Larry 告诉李华他想报名参加救灾，帮助灾民。李华今天会学到两个常用语
： get-go 和on board.

    LL： Li Hua ，there was a news report about families whose homes were
damaged in a flood and they are not far from where my parents live. I
knew from the get-go that I wanted to go help these people.

    LH：对，我今天早上听到这条新闻，说有不少房屋被洪水冲垮了。你要去帮
助救灾那当然好咯。不过你刚才说 from the get-go I wanted to go help these
people.From the get-go是什么意思呀？

    LL： From the get-go means from the beginning. I knew from the beginning，
from the get-go ， that I wanted to do something to help out.

    LH：原来from the get-go 就是一开始的时候。也就是，你一听到这新闻就
想去救灾。我虽然没有想到要去救灾，不过我听到这消息后就马上为灾民的遭遇
感到难过。From the get-go ， I felt sorry for those people .

    LL： From the get-go， I felt the same way. So， this afternoon I
am going to go to the American Red Cross to volunteer.

    LH：你今天下午就要去美国红十字会去做义工呀？这太好了。

    LL： The Red Cross is a wonderful organization. In any disaster ，
they are always ready to help ， ensuring that the victims have food，
water ， medicine and shelter from the get-go.

    LH：可不是嘛。美国红十字会是有名的，一有灾情，他们一般都是首先赶到，
向灾民提供救济。Larry ，你到红十字会打算作些什么呢？

    LL： Well ， my plan from the get-go has been to stop by the Red Cross
and see what kind of help they need. Depending on what they need， I will
take a couple days off work and drive to the town hit by the flood to
help out.

    LH：对，是要根据他们的需要。你还要向公司请假，开车到灾区去？ Larry.
我好佩服你。我从一认识你， from the get-go，就知道你是个好人。

    LL： Thanks ， Li Hua. That is really nice of you to say. You have
been a good friend from the get go， too.

    LH：谁都喜欢和你这样的人作朋友。Larry ，你去红十字会之前，我们先去
吃午饭，怎么样？

    LL： That would be good. Today I have been hungry from the get-go.
Where do you want to go ？

    LH：你早就饿啦，那我们就在附近找个地方吧。你看马路对面的这家pizza
店怎么样？

    LL： Great！ That place has been so popular from the get-go ！

    ******

    （Restaurant sounds ）

    LL：（To waiter ） I'll have two slices of cheese pizza please. So，
Li Hua， I was wondering if I could convince you to get on board this
volunteering effort.

    LH： Get on board ？你的意思是让我也参加救灾？

    LL： Yes， when I asked you to get on board ， I meant would you join
me and help out.

    LH：我这两天正好不用教课，所以跟你去一两天没问题。

    LL： That would be great！ The people at the Red Cross will be so
happy to have you on board.

    LH：那我们怎么去呢？

    LL： Well ， I was thinking we would drive. I was wondering if you
would be on board with the idea of renting a van for the trip.

    LH：租个面包车？租车不是很贵吗？

    LL： It is a little expensive. But don't worry， Li Hua ， I will
pay for renting the van. I'd rather have you on board to help out.

    LH：那好啊，如果你出钱，我没意见。 .

    LL： And since we have a van， I am wondering if we can get anyone
else on board. We will have room to take some other people.

    LH：那也是，车里还有好几个空位呢，我的一些学生可能也愿意去灾区服务。

    LL： You should ask them， Li Hua ， the more people we can get on
board to help with the relief effort， the better.

    LH： Larry，我们现在就去红十字会报名吧。让他们知道我们要参加救灾，
let them know we are on board.

    LL： Good idea， but I really want to finish this pizza first.

    LH： I am definitely on board with that ！ Let's eat！

    今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是from the get-go ，意思是从一开始。
还有一个是on board，，意思是赞成、愿意参加。