Helping the Homeless
　　Girl 1: Hi.
　　Whittaker: Hi, thanks for coming.
　　Girl 2: Hey, what's this all about, Whit?
　　Girl 3: I've been on pins and needles1 ever since church.
　　Whittaker: Ooo-hoo, well, I figured2 a little suspense3 might increase your interest. Whet your appetite4, so to speak5.
　　Girl 1: We're /having/ lunch?
　　Whittaker: No, and there are a lot of other people who won't today either.
　　Girl: 2: Huh?
　　Whittaker: You know how the pastor's6 been preaching7 about love and compassion8 over the last couple of Sundays?
　　Girls: Yeah?
　　Whittaker: Well, the elders decided that we need to extend9 that compassion to the homeless in our area. You know - those who don't have food or shelter. Now they've come up with10 an idea to make next week 'Compassion Week'-seven days of programs to help those in need11. I figured the young people of the church should, well, have a chance to help out12 too.
　　Girl 3: Help out?
　　Whittaker: Well, because of your particular talents, I thought the three of you might come up with an idea to help raise money, clothing or food for the homeless. What do you think?
　　Girl 1: Why not? I'll help.
　　Girl 2: Yeah, me too.
　　Girl 3: Me three.
　　Whittaker: Good. I knew I could count on13 you.
　　注释：
　　1.on pins and needles:如坐针毡
　　用法：I was on pins and needles until I knew my marks.
　　在知道成绩之前我如坐针毡。
　　2.figure:认为
　　用法：I figure Victor's job as an English teacher is a lot of fun for most people would rather stand up and yell than to sit still and listen.
　　我想Victor做英语教师一定乐趣无穷，因为在课上大家站起来踊跃发言而不是光坐在那儿安安静静地听讲。
　　3.suspense:悬念
　　用法：A good thriller is a story that keeps you in suspense until the last chapter.
　　一部好的恐怖小说能让读者自始至终充满悬念。
　　4.whet sb's appetite:调起某人的胃口，引起某人的兴趣
　　用法：He whetted her appetite to stay in the company by supplying high salary.他通过给高薪使她乐意继续留在公司干。
　　5.so to speak:可以说
　　用法：He is satisfied with his family, work and life, so he has, so to speak, nothing to repent of.
　　他对他的家庭、工作和生活都很满意，所以，可以说他没有什么可后悔的。
　　6.pastor: (基督教中主管一个教堂的)牧师
　　7.preach:传道，宣传(思想)，鼓吹，反复灌输
　　用法：Buddha continued to preach until the age of eighty, spreading the philosophy that man has the power to shape his own destiny.
　　佛祖直到80岁还在传道，传播人有力量自己决定自己的命运这一思想。
　　8.compassion:同情
　　用法：My mother could not helpshavingscompassion for the poor.
　　我妈对穷人总是情不自禁地充满了同情。
　　9.extend:给予
　　用法：The rich father extended a diamond ring to his daughter on her birthday.
　　女儿生日那天，那个有钱的爸爸给了她一枚钻戒。
　　10.come up with:提出
　　用法：He has come up with a plan that can easily get the supervisor's approval.
　　他提出了一个很容易就可以得到主管同意的计划。
　　11.in need:在危难中，需要帮助的
　　用法：A friend in need is a friend indeed.
　　患难见真情。
　　12.help out:帮助(某人)解决困难
　　用法：He paused and she saw he did not mean to help her out.
　　他停下来，她看他就没打算帮她的意思。
　　13.count on:依靠
　　用法: The poor widow counted on the government relief to make a living.
　　那个可怜的寡妇依靠政府的救济过活。
　
　　Long Conversations (长对话)
　　Conversations: (Find a partner and practice these dialogues.)
　　A:
　　Laura: Sorry, Victor!
　　Victor: Laura! "Sorry" doesn't cut1 it! You were supposed to meet me right here - forty minutes ago! You're late, as usual!
　　Laura: Now! Now! What's a few minutes between friends?
　　Victor: You don't get it!
