH: 不管怎么说，现在脚疼得站不起来，看来今天我是打不了了。
LL: No problem. Just rest here for a while. Our pizza and beer should be here soon. Once we’ve eaten a little pizza and had a few beers, you’ll be ready to “put your best foot forward” and bowl your first game.
LH: 好，我就听你的。
******
LL: Lihua, I can’t believe we ate so much pizza, and the beer is almost gone. Are you ready to bowl your first game?
LH: 我的脚感觉好多了。酒足饭饱，我们开始吧！
LL: We’ve had a nice rest and a delicious meal. Go ahead and throw your first bowling ball down the alley! Break a leg!
LH: Break a leg? 你怎么能说出这种无情无义的话来？我砸了脚还不够，你还咒我摔断腿？没想到，打保龄原来这么危险！
LL: No, Lihua, I didn’t mean that you should literally break your leg. This is just a slang term that is used to encourage someone.
LH: Break a leg, 摔断腿怎么会是好运气呢？你应该祝别人“别摔断腿”才对啊！
LL: It is a very popular phrase that entertainers like to use. Although “break a leg” is typically used to support actors or singers before they perform on stage, “break a leg!” can also be used generally when wishing someone good luck.
LH: 我还是想不通。我朋友登台表演之前，我居然要说”break a leg”？这种说法是怎么来的呢？
LL: The term “break a leg” is an expression created by a superstition that all kinds of performers have. They believe that it is actually bad luck to wish someone good luck. If you tell someone to “break a leg,” wishing them bad luck, this should actually create good luck for the performer on stage.
LH: 所以说，祝别人好运气会带来坏运气，坏运气反而会带来好运气。看来，语言这东西有时候还真不能深究。OK, I am ready. wish me luck!
LL: Break a leg!
LH: (Throws the ball down the alley, and knocks down all of the pins) Wow I got a strike! 全中。
LL: Congratulations, Lihua! You see? The phrase “break a leg” really gave you good luck!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是put your best foot forward, 意思是尽最大努力。另一个是break a leg，意思是祝你好运。