Larry和李华在一个餐馆里商量周末的计划。李华今天会学到两个常用语glitch和tweak。
LL: What a busy morning in our office! We discovered a glitch in some new software we were trying out at work.
LH: 你们发现新的电脑软件有一个glitch。Glitch是什么呀？
LL: A glitch is a technical problem. When your computer or software doesn’t work the way it is supposed to, it often has a glitch.
LH: 噢， glitch就是技术故障。电脑或软件不能正常运作时往往就是因为有了故障。那你们弄清楚了没有电脑软件到底是什么问题呢？
LL: Well, glitches are often difficult to explain. Basically, we would try to use a certain function of the software, and it would cause the office computers to lock up.
LH: 用软件的某一功能，办公室的电脑就都不能用了，你说的就是所谓的电脑死机吧。
LL: Glitches are very frustrating. They cost a lot of time and effort.
LH: 没错，出了故障要花很多时间去解决，是很烦人的。对了，Larry，你听说没有，最近大家都在抢购一种电子游戏软件，结果发现这种软件有严重的技术问题 – it has a big glitch in it。听说厂家正在回收产品呢。
LL: Oh, I know all about that! I love video games and actually bought that game system. It does have a serious glitch, and now I need to send it back to the company.
LH: 你也买了那软件？那你就得把它寄回去。Larry，你说既然有问题，那厂家为什么还要出售他们的软件呢？
LL: Sometimes the companies don’t know about a glitch in a video game or video game system until enough people play it.
LH: 那倒也是，有的问题必须在很多人用了以后才会发现。 对了，Larry, 你不是说今天要跟老板一起吃午饭吗？
LL: I was originally, but there was a glitch in our plans. My boss discovered he had two appointments on the same day, so he had to reschedule our lunch for next week.
LH: 你的老板也真是够糊涂的，怎么会在同一天安排两个午餐。幸好你是个年轻新雇员，取消和你的约会还不要紧。 Larry，我们说好了这个周末去参观摄影展览。这个计划没问题吧？Are there any glitches in that plan?
LL: I don’t think there will be any glitches. I am really looking forward to it. When do you want to leave?
LH: 我也跟你一样盼着去呢。星期六早上十点半出发，怎么样？
LL：Fine!
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LL: Hmmm, I need to do an errand Saturday morning. We may have to tweak our plans a little.
LH: Tweak our plans? Tweak这个字的发音有点怪。你的意思是要改变计划吗？
LL: Tweak, may be a funny-sounding word, but it means to adjust something just a little bit.
LH: Tweak的意思是稍微作些改动。 那你的意思是说星期六的计划要变喽。
LL: Right, we don’t have to change our plans too much. If we just tweak the time a little bit and leave at 11:00, I can finish my errand, and we still have plenty of time to enjoy the exhibit.
LH: 没问题。我们把10:30出发改成11点出发就行了。不过我们也不能玩得太晚喽。
LL: Why is that?
LH: 我下个星期要在研讨会上宣读一篇论文。论文是写完了，但我还要作一些修改。
LL: If the paper is in English, Li Hua, I can help you tweak it by reading it after we get back tonight.
LH: 我是用英文写的， 你要是能帮我修改一下，那真是太好了。
LL: It would be my pleasure, Li Hua. Well, this has been a nice lunch, but I need to get back to work. I’ve had some ideas about how to tweak the computers at work.
LH: 瞧你，想出了修电脑的主意就急着要回去工作了。 你真有把握吗？
LL: I’m not sure. But if I can’t tweak it, maybe some one at the software company can. Thanks again for lunch, Li Hua. I’ll see you later.
LH: 哎，Larry，你的午饭都没怎么吃嘛。
LL: To be honest, it wasn’t very good. I think the chef needs to tweak the seasoning. It was kind of bland.
LH: 这菜的确是没有什么味道。厨师是该改变他的佐料了。再见，Larry。 Good luck tweaking your computers!
今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是glitch，意思是技术故障。还有一个是tweak， 意思是作小的改动。