本课您将学到：shape up(进展顺利),句型a piece of cake(小菜一碟)

　　第一次约会，是我们努力跨出孩子天地的第一次尝试，不管成功与否，都会令人难以忘怀。也许，读一个男孩子第一次约会的经历，会让我们回忆起自己的过去吧！

　　My first car was a baby blue(婴儿蓝) Chevy convertible(敞篷汽车). It was only three years old when I bought it, and I thought I was hot stuff, driving around with the top down, looking to see who was looking at me.

　　For a long time I'd had my eye on Karen. My shyness, though, had kept me from saying much more than "hi" to her. But owning that convertible seemed to give me courage, so I asked her to go to the drive-in(“免下车”剧场) with me. She said yes! It was my first date(约会).

　　When the big night arrived, I was nervous. Very! I ironed my shirt. Twice. I dressed carefully, checking and rechecking my wallet to make sure I had my money. Finally, I picked up(把……载上车) Karen and we headed for the drive-in.

　　The night was shaping up to be the perfect date. Karen wore a pale blue dress that almost matched(搭配) my car. Her blond hair blew in the wind as we wound(迂回而行) through the streets. I felt powerful. Confident(自信的). This dating stuff is a piece of cake.

　　Slowly the sky darkened and soon the movie began. Karen stretched out(伸长) her long legs and leaned(依靠) back in the seat to watch. I began to think that maybe, just maybe, I would reach over and take her hand.

　　【世博读书笔记】

　　我的第一辆车是辆淡蓝色的雪佛莱敞篷。我买这车时，它的车龄只有三年，(It was only three years old)所以我觉得自己很威风，(I thought I was hot stuff)放下车篷四处兜风，(driving around with the top down)看看谁在注视我。

　　这段中的hot stuff在口语中，指“了不起的人”。

　　很久以来，我一直暗恋着卡伦。(I'd had my eye on Karen)然而，我的羞怯使我除了“你好”之外没向她说过别的什么。(My shyness kept me from saying much more than "hi" to her)但是拥有敞篷车给了我勇气，所以我约她去“免下车”剧场。她同意了。这是我第一次约会。

　　have one's eye on意思是“看中，想要得到”。On的后面可以接人也可以接物，比如：Hitler had his eye on the Europe.希特勒想得到欧洲。

　　当那个重大的夜晚来临，我紧张，非常紧张。我熨了衬衫，两次。仔细打扮，查了又查自己的钱包，确保我带着钱。最后，我载上卡伦直奔剧场。(I picked up Karen and we headed for the drive-in)

　　那晚看来会是个完美的约会。(The night was shaping up to be the perfect date)卡伦穿着很配我车的灰蓝色裙子，当我们在街上行驶时她的金发随风飞扬。我觉得很威风、很自信。(I felt powerful. Confident)约会简直就是小菜一碟。(This dating stuff is a piece of cake)

　　这段中的shape up是口语中常用的短语，这里的意思是“进展良好”，比如：

　　The new recruits are shaping up nicely.

　　新兵招募工作进展顺利。

　　当这个短语用在人身上，也就是要求某人shape up，意思就是“好好表现”“好好工作”，比如老师经常会对淘气的孩子说：

　　If you don't shape up, I'll have to contact your parents.

　　如果你不好好表现，我就要通知你父母了。

　　如果老板对雇员说出了shape up，那大家可就要小心了，在美国，这个短语常用来警告别人离开某地或离开工作岗位，比如：

　　You'd better shape up if you want to stay on.

　　如果你还想留下来的话最好乖一点儿。

　　很快天黑了，电影开场了。(Slowly the sky darkened and soon the movie began)卡伦伸直她的长腿，(Karen stretched out her long legs)靠在椅背上看电影。(leaned back in the seat to watch)我开始想也许——只是也许——我可以伸手过去握住她的手。

　　【世博句型留言板】

　　今天我们来学习一个实用的句型，a piece of cake。

　　来看看下面的对话，在语境中理解a piece of cake的含义。

　　A:Did you take the driver's test?

　　你考了驾驶测验吗？

　　B:It was so simple a child could have passed it.

　　很简单，连小孩都可以通过。

　　A: Really? I had heard that it was hard.

　　真的？我听说很难考呢。

　　B:No, it was a snap.

　　不，那是件轻而易举的事。

　　所以，我们可以称这次考试简直是小菜一蝶，也就是This driving test is a piece of cake.

　　下面这个对话，能让我们对a piece of cake的用法有更全面的认识：

　　A:Jerry, are you taking economics this term?

　　杰瑞，你这学期修经济学吗？

　　B:Yes, I have Dr. Jones as my instructor.

　　是的，琼斯博士是我的指导老师。

　　A:How are his exams?

　　他的考试怎样？

　　B: They're a piece of cake.

　　都很简单。

　　看出来了吗？虽然考试exams是复数，但a piece of cake是固定表达，是不变的。

　　此外，做什么事很容易也可以说doing sth. is a piece of cake.看看下面两个喜欢吃中国才的老外的对话，大家就明白了：

　　A: Do you know how to use chopsticks?

　　你会用筷子吗？

　　B:It's a piece of cake.

　　那是很简单的事。

　　A: How in the world did you learn to use them?

　　你到底是怎么会用筷子的呢？

　　B: I was stationed Taiwan for five years, you know.

　　你知道，我曾在台湾驻军五年。

　　今天的节目里，我们学习了短语shape up(进展顺利),句型a piece of cake意思是“小菜一碟”。

　　下期，有更精彩的后续故事。

　　(To be continued…)

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