VOA流行美語 Unit 373:從新開始,痛改前非&慢慢來,循序漸進
李華和Larry在討論晚飯吃什麼。他們會用到兩個常用語：turn a new leaf和take baby steps.
Larry: I'm starving, Lihua! What should we eat for dinner today?
LH: 晚飯？只要不吃你的最愛 - 漢堡包和薯條 - 就行!
Larry: What are you talking about? I wasn't planning on eating fast food!
LH: 我纔不信呢。不是漢堡包，那一定是炸雞!
Larry: Nope. Lihua, I know I used to eat a lot of unhealthy fast food in the past, but now I've turned a new leaf - I'm never going to eat fast food again!
LH: You turned a leaf? 什麼意思？
Larry: To turn a new leaf means to start over fresh - to totally get rid of bad habits and start over new again.
LH: 哦，to turn a new leaf，就是甩掉壞習慣，從頭開始，
Larry: Right. Lately, my bad eating habits have been making me feel just awful. So, I decided to turn a new leaf and start eating only fresh, healthy foods - starting today.
LH: 你說，因爲你一直吃垃圾食品，感覺身體狀態很差，所以你要痛改前非，從今天開始吃健康食品！太好了， Larry!
Larry: Lihua, I have been gaining a little weight lately... But, that will all change now that I turned a new leaf and started living a healthy lifestyle!
LH: 哈，你要從頭開始，過健康生活! Larry, 你真能做到麼？
Larry: No problem, Lihua! When I make a decision, I stay with it!
LH: 是麼？我昨天剛買了一大袋你最喜歡的薯片，既然你已經走上了健康生活之路。這些薯片，就由我替你消滅吧！
Larry: Ah? You mean, you bought some Lays Double - Cheese and Sour Cream Potato Chips?
LH: 對啊，就是你最喜歡吃的，雙層奶酪加酸奶油口味! 好可惜啊，早知道你turned a new leaf, 我就不浪費錢了。
Larry: Well, wait a minute, Lihua. We can't just let your money go to waste. Maybe I can just eat a little bit now to hold me over until we have dinner...
LH: 什麼？你想在吃飯前先來些薯片墊墊底？你剛纔還說從今天起再也不吃垃圾食品了呢!
Larry: Oh, Lihua! But I can't just turn a whole new leaf all at once - that would be too difficult. Maybe I can just take baby steps towards my goal.
LH: 你是說，你不可能一下子把生活方式全改變，所以得take baby steps。我猜，這就是慢慢來，循序漸進，對麼？
Larry: Yes! I could make slow progress towards my goal. You know, like taking small baby steps.
LH: 可你的“慢慢來”是指多慢？不會要10年吧!
Larry: Lihua, if I take baby steps, even though the whole process will take a lot more time, it will be a lot less difficult. It's like getting into a swimming pool. First, you have to put your foot in to see if the water is cold. Then, put both legs in. Then, slowly...
LH: 這也太慢了!直接跳進游泳池，多痛快!
Larry: I don't know how to swim!
LH: 行啦，Larry! 我看你不用慢慢來，拖拖拉拉地更難受!
Larry: With that bag of chips calling my name over there, I'm already in pain, Lihua! I gotta have some!
LH: 啊？Larry， 你的健康生活呢？這麼快就放棄啦？
(搶薯片袋的聲音)
Larry: Give me that bag! I promise I'll only eat a little bit! I'm making baby steps towards my goal of eating healthy!
LH: 哼，給你給你!
Larry: Thank you very much! Man, I haven't had these in so long - hey, wait a minute. These d banana chips?
LH: 沒錯，這些是幹香蕉片! Larry, I've turned a new leaf in my live as well.
Larry: Huh? What leaf?
LH: 我以前總是縱容你，給你買垃圾食品，現在，我也要從新來過。我發誓：以後再也不給你買這些不健康的吃的了。咱們就一起努力吧！
今天李華學了兩個常用語，一個是to turn a new leaf，意思是“從新開始，痛改前非”。另一個是take baby steps，意思是“慢慢來，循序漸進”。
