英語口語練習小對話 第893期:敲竹槓之地
A: I need his help. But I don’t know how to ask him.
我需要他的幫助，但是可不知道怎麼開口。
B: When you talk to him, be sure to pick the right place and the right mood.
跟他說話的時候，一定要找個合適的場合，還要等他心情好的時候。
A: I though I would treat him to a dinner in a good restaurant, but most of the restaurant nearby are clip joints, you know?
我想可以在高檔飯店裏請他吃個晚餐，可你知道附近的飯店都是高消費的地方。
B: It’s not the time to pinch pennies. It’s time for you to splurge a bit.
這可不是你該節儉的時候，該花錢的時候還是要花。
clip joint
1. 解詞釋義
Clip joint是指“黑店”“高消費的場所” “敲竹槓場所（指酒吧間、商店、夜總會等）”或“高價商店或飯店”。
2. 拓展範例
e.g. A bottle of local beer costs ten dollars at that clip joint.
本地的啤酒在那黑店裏賣到十元一瓶。
e.g. Henry clinked off angrily and got drunk at a clip joint.
亨利生氣地跑開之後在酒吧間裏喝得爛醉。
e.g. The woman said angrily that the store was a clip joint.
那女人生氣地說這商店是專門敲顧客竹槓的地方。
1. right mood：心情好
e.g. If I'm in the right mood, I can find the classical music enjoyable.
如果是我心血來潮時，有些古典音樂會使我很陶醉的。
e.g. Will you be in the right mood this Sunday evening?
這個星期日晚上你有這個心情嗎？
2. treat him to a dinner：請某人吃晚餐
e.g. One day a woman wrote to her doctor to treat him to a dinner at a clip joint.
一天，一個女人給醫生寫信給她的醫生，請他到一家高價酒店共進晚餐。
e.g. I met with him at the bus stop and together because John would treat me to dinner at a restaurant.
我在公共汽車站跟他碰頭，因爲John請我在一家酒店吃晚餐。
3. pinch pennies：精打細算
e.g. A lot of working women in this country are single and have children and have to pinch their pennies to make ends meet.
許多在職的美國婦女都是單身並有孩子，生活常常捉襟見肘。
e.g. We'll have to spend money when necessary. Don't try to pinch pennies all the time.
該花錢時我們還是得花。別總是精打細算。
4. splurge：揮霍金錢，無節制地花錢
語法用法： ~ (sth) (on sth)
典型範例：She won 100 and then splurged it all on new clothes.
她贏了100英鎊, 都揮霍在買新衣服上了。
