李华和Larry排队买票看电影。今天我们要学两个常用语：rope somebody into something和spot.
LH: 我真是太想看这部电影了，自从Sex and City《欲望都市》电视系列结束以后，我就一直眼巴巴地等着电影版上映。
LL: Yes, I remember. I think you were addicted to that show. In fact, I might even call it an unhealthy obsession.
LH: Unhealthy obsession? 你才病态呢！你每天都看Oprah的脱口秀，雷打不动，居然还说我病态。不过话说回来，你能陪我看这么女性化的电影，我还真没想到。
LL: Actually, you didn’t have to rope me in at all. I love Sex and the City even more than Oprah.
LH: 你说的rope you in是什么意思啊？
LL: When you rope someone into something, it means that you convince them to do something they don’t want to do.
LH: 也就是说，如果你本来不想看这个电影，但是经不起我软磨硬泡，最后只好同意，就是被我rope into it.
LL: Yup. But even if I didn’t want to see this movie, I would have gone anyway. I owed you a favor after I roped you into going to the national Chia Pet convention with me.
LH: 一个人情？我陪你去参加草头娃娃展览大会，你至少欠我五个人情。我到现在都不知道自己为什么会同意干这么傻的事！
LL: Well what about the time you roped me into house-sitting your dog? I knew that was going to be a bad idea.
LH: 你帮我照看snoopy难道不开心吗？它那么可爱！
LL: He would have been more adorable if he were house trained.
LH: 我正在加紧训练它不要随地大小便，下星期还要麻烦你照顾它。
LL: No way, you’re not roping me into that again. But you know, you can also use that phrase when you play a trick on somebody.
LH: Oh really?
LL: Yes. For example…Wait a minute. Oh no! There’s a sign that say Sex and the City is sold out!
LH: Oh No! 我今天晚上看不成一定会急死的。
LL: Wow. You are really gullible. I can’t believe I roped you into that joke so easily. It’s not sold out.
******
LL: Uh oh Lihua, I think I forgot my wallet.
LH: 不会吧？为什么我们每次出来你都“忘记”带钱包呢？
LL: I’m sorry. I was just so excited to find out what happens with Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda that I completely forgot. Can you spot me?
LH: Spot you? Spot you是什么意思啊？哦，我知道了，你一定是在请求我的原谅。
LL: Actually, no. Spotting somebody is like loaning somebody something, usually money.
LH: 所以你是要跟我借钱买电影票？
LL: Er… yes. But I think you owe me that favor. Remember last week when you were going to the store to buy some Chia Pets and I spotted you the money?
LH: 那不算，因为草头娃娃本来就是买给你的。那你说，spotting somebody跟picking up the tab意思一样吗？
LL: “Picking up the tab” is usually only used to refer to paying the bill at a restaurant. “Spotting” is used mostly for small things and favors. You wouldn’t use it for something big.
LH: 你说spot只能用在小事上，那什么样的事才算小事呢？
LL: Well, for example, since my car is broken, I might need you to spot me a ride home after the movie.
LH: 你是说我不仅要买票请你看电影，看完电影还要开车送你回家，你这个男朋友还真挺难伺候的。
LL: Maybe, but it’s worth it. You know, if you want to get really colloquial, you can also “bum” something off somebody.
LH: 那bum可以用在什么事情上呢？大事还是小事？
LL: “Bum” is only for little things. If I smoked and was out of cigarettes, I could ask to bum a cigarette off someone. But since my only addiction is gummy bears, I will need to bum a dollar off you to buy some candy in the theatre.
LH: 什么？你还要买糖吃。你看人家《欲望都市》里的男人多绅士，从来不让女人花钱。你得好好学学。
LL: Well, you can’t believe everything you see on TV, Lihua.
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是rope somebody into something，意思是说服某人去干本来不愿意干的事。另一个是spot，意思是借东西，往往是借钱。