LL: Wow, it seems to be taking a long time for this guy to get our coffee made. Maybe he is a newbie.

LH: A newbie? 你說他是新來的？

LL: Right. A newbie is someone that is new to a place, activity or organization.

LH: 你說得對，他肯定是新手，好像連咖啡機還用不好呢！

LL: It is like this new guy in my office. He just started work the day before yesterday. He doesn't know where anything is.

LH: 初來乍到是最困難的時候，Larry, 你一定要幫幫這個新同事。

LL: I have been helping him, and he's doing pretty well for a newbie. He is clearly very bright and has picked up on a lot of things very quickly.

LH: 我們的咖啡來了，我們找地兒坐吧。

LL: MMMmmm...It may have taken him a while to make the coffee, but the newbie did a good job. This coffee is great!

LH: 你看，有時候對新手就是要有耐心。我還記得剛開始教中文的時候，樣樣東西都要學。

LL: What did you find the most difficult about being a newbie Chinese teacher, Li Hua?

LH: 當初最讓我頭痛的就是安排課堂活動，我總是掌握不好各項活動的時間長短。

LL: Yeah, when I was a newbie, I remember having to learn where everything was in the office and who was responsible for which aspects of my job. . .Say, Li Hua, I want to show you something on my lap top.

(Takes out lap top)

LH: 是新的電腦遊戲嗎？

LL: Yes, it is a fantasy role-playing game where you pretend to be a warrior or a wizard and run around attacking people and collecting treasure. I've just started the game, so I am kind of a newbie.

LH: 這裡面好像還有其他人，他們也是newbies嗎？

LL: No, some people have been playing the game for a long time. Their characters are very experienced, and they have fun attacking and stealing treasure from the newbies.

LH: 那你肯定也是被這些老手欺負的對象嘍？我是不會玩電腦遊戲，也沒興趣。

LL: You should try it, Li Hua. It is a lot of fun to play computer games, and it gets more fun when you aren't a newbie any more.

LH: 還是算了吧，在電腦遊戲上面，我寧願做個newbie.

******

LL: Well, when it comes to computer games, I've been around - if you know what I mean, Li Hua.

LH: "Been around"? 我還真不知道這是什麼意思。

LL: "Been around" means to have lots of experience doing something. It is actually short for a longer expression...

LH: 我想起來了。說什麼人特別老道，就是"He has been around the block."

LL: That's right! We shorten it to ''been around,'' but it basically means the same thing.

LH: 所以你說自己''have been around.'' 就是說你打過很多電腦遊戲嘍？

LL: That's right. I started playing computer games when I was seven years old, and I still play computer games.

LH: 對了，Larry, 我一直想問你，聽說你妹妹有新男朋友了？

LL: Yes, she is dating a new guy. But I'm a little concerned. I think this guy has been around. He is much older than my sister.

LH: 有經驗不見得是壞事啊！

LL: Well, he has been around, but not in a good way. I think he has dated a lot of girls and may not be as serious about my sister as she is about him.

LH: 你是怕他不當真，讓你妹妹傷心吧。那你妹妹呢？她有沒有交過很多男朋友？

LL: No, not really. She is still very young. I wish she would wait until she has been around a bit before deciding she wants to get engaged to this guy.

LH: 別著急，Larry, 你妹妹絕頂聰明，她肯定能做出正確的選擇。你要相信她！

今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是newbie, 是新手的意思。另一個是been around, 是老手的意思。
(http://www.dajiyuan.com)