开春了，李华和Larry 在后院种花种菜。今天我们要学两个常用语：cut out
for 和 fruit.

    LH： Larry，我说的没错吧，种地就是好，既能回归自然，又能有所收获。

    LL： Uh …… I'm not sure about that. My back hurts from digging all
these holes ， and I think some ants have crawled into my pants.

    LH：腰疼？不要紧的，过两天习惯就好了。而且，就算真有蚂蚁爬到你的裤
子里也没有关系，蚂蚁不咬人，等一会儿，它自己就爬出来了。

    LL： Thanks for the encouragement ， Lihua， but I just don't think
I'm cut out for gardening.

    LH： Cut out？我们这才开始育苗，离修枝还远着呢！

    LL： Actually ， Lihua， when you say that you're not cut out for
something ， it means that you aren't suited for it.

    LH：哦，我明白了，cut out for something ，就是适合做某件事情。那你
是说自己不适合种地喽？

    LL： Right. I'm more cut out for indoor activities， like watching
TV in my air conditioned apartment.

    LH： Larry，别泄气，你也不能因为腰疼那么一小会儿，就彻底排斥室外活
动啊。

    LL： Well you know， I'm just not cut out for outdoor activities in
the spring. There is so much pollen that my allergies get really bad.

    LH：（Sneeze， sneeze again ）哎，这倒是真的。不过，我们还是不能因
噎废食，快来帮我参考一下，这些花苗怎么摆更好看。

    LL： You can decide where to put them ， Lihua. You know that I'm
terrible at art ， so I don't think I'm cut out to be a landscape artist.

    LH：不会景观设计没关系，我可以教你！记不记得，当年的麻婆豆腐还是你
这个老外教我做的呢！

    LL： Oh right ， but I don't think I'm cut out to be a cook either.
That mapo doufu was terrible！

    LH：别忘了，熟能生巧，practice makes perfect. 我刚拿到驾照的时候开
车简直就是二把刀，可如今呢，早就是行家了。

    LL： To be honest ， Lihua， I'm not sure you're cut out for driving.
We get really lost every time you drive the car.

    LH：Larry ，那不是迷路，我那是故意带你转一圈，欣赏沿途的美景。说到
美景，咱们还是赶紧种花吧！

    ******

    MC：Larry 和李华用了整个一个上午的时间，终于把花圃种好了。

    LH：好，Larry ，大功告成。

    LL： Yeah …… sure …… I hope we can sell some of those tomatoes
to pay for a masseuse for my back ！

    LH：什么？你要把这些西红柿通通卖掉，用赚来的钱去做按摩？要我说，你
快别抱怨了，还是好好欣赏一下我们工作的成果吧。

    LL： You're right ， Lihua. I have to say ， it is nice to look at
this beautiful garden and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

    LH： Fruits ？果实，那可要等上两个月，才能吃到嘴里呢！看来不是装的，
你还真对园艺一窍不通。

    LL： Actually ， Lihua， the fruits of your labor are the reward you
receive from your hard work.

    LH：哦，the fruits of my labor就是指我的劳动成果，并不一定是吃到嘴
里的果实。是啊，忙了大半天，总算可以停下来，欣赏一下这么美丽的园子了。

    LL： Exactly！ Or if I studied really hard for a test ， I could say
that the perfect score I received would be the fruits of my labor.

    LH：我以前好象也听别人这么用过fruit 这个词。

    LL： Well ， you can also say that something "bears fruit ，" meaning
that it produces good results. For instance ， I just started working
out last week ， I will have to wait a few months for all my efforts to
bear fruit.

    LH：我看也是，你刚才就挖了两个树坑，就累得喘嘘嘘的，好象跑了马拉松
似的，太缺练了！

    LL： Well ， Lihua， you will be able to enjoy the fruit of all my
labor this summer when we go to the beach and I can show off my muscles.

    LH：好啊，就怕你一直待在屋里，猛然脱下上衣，一身雪白的肌肉会刺得我
睁不开眼睛。

    LL： Very funny. Now come on， let's go out to a restaurant. I may
not be cut out for gardening， but I'm definitely cut out for eating！

    今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是cut out for ，意思是适合做某事。另一
个是fruit ，意思是努力的成果。