李華和Larry一起去買自行車。今天我們要學兩個常用語：To keep an eye out for something和push one's luck.

LH: Larry，等你買了自行車，你就可以天天騎車上班，又鍛練身體又省汽油錢。

L: Yeah, I think biking will be a lot of fun. And when it rains or snows, I'll have the perfect excuse to take the day off from work.

LH: 這個嘛……我可沒說讓你以這個為理由偷懶不上班！

L: Well, Li Hua, you know I'm always keeping an eye out for a reason not to go to work.

LH: Keeping an eye out? 什么意思？

L: When you are looking for or expecting something, you can say that you are keeping an eye out for it.

LH: 哦，就是特別留意的意思。你是說，你總是特別想找些理由，好不去上班。

L: That's right!

LH: 以后我當了老板，肯定不雇你這種員工！你再舉個例子，行嗎？

L: Sure. When you're riding your bike on the road, it's important to keep an eye out for cars.

LH: 對，騎車的時候要特別留意周圍的交通狀況，小心汽車。哎，說到安全，你應該買個騎車時戴的頭盔。

L: Of course. When we get to the store, I'll keep an eye out for other things I might need too, like a bell and a light.

LH: 行。那我們去哪家店買呢？

L: I've been keeping an eye out for some good deals, and found a sale at a store near my house.

LH: 好吧，我們就去那兒。對了，Larry, 我聽過一種說法叫"keep an eye on something." 這和keep on eye out for something有區別嗎？

L: When you keep an eye on something , you pay close attention to it, usually because something negative has happened or will happen.

LH: 我明白了，keep an eye on something通常用在負面情況中。也就是說，因為怕某些不好的事情發生，所以緊盯著，特別注意著。

L: Yes. For example, one of the employees at my company has been coming to work late every day, so the boss is keeping an eye on him.

LH: 是嗎？你們公司有個人上班天天遲到，所以老板已經盯上他了。這個人不就是你嘛？

L: Of course not! I haven't bought my bike yet.

LH: 買了自行車你也不能這么干啊！對了，待會兒你要騎車回家么？這天好像要下雨了。

L: Well it's dangerous to ride a bike in the rain, so we'll have to keep an eye on the weather.

******

LH: Larry, 你這輛新車真好看，待會兒你就騎車回家吧！

L: I'm really excited to ride it. But unfortunately I don't think I can ride it today, because it will probably rain.

LH: 會么？沒準不會下的，你騎吧！

L: No, I would really hate riding in the cold rain. I'm not going to push my luck.

LH: Push your luck? 什么意思？

L: When you push your luck , you take a big risk in the hope that you will have good luck.

LH: 哦，就是抱著僥幸心里去冒險。你是說，你不想抱著天不下雨的僥幸心理去騎車。

L: Right! Here is another example. Even though everyone knows smoking will likely give them cancer, some people decide to push their luck and smoke anyway.

LH: 可不，抽煙的人都希望自己運氣好，不會因為抽煙而得肺癌。把自己的健康寄托在運氣上，我可不干這種事。

L: Speaking of risks, I should buy a helmet, too. What do you think of this one?

LH: 這個是不錯，可是太貴了，不值。

L: I guess I could just not buy a helmet and hope I don't get into an accident, but I don't want to push my luck.

LH: 對，要是真把腦袋撞傷了，可不是鬧著玩兒的。

L: Exactly. You know, Lihua, I really appreciate you helping me shop for this bike. I really owe you a favor.

LH: 啊，這樣吧，為了表示你對我的感激，給我買個數碼相機怎么樣？

L: Don't push your luck, Li Hua. I was planning to buy you lunch.

LH: 請吃午飯？那也行啊！去哪兒吃？

L: How about McDonalds? Remember that I took you there last weekend, too?

LH: Larry, don't push your luck. 上禮拜就騙我吃麥當勞，這個禮拜還吃？今天我一定要宰你一刀，吃牛排吧！

今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是keep an eye out for?something表示特別留意；另一是push one's luck,意思是抱著僥幸心理冒險。

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run of the mill 一般的

go-to guy 關鍵人物

sorehead 發怒的人

at loggerheads 爭端

（來源：流行美語 編輯：Rosy）