dialogue 1
M: Hi dude, you look upset, what's up?
喂,老兄,你看起来有点烦,怎么了?
T: haven't been sleeping well recently.
最近一直睡得不太好.
M: what's the problem?
怎么了?
T: every night my roommates watch the Korean soap operas till mid-night. I am not a big fan of Korean shows and I don't know how to tell them to stop without hurting their feelings.
我的室友每天晚上都看韩剧,一直看到半夜.我对韩剧不感兴趣,可是我不知道怎么既让他们不看,又不得罪他们.
M: well, you can simply tell them you want to sleep, or make an arrangement for a time when the room should quiet down.
你可以告诉他们你要睡觉了,或者跟他们达成协议,定个时间,到时候宿舍里就安静下来了.
T: yeah, I know, but I find these sorts of things hard to say. They won't like it if I tell them to turn off the TV. Now I just hope the show will end soon.
是啊,我知道,但是这样的话总是很难说出口.要是我和他们说把电视关掉,他们肯定不开心.现在我就希望那个电视剧早点结束.
M: I understand. I used to live in a dorm with four people. I was great in some aspects. We always went out and and had fun together. But on the other hand, when I wanted some quiet time, and people kept talking and laughing aloud, it was torturous. For me a room to my own, even a small one, is ideal. Though I don't mind sharing an apartment with somebody.
我明白.我以前住过5人宿舍.住宿舍有特别好的地方,我们几个人总是一起出去玩,一起开心.但是从另一方面讲,我想一个人安静一下的时候,周围总有人在大声说话,或是笑得很大声,这简直就是折磨.对我来说,理想的状态就是一个人一件屋子,哪怕很小都可以.但是我也不会介意和别人共住一个公寓.
T: yeah, I crave my own space. But I also think interpersonal skills very important. Living in a dorm means you have to learn to be considerate of others, otherwise nobody is going to have a good time.
是啊,我也特别想要自己的空间.如果周围总有人的话,我就会觉得很烦很累.我们都需要自己的私人空间,不过我也觉得人和人交往的技巧很重要.住在宿舍里,你就要学会考虑其他人,不然谁都不会开心.
注释：
torturous adj. 令人痛苦的;使人苦恼的
例句：These were (to me) ear-splitting, torturous noises.
这些(对我来说)是刺耳的、痛苦的噪音。
crave vt. 渴望;恳求
例句：The thirsty man craved water.
这个口渴的人迫切希望得到水喝。
dialogue 2
T: Hi, Michael, how's it going?
喂,迈克,怎么样?
M: well, things are all right.
还凑活吧?
T: I heard you got a new roommate. What's he like?
我听说你有了个新室友,他怎么样啊?
M: yeah, Bob moved in last week. He is a nice guy and so far everything is cool except this girlfriend.
是啊,鲍勃上周搬了进来.他人挺好的,到现在一切都好,就有一样,他的女朋友.
T: oh? What's wrong with his girlfriend?
嗯?他的女朋友怎么了?
M: she came over last weekend. She is a nice girl but there's something about her voice that really creeps me out. I tried to smile and be polite, but the whole time all I could think was "what's wrong with your voice?"
她上周末过来了,她是个不错的女孩,可是她说话的声音总是让我浑身起鸡皮疙瘩.我努力地微笑,想保持礼貌,可是整个过程我忍不住一直在想”你的声音怎么了?”
T: well, I guess it might take some time to get used to.
我觉得可能过一段时间就能适应吧.
M: I doubt it. Last time was an oral train wreck. Listening to her talk is like chewing tin foil.
我不知道行不行.上次对我来说简直就是煎熬,听她讲话就像是嘴里嚼了蜡纸一样.
T: oh come on, it can't be that bad.
算了吧,不可能那么差.
M: no, it's much worse. And tonight they invited me out to dinner. I really have no idea how I'm going to pull it off.
比那个还差呢.而且今晚他们邀请我们出去吃东西,我真的不知道怎么熬过去.
T: rough. Maybe you can do most of the talking.
这个有难度.或许你应该多说.
M: that's the plan.
我就是这样想的.
T: good luck.
祝你好运!
注释：
chew vt. 嚼碎，咀嚼
例句：You must chew your food well before you swallow it.
你必须先把食物嚼碎再咽下去。
