Larry和李华去朋友Frank家参加新年派对。李华今天要学两个常用语，dead和happening.
LL: Gosh, there is hardly any one here, Li Hua. This party is really dead!
LH: Larry. 这里每个人明明都活得好好的，你为什么说the party is dead呢？
LL: Well, because there aren’t very many people here, there isn’t much conversation and laughter. When a party isn’t lively, we say it is DEAD. And this party is dead.
LH: 噢，你是说这个party不热闹，了无生气啊。现在时间还早，也许一会儿就热闹起来了。
LL: I hope so. Speaking of places being dead today, I went into work for a little bit to get some things from my desk. There was no one in the office – it was completely dead.
LH: 那当然了，今天是除夕，没有什么人会去办公室的。
LL: I guess the college campus must be dead now, too.
LH: 不光是今天，期终考试结束后，学生们都回家过年了。The campus has been dead for two weeks.
LL: So, Li Hua, do you mind being on campus when it is dead like it is now?
LH: 确实有点孤单，不过人少也有人少的好处。比方说，图书馆里就特别安静。
LL: Oh, I bet the library is completely dead! I mean, who would be studying over the break?
LH: 我啊！不过你说的没错，校园里确实没有什么人，可是停车特别方便。
LL: I know what you mean about the convenience. This year I made sure to do my Christmas shopping at a time when the shopping mall was really dead.
LH: 圣诞购物季节，商店里到处都是人。I cannot imagine a mall being dead during the holidays.
LL: I went early on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Since most people work during those times, it was pretty dead at the mall.
LH: 这倒是个好办法，可以避开购物的人群，不用跟别人挤来挤去的。
LL: That’s right, Li Hua. Hey, look, the party isn’t so dead any more! Some more people have shown up, and the music has started.
LH: The party isn’t dead at all. 你想去跳舞吗？
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LL: Sure, I’d love to dance, Li Hua. Now the party is really happening!
LH: 如果我没猜错得话，Happening是dead的反义词吧？
LL: You are right, Li Hua. It is the opposite of a “dead” party. A happening party is one that is lively and exciting – and where lots of different things are happening.
LH: 是啊，这个party好像一下子就热闹起来了。
LL: Frank has done a good job. It is because of parties like this that I love the holidays. Christmas and New Year’s are such happening times of the year.
LH: 就是啊，新年圣诞确实热闹，大家都跟亲朋好友在一起，不过我也很喜欢春天和夏天。
LL: Why do you like spring and summer, Li Hua?
LH: 放春假和暑假我可以到外地去，visit some more happening places.
LL: I can’t imagine a more happening place than New York City. I mean here in New York there is always something going on!
LH: 纽约确实很热闹，可是美国还有其他热闹的地方啊。
LL: I suppose that is true. I’ve heard San Francisco has a very happening art scene.
LH: 我就很想去旧金山看看。还有，我还特别喜欢美国的布鲁斯音乐，所以很想到孟菲斯去。
LL: I don’t know, Li Hua. I visited Memphis once, and I didn’t think it was a very happening place. But then again, I am not a fan of Blues music.
LH: 猫王的雅园就在孟菲斯。我一直想去看看。我想，他当年在雅园一定开过很多热闹的派对。
LL: Elvis was famous for his wild parties. Look, the party is really happening now.
LH: Come on, Larry. 我们去跳舞吧，这么热闹的party, 我可不想就站在这儿。Let’s go have some fun!
LL: Okay, Li Hua! Now this is my idea of a happening time!
今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是dead, 指了无生气。另一个是happening,指非常热闹。