Larry 和李华一起去Larry 的老板家，参加公司同事派对。他们会用到两个
常用语：out of place和show your true colors.

    Larry ： Lihua， are you feeling OK ？ You're so quiet tonight.

    LH：哦，我没事儿。不过，和这么多办公室白领在一起，有点不自在。

    Larry ： Ah ， I see. You're always surrounded by young students when
you're on campus. I can see why you feel a little out of place here.

    LH： Out of place ，是什么意思？

    Larry ： "Out of place" - It's an English phrase. If you're feeling
out of place， you don't feel like you belong. You're not used to your
current surroundings.

    LH： Out of place ，就是觉得和周围的环境格格不入，不自在。我现在的
确感觉out of place，因为我平时都是和同学在一起，现在突然和这些上班族在
一起，不知道该和他们聊些什么。

    Larry ： It's OK， Lihua. It's a natural reaction. Everyone feels
that way when in unfamiliar places.

    LH：是嘛？你也会觉得out of place -不自在？

    Larry ： No ， I work with these people every day ， so I'm pretty
comfortable in this kind of setting. But， there are some places where
I do feel out of place - like when I go to parties with your friends on
campus.

    LH：啊？ You feel out of place at student parties ？你参加我同学的
派对时觉得不自在？你才毕业没多久啊！已经不习惯校园生活了么？

    Larry ： I was a student……a couple years ago. To be honest， whenever
I go back to campus now ， I feel really old - and all the students look
so young！ I hate to admit it ， but I feel out of place when I'm surrounded
by students.

    LH：原来，你一回学校就觉得自己老，哈哈，没关系，你看，现在这一屋子
的人里，除了我，你是最年轻的了！不过，你和这些中年人在一起倒不感觉feel
out of place，真奇怪！我可是浑身不自在！ I feel so out of place ！

    Larry ： I'm not used to seeing you acting so shy. You're usually
so outgoing and friendly. Don't be afraid to show your true colors.

    LH： Show my true colors？给他们点颜色看看？！

    Larry ：（Chuckle ） No ！ To show your true colors means to be how
you truly are. You know ， to just be your normal self.

    LH： To show my true colors ，就是作我自己，本色流露。你刚才说，我
自自然然作自己，是个非常outgoing -外向的人？

    Larry ： Sure ！ I'm always amazed by how easily you can make new
friends at a party. When you are relaxed and your true colors are showing，
you are very friendly - and fun ！

    LH：呵呵，你夸得我真不好意思！不过，和你的这些同事在一块儿，我不知
说些什么好。我担心，my true colors -我的本色，会让他们不喜欢。

    Larry ： Lihua， eventually you will be out in the work force ， too.
Maybe if you try interacting with these people now， you won't feel so
out of place later after you get a real job. Just show your true colors
and be your friendly self.

    LH：你说得对。我早晚要参加工作，所以现在就应该试着和上班族相处。我
应该轻松地和他们聊天。

    Larry ： Right！ Just follow my lead. I will introduce you to my colleague
Annie over there. And when you get the chance ， ask her something about
her job - like how long she has been working here and what she does.

    LH：问问Annie 在这个公司工作了多久，都干些什么。好！没问题！

    Larry ： See？ I think you're feeling less out of place already.

    LH：是啊，我没有刚才那么不自在了。我觉得，我已经开始放松，作自己了！
I'm already showing my true colors！

    Larry ： Great. Let's go！ Oh ！ One more thing. Don't ask her age，
her income or how much she paid for her clothes. Oh ， and don't ask if
that's her real hair color， either.

    LH：啊？不能问年龄，收入，衣服的价钱，也不能问她有没有染发？这么多
地雷，我又开始觉得紧张了！

    Larry ： Just relax. You'll do fine ！ Just show your true colors
……without any offensive questions.

    今天李华学了两个常用语，一个是out of place，意思是“格格不入，不自
在”。另一个是show your true colors ，意思是“流露本色，作自己”。