Larry 和李華在談李華教中文的事。李華會學到兩個常用語：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就是把難學的教材簡化，讓學生容易學一點。是啊，
一年級的學生都剛開始學中文，我必須用簡單一些的教材。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。把過分復雜的內容簡化一些是好的，所以在這種情況下，dumb
down確實不應該屬于貶義。

    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。有的學生就是教不會，腦子不太聰明，遇到這種情況你
也只好一點一點教，從最簡單的開始。

    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
簡單易懂，否則我會糊涂的。就像我教那些腦子不太快的學生一樣。

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

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

    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！當然是教導有方了，嚴師出高徒嘛。 Larry，我想請你幫
個忙，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，我對電腦不太精通。你可要用簡單的詞匯來講解 - 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。也就是對雙方都有好處。Win
就是贏或輸的贏。對了，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：你認識的這個人以前學過中文，現在想練習中文，我當然可以幫助她了。
不過，如果只是我幫助她，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，她是一個雜志的編輯，可以幫我修改博士論文。這樣，我幫
她練習中文，她幫我改論文，這真是一個win-win situation.謝謝你，Larry ，
你知道花錢請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：當然，請人輔導中文也不便宜。你把她的電話給我，我和她聯系一下。
Larry ，我也有一個雙贏的建議給你。

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

    LH：我剛才不是請你教我使用剛買的繪畫軟件嗎？這個周末給你做頓中國飯
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：你也是個很棒的雙贏夥伴。可是，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！

    今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是dumb down ，意思是把教材、講解等簡
化，讓學的人更容易懂。還有一個常用語是win-win ，意思是雙贏。