有一天 Bob 正在家里耍废时,接到了一通电话…
Bob: Hello?
Bob:喂?
Henry: Hey, Bob! We’re having a potluck party this Saturday. Want to join us?
Henry:嘿,Bob!我们这周六要举办百乐餐派对,想参加吗?
Bob: Sure, I’m in! But what is a potluck party?
Bob:好啊,算我一份!不过什么是百乐餐派对啊?
Henry: It’s a kind of party where everyone has to contribute a dish. For example, I’m going to bring my homemade potato salad!
Henry:在这个派对上,每个人要贡献一道菜。举例来说,我要带我自制的马铃薯沙拉!
Bob: Wow, cool! I’ve never been to a party like that before. So where is the party going to be held?
Bob:哇,酷耶!我从来没参加过这种派对。所以派对会办在哪里?
Henry: At my place.
Henry:在我家。
Bob: At what time?
Bob:几点?
Henry: At six o’clock in the evening. You may also bring your own drinks.
Henry:傍晚六点。你也可以带上饮料。
I’m in. 算我一份
I’m in. 有「我加入;算我一份」的意思,另一个相同意思的说法是 Count me in.。相反地,「不参加」就可以用 I’m out.、Cout me out. 或是 I’ll pass 表示。
A: Are you coming to our trip tomorrow?
B: I’m in!
A:妳要参加我们明天的旅游吗?
B:我要!
contribute (v.) 贡献
contribute 为动词,意思是「贡献;捐献」。常用 contribute A to B 表示「把 A 贡献给 B」。
She contributes 1,000 NTD to the Rodent Care Association every month.
她每个月捐一千块到爱鼠协会。
homemade (adj.) 自制的
homemade 的意思为「自制的」,把它拆解开来就是 home (家) 和 made (被制作的),「在家里制作的」也就是「自制的」。
My hamster enjoys eating my homemade strawberry jam.
我的仓鼠很爱吃我自制的草莓果酱。
hold (v.) 举办
hold 除了有「握着;拿着」的意思,还可以用来指「举办;举行」,如:hold an event (举办活动)、hold a vote (举办投票)、hold a meeting (举办会议)。
Tommy holds the bag for his mom every time they go shopping.
Tommy 帮他妈妈拿包包。
The class held a vote to choose a class leader.
班上举办投票选出班长。
期待的周六到了! Bob 带了什么菜到 Henry 家呢?
Henry: Bob! Come in!
Henry:Bob!进来吧!
Bob: Thanks for inviting me. I’m really looking forward to this party.
Bob:谢谢你邀请我。我真的很期待这场派对。
Henry: Me too. So, what dish did you bring?
Henry:别客气啦。所以你带了什么菜?
Bob: I hope you guys feel like eating soup because I’ve brought a pot of clam soup. There’s lots of ginger in it; it’ll certainly warm you up.
Bob:我在想你们会不会想喝汤,所以我带了一锅蛤蜊汤。里面有很多姜,肯定能让你们暖起来。
Henry: How thoughtful of you! It really is getting colder these days.
Henry:你好贴心!这几天的确越来越冷了。
Bob: Indeed. I’ve also brought some tea bags, tapioca flour, and black sugar.
Bob:真的。我还带了一些茶包、树薯粉和黑糖。
Henry: What for?
Henry:做什么的?
Bob: For making tapioca balls! We can brew some tea and put tapioca balls in it. Voila! Pearl green tea!
Bob:拿来做珍珠呀!我们可以泡一些茶然后放珍珠进去。哒啦!珍珠绿茶!
Henry: I thought tapioca balls could only go inside milk tea.
Henry:我还以为珍珠只会放奶茶里耶。
Bob: Nope, my friend, it tastes good in all kinds of tea!
Bob:不不,我的朋友,它搭配各种茶都好吃!
look forward to (phr.) 期待
look forward to 的意思是「期待;盼望」,要注意的是 look forward to 后可直接接名词,接动词时要用动名词 (Ving。
I’m looking forward to the meeting with my friends.
= I’m looking forward to seeing my friends.
我很期待和朋友的聚会。 / 我很期待见到朋友。
feel like (phr.) 想要
feel like 的其中一个意思是「感觉像…」,在这里则是指「想要;渴望」,后头可直接接名词,或是接动名词 (V-ing)。
Do you feel like a swim?
你想游泳吗?
Do you feel like going shopping?
你想去逛街吗?
clam (n.) 蛤蜊
clam 就是「蛤蜊」。小 V 补充一个很有趣的片语:clam up (闭口不语),想像像蛤蜊一样嘴巴紧闭的样子是不是很有画面呢?
My cousin is allergic to clams.
我表弟对蛤蜊过敏。
He’d just clam up if you ask him about his family.
如果你问他有关他家人的事情,他会干脆完全不讲话。
ginger (n.) 姜
ginger 的意思是「姜」,它也可以当做形容词,意思是「姜黄色的」。
My sister refused to drink the soup because of the ginger.
我姐姐因为汤里有姜就拒喝。
Hermione has a ginger cat.
妙丽有一只姜黄色的猫。
tapioca ball (n.) 树薯球 (珍珠)
tapioca 的意思是「木薯;树薯」,树薯粉是制作珍珠的其中一个原料,所以珍珠又名「树薯球」。