李华和Larry 在夏威夷渡假，俩人出海钓鱼。今天我们要学两个常用语：off
the hook和go overboard.

    LH： Larry，我总算明白你为什么这么喜欢钓鱼了，撒下诱饵，就歇着了。

    LL： Yeah ， isn't fishing great？ You get to just sit out in the
boat and relax all day.

    LH：那好，如果一条鱼都钓不到的话，你可得负责任。

    LL： Believe me ， Lihua. If we don't catch anything and have to eat
pizza for dinner， I know you won't let me off the hook.

    LH： Let you off the hook ？你是指鱼钩吗？

    LL： Right！ When you let someone off the hook， you forgive them
for doing something wrong ， or allow them to escape a difficult situation.

    LH：哦，off the hook就是不用承担责任。 To let someone off the hook
意思就是放过某人，就好象是让鱼脱钩了一样。

    LL： Exactly. Here is another example ： Even though I didn't do my
homework， my teacher let me off the hook because I was sick the day before.

    LH：就是说老师因为体谅到你是因为生病而没做作业，所以决定不追究你。

    LL： Yeah. Or remember last year when I forgot your birthday？ You
still haven't let me off the hook for that.

    LH： Larry，你居然把我生日忘得一干二净，我当然要记你一辈子。对了，
Larry ，我们的船什么时候还啊？

    LL： We have it until 2 in the afternoon.

    LH：那可没剩多少时间了。我们稍微晚一点没关系吧？

    LL： Actually ， I don't think the rental company will let us off
the hook. They said we have to pay an extra fee if we return the boat
late.

    LH：这么说，我们就要抓紧时间了。也不知道这些鱼都跑到哪里去了！

    LL： I don't know. The manager of our hotel said this is the best
place for fishing. If he was wrong， I'm not going to let him off the
hook.

    LH：就是啊，如果害我们白跑一趟的话…… Wait ！ Larry，好象有鱼咬钩
了。

    LL： Quick， Lihua， pull it in ！

    ******

    李华钓到了一条大鱼。

    LH： Wow， Larry，看来我天生就是钓鱼的材料。你看第一次就战果累累。
这就叫不鸣则已，一鸣惊人！

    LL： Yeah Lihua ， I'm really impressed ！ You must have a real talent
for fishing.

    LH：你觉得，我是不是应该退掉回程的机票，索性留在夏威夷当渔民算了？
否则我钓鱼的才华岂不是白白浪费了吗？

    LL： Well ， it's only one fish. I wouldn't go overboard.

    LH： Go overboard ？你不会是叫我下到海水里去摸鱼吧？

    LL： Actually Lihua ， you can say that somebody goes overboard whenever
they do or say something excessive.

    LH：哦，to go overboard 就是采取过激行动的意思，你是劝我不要意气用
事、钓到一条鱼就改行当渔民吗？

    LL： Exactly. Here's another example. When I was looking for a hotel
in Hawaii ， I know I wanted to stay somewhere nice. But I didn't want
to go overboard and rent a room for $500 per night.

    LH：对，500 块钱一晚上的旅馆对我们来说确实太奢侈了。说正经的，Larry，
你估计这条鱼有多重？我猜得有100 磅。

    LL： It's a big fish， but I think 100 pounds is going a little overboard.
It's probably 30 pounds.

    LH：反正是够大个儿的。我准备把鱼的头骨带回去做纪念。

    LL： Lihua， I think that's going a little overboard. Why don't we
just take a picture so that you can remember your catch ？

    LH：一点也不好玩。要不，我们多照几张照片，寄给当地报社，看他们愿不
愿意采访我们。

    LL： Lihua， let's not go overboard. There are probably lots of other
people who catch fish this big， so it isn't really a new story.

    LH：那我起码要寄给我爸妈。好了，咱们快回去吃鱼吧！

    LL： But I haven't caught anything yet！ Let's stay until I catch
a fish too.

    LH：要不要我向你传授一下我的经验啊？第一堂课可以免费！

    LL： Haha …… Thanks Lihua ， In return， I will teach you one more
vocabulary word ： beginner's luck！

    今天李华学了两个常用。一个是off the hook，意思是逃脱责任。另一个是
go overboard，意思是过份的，过激的。