Larry 和李華在談李華教中文的事。李華會(huì)學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)：dumb down 和
win-win.

    LL： So ， when you teach first year Chinese you must really have
to dumb down the material for the students.

    LH：什么？Dumb down ？這是什么意思呀？

    LL： Yeah. To dumb down is to take something difficult and make it
easy.

    LH：噢，To dumb down就是把難學(xué)的教材簡(jiǎn)化，讓學(xué)生容易學(xué)一點(diǎn)。是啊，
一年級(jí)的學(xué)生都剛開始學(xué)中文，我必須用簡(jiǎn)單一些的教材。Larry ，dumb就是笨
；down就是下降，dumb down 這說法是不是有貶義呀？

    LL： Well ， sometimes you dumb something down because it is really
hard， and in those cases ， to dumb down doesn't really have a negative
sense to it.

    LH：那倒是。把過分復(fù)雜的內(nèi)容簡(jiǎn)化一些是好的，所以在這種情況下，dumb
down確實(shí)不應(yīng)該屬于貶義。

    LL： Sometimes the person you are trying to teach isn't very smart
- and you have to dumb it down so they can begin to understand. In that
case， it does have a negative meaning.

    LH：這我太清楚了。有的學(xué)生就是教不會(huì)，腦子不太聰明，遇到這種情況你
也只好一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)教，從最簡(jiǎn)單的開始。

    LL： Of course - and at work， when I explain the software to people
who have never used it， I generally dumb down my instructions so they
don't get confused.

    LH：那我跟你辦公室的同事差不多。你要教我用新的電腦軟件，你非得講得
簡(jiǎn)單易懂，否則我會(huì)糊涂的。就像我教那些腦子不太快的學(xué)生一樣。

    LL： So ， you don't have to dumb it down for those bright students？

    LH：教聰敏的學(xué)生當(dāng)然就不需要dumb down 我的教材咯！有的學(xué)生可真聰敏，
一教就會(huì)，而且還不需要我每次重復(fù)。

    LL： That is amazing！ If you didn't have to dumb it down ， you must
be a really good teacher.

    LH：那還用說呀！當(dāng)然是教導(dǎo)有方了，嚴(yán)師出高徒嘛。 Larry，我想請(qǐng)你幫
個(gè)忙，不知道你能不能教我使用剛買的繪畫軟件。

    LL： Sure ， Li Hua ， I'd be happy to.

    LH：我剛才說了，我對(duì)電腦不太精通。你可要用簡(jiǎn)單的詞匯來講解 - You are
really going to have to dumb it down for me ！

    ******

    LL： Hey， Li Hua. Speaking of teaching Chinese ， I've got a proposal
for you - and I think it is a real win-win situation.

    LH：我知道，win-win situation 就是雙贏。也就是對(duì)雙方都有好處。Win
就是贏或輸?shù)内A。對(duì)了，Larry ，你要給我提什么建議呀？

    LL： Oh ， I met someone who studied Chinese years ago and wants to
practice their Chinese. I thought you would be a perfect choice to help
her out.

    LH：你認(rèn)識(shí)的這個(gè)人以前學(xué)過中文，現(xiàn)在想練習(xí)中文，我當(dāng)然可以幫助她了。
不過，如果只是我?guī)椭���，這好像并不是雙贏的局面呦。

    LL： Well ， she is an editor for a magazine， and I thought she could
help you by editing your dissertation - and you could help her practice
her Chinese. It's a win-win situation for both of you.

    LH：原來如此，她是一個(gè)雜志的編輯，可以幫我修改博士論文。這樣，我?guī)?br /> 她練習(xí)中文，她幫我改論文，這真是一個(gè)win-win situation.謝謝你，Larry ，
你知道花錢請(qǐng)人修改論文是很貴的。

    LL： As can hiring a Chinese tutor. I am sure my friend will think
it's win-win as well.

    LH：當(dāng)然，請(qǐng)人輔導(dǎo)中文也不便宜。你把她的電話給我，我和她聯(lián)系一下。
Larry ，我也有一個(gè)雙贏的建議給你。

    LL： Okay ， just what is your win-win proposition？

    LH：我剛才不是請(qǐng)你教我使用剛買的繪畫軟件嗎？這個(gè)周末給你做頓中國(guó)飯
怎么樣？

    LL： Well ， I like the idea！ You are a great cook and I'm happy
to buy the food ， and you'll learn how to use the software. A perfect
win-win partnership ！

    LH：你也是個(gè)很棒的雙贏夥伴�？墒�，Larry ，吃完飯后別忘了洗碗。

    LL： Me do the dishes ， too？ That seems a little less win-win to
me！

    LH：But it's a win-win to me！

    今天李華學(xué)到了兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)。一個(gè)是dumb down ，意思是把教材、講解等簡(jiǎn)
化，讓學(xué)的人更容易懂。還有一個(gè)常用語(yǔ)是win-win ，意思是雙贏。