Larry和李华在一个大商场里买东西，那里非常拥挤。李华今天学会两个常用语my bad 和back in the day。

LL: My bad! I didn't mean to step on your foot, Li Hua. It's just that there are so many people at the mall today.

LH: My bad? Bad不是坏的意思吗？这儿人确实很多，你不小心踩到我的脚，为什么说my bad? My bad是什么意思呀？

LL: Oh, That's my bad, too. I should have explained what "my bad" means. It is a very informal way of apologizing without actually saying "I'm sorry."

LH: 原来my bad是表示道歉，但是是很不正式的道歉。 什么时候用my bad，什么时候用I'm sorry呢？

LL: Because you are my friend, and stepping on your foot was a pretty minor thing, I said "my bad." I'd say "I'm sorry" for something more serious - or if you were my boss.

LH: 明白了，my bad是对很熟的朋友说的，而且发生的事也不是太严重，就像不小心踩了脚这类小事。要我是你的老板，你就不能说my bad!

LL: Yeah, that's right. Say, would you like to get out of the crowd and stop for a cup of coffee in that shop over there?

LH: 你要去那边那个店里喝咖啡？好呀！ 可是My bad我没有带现金。

LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. I've got some cash. You can pay me back later.

LH: 谢谢你。 我在这里占着位子，你去买咖啡吧。我要一杯摩卡拿铁咖啡。

(Sounds of busy restaurant/cash register transaction as Larry gets coffee)

LH: Okay, Li Hua, here is your latte. Oh-My bad! I now remember you wanted a mocha latte. I got the wrong drink.

LH: 没关系，不是摩卡拿铁也没关系。 Larry，递我一张餐巾纸，好不好？

LL: Sure, here's a napkin.

LH: Oops， My bad! 对不起， 我把咖啡撒了！

LL: Here let me help you clean that up.

LH: 谢谢你，幸亏你拿了好多餐巾纸，否则还真没法收拾。

LL: Agh! Now it's my bad! I've spilled my coffee, too. (laughs)

LH: (Also laughing) 你的咖啡也撒了。Larry， 我们赶快走吧， 不然不知又会出什么事，那样我们就会没完没了地说my bad !

******

LL: I can't believe how rude people are at the mall. I know it is crowded, but back in the day people were much more polite.

LH: 没错，有的人真是没有礼貌。Larry，你说back in the day人们都很有礼貌，back in the day是指哪一天呢？

LL: No, no, Li Hua. "Back in the day" is a general expression referring to a time in the past when things were better than they are now.

LH: 噢，back in the day就是指过去，而不是指哪一天。你是说过去美国人都很有礼貌？

LL: Yes, back in the day a man would have taken the time to open a door for a lady, especially if she was carrying packages.

LH: 我遇到过这种情况。上次我去看牙，进大楼的时候，前面那个男子看见我也是进那大楼，就把门开开，等着让我先进去。Larry，你是说以前都是这样的吗？

LL: Yes, and life was much simpler. There were no computers and cell phones back in the day. Now it is rush, rush, rush.

LH: 没错，过去生活是比较简单，别说没有电脑和手机，我们小时候连彩色电视也很少。现在每个人都好像匆匆忙忙，不知道怎么回事。

LL: And can you believe it? Before e-mail, back in the day people wrote letters with their own hands!!!

LH: 自从有了电子邮件后，现在拿起笔来写信的人恐怕是很少了，可是我很喜欢收到别人亲笔写给我的信，因为那让我感到很亲切。

LL: I agree with you. But, then again, I guess not everything back in the day was so great.

LH: 是啊， 过去也不是样样都好。 我父亲常对我说， 他小时候上学要走很远的路。现在的孩子们就幸福多了，可以坐校车。

LL: You know, my dad says the same thing. He would tell me I was so lucky, because back in the day he had to walk five miles to school.

LH: 你爸爸上学要走五里路。我爸爸更苦，他不仅走路还要背着几十斤重的课本呢。

LL：I agree. Li Hua, let's take the bus and go home. Oh, let me open the door for you.

LH: 谢谢你， Larry， 你真希望有更多像你这样有礼貌的年轻人。

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是my bad, 意思是对不起起。还有一个是back in the day， 意思是过去。