Jen和Lawrence是老朋友，很久没见面了。真巧，俩人傍晚时分在路上不期而遇。
Professor: But, Winnie, today is a special day: It’s Christmas Eve! Shouldn’t they be at home celebrating
with their families? What are they doing walking around on the street on Christmas Eve?
对啊，我差点忘了，今天是圣诞节前夜! 那他们两个怎么会在大街上闲逛呢？ 我们来听听看吧!
Jen: Lawrence, is that you? !
Lawrence: Hey Jen! How are you doing?! I don’t think I’ve seen you in over a year!
Jen: I know! It’s been a long time. It’s funny to run into you on Christmas Eve!
Lawrence: Yeah, isn’t that funny. Why aren’t you at home with your family?
Professor: So Winnie, how long has it been since Lawrence and Jen last met?
Lawrence说，他都一年多没见过 Jen了。不过， professor Bowman, Jen说，她 “ran into Lawrence”，这难道是说他们在街上“撞车”了吗？
Professor: (laugh) No,Winnie! When you say you “run into” something, it means you meet it unexpectedly. For example, I was doing very well on the test, but I ran into trouble when I got to the math part.
哦，所以run into 就是“不期而遇”。
Jen: My family doesn’t live here. They live in Texas.
Lawrence: I see. Well why didn’t you fly home to Texas for the holidays?
Jen: I have to work tomorrow, so I didn’t have time to fly to Texas. Why didn’t you go home?
Lawrence: I wanted to, but I didn’t have enough money to buy a plane ticket.
Professor: So Winnie, why didn’t Jen go home for Christmas?
她家在德州，可是她要上班，没时间回去过圣诞。
Professor: Exactly. And why didn’t Lawrence go home for Christmas?
Lawrence更惨，说自己买不起机票。对了，Professor Bowman, Lawrence 说的“the holidays”是指圣诞节么？
Professor: Not really. “The holidays” means all the religious holidays that happen in December. If a person doesn’t celebrate Christmas, you can wish him or her “Happy holidays.”
原来如此，圣诞节是基督教的宗教节日，对那些不信基督教，不过圣诞节的人，你就可以说 happy holidays。
Jen: I’m sorry you couldn’t go home. How is everything else going?
Lawrence: I’m OK, but I’m having trouble finding a job. What’s up with you?
Jen: I can’t complain. My job is going well and I have a nice apartment.
Lawrence: That’s great. I’m happy everything is working out for you.
怪不得Lawrence买不起机票，原来他没有找到工作。过圣诞节独自一人，又没有工作，真可怜。不过，Lawrence问Jen “what’s up”，这是在问什么呢?
Professor: Asking “what’s up” is like asking how someone is doing, but “what’s up” is a very informal expression.
我明白了，”What’s up”和 “how are you doing”都是问候别人，就是“你怎么样？”的意思，不what’s up更轻松随意一些。
Professor: That’s exactly right. But Winnie, did you hear Lawrence say he is happy everything is working out for Jen? What do you think “working out” means?
嗯…work out是锻炼身体的意思， 不过在这里，应该是“有好的结果”，“情况不错”的意思吧。
Professor: That’s right. For example, “John asked Emily to go on a date with him 10 times, but it never worked out.”
啊？请人家约会十次被拒绝？真是百折不挠!
Jen: You know, since we’re both alone, we should have dinner together.
Lawrence: Sounds great! But can we go someplace that isn’t too expensive?
Jen: Don’t worry, Lawrence, tonight I’ll treat you. That will be my Christmas present to you.
Lawrence: Thanks! But next time, I promise I’m buying.
Professor, “I’m buying” 和 “I’ll treat you” 都是“我请客”的意思吧？
Professor: Correct. You could also say “It’s on me.”
哎，学这么多“请客”的说法，要抢着付钱么？我还是想学学怎么蹭饭呢!
Professor: That’s easy. Just say, “I forgot my wallet.”
那好，Professor Bowman, 咱们去吃圣诞大餐吧! 不过，我要先告诉你，”I forgot my wallet!”