　　Laura: (Reading a note on the bulletin board) Oh, look! I must check them out!
　　Victor: Hold it! We had a date2!
　　Laura: Come with me?
　　Victor: No way! I hate shopping with you. You try on every dress, and it drives me crazy!
　　Laura: Well, it'll only take a sec3. Just a tiny peek4 at the new fashions. Aren't you coming in?
　　Victor: No, thank you. I'll wait outside.
　　B:
　　Laura: I, Victor! I'm finished. Okay. I'm ready to go on our date.
　　Victor: It's too late to catch the movie.
　　Laura: Give me another chance. Please!
　　Victor: Well, okay. I'll pick you up5 at 8 p.m. sharp6. We'll go dancing.
　　C:
　　Laura:Aha! 8 o'clock! Made it. Ready. This outfit7 should make up8 for all the times I was late. Hmmph! Now Victor's five minutes late. Who does he think he is, keeping me waiting? I went to a lot of trouble to look awesome9! Twenty-five minutes already! Boy! I'm hot!…Wait! I get it. Victor is trying to teach me a lesson…trying to give me a taste of my own medicine10. Nine o'clock and he's still not here. I believe he actually stood me up!11If he is not coming, I'll settle in12 for the evening and changesintossomething comfortable.(A knock at the door).
　　Victor:Laura! Ready?
　　Laura:Victor! Err…
　　Victor:I was caught in a terrible traffic jam and didn't move an inch for two hours. Boy! Even though I'm late, you're still not ready!
　　注解：
　　1.cut it: to be able to deal with a problem satisfactorily令人满意地处理问题
　　用法：(1)If she can't cut it, then we'll get someone else to do the job.
　　如果她不能令人满意地做好这份工作，我们会找别人来做。
　　(2)"Sorry" doesn't cut it!意为：光抱歉有什么用！
　　2.date: meeting or appointment和…约好了的时间，(男女间的)约会
　　go on a date with somebody和某人约会
　　用法：We made a date to go to the opera this evening.
　　我们今晚约好了去看歌剧。
　　3.sec.: second, "秒"的缩写形式
　　4.peek: have a glance look quickly and secretly一瞥,匆忙看过,偷看
　　用法：(1)peek at somebody's diary偷看别人的日记；
　　(2)peek at others' privacy偷看别人的隐私
　　5.pick…up: (顺便)接
　　用法：I will pick you up after work right at the company gate.
　　下班后我在公司大门口接你。
　　6.sharp:整,正好
　　用法：How about meeting at 4:00 p.m. sharp?
　　下午4点整见面怎麽样？
　　7.outfit: a set of clothes衣服
　　用法：(1)She looks great with the wedding outfit.
　　她穿上婚纱，看上去棒极了。
　　(2)She bought a new outfit for the awarding ceremony.
　　她为参加颁奖典礼买了一套新衣服。
　　8.make up: compensate for弥补
　　用法：Sometimes the crimes which have been committed can not be made up.
　　有时候，犯过的罪无法弥补。
　　9.awesome: causing admiration or fear令人敬畏的,可怕的；这里是口语用法，表示wonderful or better than average极好的、比一般的要好
　　用法：My girlfriend thought my new car was really awesome.
　　我的女友觉得我的新车棒极了。
　　10.a taste of one's own medicine:以其人之道还治其人之身
　　用法：Maria gave Peter a taste of his own medicine by not returning the money back。
　　作为报复，Maria没有还给Peter借给她的钱。
　　11 stand somebody up: to fail to keep an appointment with爽约，相当于现代汉语口语中的"晾了某人"，"晒了某人"，"放鸽子"等。
　　用法：If you continue standing your boyfriend up, he will get annoyed.
　　如果你还放你男朋友的鸽子，他会翻脸的。
　　12 settle in：to stop activity to rest or sleep停止某一活动去休息或睡觉
　　用法：I will settle in for the evening if there is no work.
　　如果没有更多的工作要做那今晚我就准备休息了。
　　Exercise: Turn the three mini-dialogues/into/ONE descriptive narrative. Use only indirect speech.