時差N小時:打游戲還是做正事?

Mike: Hey, Amanda, have you heard of the newonline computer game? It's called Skullfire and it'sall the rage right now!

邁克：嘿，阿曼達，你知道最新的在線電腦游戲嗎?它叫作Skullfire，是當下最火爆的游戲!

Amanda: Actually, I have heard of it. Isn't that thegame where you go around and just shoot people? Itseems like a pretty pointless game to me.

阿曼達：其實，我聽說過它。是不是那個在里面拎著槍朝人四下射擊的游戲?對我而言，它沒什么意義。

Mike: You're kidding, right? I can spend hours playing that game. Besides, what better use isthe Internet?

邁克：你開玩笑吧?我可以花幾個小時玩這個游戲。你有什么辦法更好地利用互聯(lián)網?

Amanda: Um, let's see, off the top of my head there's checking your e-mail and looking upcurrent news headlines. You could even do some online shopping. The Internet is like a virtuallibrary, where you can get your hands on almost any kind of information you're looking for. Howcan you be so ignorant?

阿曼達：嗯，我的第一選擇就是上網查看e-mail或閱讀當前的頭條新聞。你還可以網上購物。此外，互聯(lián)網就像是一個虛擬圖書館，在那里你可以得到幾乎任何你想要的信息。你怎么這么孤陋寡聞?

Mike: Since you're such an expert, what sort of things do you suggest I look up?

邁克：既然你如此專業(yè)，給我點建議，看些什么比較好?

Amanda: Well, a considerable problem right now is a lack of natural resources and a rise ingas prices. Why don't you go online and try to understand the situation better? You shouldreally try to keep up with current events.

阿曼達：自然資源匱乏和天然氣價格上升是當前的一個熱點問題。你為什么不去上網更好地了解一下這個情況?你確實應該一下關心時事。

Mike: I keep up with current events! I read the newspaper every day!

邁克：我關心時事了!我每天都看報紙!

Amanda: Does it still count if you only read the comics and skim the articles?

阿曼達：但是，像你那樣只看漫畫或粗枝大葉地瀏覽文章，能起什么作用呢?

Mike: It's not my fault that current events are boring.

邁克：那不是我的錯，時事文章確實很無聊。

知識點：

1. pointless adj. 無意義的

例句：I've already made up my mind; it's pointlessto argue with me. 我已下定了決心，再和我爭論沒什么意義了。

2. ignorant adj. 不知道的、無知的、愚昧的

例句：He was ignorant of the fact that the schoolwas closed for the day. 他不知道今天學校不開門。

3. skim v. 瀏覽;略讀

例句：She forgot to study, so she had to skim over her material five minutes before the test. 她忘了復習，所以不得不在考前五分鐘把參考資料再瀏覽一下。

4. all the rage 風行一時;流行

例句：This new cell phone is all the rage right now. 這款手機是目前最流行的款式。

5. get one's hands on... 獲得……;得到……

例句：I get my hands on the newest model of laptop. 我拿到最新款的筆記本了。