李華和Larry 正在看世界杯足球賽。今天我們要學兩個常用語：a long shot
和to catch a break

    LH： Larry，世界杯終于開始了！你覺得誰會得冠軍？美國隊有戲沒有？

    Larry ： I don't think so ， Lihua. The U.S. usually doesn't have
one of the best teams.

    LH：哎，你怎么這么沒信心？美國隊雖然不是奪冠熱門，但也是有機會的啊！

    L ： Well I guess it's possible ， but the U.S. is definitely a long
shot.

    LH： A long shot？這是什么意思？

    L ： You can say that something is a long shot when it isn't very
likely.

    LH：哦，a long shot 就是可能性很低的事情。你覺得雖然從理論上說，美
國對和其它所有球隊一樣，都有奪冠的機會，但真論起實力來，美國隊拿冠軍的
可能性就很低了。

    L ： Right！ Here's another example. Carolyn's dream has always been
to move to Hollywood and become a famous movie star ， but that's definitely
a long shot.

    LH：沒錯，當電影明星可沒那么容易。所以Larry ，你以前踢過足球么？

    L ： Sure ， lots of Americans play soccer when they are kids. I dreamed
of becoming a professional player ， but I always knew that was a long
shot.

    LH：你說得沒錯，咱們可不能給人生設置一堆不現實的目標！話說回來，Larry，
你覺得到底誰能捧走今年的大力神杯呢？

    L ： Well ， Brazil always has a really talented team. I'm sure that
they have a good shot this year.

    LH： a good shot？這是不是和a long shot 相反，表示“很有可能的事情”？

    L ： Exactly. For another example ， I could say that my friend Edmund
has been doing really well at his job lately， so he has a good shot at
getting promotion soon.

    LH：真的？你覺得他很可能會升職？能升多高？會不會成為公司副總？

    L ： No ， I don't think he will get that good of a promotion. Vice
president is definitely a long shot.

    LH：原來如此。 Larry，我們還是好好看球吧。對了，美國第一場和誰踢啊？

    L ： Our first game is against England， who are supposed to be very
good.

    LH：英國可是強隊！美國隊要踢贏英國隊恐怕也是a long shot 嘍！

    L ： Well ， we will have to watch and find out ！

    ******

    LH： Larry，這場比賽踢得真棒！雙方最后1 比1 平！

    L ： Yeah ， this is a really close game. But you know， the U.S.
is pretty lucky that they're not losing.

    LH：沒錯。美國本來0 比1 落后，可是英國大門失誤，讓美國隊逮著機會，
攻進一球。

    L ： Yeah ， the American team definitely caught a break with that
goal.

    LH： The US team caught a break ？這是什么意思？

    L ： When something lucky happens for you ， you can say that you
caught a break.

    LH：哦，to catch a break就是交了好運氣，撿了便宜！英國守門員犯了個
低級錯誤，給美國隊送分，所以美國隊真是幸運！

    L ： Right. For another example ， I could say that my friend Carolyn
has been having a hard time becoming an actress in Hollywood， and is
waiting to catch a break.

    LH：我明白了，Carolyn 想當明星，可一直紅不起來，不過她沒有放棄，還
在等待交好運的那一天。

    L ： You got it. So Lihua ， do you want to watch the USA game against
Slovenia with me on Friday？

    LH： Larry，星期五我要上班啊！我可不能專門請一整天假陪你看球。我老
板會瘋掉的！

    L ： Hmm…… good point. Well maybe we will catch a break and your
boss will be sick that day.

    LH：咒我老板生病？你可夠壞的。對了，難道你真打算每天看世界杯么？你
不用上班啦？

    L ： Well I was trying to figure out that problem too. But then I
caught a break when it turned out my boss loves soccer， and brought a
TV into our office.

    LH：你老板也是球迷，所以把電視搬進辦公室，讓大家一起看比賽？！哇，
太讓人羨慕了。那禮拜五美國對斯洛文尼亞那場比賽，你覺得美國會贏么？

    L ： Yeah the U.S. is a better team. But you never know ， Slovenia
might catch a break and win the match.

    LH：說得對，美國今天踢平英國不就是因為catch a break - 交了好運么？

    L ： Yeah ， that's a pretty good result for the U.S. ， given that
they were a long shot to win.

    LH：那就希望美國隊的運氣能一直好下去嘍！

    今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是 a long shot，表示可能性很低的事情。
另一個是to catch a break，意思是交了好運。