李华和Larry 正在讨论是不是要去听有关中国历史的演讲。今天李华会学到
两个常用语：big shot和bent out of shape.

    （Ambience sound in the Hallway ）

    LL： Hey Li Hua ！ Are you going to the guest lecture this evening？

    Some big shot Harvard professor is going to speak tonight. LH ：你
说今天晚上来演讲的教授是什么？big shot？什么是big shot？

    LL： I said he is a big shot. A big shot is an important or influential
person. LH：噢！Big shot是指一个很重要，很有影响力的人。那不就是我们中
文里说的“大人物”嘛！哎！哈佛大学的教授就是大人物，big shot呀？

    LL： Actually ， this guy is a big shot because he's an American who
lived in China for thirty years after the revolution， and got to know
some of the leaders of China personally. LH ：哟，他在中国住了30年，还
认识一些中国的领导人。听起来倒挺象大人物的。那他为什么要到我们学校来呢？

    LL： Well ， the president of our university and some other big shots
from the city government are good friends of his. They invited him to
come here and give a lecture. LH：原来他和我们校长还有市政府的官员都是
好朋友。嗯，我很想去听听他的演讲。对了，Larry ，你听说Jack找到一份新工
作吗？

    LL： Oh yeah， I heard that he's working for a big shot lawyer now.
I'm really happy to see him doing so well after graduation. LH：我希望
那家大律师事务所能好好待他。有时候，为这些大人物工作，未必是件好差事。

    LL： Yeah ， I guess so. Still， it's better to work for a big shot
lawyer than to be a waiter at a coffee house. A lot of us history majors
end up doing jobs like that after graduation. LH：话是不错，给大律师工
作总比在咖啡馆当服务员好。可是，历史专业的毕业生也不见得都到餐馆去当服
务员。我将来就要争取成为一个有名的教授， a big shot professor ！

    LL： That's good to hear. Just be sure you don't forget about me after
you become a big shot ！

    ******

    LH：嘿！Larry ，昨晚我去听演讲，怎么没看见你呢？那位教授讲得很有意
思！

    LL： Well ， that's good to hear. I couldn't make it because some
idiot crashed his car into mine last night on the way over here. I'm still
pretty bent out of shape about it.

    LH：什么！你昨晚出车祸啦？Bent out of shape ？你是不是受伤了？

    LL： I'm fine ！（chuckles） I said I am bent out of shape. That means
I am very angry and upset about the accident last night ， even though
it wasn't very serious.

    LH：噢！原来你是为了车子被撞而生气。Bent out of shape 就是生气，发
火的意思。嗨，没受伤就好，车子坏了有保险公司，别生气啦？

    LL： But I'm bent out of shape because the other guy was really rude.
I had the right of way at a stop sign ， but he drove through the intersection
first and bumped into my car. Then he started yelling at me for not letting
him go first！

    LH：哼，他不守交通规则，抢先过了马路撞上你的车，还对你大声嚷嚷？怪
不得你要气坏了呢！

    LL：（Angry ） That guy is an idiot ！ Otherwise， I wouldn't get
so bent out of shape. Let's talk about something else. What about the
lecture ？

    LH：对！别谈这事了。昨晚那个演讲我觉得很有意思，不过，在那位教授讲
完要离开会场的时候，有一群学生对他大吼大叫，好像是不同意他的某个观点。

    LL： Did the guy get all bent out of shape about it ？

    LH：没有耶，那位教授没生气，也没有理会那些学生。后来大家都离开会场
了。

    LL： Well ， that's good. If someone gets bent out of shape about
different opinions， it usually means he's narrow-minded.

    LH：所以，Larry ，尽管撞你车的人不讲道理，你也不要小心眼，为这事生
气。