李华和Larry 要去健身房锻练身体。今天我们要学两个常用语：a slim chance
和 set in stone.

    LH： Larry，咱们好久没去健身房了，今天总算是行动起来了，怎么样，高
兴吗？

    L ： I'm excited about getting in shape ， but not about paying gym
membership fees. Why can't we just run outside on the street？

    LH：这你就不懂了！健身房的会员费有一个好处，就是能迫使你坚持锻练。
你想啊，你总不愿意白交钱吧！

    L ： Well I guess that is true. For most people ， there is a slim
chance they will continue to exercise without some kind of motivation.

    LH： A slim chance？这是什么意思？

    L ： When you don't think that something is likely to occur ， you
can say that there is only a slim chance of it happening.

    LH：哦，就是希望不大的意思。你是说，如果没有外力推动，大部分人都不
大可能自觉地坚持锻练。

    L ： Right. For another example ， I decided not to bring an umbrella
today because there is only a slim chance it will rain.

    LH：意思是今天下雨的可能性不大，所以你没带伞。Larry ，等到了健身房，
我打算先去跑步机上慢跑半个小时，希望锻练的人不多，没把跑步机都占了。

    L ： Most people don't go to the gym right now， so there's only a
slim chance it will be crowded.

    LH：那倒是。对了，你说如果你想用的运动器材都被别人占了，健身房会不
会退你一些钱？

    L ： No way ！ The gym is always trying to get more of your money ，
so there's a fat chance of that happening.

    LH：什么？你说a fat chance？这是不是和a slim chance 相反，表示很有
可能？

    L ： Actually ， it's used the same way. It is a sarcastic way of
saying that something is very unlikely.

    LH：哦，是在说反话啊，还是表示希望不大，不太可能。

    L ： Right. For example ， my friend John is very unreliable. He said
he would help me move this weekend， but there's a fat chance that he
actually comes.

    LH：哦，John这个人说话不靠谱，所以他不太可能来帮你搬家。对了Larry ，
你说健身房会不会给咱们免费提供健身教练啊？

    L ： Fat chance of that ， Lihua. The gym charges you extra for everything！

    LH： Larry，你今天气儿怎么这么不顺！希望咱们明天来锻练时你能高兴点
儿！

    L ： Fat chance of that ， Lihua. I'm sure my muscles will be so sore
tomorrow I won't even be able to walk ！

    ******

    LH： Larry，我要去找跑步机了，你打算干什么？举杠铃么？

    L ： Hmmm …… First I'm going to find a McDonalds. I need to eat
something to get some energy for my workout ！

    LH：吃麦当劳？Larry ，你别开玩笑了！吃一堆垃圾食品，你不就白锻练了
么？想有好身材就得控制饮食！

    L ： Sure ， but there are some exceptions to that rule ， right？
It's not set in stone.

    LH： Set in stone ？这是什么意思？

    L ： You can say that something is set in stone if it is impossible
to change.

    LH：噢，就像中文里说的“板上钉钉”，表示绝对不变。你是说，虽然要保
持身材通常得注意饮食，但这也不是绝对的，也有例外。

    L ： Right. Here's another example. I asked my boss if she could give
me a raise， but she said that because the company wasn't doing well，
my salary was set in stone for this year.

    LH：我明白了，你是说，因为公司效益不好，所以你的工资今年都不会变，
涨工资没戏了。

    L ： Right. So Lihua， what do you think of this gym？

    LH：还可以吧，不过有些设备有点陈旧，有的员工态度也不太好。

    L ： Well if you don't like it， we can always change to another gym.
Our decision to come here isn't set in stone.

    LH：我们先试试这家吧。对了，咱们的会员资格也可以升级吧？从普通会员
变成高级会员？

    L ： Sure ！ The membership isn't set in stone. I'm sure you can upgrade
it without much trouble.

    LH：太好了！ Larry，我们制定一个健身计划，每个礼拜一三五都来锻练，
怎么样？

    L ： That sounds good ， but it won't be set in stone. Sometimes I
will have to miss a workout if I have to work late.

    LH： Larry，你就别拿加班当借口了！

    今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是a slim chance ，表示不太可能。另一个
是set in stone，意思是板上钉钉，绝不改变。