李华和Larry 正在看世界杯足球赛。今天我们要学两个常用语：a long shot
和to catch a break

    LH： Larry，世界杯终于开始了！你觉得谁会得冠军？美国队有戏没有？

    Larry ： I don't think so ， Lihua. The U.S. usually doesn't have
one of the best teams.

    LH：哎，你怎么这么没信心？美国队虽然不是夺冠热门，但也是有机会的啊！

    L ： Well I guess it's possible ， but the U.S. is definitely a long
shot.

    LH： A long shot？这是什么意思？

    L ： You can say that something is a long shot when it isn't very
likely.

    LH：哦，a long shot 就是可能性很低的事情。你觉得虽然从理论上说，美
国对和其它所有球队一样，都有夺冠的机会，但真论起实力来，美国队拿冠军的
可能性就很低了。

    L ： Right！ Here's another example. Carolyn's dream has always been
to move to Hollywood and become a famous movie star ， but that's definitely
a long shot.

    LH：没错，当电影明星可没那么容易。所以Larry ，你以前踢过足球么？

    L ： Sure ， lots of Americans play soccer when they are kids. I dreamed
of becoming a professional player ， but I always knew that was a long
shot.

    LH：你说得没错，咱们可不能给人生设置一堆不现实的目标！话说回来，Larry，
你觉得到底谁能捧走今年的大力神杯呢？

    L ： Well ， Brazil always has a really talented team. I'm sure that
they have a good shot this year.

    LH： a good shot？这是不是和a long shot 相反，表示“很有可能的事情”？

    L ： Exactly. For another example ， I could say that my friend Edmund
has been doing really well at his job lately， so he has a good shot at
getting promotion soon.

    LH：真的？你觉得他很可能会升职？能升多高？会不会成为公司副总？

    L ： No ， I don't think he will get that good of a promotion. Vice
president is definitely a long shot.

    LH：原来如此。 Larry，我们还是好好看球吧。对了，美国第一场和谁踢啊？

    L ： Our first game is against England， who are supposed to be very
good.

    LH：英国可是强队！美国队要踢赢英国队恐怕也是a long shot 喽！

    L ： Well ， we will have to watch and find out ！

    ******

    LH： Larry，这场比赛踢得真棒！双方最后1 比1 平！

    L ： Yeah ， this is a really close game. But you know， the U.S.
is pretty lucky that they're not losing.

    LH：没错。美国本来0 比1 落后，可是英国大门失误，让美国队逮着机会，
攻进一球。

    L ： Yeah ， the American team definitely caught a break with that
goal.

    LH： The US team caught a break ？这是什么意思？

    L ： When something lucky happens for you ， you can say that you
caught a break.

    LH：哦，to catch a break就是交了好运气，捡了便宜！英国守门员犯了个
低级错误，给美国队送分，所以美国队真是幸运！

    L ： Right. For another example ， I could say that my friend Carolyn
has been having a hard time becoming an actress in Hollywood， and is
waiting to catch a break.

    LH：我明白了，Carolyn 想当明星，可一直红不起来，不过她没有放弃，还
在等待交好运的那一天。

    L ： You got it. So Lihua ， do you want to watch the USA game against
Slovenia with me on Friday？

    LH： Larry，星期五我要上班啊！我可不能专门请一整天假陪你看球。我老
板会疯掉的！

    L ： Hmm…… good point. Well maybe we will catch a break and your
boss will be sick that day.

    LH：咒我老板生病？你可够坏的。对了，难道你真打算每天看世界杯么？你
不用上班啦？

    L ： Well I was trying to figure out that problem too. But then I
caught a break when it turned out my boss loves soccer， and brought a
TV into our office.

    LH：你老板也是球迷，所以把电视搬进办公室，让大家一起看比赛？！哇，
太让人羡慕了。那礼拜五美国对斯洛文尼亚那场比赛，你觉得美国会赢么？

    L ： Yeah the U.S. is a better team. But you never know ， Slovenia
might catch a break and win the match.

    LH：说得对，美国今天踢平英国不就是因为catch a break - 交了好运么？

    L ： Yeah ， that's a pretty good result for the U.S. ， given that
they were a long shot to win.

    LH：那就希望美国队的运气能一直好下去喽！

    今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是 a long shot，表示可能性很低的事情。
另一个是to catch a break，意思是交了好运。