L：嗨，这儿好热闹啊！Michael，在爱尔兰酒吧里大家喝些什么呢？

M: People normally drink a large beer that is usually served warm.

L：我可从来没喝过热的啤酒，一大杯也喝不了，要一小杯行不行？

M: Well, you can order whatever you want, but I need to bum a couple of dollars, if you don't mind.

L：随便我要什么都行呀！那好，就来一小杯。对了，你刚才说要是我不在意的话，你想bum a couple of dollars, 那是什么意思啊？

M: What I mean is, can I borrow a couple of dollars from you.

L：原来你要问我借几块钱！

M: Yes. But don't use this word for big things. For example, you would not ask your friend, “Can I bum your car?”

L：噢，在问别人借大的，象汽车之类的东西时，不能用bum这个字，bum只能用在问人借小东西的时候。

M: Yeah, it's usually used when asking for something small, like a piece of gum or candy.

L：哟，你们美国人，怎么一片口香糖，一颗糖还要借啊？难道真的还要还吗？

M: No, small things you don't need to return, such as gum and candies.

L：这很重要，因为在这种情况下，我们中国人就不说借了，我们大概会说：给一颗糖吧。

M: You are right Li Hua. But if you feel cold at a friend's home and you asked to bum a sweater, then you would return it when you were going to leave.

L：对，要是在朋友家感到冷要借一件毛衣，那一般都应该还的。所以，这要看情况，对不对？

M: Yes, if you will let me bum a couple bucks tonight, I promise to pay you back tomorrow.

L：行，行，行，就借你两块钱，你问服务员要酒吧，我来付钱。可明天别忘了还我。

M: Okay. Two beers please!

L：我以前有一个朋友，每次跟她一起出去，不管去看电影，还是去喝咖啡，她总是问我借钱。

M: A girl I used to hang out with acted the same way. Whenever a group of us went out, she would always ask to bum money. It got to be a real turn-off.

L：你也碰到过这样的人哪？等等，a real turn-off? 这是什么意思呀？把什么东西关掉？

M: No, a turn-off is something that repels someone.

L：噢，是一个让人讨厌的什么东西。是不是指一个人的性格里有什么地方让你不喜欢他？

M: Yes, that's right. Let me give you an example. Your ex-boyfriend always smoked cigarettes around you, that was a real turn-off.

L：是啊，我以前的男朋友跟我在一起的时候老是抽烟，那真是讨厌。

M: A girl I once dated always interrupted me whenever I was talking. That was a real turn-off.

L：对，你告诉过我，你从前的女朋友老是打断你的话，让你很讨厌。我还有一个朋友把脏衣服在房间里到处乱扔，that was also a turn-off.

M: See, you've learned how to use turn-off. By the way, I also have dirty clothes lying around my apartment. Does that bother you?

L：哼，你也把脏衣服到处乱扔？你要是不打扫乾净的话，别想请我到你家去。

M: Ok, I'll try to clean it up.

　　今天李华从Michael那里学到了两个常用语，一个是：to bum，意思是借钱或其他东西；另一个是：a turn-off，意思是让人讨厌的地方。