VOA流行美語 Unit 219:do the math和know the drill

Larry和李華打算乘火車去Larry家玩。Larry家住在紐約郊區。 Larry和李華還打算去紐約市旅遊。李華會學到兩個常用語：do the math和know the drill。

LL: Okay, Li Hua, I don't know how we are going to do the sightseeing and also spend time with my family. I mean, you do the math - how is it going to work?

LH: Do the math? 這很好算嘛。我們有四天時間，24小時乘以4等於96個小時 。我們總共有96個小時。

LL: Oh, Li Hua, I guess I didn't mean for you to actually do the math. When I said "you do the math," I meant something like "you think about it."

LH: 原來你說"do the math"，意思是考慮一下，不是真的要我算。Larry，是你請我到你家去，還要到紐約玩， 你應該考慮呀 - You should do the math。另外，去紐約玩要花多少錢呢？我這個當老師的可沒有很多錢啊。

LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. I've done the math. We'll save a lot of money by staying at my parent's house. Plus they will feed us.

LH: 能住在你父母家就太好了，可以省很多錢。 Larry，你知道我是窮學生，凡事都要精打細算才行。I have to do the math all the time。

LL: You know that is very smart. My younger brother could really have learned something from you.

LH: 你弟弟向我學習？我有什麼好學的呢？

LL: Well, when he moved out and got his first job, he really didn't do the math. He ended up needing help from my parents, because he wasn't making enough money.

LH: 你弟弟真傻，第一次拿到工資就覺得自己很有錢，要搬出去住。他肯定沒想到房租那麼貴。你弟弟現在怎麼樣了？

LL: Yes, he is now making very good money waiting tables at a restaurant.

LH: 我也聽說餐館服務員收入不少。

LL: In one hour he might wait on ten tables. If each table tips him between five and ten dollars。Well, you do the math.

LH: 每小時服務十桌客人，每桌客人給5塊或是10塊美元的小費。喲，你弟弟一個小時就能掙50到100美元。 看來，我也改行作服務員算了。

LL: No, Li Hua. You are definitely meant to be a teacher. He's making what seems like a lot now, but in the long term - if you do the math - I think you'll be doing better in the end.

LH: 從長遠來看，我以後會掙得比你弟弟多？但願如此。

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LL: Okay, Li Hua, we're now at the subway station. You know the drill. Have your ticket ready ...

LH: 地鐵票？我有呀。 Larry，你剛纔說： You know the drill， 這是什麼意思啊？ Drill不是一種工具嗎？

LL: Well, a drill is a tool。But a drill can also be a routine. Knowing the drill is knowing a routine - it is knowing how things are done.

LH: 噢，to know the drill就是知道一件事該怎麼作。我當然知道怎麼坐紐約地鐵了。先要買票，然後把票放進自動檢票機，否則就進不去。對嗎？

LL: That's good. But do you know the drill when it comes to taking a taxi in the city? We have to do that next.

LH: 什麼？我們下了地鐵還要打的？我可沒有在紐約打過的， 我是隨時攔車呢，還是要到指定的街口等呀？ I really don't know the drill。

LL: That's OK, Li Hua. I'll teach you what you need to do - then you'll know the drill.

LH: 我是得學學。我在紐約人生地不熟的。 沒有你，我一定很緊張。

LL: Yeah, it can be very disconcerting when you are in an unfamiliar place and don't know the drill.

LH: 是呀，在不熟悉的地方有時心裏是很不安。我剛來的時候不知道怎麼乘公共汽車，有一次差點走丟了。

LL: But now you are an expert. No one would say you don't know the drill now!

LH: 當然了， 不過我也不是什麼都知道， 還要向你多多請教。Larry，我們這是去哪裏呀?

LL: Oh, the usual places in New York City. You know the drill: go see the Statue of Liberty, go see a play on Broadway, and then go eat in Chinatown.

LH: 對，到紐約來玩的人都是去這幾個地方， I know the drill。先去自由女神像， 然後接着去百老匯看戲，然後去唐人街吃飯。

LL: I'm glad you are excited about eating in Chinatown. Because when it comes to ordering in Chinese, I really don't know the drill.

LH: 這你放心，Larry。 你不會點菜，我來點。 I know the drill 。

今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是do the math，意思是考慮、算計一下。另一個是know the drill，也就是說知道怎麼作某件事情。