Larry和李华一起过美国独立日。今天我们要学两个常用语：go all out和give someone some pointers.
LH: Larry, 看你这身打扮，红上衣，白短裤，篮袜子，再加上这顶美国国旗图案的帽子，你简直就是一面大星条旗！
L: Thanks, Lihua. You know that it’s Independence Day, so I wanted to dress up for the occasion.
LH: 你还在脸上画了一面国旗？！这是不是有点过头了？
L: Well Lihua, I just love the Fourth of July, so I wanted to go all out.
LH: go out? 出去玩就出去玩吧，干嘛还要go ALL out? 这是什么意思？
L: When you go all out, you make the biggest effort possible.
LH: 哦，go all out就是全力以赴的意思。你是说，你特别喜欢7月4号独立日，所以一到这一天，你就要加劲儿地打扮！
L: Right! Here is another example. There is a really important project due for work this Friday, so everyone at the office is going all out this week.
LH: 哦，你们公司这星期五必须做完一个非常重要的项目，所以同事们这个礼拜都开足马力工作！对了，Larry, 今天晚上是不是能看到烟火表演啊？
L: Yeah, usually the fireworks are really good. Washington DC really goes all out for the fireworks show.
LH: 对，每年独立日，首都华盛顿都会倾尽全力办一场大型烟火表演！不过，Larry, 说实话，美国独立日的烟火真比不上北京奥运会开幕式的烟花。
L: Well that’s true. China really went all out for the Olympics, so the fireworks display in Beijing was really amazing.
LH: 那Larry, 美国人在独立纪念日这一天，都喜欢做些什么呢？
L: Most people like to barbeque on Independence Day.
LH: 烧烤？我喜欢！我们今天也要去烧烤么？
L: Oh yeah, we’re going all out. I bought so much delicious food that it’s going to take us a week to finish it all!
LH: 太好了，咱们要甩开腮帮子大吃一顿！等等，咱们没有烧烤架啊!
L: No problem, I went to the store yesterday and got a fancy new grill.
LH: 你专门买了一个烧烤架？
L: Yeah, I went all out and bought the nicest grill they had.
LH: 你这次荷包大出血，买了最棒的烧烤架？ 太好了！咱们现在就开始准备烤肉吧！
L: Sounds good!
******
晚上，Larry和李华一起来到华盛顿市中心，观看烟火表演。
LH: Larry, 这烟火挺漂亮的。不过，我总觉得自己去放花更过瘾！
L: I guess that’s true, but it’s dangerous.
LH: Larry， 你别怕，我可是放花的专家！明年咱们不来这里看了，自己在后院放！
L: Well alright. If you’re really a fireworks expert, next year we can do them at home and you can give me some pointers.
LH: I can give you some pointers? 这是什么意思？
L: When you give someone some pointers, you give him or her small pieces of advice.
LH: 哦，give someone some pointers就是给人出些点子。你是说，明年咱们自己放花时，让我教教你。
L: Exactly! Here is another example. Eric really wanted to join the soccer team at school, so he found a coach to give him some pointers before the tryouts.
LH: Eric想加入学校足球队，所以在参加选拔之前，找了一个教练，指点指点他。 Larry, 我有点饿了。
L: Should we go to a restaurant?
LH: 不用了。你看，那边不是有个卖热狗的摊子么？咱们去买个热狗吧！
L: Let me give you a pointer, Lihua. Never eat street vendor food!
LH: 这倒是，街边的东西可能不干净。咱们还是坐地铁去个正经饭馆吃吧。
L: Here’s another pointer for you, Lihua. The metro will be really crowded tonight, so it will actually be faster to walk to the restaurant.
LH: 对，今天这么多人来看烟火，地铁上肯定挤死了。
L: But Lihua, how can you possibly be hungry after we went all out on that barbeque just a few hours ago.
LH: Larry, I’m going to give you a quick pointer: 不要小看我的饭量!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是go all out表示全力以赴。另一是give someone some pointers, 意思是点拨，出点子。