Dialogue 1

Mark: Jingjing, you look tired today. Are you all right?
马克：京晶，你看着有些疲倦。你还好吧？
Jingjing: Yeah, I'm usually more chipper than I am today.
京晶：没错，我平时比今天活泼。
Mark: What's going on?
马克：怎么了？
Jingjing: I'm okay. I just have a lot of work to do before my vacation.
京晶：还好啦，主要是假期前有许多工作要做。
Mark: You mean that trip you'll take on the May holiday?
马克：你是说五一假期你要去的那趟旅行吗？
Jingjing: Oh, no. That one's a long way off. I'm going on a short trip to Japan next week. I have some leave that I have to use.
京晶：哦，不是的，那个还远着呢。我下周要去日本来个短小的旅行。我还有些假必须要用了。
Mark: Wow, I had no idea you were going on an international trip.
马克：哇奥，我完全不知道你要来一趟出国行。
Jingjing: Well, I made the arrangements at the drop of a hat, when I saw a great deal on the flight.
京晶：那个，当我看到机票有不错的折扣后，不假思索立即做了安排。
Mark: What made you pick Japan?
马克：为什么挑了去日本？
Jingjing: Um, like I said, the plane ticket was almost a give-away. Besides, I hear this is the perfect time of year to go there and see the cherry blossoms.
京晶：嗯，就像我说的，机票就等于是白送的。此外，我听说这是一年中看樱花最好的时间。
Mark: You're right about that. Most people think that's in late April or early May. But they start to bloom in March.
马克：你说得对。大多数人认为最好的时间是四月末五月初，其实三月就开始绽放了。
Jingjing: We're seeing them in Beijing already. And I figure Japan's about the same, with the seasons and all.
京晶：我们在北京已经见到了，我猜日本也应该一样吧，季节什么的都差不多吧。
Mark: Yeah, I was in Japan at the beginning of April a couple years ago. There were plenty of trees in bloom, and tons of cool wild flowers.
马克：是的，几年前，我四月初左右就在日本，许多树都开花了，还有许多漂亮的野花。
Jingjing: That's something I've not heard about yet. What were they like?
京晶：这些我到从没听闻过。它们什么样？
Mark: Well, there were a lot of different kinds. My favorite were these blood orange and black ones. They were pretty small. Oh, and keep your eyes open for wild irises!
马克：有许多不同的种类，我最喜欢的是那种血橙色和黑色的。这些花儿很小。哦，对了，留心看那些野生的鸢尾花。
Jingjing: Wild irises—how are those different from the usual ones?
京晶：野生的鸢尾和平常的有何不同？
Mark: They're smaller, and look more like orchids. When I first saw them, I didn't know what they were.
马克：它们更小一点，更像是兰花。我第一次见到时，都不知它们是什么。
Jingjing: Ok. I'll take plenty of pictures. Let's meet for lunch after I get some more work done.
京晶：好，我会多拍点照片。等我完成一些工作后我们午餐见。

New words: 习语短语

chipper 活泼的
cheerful and energetic
a long way off 在未来 时间上还早
in the distant future, not something we have to plan now
at the drop of a hat 立即地，不假思索的
without much reason, sudden
a give-away 免费的，白给的
something for free

Dialogue 2

Mark: So, Jingjing, have you planned out your trip?
马克：那，京晶，旅行计划好了吗？
Jingjing: I haven't had time. All the pointers you can give me would be great.
京晶：我还没时间呢。所有你能给我的建议都会很棒的。
Mark: I did the same thing. I just had my flight booked, and hotels pre-paid.
马克：我跟你一样啊。就是把机票订了，酒店订了。
Jingjing: I hear it's pretty easy to get around if you buy a rail pass.
京晶：我听说如果你买一张火车通票，四处走走看看就会很方便。
Mark: Yeah, you can get almost anywhere by rail. Which city are you flying into?
马克：没错，几乎任何地方坐火车都能去。你飞去哪个城市？
Jingjing: It's not one of the famous ones. Shuzouka—have you heard of it?
京晶：并不是著名景点，Shuzouka你听说过吗？
Mark: No way! That's where I went. It's just on the other side of Mt Fuji from Tokyo.
马克：不会吧！我就是去的那儿。就在富士山的另一边，和东京对着。
Jingjing: Yeah, but I want to see Osaka and Kyoto also. So it's kind of awkward being in the middle of all those places.
京晶：是啊，但是我也想去看大阪和京都。所以，在飞去这几个地方的中间有点不方便。
Mark: Well, if you're flying in and out of Shuzhouka, you might try to get to Kyoto first, then make your way to Tokyo. And take a bullet train whenever you run short on time.
马克：如果你在Shuzhouka中转，你也许可以试着先去京都，然后再去东京。如果时间不够就坐新干线列车。
Jingjing: I was thinking of going the opposite way. I don't plan on buying much in Tokyo. So, I could see that first,and try to leave more time for Kyoto and pick up some antiques.
京晶：我还想着相反的路线呢。我没有计划在东京买太多东西。所以，我可以先去那里看看，然后多留些时间给京都，挑一些古玩。
Mark: That's cool. Get me one of those iron teapots if you have the chance. I know they're heavy, but I was kicking myself for not buying one last time.
马克：相当不错。有机会的话给我带一把铁茶壶吧，我知道它们有些沉，但上次没买一把已让我追悔莫及。
Jingjing: OK, I will if I can. No promises.
京晶：如果能的话我会的。不敢保证哦。
Mark: Don't worry about it. Make sure you have fun and see lots of stuff.
马克：别担心。自己好好玩，多到处看看。
Jingjing: I bet I will. How many nights do you recommend staying in Tokyo?
京晶：那肯定。东京你建议我待几天呢？
Mark: Um, if you mainly want to see Osaka and Kyoto, then two nights in Tokyo ought to do it. Also, Shuzouka is pretty nice. If you spend your final night there and have some time to wander around, you won't regret it.
马克：如果你主要想去大阪和京都的话，东京两晚足矣。而且，Shuzouka也非常棒。如果你最后一晚在那里度过，有时间到处走走，你不会后悔的。
Jingjing: Good advice.
京晶：好建议。

New words: 习语短语

pointers 建议
pieces of advice
No way! I can't believe it! 不会吧，我不相信
(here, expressing pleasant surprise)
make your way to 去……地方
go somewhere, but not too directly, see things along the way
was kicking myself 后悔………
regretting
ought to do it 应该就够了
should be enough