2.实用对话

Paying the Check买单

Brad: Let me take care of the check today.

布拉德：今天我来买单。

Lucy: Why? It's unfair. How about going Dutch?

露西：为什么？这样不公平。我们各付各的怎么样？

Brad: You paid last time because I didn't have any money, remember?

布拉德：上次我没有钱，就是你付的，还记得吗？

Lucy: Oh, come on. I almost forgot. Don't worry about it. I didn't mind picking up the tab last time.

露西：哦，算了吧。我几乎都忘了。别在意。我不介意上次买单的。

Brad: But you really should let me treat one time. I'd feel like I owe you one if I didn't.

布拉德：不过你确实应该让我请一次客了。不然我会觉得欠你一个人情的。

Lucy: OK. But it's only for this time.

露西：好吧。仅此一次啊。

Brad: What's the damage?

布垃德：总共是多少钱呢？

Lucy: It's 12 dollars and 80 cents altogether. But don't forget the tip. It's usually 15%.

露西：总共是12美元80美分。但别忘了还有小费，通常是总消费的15%。

Brad: (to the waiter) Check. please.

布拉德：(对服务页说)请结账。

3.详细解说

1.take care of 在这里表示“支付，给…付款”，为比较委婉的说法。

例如：We'll take care of the fees.(我们来付费。)

另外，此短语还可以表示“处理，照顾”，

例如：Her secretary always took care of the details.(一直是她的秘书处理细节的事情。)

Don't worry about your mother.I'll take care of her.(别担心你的妈妈，我会照顾她的。)

2.pick up the tab 意思是“支付账款，支付费用”，尤指某人没有义务去支付的情况。

the tab 意为“账单”，

例如：Taxpayers will pick up the tab for the stadium.(纳税人将要为修建体育馆付账。)

tab 可以解释为：an amount of money that you owe, or a record of an amount of money that you owe.意为“账款，账单，账”，

例如：The tab for the campaign was nearly $500 million.(活动费用接近五亿美元。)

I'll put it on your tab and you can pay tomorrow.(我将记在你的账上，你可以明天支付。)

3.What's the damage? 在这里的意思是“多少钱？”这是口语中询问“该付多少钱”时的幽默问法，因为 damage 原意为“损失”。