Larry在和李华商量去什么地方渡假。他们会用到两个常用语：make up your mind和live within your means。
Larry: Lihua, do you want to go to Toronto? I did a little research and found some really cool tours and –
LH: Larry, 我不是很想去多伦多，我想去个有热带风情的地方。
Larry: Tropical?
LH: 没错!你说加勒比海怎么样？
Larry: The Caribbean? Wow, that is very tropical… actually, I know someone who went there last summer, let me give him a call –
LH: 不过! 我又非常想去泰国，那里的水果和美食太诱人了!
Larry: What?? Thailand? Make up your mind, Lihua!
LH: Make up? 化妆？你在说什么啊？
Larry: No, not the make-up you put on your face. To “make up your mind” means to make a choice and stick to it.
LH: 哦，to make up your mind就是拿定主意。
Larry: Yea. For example, it often takes you a long time to make up your mind when it comes to what to wear when we go out.
LH: 这倒是。出门前我总是不能决定穿哪身衣服。
Larry: And what about your friend at school that couldn’t decide which class she wanted to take?
LH: 没错。那个同学特别爱学习，什么课都想选，可是一学期的时间只有那么多，选修课的数量是有限的。 I wish she would make up her mind!我希望她能快点作出决定。
Larry: Yea, exactly. Indecisive people can sure be annoying sometimes…especially when they cause others to waste time…
LH: Larry，你说的indecisive people – 犹豫不决的人，是在说我吧？我也很想定下旅行的目的地，可是…真的是有太多好玩的地方，我实在拿不定主意!
Larry: What about money? We can drive to Toronto. Thailand would be extremely expensive. Airfare alone would cost us a couple thousand dollars. We do have to live within our means, after all.
LH: 你说的live within our means，是什么意思？
Larry: The phrase “living within your means” means to live within the limits of your financial situation. Or, in other words, not spending more money than you can afford to spend.
LH: 哦，to live within your means就是量入为出，不过度消费。
Larry: That’s right. And if we are to live within our means, we certainly cannot afford a vacation in Thailand!
LH: 你是说，从我们的经济情况考虑，去泰国花销太高，我们承受不了？可是你工作这么久，不是已经攒些钱了么？
Larry: Not that much money! I’m just an entry-level worker. It will take some years of saving up money before I can afford things like tropical vacations.
LH: 啊？还得再攒好几年才能来个热带风情之旅？唉，Larry, 这只能怪你平时不知节省。你看，你老去外面饭馆吃饭，比在家里吃贵多了!
Larry: So… if I were living within my means, we’d have enough money for a nice vacation?
LH: 对啊!如果你平时消费节制，我们现在就能去泰国了!
Larry: But, Lihua, I just don’t have time to cook. And plus, I’m not that good at it! And there are things about your spending habits that could change, too – like cutting out some of your shopping. That would definitely help you live within your means.
LH: 啊？你让我也减少支出，少买东西多存钱？这个嘛…
Larry: Make up your mind, Lihua. Do you want to save money or not?
LH: 那好吧，我下决心存钱 (不情愿的口气)。
Larry: Don’t sound so depressed, Lihua. We can still go on vacation this year and still be living within our means. We just need to find a place closer to home. But first, let’s make up our mind on where we want to go.
LH: 好吧! 希望我们真能做到即能愉快旅行又不让荷包大出血! 不过，我不想去多伦多，我想去海边!
Larry: How about South Carolina? It will take awhile to get there, but we could drive.
LH: 南卡罗莱纳？有美丽的沙滩么？
Larry: Absolutely.
LH: 那….贵么？
Larry: We would still be living within our means if we go there. What do you think?
LH: 是吗？我们能承受得起旅行的花费？让我想想，让我想想….对了! Larry, 我忽然想到，如果我们去海边，我肯定要花很多钱买漂亮的游泳衣、太阳镜、裙子什么的。算了，要不还是去多伦多吧!
Larry: Make up your mind, Lihua!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是to make up one’s mind，意思是“拿定主意”。另一个是to live within one’s means，意思是“量入为出，不过度消费”。