Dialogue 1
Mark: Hey, Jingjing. I thought you were on a trip to England and Ireland.
马克：嘿，京晶，我以为你已经踏上去英国和爱尔兰的旅程了。
Jingjing: That's not until next week. I'm excited about it, though.
京晶：那是下周的事儿呢。但我还是挺兴奋的。
Mark: Yeah, I bet it'll be an escape from the ordinary.
马克：是啊，我相信这是一个逃离日常的喘息之机。
Jingjing: Speaking of extraordinary things, I got invited to a Halloween party.
京晶：说到那些奇特的事，我被邀请去参加一个万圣节派对呢。
Mark: Oh, happy Halloween, by the way. Is the party tonight?
马克：对哦，万圣节快乐！对了，派对是今晚吗？
Jingjing: It is, and I need your advice.
京晶：是的，同时我需要一点你的建议。
Mark: Do you need to know something about the holiday?
马克：你需要了解一下这个节日吗？
Jingjing: I'm pretty familiar with the holiday—costumes, Jack-o-Lanterns, trick-or-treating, and all that.
京晶：我很熟悉这个节日—各种装扮，南瓜灯，不给糖就捣蛋游戏，这些全部。
Mark: Too bad. I was all ready to give you the run-down.
马克：真糟糕，我已经准备好给你说个大概呢。
Jingjing: Well, I might take a rain check on that conversation. I need help about the party.
京晶：那，我也许要更改一下刚才的对话，这个派对，我需要你帮帮忙。
Mark: Do you need to bring something?
马克：你需要带什么东西吗？
Jingjing: I have to go to the party right after work. I'll bring some goodies I have in my office, just in case. But I don't have anything in the way of a costume.
京晶：我一下班就得去参加派对。以防万一，我会带点办公室的小礼物和好吃的，但是万圣节服装嘛，我没有。
Mark: Haha. You're looking at the expert of last-minute holiday preparations.
马克：哈哈，你找对了人，我正是假日前最后一分钟做准备的高手。
Jingjing: Uh, that's a relief, I guess.
京晶：那真是松了一口气，我猜？
Mark: Hey, since you still have a few hours, how about I go get a cup of coffee and check the supermarket for stuff. If there's nothing, I'll still be back with coffee and ideas.
马克：嘿，既然你还有好几个小时，这样如何，我先去买杯咖啡，然后超市里转转看能买到什么。如果没什么可买的，我就带着咖啡和想法回来。
Jingjing: Sure. I'll be here.
京晶：行，我在的。
Mark: See you in a bit.
马克：一会儿见！

New words : 习语短语
Jack-o-Lantern 南瓜灯
a pumpkin with a candle inside, lighting up a carved face
trick-or-treating 不给糖就捣蛋
going house to house, wearing costumes and getting candy
a rain check 改日，改期
a reservation, to buy something or do something later
goodies 小礼物 小零食
small gifts or snacks
in the way of 像，能用于
like, can be used for



Dialogue 2
Jingjing: There you are, Mark. That was quick.
京晶：你回来了，马克，真快。
Mark: Yeah, the coffee's still hot. Bad news about the costume, though.
马克：是啊，咖啡还热着呢。可是有个关于万圣装扮的坏消息。
Jingjing: What?! Didn't they have any stuff for Halloween?
京晶：什么？难道万圣节的东西什么都没有吗？
Mark: Well, they had these bags of candy corn. I bought some, because I haven't seen it anywhere else in Beijing. Take some with you to the party. But, as for costumes, it was all kids' stuff. The masks and clothes were way too small.
马克：他们有卖这种袋装的玉米糖，我买了一些，因为在北京其他地方没看见过。带上一些去派对吧。再说着装这事都是卖小孩子的玩意，面具和衣服都太…小了。
Jingjing: I should hang onto some clothes that can be used as a costume, for next year. I'm always having ideas about holidays, just not when it's the actual holiday.
京晶：我应该备好一些衣服以备明年万圣装扮用了。我通常有许多过节的好主意，但是真的节日到来时往往啥也想不出来。
Mark: I know the feeling. Here are my ideas for improvising a costume.
马克：我懂这种感觉。这些是我即兴想出的万圣装扮的想法。
Jingjing: I'm all ears.
京晶：洗耳恭听。
Mark: First, you could go as a toilet paper mummy. You just need a bunch of toilet paper and a little cello tape.
马克：首先你可以扮成一个厕纸木乃伊，你只需要准备一些厕纸和一小卷透明胶。
Jingjing: That's a possibility. Let's hear another idea.
京晶：这算是一种可行性吧。听听还有什么其他的？
Mark: You could do the same thing with toilet paper, but just wrap it around your head a few times, then put a spot of ketchup on it, like blood on a bandage.
马克：也可以同样用厕纸来做文章，把它们缠在你头上，多缠几圈，然后上面放一点番茄酱渍斑，就像是绷带上的血迹一样。
Jingjing: Ok, that one might be a little easier to manage. What else?
京晶：好，这一个好像稍微比较容易弄。还有别的吗？
Mark: Well, the next one's kind of a last resort. If you're wearing clothes you don't like all that much, you could go out for a bowl of noodles, and, when you're finished, dump the extra soup on yourself and be a food fight victim.
马克：接下来这一个嘛差不多是个万不得已的法子了，如果你穿着自己不怎么喜欢的衣服，你可以出去吃碗面，吃完后，把多余的汤倒在身上，扮成一个食物大战的受害者。
Jingjing: These ideas are terrible! Besides, I don't have time to go out to eat.
京晶：这些想法简直太糟糕了！再说了，我可没时间出去吃饭。
Mark: Here, try some of this candy corn. Maybe that'll cheer you up.
马克：这儿，尝点玉米糖，也许能让你打起精神。
Jingjing: Thanks. Uh, this tastes weird.
京晶：谢谢，啧啧，味道太奇怪了。
Mark: I didn't say it was good. No wonder it's not more widely sold in China.
马克：我也没说味道好。难怪中国都没怎么有卖的。

New words : 习语短语
hang onto 保存 但现在不用
keep, but don't use now
improvise 即兴，现场行为
act without preparation, or make something without the right materials
I'm all ears. 洗耳恭听
I'm totally listening.
easier to manage 更容易做
easier to do, easier to keep in good condition, easier to make successful
a last resort 万不得已的法子
an option we have, but not one we'd like to use unless all the other options can't be used
a food fight 食物大战
people throwing food at each other (either playfully or in a quarrel)