今天Larry 和李華要到朋友Bob 家里，Bob 因為要搬家，所以把他的立體音
響賣給Larry.今天李華會學到兩個常用語：dibs和shotgun.

    LL： I'm really glad that Bob gave me first dibs on his stereo. He
knows I've always admired it， but I couldn't afford to buy a new one
just like it. LH：我知道你一直很喜歡Bob 的立體音響，可是又買不起全新的。

    現(xiàn)在他要賣給你，怪不得你那么興奮。哎，可是你說Bob 給了你first dibs，
那是什么意思？是不是說Bob 第一個先賣給你？

    LL： Something like that. To have first dibs on something is to have
the opportunity to decide if you want it before anyone else. LH ：所以
我真猜對了。First dibs就是有優(yōu)先的機會來決定是不是要買。Bob 讓你優(yōu)先決
定是否要買他的音響設備，也就是給了你first dibs.

    LL： Exactly. For example ： I know that you like my car， so if I
ever decided to sell it ， I would give you first dibs. LH：真的嗎？我
可以有優(yōu)先買你車子的權利？Larry 你真好！這樣吧，我記得你愛吃我做的蛋糕，
下回我再做的時候，你可以優(yōu)先享用，you'll get first dibs on it.

    LL： I like the sound of that. While we're on the subject ， "dibs"
has another use ， too. If I say I have dibs on the last piece of cake，
then that means that I claim it for myself. LH：噢！Dibs還可以用來表示
某種要求或權利。好，那我先說了，這塊糖是我的。I have dibs on this candy
bar.

    LL： Hey， that's the last one！ We won't be able to get lunch until
after we bring the stereo back to my apartment. Can't you share it with
me？

    LH：嘿！我已經說了，I have dibs on it.這塊糖就是我的。

    LL： That's not very generous. You know I would share it with you.
LH：好啦！好啦！我是開玩笑的。你可以和我一起分這塊糖。

    LL： Thank you. You can have first dibs on the next candy bar you
find. LH：對了，Bob 還有那么多東西要賣。他有沒有也讓你優(yōu)先決定呢？

    LL： He gave me first dibs on some of his furniture ， too， but I
don't really need anything right now. Well， we're here. Let's go get
my new stereo.

    ******

    LL： I'm sorry， Li Hua ， but you don't get to ride shotgun on the
way home. I need you to sit in back and hold the stereo. LH ：你要我坐
在后座抱住你的音響��？可以啊！可是你怎么說我不能坐shotgun ？我本來就沒
想拿槍呀！

    LL： You don't get to ride shotgun means that you can't sit in the
front passenger seat. The front passenger seat is often referred to as
"shotgun." LH ：原來shotgun 就是指前面駕駛座旁的座位啊？好奇怪！為什么
要用“槍”來形容一個座位呢？

    LL： Have you ever seen an old Western movie about cowboys and Indians？

    LH：西部電影，我當然看過�。≈皇俏矣X得西部電影都挺暴力的，我不是很
喜歡。

    LL： In the old days， it wasn't very safe， so there was often a
person who sat next to the driver of the horse-drawn carriage. This person
carried a shotgun to protect the carriage. LH ：原來如此。過去由于不安
全，所以為了保護馬車的安全，坐在馬車前排的人手上都拿著槍。前排那個座位
就被稱為shotgun.真有意思！

    LL： Exactly. Do you mind if you can't ride shotgun on the way home？

    LH：沒問題！我可以坐在后面保護你的音響。反正我經常坐在前座，偶爾換
換坐后面，也沒關系！

    LL： Thanks ， Li Hua. From now on， you always have first dibs on
shotgun ， no matter who else is riding with us. LH ： Larry！你說了就
得算數(shù)喲！以后不管跟誰一起坐車，我都可以有優(yōu)先權坐在前座。太好了！Larry
，我們可不可以去吃午飯？那半塊糖根本不夠，我好餓噢！

    LL： I agree. Let's go.