Larry最近一直在忙着帮老板准备讲话稿。李华到Larry的办公室来看望他。李华今天会学到两个常用语：holed up和come up for air。

LL: It is so nice to see you Li Hua. I've been holed up in the office for days trying to get this presentation done for my boss.

LH: Larry，我知道你忙着给你老板准备报告，可你说在办公室好几天干什么来啦？Hold up，这不是抢劫吗？

LL: No, not a hold up. I said "holed up". Well, when I said I had been holed up here in the office, I meant I hadn't left my office in days,

LH: 原来如此。你是说你在办公室好几天没出去。Holed up就是由于某种原因呆在一个地方很久没法出去。

LL: Right. I've been holed up here for three whole days now. I feel kind of like a rabbitsleeping in his rabbit hole for the winter.

LH: 你觉得自己好象是只兔子钻在洞里过冬！说得真形象。对了，我是有好几天没见到你了，好象不止三天哪！

LL: When you were holed up working on your thesis, Li Hua. I didn't see you for a long time.

LH: 那到也是。我在赶论文的那段时间常常好几天都不出门， 真有钻进了洞里的感觉。

LL: Well, if you have to be holed up somewhere, your apartment is a pretty good place. At least it is comfortable.

LH: 这倒是真的。 我呆在家里好几天，是觉得很舒服，不象你这办公室，累了连个躺的地方都没有。

LL: There is a sofa in the break room. I've been taking naps there.

LH: 你在休息室里的沙发上睡个午睡就行啦？ Larry, 你还要多久才能准备好你老板的报告呀？你这么老呆在这里不回家，对你的身体不好。

LL: Never mind, I'm strong. I'll finish my boss's presentation in a few days.

LH: 还要几天才能完成这报告呀？这样做，时间长了你会生病的。生了病，你可就真的不能出门了。You'll be holed up at home。

LL: At this point, being holed up at home sounds a lot better than being holed up here at work.

LH: Larry, 还是跟我出去呼吸一下新鲜空气，你再回去继续干。

******

LL: Thanks for getting me out of the office, Li Hua. I just had to come up for air.

LH: 你不用谢我，我写论文的时候，你也把我拽出来休息休息。Larry，你说"come up for air" 大概是指换换环境，呼吸点新鲜空气，休息一下，是吗？

LL: Right, I felt like I was drowning under all that work. Coming up for air was just what I needed.

LH: 我跟你有同样的感觉。学期结束前我赶着写一篇报告时候，好几天没出门；我觉得自己真的好象被那些书和笔记本给淹没了。

LL：I know. You looked so pale and evenly sickly. That's why I practically dragged you out to come up for air.

LH: 我当时确实感到好象要生病的样子。幸亏你拉我出去换换空气，休息了一下。好吧，你现在想做些什么呢？

LL: Well, I remember when you were working on your thesis, Li Hua, I'd get you to come up for air by asking you to go for a walk in the park.

LH: 我记得你带我去的那个公园。那里有各式各样的花。好吧，我们上那公园去散步。

LL: OK, let's go for a walk in the park for a little while. I know I'll work better after coming up for some air.

LH: 我敢肯定你散步，休息后工作起来会更有效的。对了，明天我要说服我的同Lisa 也出来休息一下。

LL: Why? What is she working on?

LH: 她正在找工作，所以忙着在网上，报上查招聘广告，寄几十份履历给公司，填写申请工作的表格...... 她已经有一个星期没有出门了。

LL: Sounds like she does need to come up for some air. If she wants to come out for air tomorrow, maybe I can join you too.

LH：那太好了。你们俩都应该注意休息。You two should come up for air sometimes!

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是" holed up", 意思是一个人由于某种原因在一个地方不能出门。李华学到的另一个常用语是"come up for air", 意思是换换环境，休息一会儿。

• rabbit [´ræbit]   n.兔子，野兔   (初中英语单词)
• sleeping [´sli:piŋ]   n.&a.睡着(的)   (初中英语单词)
• working [´wə:kiŋ]   a.工人的；劳动的   (初中英语单词)
• apartment [ə´pɑ:tmənt]   n.一套房间   (初中英语单词)
• trying [´traiiŋ]   a.难堪的；费劲的   (英语四级单词)
• presentation [,prezən´teiʃən]   n.介绍；赠送；提出   (英语四级单词)
• sickly [´sikli]   a.多病的；病态的   (英语四级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ]   a.迷人的 n.捕获物   (英语六级单词)