Larry 和李华打算乘火车去Larry 家玩。Larry 家住在纽约郊区。 Larry和
李华还打算去纽约市旅游。李华会学到两个常用语：do the math 和know the drill.

    LL： Okay ， Li Hua ， I don't know how we are going to do the sightseeing
and also spend time with my family. I mean， you do the math - how is
it going to work？

    LH： Do the math？这很好算嘛。我们有四天时间，24小时乘以4 等于96个
小时 .我们总共有96个小时。

    LL： Oh ， Li Hua ， I guess I didn't mean for you to actually do
the math. When I said "you do the math，" I meant something like "you
think about it."

    LH：原来你说"do the math" ，意思是考虑一下，不是真的要我算。Larry ，
是你请我到你家去，还要到纽约玩，你应该考虑呀 - You should do the math.
另外，去纽约玩要花多少钱呢？我这个当老师的可没有很多钱啊。

    LL： Don't worry， Li Hua. I've done the math. We'll save a lot of
money by staying at my parent's house. Plus they will feed us.

    LH：能住在你父母家就太好了，可以省很多钱。 Larry，你知道我是穷学生，
凡事都要精打细算才行。I have to do the math all the time.

    LL： You know that is very smart. My younger brother could really
have learned something from you.

    LH：你弟弟向我学习？我有什么好学的呢？

    LL： Well ， when he moved out and got his first job， he really didn't
do the math. He ended up needing help from my parents ， because he wasn't
making enough money.

    LH：你弟弟真傻，第一次拿到工资就觉得自己很有钱，要搬出去住。他肯定
没想到房租那么贵。你弟弟现在怎么样了？

    LL： Yes， he is now making very good money waiting tables at a restaurant.

    LH：我也听说餐馆服务员收入不少。

    LL： In one hour he might wait on ten tables. If each table tips him
between five and ten dollars.Well ， you do the math.

    LH：每小时服务十桌客人，每桌客人给5 块或是10块美元的小费。哟，你弟
弟一个小时就能挣50到100 美元。看来，我也改行作服务员算了。

    LL： No ， Li Hua. You are definitely meant to be a teacher. He's
making what seems like a lot now， but in the long term - if you do the
math - I think you'll be doing better in the end.

    LH：从长远来看，我以后会挣得比你弟弟多？但愿如此。

    ******

    LL： Okay ， Li Hua ， we're now at the subway station. You know the
drill. Have your ticket ready ……

    LH：地铁票？我有呀。 Larry，你刚才说： You know the drill ，这是什
么意思啊？ Drill不是一种工具吗？

    LL： Well ， a drill is a tool.But a drill can also be a routine.
Knowing the drill is knowing a routine - it is knowing how things are
done.

    LH：噢，to know the drill 就是知道一件事该怎么作。我当然知道怎么坐
纽约地铁了。先要买票，然后把票放进自动检票机，否则就进不去。对吗？

    LL： That's good. But do you know the drill when it comes to taking
a taxi in the city？ We have to do that next.

    LH：什么？我们下了地铁还要打的？我可没有在纽约打过的，我是随时拦车
呢，还是要到指定的街口等呀？ I really don't know the drill.

    LL： That's OK， Li Hua. I'll teach you what you need to do - then
you'll know the drill.

    LH：我是得学学。我在纽约人生地不熟的。没有你，我一定很紧张。

    LL： Yeah ， it can be very disconcerting when you are in an unfamiliar
place and don't know the drill.

    LH：是呀，在不熟悉的地方有时心里是很不安。我刚来的时候不知道怎么乘
公共汽车，有一次差点走丢了。

    LL： But now you are an expert. No one would say you don't know the
drill now ！

    LH：当然了，不过我也不是什么都知道，还要向你多多请教。Larry ，我们
这是去哪里呀？

    LL： Oh ， the usual places in New York City. You know the drill：
go see the Statue of Liberty， go see a play on Broadway， and then go
eat in Chinatown.

    LH：对，到纽约来玩的人都是去这几个地方， I know the drill.先去自由
女神像，然后接着去百老汇看戏，然后去唐人街吃饭。

    LL： I'm glad you are excited about eating in Chinatown. Because when
it comes to ordering in Chinese ， I really don't know the drill.

    LH：这你放心，Larry.你不会点菜，我来点。 I know the drill .

    今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是do the math ，意思是考虑、算计一下。
另一个是know the drill，也就是说知道怎么作某件事情。