Larry 去李华家吃饭。他告诉李华说，自己今天特别倒霉。李华今天要学两
个常用语：nightmare 和group hug.

    LL： I had the worst day at work today. It was an absolutenightmare！

    LH：上班做恶梦？Larry ，你可要小心点儿，上班睡觉是要被老板炒鱿鱼的！

    LL： No ， no. I didn't HAVE a nightmare at work……Being at work
today was LIKE a nightmare. LH：噢，你是说今天上班很痛苦，就像是做了一
场恶梦啊，听起来挺吓人的。

    LL： It wasn't so much scary as it was unpleasant. Any situation that
is really bad or unpleasant can be called a nightmare - even a really
angry person can be a nightmare. LH ：我知道了，nightmare 是指令人不愉
快的人或者事。那你今天上班出什么事了？

    LL： It all started with my boss. He is usually a nice guy， but today
he was really angry with his staff - me ， included. He was a total nightmare.
LH：我记得你老板人挺随和的，今天怎么会突然发脾气呢？

    LL： Well ， he wasn't happy that we hadn't finished a project by
the deadline. When he came into the office this morning ， he told everyone
we better have it finished by the end of the day - or he was going to
become our worst nightmare！

    LH： Your worst nightmare ？ Yikes！你们不是一直都在赶着完成那个项
目吗？老板这么生气，大家一定很沮丧吧？

    LL： That is exactly what happened， Li Hua. After work ， my day
didn't get better. On my way over to your house ， the traffic was a nightmare.
LH：我也从新闻里看到堵车的消息了。你今天可真够倒霉的。我特别理解你现在
的心情，还记得我博士生资格考试那天吗？

    LL： I do remember. As I recall that day was a total nightmare for
you. LH ：是呀，我当时论文打到一半，电脑突然死机了。What a nightmare.

    LL： But the nightmare turned out okay in the end ， didn't it？

    LH：我只好从头再来。还好，我的论文最后还是得了优秀。

    LL： Then maybe my nightmare will have a good ending， too.

    ******

    LL： You know ， Li Hua ， when my co-workers and me were feeling
down after the boss yelled at us， we had a "Group Hug" and all felt better.
LH： A "group hug"？在办公室里集体拥抱？

    LL： Well ， I know it sounds kind of strange ， but sometimes when
a group of people or a team is down and they need to cheer themselves
up they have a "group hug." LH：你的意思是，大家情绪低落的时候，group
hug 一下，感觉就会好起来？

    LL： Well ， after my boss left and everyone was feeling down ， one
of my co-workers said aloud ， "Group Hug ！" We all stood up ， hugged
in a circle one time， and then felt much better. LH：真有意思，group
hug 能让你们提高工作效率吗？

    LL： It really did. The group hug reduced the tension ， and we all
were able to get back to working on the project. LH ：我可以在我的中文
课上试试看。中文很难学，所以学生们有时会因为进步慢而感到气馁。

    LL： A "group hug" could help lighten the mood in class ， especially
after a really hard test. LH： Larry， group hug是怎么做的呢？

    LL： Well ， usually someone says ， "Group Hug" or "Let's have a
group hug." Then the group forms a circle and each participant puts their
arms over their neighbors' shoulders. LH：大家站成一圈，胳膊搭在旁边人
的肩膀上，是这样吗？那下次我发考卷的时候，如果学生们考得不好，我就可以
说，不要灰心，Let's have a group hug.

    LL： Yes， that's it！ In my family ， when my brothers and sisters
would have an argument， my mom would say ， ''Let's stop fighting and
have a group hug.'' It was like magic - we'd all stop fighting. LH： Larry，
我知道你今天情绪不好，但是我们两个人不能说是group hug 吧？

    LL： No ， you are right， Li Hua. To have a true group hug ， you
need three or more people. But I'd be happy with just a regular hug from
you ， Li Hua ！

    今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是nightmare ，是令人不愉快的人或事。

    另一个是 group hug，是集体拥抱。