VOA流行美語 Unit 202:up for something和spot someone

李華需要一個書架，她請Larry 陪她去社區看看有沒有賣舊貨的。李華今天會學到兩個常用語：up for something和spot someone。

LH: Larry ， 我想買個書架， 你陪我去附近社區看看有沒有賣舊貨的，好嗎？對了，報紙上的廣告說， 附近就有一家， 走路10分鐘就到。

LL: Sure. I'm up for it. Let's go.

LH: Up for it? 這話是什麼意思？聽起來好象你願意去。

LL: Right! When someone says he is up for it, that just means they are ready to do what is proposed, often some kind of social activity.

LH: 明白了， 你剛纔說，"I'm up for it", 意思是你願意跟我去社區看看賣舊貨的情況。那太好了。Larry ， 如果我買到書架， 你能不能幫我把它搬回去呀？

LL: I'm definitely not up for that. I definitely don't want to do that.

LH: 我要是請你吃晚飯呢？Are you up for it ?

LL: Well, I could be up for that, as long as the furniture isn't too big or heavy.

LH: 瞧你，請你吃飯就原意幫我搬。當然咯，要是書桌太大，太重，你一個人是搬不動的。可是我也不要太大的。

LL： Li Hua, I'd like to get some exercise today, would you be up for going for a run later today?

LH：跟你去跑步？ 好啊。 I'm up for it! 我最近也一直沒有運動，體重增加了兩磅，正需要鍛鍊呢！

LL: I meant to ask you, Li Hua, we spend so much time together, do you think your parents are up for you hanging out with me instead of your Chinese friends?

LH: 我父母沒有意見， 因爲跟你交往， 我既可以提高英語又能更多地瞭解美國生活。這是件好事呀。 我倒要問問你， 你的父母願意我們兩個作朋友嗎？

LL: Of course they are up for it. They like you and you help me improve my Chinese.

LH：我也很喜歡你爸爸媽媽呀！至於幫你學中文嘛，我看成效不大。你看，你從來也不跟我講中文。

LL：Well, when I have a bigger vocabulary of Chinese characters, I will certainly feel up for speaking Chinese with you.

LH：你總是說等我增加詞彙量後再講。我看，你永遠也開不了口！

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(嘈雜人聲)

LH: Larry，你看那家的門口擺了不少東西在賣， 我們去看看。

LL: Yeah, I might even want to get something too, though I didn't bring my wallet. If I see something I like, do you think you could spot me?

LH: 你可能要買東西，但沒帶錢包。你要做什麼？Spot you？ 找你呀！

LL: No, that's not what I meant. If someone asks you if you can spot him or her, it means that he wants to know if you can lend him some money.

LH: 噢，原來spot someone在這裏是指借錢給某人。 你要是看到喜歡的東西，我當然可以借錢給你呀！可不能太貴了，否則我買書架錢就不夠了。

LL: Hey, look at that bookcase, that would be perfect for your dormitory.

LH: 記得我剛來紐約的時候，在商店裏看見過一個特別漂亮的書架，可是價格太貴， 我買不起，當時也不認識什麼能夠借錢給我的人。

LL: Oh, if only I had known you then, I would have spotted you. But you can buy the bookcase here now. It's a real nice one.

LH: 這個書架是挺好，價錢也不貴。 我實在是需要，否則我也不買，因爲，你知道，我畢業後回國的時候， 這些東西不是送掉，就是扔掉。

LL: That's right. And you need a lot money to buy airplane ticket and gifts for your family.

LH: 到時候我能向銀行借錢嗎？Can I ask a bank to spot me?

LL: No. Spot someone usually involves a small amount of money, while bank loans are often a big sum.

LH：噢，銀行貸款一般數額大一些，那spot someone都是借少量的錢。

LL：Right. Li Hua, can you spot me for that badminton racquet over there?

LH: 你要買那羽毛球拍呀？ 才三美元吶，我可以借錢給你，沒問題。不過你必須幫我把書架擡到宿舍去。

LL: Sure, I'll help you since you're so nice to spot me for that badminton racquet.

今天李華學到了兩個常用語，一個是up for something。意思是願意作某件事。李華學到的另一個常用語是spot someone。意思是借錢給某個人。