你们大家可能都已经认识了Michael和李华这两个大学生了。Michael讲英文，李华是个中国学生，能讲英文，但是她还在不断地跟Michael学。大家可千万不要认为这两个在纽约的大学生老是到外面去玩。其实他们学习都很努力，现在他们就要在李华的宿舍里一起念书，准备考试。李华今天会学到两个常用语，一个是：what's up，这是一个用来打招呼的通俗说法。另一个是：no brainer，意思是某件事很容易，不用动脑子就能做成。

L：嗨，Michael，快进来。

M: Hey, Li Hua, what's up?

L：什么？

M: What's up? What are you doing?

L：What's up? 我倒是听人这么说过，可是我还没有弄清楚这句话到底是什么意思，我应该怎么回答？

M: What's up is really a common greeting.

L：噢，what's up就是一般打招呼，不是指我的头上是什么呐？

M: No. It's like saying, "What is happening in your life?"

L：我知道了，what's up就是中文里我们说的：怎么样？

M: Well, it's really only spoken language.

L：要是我去看一个我已经有两个月没见的朋友，我在见到她的时候我可以说What's up，对吗?

M: Yes, definitely¹!

L：那别人对我说what's up？我又该怎么回答呢？

M: You can explain what's going on in your life, or you could say something as simple as: Not much.

L：要是你问我，What's up? 我就可以说：Oh，not much, just getting ready for our test. 意思就是：噢，没什么，就是在准备我们的考试。

M: That's good usage². You can really say anything.

L：对，你怎么回答都行。好吧，我们该学习了。我真是希望这次考试赶快过去。

M: You stress too much, this test will be a no brainer.

L：你是说我压力太大，没有脑子？你知道我脑子很灵的呀！

M: Smarter than me, that's for sure. What I mean is that this test will be really easy. No brainer means something that reqires little or no thought.

L：好，你承认我比你聪明。不过，我还得跟你学英文。你说，no brainer就是某件事很容易，不需要动脑子就行呀？

M: Yeah.

L：我知道了。象我哥哥那天去买车，运气好，碰到一个公司半价出售。在这种情况下决定买不买，不就是no brainer吗？

M: That's right.

L：那次那个漂亮女孩邀你出去玩，你接受不接受邀请不也是很容易定的吗？

M: Yeah, that was a really easy decision, could be called no brainer. Of course I would go out with her.

L：对，决定是容易做，但是你到头来还是不喜欢她。

M: That's true. When the University gave you a scholarship to come study here in New York, it was a no brainer for you too.

L：当然啦，大学给我奖学金来纽约念书，作这种决定还要动脑筋啊？更何况我学习成绩那么好。

M: So then why are you bothering to study?

L：这还用问？再聪明的人也得念书嘛！

M: On, ok, let's get back to work.

　　李华今天学到了两个常用语，一个是：what's up？这是一个用来打招呼的通俗说法；另一个是：no brainer，意思是某件事很容易，不用动脑子就能做成。

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