李华在图书馆里埋头读书，为下个月的博士资格考试做准备。她今天要学两
个常用语，quals 和in the bag.

    LL： So ， Li Hua ， how is the studying for your quals going ？ I
can hardly see you behind those stacks of books.

    LH： My qual？你是说我的资格考试吗？

    LL： That's right - Quals is short for qualifying examinations.

    LH：还可以吧，不过马上就要考试了，我特别紧张。

    LL： Oh ？ When exactly are your quals， Li Hua ？

    LH：下个月！我只有不到一个月的准备时间了。

    LL： One month is still quite a bit of time ， Li Hua. What do you
have left to do to get ready for your quals ？

    LH：让我想想……我还有好几本书要读，而且还要做一些模拟试题。

    LL： I know you'll study hard ， Li Hua ， and you will have no trouble
passing your quals.

    LH：谢谢你，Larry.我现在特别需要鼓励。

    LL： Say， Li Hua ， you know ， doctoral students aren't the only
people who have quals.

    LH：什么，不光是博士生要通过资格考试，难道还有其他人吗？

    LL： Athletes have quals， too. For example ， if an athlete wants
to be part of the Olympic team， he has to make the quals.

    LH：哦，你是说运动员啊。他们那叫资格选拔赛，比如说要想代表美国去参
加奥运会，就要先过选拔赛这一关。

    LL： You are right. The quals that athletes participate in are generally
qualifying races or qualifying rounds of sporting events.

    LH：你知道吗，最近中国队在世界杯预选赛中输给了伊拉克。

    LL： That's too bad. I didn't know China had lost. Who made it through
the quals ？

    LH：我知道入围的队有沙特阿拉伯- 、伊朗、日本和韩国。

    LL： See， you just have to work hard like these winning athletes ，
Li Hua， and you'll have no problem with your quals.

    LH：好在我的资格考试在教室里就能完成了，我不用去跑马拉松。

    ******

    LL： You really shouldn't worry about the quals ， Li Hua. I tell
you ， you have it in the bag ， Li Hua.

    LH： Hmmm ……我皮包里只有钱夹、钥匙、墨镜、手机，怎么会有资格考试
呢？

    LL： Ha ， ha. I didn't mean you *really* had the qualifying exam
in your bag ， Li Hua. To have something "in the bag" means that you are
guaranteed of success.

    LH：我懂了，你说I have the quals "in the bag" 意思就是说没问题，我
肯定能通过。

    LL： That's right ， Li Hua. You always study so hard. I know you've
got it in the bag.

    LH：你真够朋友！不过，我对这次考试可没有百分之百的把握。可不是所有
人都能考过的。

    LL： Don't think that way ， Li Hua ！ You are going to do great！

    LH：可是你看看中国足球队。他们原以为稳操胜券，结果却败在了伊拉克队
的手下。

    LL： Well ， it is sometimes true that people *think* they have something
in the bag and it doesn't quite turn out the way they thought it would.

    LH：就是说啊。所以，我绝对不能掉以轻心。

    LL： But I don't think that is the case with you， Li Hua. Say……

    I've got some news I've been meaning to share with you.

    LH：有什么好消息吗？你是不是升职了？ is your promotion in the bag ？

    LL： You know ， Li Hua ， I think it is in the bag. My boss called
me into the office and told me I was first in line for a promotion and
that he was very pleased with my work.

    LH：恭喜你！Larry ，看起来你又要请客了。

    LL： Thanks ， Li Hua. I tell you what， after I find out my promotion
is in the bag - and you find out your quals are in the bag， let's go
out for a big celebration ！

    LH：好，一言为定。

    今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是quals ，是资格考试，或是资格选拔赛
的意思。另一个是in the bag，意思是有百分之百的把握。