李华正在帮Larry为面试做准备。今天我们要学两个常用语：shot in the arm和off the cuff。

LH: Larry, 明天早上求职面试，你现在心里是不是特别激动？

LL: Actually, I'm pretty nervous about this job interview. I really want to work at this company, so I need to make a good impression.

LH: 别紧张，你一定没问题。再说了，不录用你是他们的损失，象你这么出色的人才，想要你的公司多的是。

LL: Thanks Li Hua. That encouragement is a real shot in the arm for me.

LH: A shot in the arm?

LL: You can say that something is a shot in the arm if it gives you a lot more confidence and energy.

LH: 哦，就是中文里说的强心针。你是说我刚才鼓励你的话大大地增强了你的信心吗？

LL: Right. For example, I could say that Joe was thinking of dropping out of his economics class because it was so hard. But when he got an A on the midterm, it was a real shot in the arm and he decided not to quit.

LH: 就是说，期中考试得了A，极大增强了Joe对自己修完经济学这门课程的信心。

LL: Exactly. You know, Li Hua, my career hasn't been going well lately, but I think this job could give it a real shot in the arm.

LH: 你现在的工作确实没什么发展潜力，换个新工作一定会对你今后的事业发展有好处。对了，我还没问你，你明天准备面试的那家公司是做什么的？

LL: Well Li Hua, it's a small company that sells Chia Pets.

LH: 什么？是一家卖草头娃娃的零售商？

LL: Yeah, but it hasn't been doing well lately. I hope that with my business experience and passion for Chia Pets, I could give this company a real shot in the arm.

LH: 你当真啊？？？嗨，不管怎么说，我支持你去追求自己的梦想。

LL: Thanks, Li Hua. Did you know that Chia Pets cost about $15 each? If everybody went out and bought one, it would give the economy a real shot in the arm.

LH: 好，为支持你，只要你得到这份工作，我保证一定去买一个草头娃娃。

LH: 言归正传，Larry，你有没有想好他们可能会问你哪些问题呢？

LL: Well, just a little. But it would probably be good to practice a little bit.

LH: 那好，我假装考官，我们来模拟一下怎么样？

LL: Sounds good! It's important for me to prepare beforehand, because I'm not good at speaking off the cuff.

LH: Speaking off the cuff? 这是什么意思啊？

LL: You can say that someone speaks off the cuff when he talks spontaneously without any preparation.

LH: 噢，就是在没有事先准备的情况下即兴发言。

LL: Right. For example, some politicians can speak very well when they have a speech prepared, but don't do well when they have to respond to questions off the cuff.

LH: 我明白了，你还记得上个周末我们一起去看电影，我穿了一件白色大衣，看上去圆滚滚的吗？你还说我象个大白兔奶糖。

LL: Oh come on Li Hua, it was just an off-the-cuff remark! You know I didn't mean it.

LH: 我一点都没生气，反而觉得很好笑。Your off-the-cuff jokes are so funny. 对了，我以前听人说过 "off-hand," Off-hand跟off-the-cuff是同一个意思吗？

LL: It's very similar. An off-hand comment is something you didn't think about or consider very seriously before you said it.

LH: 忘记告诉你了Larry, 你带着这副厚厚的黑边眼镜活像一只眼镜猴。

LL: What? No I don't. I look very smart, like a scholar.

LH: 别生气啊，It was just an "off-hand" joke. 我是随便开玩笑的。

LL: Alright Li Hua, I understand your point. I won't make any more off-hand jokes about your fashion sense. Now can we please get back to practicing for my interview?

LH: 那好，面试现在正式开始。 Larry, 你想加入我们公司来卖草头娃娃吗？

LL: Of course. I really love Chia Pets.

LH: 这我信，看你留的发型，就知道你是个草头娃娃的忠实爱好者。

LL: Another off-hand joke, Li Hua?

LH: 哈哈哈.....对不起，你的发型跟草头娃娃实在是太象了。

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是shot in the arm，意思是强心针。另一个是off the cuff，或是off-hand，意思是即兴的。