【大紀元2010年12月01日訊】李華和Larry在看世界盃足球賽，美國隊和阿爾及利亞隊。我們要學兩個常用語：on the edge of your seat和down to the wire.
LH: Larry，今天這場比賽可很重要！美國要是贏了，就進16強，要是輸了就得回家了。
L: I know! Who do you think will win? The U.S. or Algeria?
LH: 這可說不好。
L: I agree, it’s hard to predict who will win. All I know is that I’m going to be on the edge of my seat the whole game.
LH: 甚麼？你要坐在椅子邊兒上看比賽？這樣坐著你一會兒就得累。
L: Actually, when you are really excited or nervous about something, you can say that you are on the edge of your seat.
LH: 哦，on the edge of your seat不是真的坐在椅子的邊兒上，而是形容緊張的樣子。你是說，這場比賽讓你感到特別緊張、興奮，簡直坐也不是站也不是。
L: Right! Or for another example, my friend Eddie loved the new Jack Nicholson suspense movie. He said it kept him on the edge of his seat for two hours.
LH: 對！懸疑電影總是讓人的心提在嗓子眼，緊張得不行！哎，Larry, 你不是說你在網上買了一件美國隊的球衣麼？寄來了沒有？
L: I’ve been waiting on the edge of my seat all week for it to come, but it hasn’t arrived yet. I hope it didn’t get lost in the mail.
LH: 別急，沒準今天球衣就到了。你看別的世界盃比賽了嗎？
L: Yeah a few, but for me, none can keep me on the edge of my seat like a U.S. match does.
LH: 這倒是！不過，足球比賽太緊張了！要不我們還是看「美國偶像」吧，輕鬆一下。
L: No way! I’m always sitting on the edge of my seat whenever they announce the winner of American Idol.
LH: 你怎麼看甚麼都這麼激動！對了，我還真沒看出來，你也是美國偶像的粉絲啊！
L: Well you never know when you might learn something surprising about me, Lihua.
LH: 哈哈，那以後和你說話時我該緊張了，I’ll be on the edge of my seat when I talk to you!
******
美國對阿爾及利亞的比賽結束了，Larry和李華在談論這場比賽。
LH: 真夠懸的！雙方一直是0比0，我還以為美國隊要被淘汰了呢！誰知美國隊居然在最後三分種裡進了個球，這下就挺進16強啦！
L: I know! That was so amazing! If I watch a few more games like that, I’m going to have a heart attack!
LH: 心臟病？不至於吧！不過，這場比賽最後幾分鐘確實挺刺激的。
L: You’re right. That game really came down to the wire.
LH: Down to the wire? 這是甚麼意思？
L: When something comes down to the wire, that means there isn’t much time left.
LH: 哦，down to the wire就是指到了最後關頭。 你是說這場比賽在快結束的時候居然難分勝負。
L: Right. Here’s another example. My big report for work is due tomorrow and I still have a lot of work to do, so it’s really coming down to the wire today.
LH: 你是說，明天有報告要交，可你還沒怎麼寫呢，所以今天是你完成報告的最後關頭了！哎？既然要寫報告，幹嘛還看世界盃？
L: I’ll just say that I know what’s important in life. Say, how is your summer job search going?
LH: 還在找呢。我已經快沒錢了，如果再找不到工作，我連房租也交不出來了。
L: Gosh, it sounds like it’s really coming down to the wire. Have you had any success?
LH: 倒是有一份工作，我已經進入最後一輪面試了，公司說今天下午打電話通知我結果。
L: Wow, it sounds like it’s coming down to the wire. You must really be on the edge of your seat.
LH: 是啊，已經快5點了，還沒來電話，我都要急死了！
今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是on the edge of your seat, 表示緊張興奮。另一是down to the wire, 意思是到最後關頭。
