李华和Larry要去健身房锻练身体。今天我们要学两个常用语：a slim chance和set in stone.
LH: Larry, 咱们好久没去健身房了，今天总算是行动起来了，怎么样，高兴吗？
L: I’m excited about getting in shape, but not about paying gym membership fees. Why can’t we just run outside on the street?
LH: 这你就不懂了！健身房的会员费有一个好处，就是能迫使你坚持锻练。你想啊，你总不愿意白交钱吧!
L: Well I guess that is true. For most people, there is a slim chance they will continue to exercise without some kind of motivation.
LH: A slim chance? 这是什么意思？
L: When you don’t think that something is likely to occur, you can say that there is only a slim chance of it happening.
LH: 哦，就是希望不大的意思。你是说，如果没有外力推动，大部分人都不大可能自觉地坚持锻练。
L: Right. For another example, I decided not to bring an umbrella today because there is only a slim chance it will rain.
LH: 意思是今天下雨的可能性不大，所以你没带伞。Larry, 等到了健身房，我打算先去跑步机上慢跑半个小时，希望锻练的人不多，没把跑步机都占了。
L: Most people don’t go to the gym right now, so there’s only a slim chance it will be crowded.
LH: 那倒是。对了，你说如果你想用的运动器材都被别人占了，健身房会不会退你一些钱？
L: No way! The gym is always trying to get more of your money, so there’s a fat chance of that happening.
LH: 什么？ 你说a fat chance? 这是不是和a slim chance相反，表示很有可能？
L: Actually, it’s used the same way. It is a sarcastic way of saying that something is very unlikely.
LH: 哦，是在说反话啊，还是表示希望不大，不太可能。
L: Right. For example, my friend John is very unreliable. He said he would help me move this weekend, but there’s a fat chance that he actually comes.
LH: 哦，John这个人说话不靠谱，所以他不太可能来帮你搬家。对了Larry, 你说健身房会不会给咱们免费提供健身教练啊？
L: Fat chance of that, Lihua. The gym charges you extra for everything!
LH: Larry, 你今天气儿怎么这么不顺! 希望咱们明天来锻练时你能高兴点儿!
L: Fat chance of that, Lihua. I’m sure my muscles will be so sore tomorrow I won’t even be able to walk!
******
LH: Larry, 我要去找跑步机了，你打算干什么？举杠铃么？
L: Hmmm … First I’m going to find a McDonalds. I need to eat something to get some energy for my workout!
LH: 吃麦当劳？Larry，你别开玩笑了！吃一堆垃圾食品，你不就白锻练了么？想有好身材就得控制饮食！
L: Sure, but there are some exceptions to that rule, right? It’s not set in stone.
LH: Set in stone? 这是什么意思？
L: You can say that something is set in stone if it is impossible to change.
LH: 噢，就像中文里说的“板上钉钉”，表示绝对不变。你是说，虽然要保持身材通常得注意饮食，但这也不是绝对的，也有例外。
L: Right. Here’s another example. I asked my boss if she could give me a raise, but she said that because the company wasn’t doing well, my salary was set in stone for this year.
LH: 我明白了，你是说，因为公司效益不好，所以你的工资今年都不会变，涨工资没戏了。
L: Right. So Lihua, what do you think of this gym?
LH: 还可以吧，不过有些设备有点陈旧，有的员工态度也不太好。
L: Well if you don’t like it, we can always change to another gym. Our decision to come here isn’t set in stone.
LH: 我们先试试这家吧。对了，咱们的会员资格也可以升级吧？从普通会员变成高级会员？
L: Sure! The membership isn’t set in stone. I’m sure you can upgrade it without much trouble.
LH: 太好了！ Larry, 我们制定一个健身计划，每个礼拜一三五都来锻练，怎么样？
L: That sounds good, but it won’t be set in stone. Sometimes I will have to miss a workout if I have to work late.
LH: Larry，你就别拿加班当借口了！
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是a slim chance, 表示不太可能。另一个是set in stone, 意思是板上钉钉，绝不改变。