【大紀元7月23日訊】今天Larry和李華要到朋友Bob家裏，Bob因為要搬家，所以把他的立體音響賣給Larry。今天李華會學到兩個常用語：dibs和shotgun.

LL: I’m really glad that Bob gave me first dibs on his stereo. He knows I’ve always admired it, but I couldn’t afford to buy a new one just like it.

LH: 我知道你一直很喜歡Bob的立體音響，可是又買不起全新的。現在他要賣給你，怪不得你那麼興奮。哎，可是你說Bob給了你first dibs, 那是甚麼意思？是不是說Bob第一個先賣給你？

LL: Something like that. To have first dibs on something is to have the opportunity to decide if you want it before anyone else.

LH: 所以我真猜對了。First dibs就是有優先的機會來決定是不是要買。Bob讓你優先決定是否要買他的音響設備，也就是給了你first dibs.

LL: Exactly. For example: I know that you like my car, so if I ever decided to sell it, I would give you first dibs.

LH: 真的嗎？我可以有優先買你車子的權利？Larry你真好！這樣吧，我記得你愛吃我做的蛋糕，下回我再做的時候，你可以優先享用，you’ll get first dibs on it.

LL: I like the sound of that. While we’re on the subject, 「dibs」 has another use, too. If I say I have dibs on the last piece of cake, then that means that I claim it for myself.

LH: 噢！Dibs還可以用來表示某種要求或權利。好，那我先說了，這塊糖是我的。I have dibs on this candy bar.

LL: Hey, that’s the last one! We won’t be able to get lunch until after we bring the stereo back to my apartment. Can’t you share it with me?

LH: 嘿！我已經說了，I have dibs on it. 這塊糖就是我的。

LL: That’s not very generous. You know I would share it with you.

LH: 好啦！好啦！我是開玩笑的。你可以和我一起分這塊糖。

LL: Thank you. You can have first dibs on the next candy bar you find.

LH: 對了，Bob還有那麼多東西要賣。他有沒有也讓你優先決定呢？

LL: He gave me first dibs on some of his furniture, too, but I don’t really need anything right now. Well, we’re here. Let’s go get my new stereo.

*****

LL: I’m sorry, Li Hua, but you don’t get to ride shotgun on the way home. I need you to sit in back and hold the stereo.

LH: 你要我坐在後座抱住你的音響啊？可以啊！可是你怎麼說我不能坐shotgun？我本來就沒想拿槍呀！

LL: You don’t get to ride shotgun means that you can’t sit in the front passenger seat. The front passenger seat is often referred to as 「shotgun.」

LH: 原來shotgun就是指前面駕駛座旁的座位啊？好奇怪！為甚麼要用「槍」來形容一個座位呢？

LL: Have you ever seen an old Western movie about cowboys and Indians?

LH: 西部電影，我當然看過啊！只是我覺得西部電影都挺暴力的，我不是很喜歡。

LL: In the old days, it wasn’t very safe, so there was often a person who sat next to the driver of the horse-drawn carriage. This person carried a shotgun to protect the carriage.

LH: 原來如此。過去由於不安全，所以為了保護馬車的安全，坐在馬車前排的人手上都拿著槍。前排那個座位就被稱為shotgun. 真有意思！

LL: Exactly. Do you mind if you can’t ride shotgun on the way home?

LH: 沒問題！我可以坐在後面保護你的音響。反正我經常坐在前座，偶爾換換坐後面，也沒關係！

LL: Thanks, Li Hua. From now on, you always have first dibs on shotgun, no matter who else is riding with us.

LH: Larry！你說了就得算數喲！以後不管跟誰一起坐車，我都可以有優先權坐在前座。太好了！Larry，我們可不可以去吃午飯？那半塊糖根本不夠，我好餓噢！

LL: I agree. Let’s go.

今天李華學到兩個常用語。一個是: first dibs, 就是有優先權。另一個常用語是shotgun. 這是指汽車駕駛座旁的那個座位。(//www.dajiyuan.com)