Lesson47

8. The More the Merrier
多多益善

BACKGROUND 背景

This is a conversation between a husband and wife.
这是一组夫妻之间的对话。


A: Hi, Bill. When did you get back?
嗨，比尔。你什么时候回来的？

B: About an hour ago. What’s new? Did anyone call for me while I was out?
回来有一个小时了。怎么样？我不在的时候有没有人打电话找我？

A: Yeah, someone named Johnson called this afternoon. He left word for you to call him. He’s at the Holiday Inn Hotel. You can get in touch with him there.
有一个叫约翰逊的下午打电话过来。他要你给他回电话。他住在假日酒店。你可以打那里的电话联系到他。

B: Oh,that’s my old friend from college, Dave Johnson. I knew he was coming to town. I didn’t expect him today, though. I must have got mixed up on the dates. What a great surprise!
哦，那是我的大学同窗好友戴维•约翰逊。我知道他要过来。不过没想到是今天。我一定是把日子搞混了。真是个天大的惊喜！

A: Should we ask him to our party tonight?
我们要不要请他来参加今晚的聚会？

B: I’d like to. But we’ve already invited twenty people. And the apartment is pretty small.
我是这么想。但是我们已经邀请了二十个人，房子又很小。

A: Don’t worry. We can always make room for one more. The more the merrier you know.
别担心。多一个还是不成问题的。人越多越开心嘛。

B: That’s true. And the other guests will like Dave. He’s very friendly, and he always has funny stories and jokes to tell.
没错。其他客人们也会喜欢戴维的。他很友善，而且总是逗大家笑。

A: Be sure to tell him not to dress up. It’s a casual party, you know.
告诉他不要穿得太隆重。你知道这是个非正式的聚会。

B: Okay. I’ll go pick Dave up. He doesn’t know this city. He might lose his way coming alone.
好的。我开车去接他。他不熟悉这个城市，一个人来可能会迷路的。

A: Okay, I’ll stay here and finish getting things ready for the party.
好吧，我留在这里准备聚会的事。

B: Sounds great. I’ll see you later then.
这样不错。一会见。

A: Okay. Bye!
好，再见！

额外成就感

leave word: leave a message 留言☆☆
* John had to go, but he left word that you should meet him at the hotel.
约翰走了，但他留言说你可以在酒店和他会面。
* I want to leave word with my secretary that I’ll be out for the afternoon.
我要给我的秘书留言，说我今天下午出去。
* Leave word for all the employees that there will be a two day vacation next week for the holiday.
给所有的员工留言，告诉他们下星期过节放两天假。

get in touch with someone: communicate with someone by phone, telegraph, mail, etc. 通过电话、信函等与某人联系☆☆☆☆
* I can’t talk with you now, but I’ll get in touch with you tonight by phone.
我现在不能跟你多谈，今晚会给你打电话。
* I haven’t been able to get in touch with my sister for a long time.
我已经好久没有跟我的姐姐联系上了。
* Get in touch with Jim and set up a meeting for next week.
联系一下吉姆，安排下星期开会。

get mixed up: become confused 搅乱；糊涂☆☆☆
* I always get mixed up with the twin’s names.
我总是把那对双胞胎的名字搞混。
* I thought I knew where I was going but I got mixed up.
我原以为知道去哪，但我弄混了。
* I speak English well, but get mixed up on exams.
我能说好英语，但考试却一塌糊涂。

make room for something, someone: allow space for; arrange space for腾出、让出空间☆☆☆
* Would you please to make some room for me to sit down?
你们给我腾出些地方来坐好吗？
* We need to make room for the new sofa.
我们要给新沙发腾出点地方来。
* I’m trying to make room for my family to visit.
我的家里人要来，我得腾出点地方来。

the more the merrier: large crow of people are more fun
人越多越好☆☆☆☆☆
* I invited a hundred people to the party tomorrow. The more the merrier I always say.
我为明天的聚会邀请了一百个人。我总是觉得人越多越好。
* A: I’m sorry, I can’t go to the picnic this weekend. My nephew is coming to visit me from Florida this week.
很抱歉，这个周末的野炊我去不了了。我侄子这星期从佛罗里达来看我。
B: Bring him with us if he doesn’t mind. The more the merrier.
如果他不介意的话就跟我们一起去。人越多越好嘛。


dress up: put on one’s best clothes 穿上最好的衣服；盛装☆☆☆
* When you dress up, you are more beautiful than a movie star.
你穿上好看的衣服，比电影明星还漂亮。
* There’s no need to dress up. The restaurant is very casual.
不用盛装打扮。那是个很随意的饭馆。
* I like to dress up for work every now and then.
我有时喜欢穿得整整齐齐地去上班。

lose one’s way: go in the wrong direction in trying to find a place and become lost 走错了方向、迷路☆☆☆
* I’m sorry to be late, but I lost my way.
对不起，我来晚了。我走错了方向。
* We lost our way to the theater and ended up missing the movie.
我们在去电影院的路上迷路了，结果误了电影。
* If you aren’t familiar with Beijing, it’s easy to lose your way.
如果你对北京不熟，会很容易迷路的。