Larry有两张歌剧的票,邀请李华一起去。李华今天要学两个常用语,primo和glued。
LL: Hey, Li Hua, I’ve got two primo tickets to the opera. Would you like to come with me?
LH: 歌剧?好啊。不过Larry, 什么是primo ticket ? Primo听起来不太象英语,是外来语吧?
LL: You are right, Li Hua. Primo is an Italian word that means “number one” or “first-class.”
LH: 噢,primo是意大利语,意思是最好的,最棒的。
LL: When I said I had primo tickets to the opera, I meant I had very, very good seats.
LH:既然你有最好的票,那我们一定有primo seats, 最好的座位了!
LL: Yes, we do have primo seats. The tickets are for two seats right in front of the center-stage.
LH: 前排最中间,真是太好了,我们一定能看得特别清楚。对了,我们看的是哪一部歌剧啊?
LL: It is Verdi’s Aida. Since it is an opera in Italian, I guess it is appropriate to say it will be a “primo” experience.
LH: 我听说过,威尔第的《阿依达》是一部很有名的意大利歌剧,但是我从来没看过。
LL: Yes, Aida is a very famous opera, and I know you will enjoy it. I’ve also heard the tenor has a primo voice.
LH: Larry, 这两张primo tickets会不会很贵啊。
LL: Actually, no. I got a primo deal on the tickets. My friend bought season tickets to the orchestra, but couldn’t make this performance. He sold them to me for half price.
LH: 原来是你朋友买的季票,但是正好不能去,所以半价卖给你。That is a primo deal!
LL: And I was thinking before the opera, we could have dinner. I know a primo little Italian restaurant near the opera house.
LH: 意大利饭,太棒了!我最喜欢吃意大利饭了。
LL: I think you will find the food at this place is primo – Some of the best in New York City.
LH: 现在只有一个问题,Larry. I don’t have any primo clothes to wear! 周末先得去买一身正式点儿的衣服。
******
(After the opera)
LL: Wasn’t the opera amazing! I was glued to my seat the whole time.
LH: 什么?让我看看,你裤子上没有胶水儿啊,你怎么会一直粘在椅子上呢?
LL: I don’t actually have glue on my pants, Li Hua. When I said I was glued to my seat, I meant I was so fascinated by the opera I didn’t want to get up.
LH: 噢,我明白了,你是说歌剧太精彩了,你听得全神贯注。确实没错,特别是那个男高音,唱得简直太棒了。I was glued to my seat, too.
LL: It reminds me of this lecture about China I went to not long ago. The professor who spoke was very entertaining and charismatic.
LH: 你是说那个教授讲得太吸引人了,大家都坐在椅子上一动不动,听得聚精会神?
LL: Actually, not only was I glued to my seat, I was glued to his every word.
LH: 每个字?能让你这样的学生把他的每个字都听进去,这个教授一定很棒。
LL: He was really good, and he had a lot of interesting things to say about life in China today. What about you, Li Hua? What keeps you glued to your seat?
LH: 我最近正在看一部韩剧《朱蒙》,剧情太吸引人了,我一集接一集地看,根本放不下。I am glued to the TV set for hours.
LL: If you are glued to your television for hours, you have really become an American, Li Hua!
LH: 你为什么这么说呀?
LL: I think statistics show Americans on average are glued to their television sets for nineteen hours a week.
LH: 我简直不敢相信,美国人每星期要看十九个小时的电视,我可能连九个小时都看不了。跟看电视比起来,我更喜欢看书。
LL: Are you reading anything good right now?
LH: 我最近正在看一本畅销的侦探小说。I have been glued to every page!
今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是primo, 意思是最棒的。另一个是glued, 是指被深深吸引,全神贯注的意思。