Larry 和李华在谈论州长竞选的问题。李华会学到两个常用语toast 和wiggle
room.

    LL： If the Governor doesn't change his education policies， Li Hua，
I think he is toast.

    LH：你说什么？要是州长不改变他的教育政策，他就会怎么呐？Toast 不是
烤面包吗？我想这肯定是一种比喻，不过，He is toast 究竟是什么意思呢？

    LL： When I said "toast" I meant that he would be finished or done
for. Basically， I think he will lose the election.

    LH：噢， He is toast就是他没有希望了，完了。 Toast这个说法很生动。
就像烤面包一样，面包烤好了就会被弹出来，政府官员落选就像面包被弹出来一
样。

    LL： That is exactly right.

    LH：我们州的这位州长政绩不错，希望他能当选连任。 I hope he's not toast.

    LL： Well ， I'll agree with you that the Governor is very effective
in many ways. But after he decided to raise taxes ， most Americans were
pretty dissatisfied. He's toast ， I tell you.

    LH：我认为他不会落选。你不是也认为州长在各方面都很有效率吗？增加税
收也是为了改善教育呀。我倒觉得他的竞选对手不行，他既不诚实，也税收方面
也没有什么好主意。

    LL： I can see you and I aren't going to agree on this. Good friends
shouldn't talk about politics. We don't want our friendship to be toast！

    LH： Larry，你说的没错，再谈政治我们两个非成为仇人不可。我们换个话
题吧。你最近好像很忙，在忙什么呢？

    LL： Well ， since you asked， Li Hua ， if I don't finish the budget
report I am working on by Thursday， then I am toast！

    LH：什么？你要在星期四以前完成预算报告。今天已经星期三了。看来你是
要完了。我要是你，今天无论如何不睡觉也要把报告写出来。

    LL： That is the best way to avoid being toast. Say ， Li Hua ， what
about you ？Don't you need to turn in a chapter from your dissertation
to your advisor ？

    LH：没错，琼斯教授说了我非得在月底以前把我论文的第一章交给他，不然
就算我这学期不及格。那我就完了。Then I'm toast.

    LL： You *will* be toast， Li Hua. You won't be able to look for a
job next year ， and I know your parents will be very unhappy.

    LH：就是呀，书没念好，父母不高兴，我就真的完了。I will be toast ！

    ******

    LL： Did you see the candidates' debate last night， Li Hua ？ The
Governor really didn't leave himself any wiggle room on the tax issue.

    LH： Wiggle room？ Wiggle 有摇动，摆动的意思。 Room 是房间。你说州
长在房间里说话的时候摇来摆去？

    LL： No ， I meant that on the issue of taxes he left himself very
little room to shift his position later.

    LH：你是说他在辩论税收问题的时候没有给自己留下回旋的余地。他都说了
什么呢？

    LL： He promised during the debate that if he was reelected he would
not raise taxes.

    LH：他说当选后不会提高税收？他实在不应当作出这个承诺。如果遇到自然
灾害、战争或是经济恶化，政府怎么能不提高税收呢？

    LL： You are exactly right. I can see he didn't leave himself any
wiggle room there. Say， Li Hua ， how is your dissertation chapter coming？

    LH：我的博士论文写得怎么样了？哎，说起来很惭愧，我一直没有时间写。
时间表排得满满的，没有一点回旋的余地。

    LL： I know how that is ， Li Hua. I am going to be working on my
budget project right up until the last minute. I haven't left myself much
wiggle room ， either.

    LH：我看你是得赶紧写那预算报告，要能在最后一分钟写出来就算你运气。
我这星期一定得写完论文第一章。下学期我想减少教书的时间，这样就会有多一
点的时间来写论文了。

    LL： While having some wiggle room in your schedule is a good thing，
are you worried about losing some of your income？

    LH：是啊，少教些书是会让我有更多时间，不过我也担心收入就会减少。

    LL： I'm not very good at sticking to a budget. I always like to have
some wiggle room in my budget for extra expenses.

    LH：我知道，规定自己一个月花多少钱是很难遵守的，总有要额外买些东西
的时候。所以我总给自己留一些余地，免得到时候没有没办法。

    LL： Yeah ， I guess we can skip going out for ice cream for a while.

    LH：吃冰淇淋花得了多少钱！We have a lot of wiggle room for ice cream.

    今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是toast ，意思是失败，或是俗话说完蛋。
另一个是wiggle room ，意思是回旋或调整的余地。