李华在陪Larry找房子。他们会用到两个常用语：on the same wavelength和ballpark estimate.
LH: Larry，这房子到底在什么地方啊？我走得腿都疼了。
Larry: Believe me, Lihua, I’m tired too. This is the fifth place I’ve looked at in the last two days. Hopefully, I’ll find my new apartment soon.
LH: 啊？两天里你已经看了4个地方，却一个都看不上？是不是你太挑剔了？
Larry: Well, it’s not just a matter of how I like the apartment, Lihua. All the current housemates have to like me, as well. Sometimes a good shared apartment in a good location is very competitive.
LH: 是啊，你想找个多人合租的大公寓，所以公寓里的每个室友都得喜欢你，等于你每次去看房，就跟面试差不多!真麻烦!
Larry: At the very least, they want to make sure the new housemate has similar interests and lifestyle, you know, to make sure he or she is on the same wavelength as the other housemates.
LH: “On the same wavelength”？在同一个频率上？我猜，说 two people are on the same wavelength 就是说他们的爱好、性格什么的都比较相同，是不是啊？
Larry: That’s right, Lihua. Being on the same wavelength with someone else can also refer to a mutual understanding between people. For example, when you first came the United States, it was difficult at times to communicate with you because of cultural and language differences.
LH: 对! 我刚来美国时，因为文化差异，咱俩在很多事情上不能相互理解，We definitely were not on the same wavelength. 比如我去你家，你居然没让我在门口换鞋，我当时觉得真奇怪!
Larry: Yea, and you took your shoes off anyway – which I thought was weird.
LH: 哈哈，更糟的是，你也不给我拖鞋，我只能光着脚!
Larry: That’s a great example of not being on the same wavelength. But that’s OK, Lihua – I enjoyed the time we have spent getting to know each other better. And now, I’d say we are pretty much on the same wavelength.
LH: 对，我们现在多有默契啊! 所以，找和你on the same wavelength – 聊得来的室友，的确很重要!
Larry: Exactly. Although, there are other problems when looking for a new apartment besides being on the same wavelength as your roommates – like rent. Most places in this neighborhood are too expensive for me.
LH: 这个地区的房子很贵么？租金多少？
Larry: Well…that depends on a lot of different factors, but I’m thinking of a ballpark estimate of around $800 per month.
LH: 你说什么？A ballpark? 球场? 这和房租有什么关系？
Larry: I’m not talking about a literal ballpark, Lihua. A “ballpark” or a “ballpark estimate” is a general estimate or range.
LH: 原来，A ballpark estimate就是大概齐的估算。
Larry: That’s right. I don’t have an exact number in mind for the amount of rent I want to pay – that will depend on the location and condition of a given apartment – not to mention if the current housemates and I are on the same wavelength in terms of our lifestyles.
LH: 所以你刚才说，这个地方的房子大概齐也要一个月800块上下？
Larry: Well, a ballpark of $800 could vary widely, maybe $600 to $1,000, more or less. But something like $10,000 would be way outside of the ballpark.
LH: 明白了，你是说在这片地区，600到1000的房租都有可能。不过要是每月一万的房租就太离谱了，不可能出现在这里。
Larry: You got it, Lihua!
LH: 不过Larry，我们下地铁之后都走了快20分钟了，还没到。我觉得这房子的地理位置也不怎么样，房租大概要比地铁周围的便宜很多吧？
Larry: In this city, everything within a ballpark of 20 minutes away from the subway can still be very expensive. Of course, it gets cheaper once you start getting into the suburbs.
LH: 你是说，在地铁站周围走路20分钟能到的房子房租都很高？ 不过就算这样，你也别住到The suburbs – 郊区去! 太远了，咱俩见面多不方便!
Larry: Well, that’s true, but on the other hand, I would save a lot of money…
LH: Larry, 我知道你是开玩笑的，你可骗不了我! 别忘了，咱们俩可是在同一个wavelength上的！
Larry: I guess I can’t fool you anymore…
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是，on the same wavelength，表示“兴趣相投，聊得来”。另一个是a ballpark estimate, 意思是“大概齐的估算”。