0018 Seeing Old Friends

0018 Seeing Old Friends.pdf
0018 Seeing Old Friends.mp3

[start of story]

This has been a month for seeing old friends. I got an email a couple of weeks ago from an old friend from college. She and her family are visiting L.A. for a week. They plan to see family and to visit old friends. Since she moved away, I hadn't seen her in ages. I'm looking forward to meeting her new kids and seeing her again.

Another old friend called this week. She and I were buddies when we were young. She plans to swing by L.A. on her way to San Francisco. We've made plans to have lunch. She works in Washington D.C. and is normally very busy. I'm glad she could make time for us to get together.

When we say good-bye to our friends, we always hope to keep in touch. But, what with this and that, it's sometimes hard to do. With friends that I've fallen out of touch with, it's sometimes hard to meet again and pick up where we left off. We've both moved on to a different phase in our lives. Some of my old friends have become very successful, and are living lives in the fast lane. Other friends are having a more difficult time and are just making ends meet. But, no matter how they're doing, it's always nice to touch base again.

I'm really looking forward to seeing these old pals and catching up after all this time. We just won’t mention how much we’ve aged.

[end of story]

Lucy begins her story by saying that “this has been a month for seeing old friends.” The word “old” here can mean two different things. It can mean friends who are advanced in age; someone who is 90 years old might be called your “old friend,” versus your “young friend.” Here, Lucy using it in a different meaning, to mean the opposite of “new.” An “old friend” would be a friend whom you have known for many years or many decades, even.

Lucy says that she “got an email a couple of weeks ago” – a few weeks ago, two, maybe three weeks ago – “from an old friend from college” – someone she went to the university with. This friend and her family “are visiting L.A.” – Los Angeles – “for a week. They plan to see family and [to] visit old friends.” “Since she moved away,” since she went to another place, “I hadn't seen her in ages.” “In ages” means for a very long time, maybe 10 years or 20 years. “A long time” is an expression that is relative, and “ages” is also relative, depending on what other time period you're talking about. But here, it definitely has been a long time. She says, “I'm looking forward to meeting her new kids and seeing her again.”

“Another [old] friend called this week,” she says. Lucy says, “She and I were buddies when we were young.” Your “buddy” (buddy) is your close friend. This is a term that we use informally. It's not quite as common anymore. We would use it especially for younger children. A young boy might have a buddy. There's even something in schools called the “buddy system.” The buddy system, which can be used not just in school but anywhere, is the idea that you have someone who is helping you and you’re helping them, especially if you're going on a trip, for example.

Well, Lucy is talking about a buddy of hers – a good friend of hers when she was young. This friend “plans to swing by L.A. on her way to San Francisco.” “To swing (swing) by” somewhere means to stop at one location on the way to another location, or to visit someone briefly on your way to traveling somewhere else. “I have to go to the grocery store this afternoon, but first I'm going to swing by the coffee shop and pick up a cup of coffee” – I'm going to stop there briefly on my way to another place. That's the meaning of “to swing by” somewhere. This friend is going to “swing by L.A. on her way to San Francisco.”

“Swing by” is usually used when we're talking about a place that's relatively close. We don't usually use it in this context of talking about going to a completely different city, but that's what Lucy tells us. She says, “We've made plans to have lunch. She works in Washington, D.C.” – which is our nation's capital, on the East Coast of the United States – “and is normally very busy.” Lucy says, “I'm glad she could make time for us to get together.” “To make time for” someone, or simply “to make time,” means to find time to do something when you are busy – to plan on something for someone even though you have many other things to do.

Lucy says, “When we say good-bye to our friends, we always hope to keep in touch.” “To keep in touch” means to stay in contact, to be continuing your communication with the person. This is something you may say to someone who's perhaps leaving for another city, going to work in a different place: “Let's keep in touch.” Or you could just say it to someone who perhaps you don't plan on seeing a lot of in the near future, but you want that person to remain your friend. Lucy says, “But, what with this and that, it's sometimes hard to do.” This expression, “what with this or that,” means “with everything else that is going on,” because life is so busy. That's the meaning of the expression “what with this and that.”

Lucy says, “With friends that I've fallen out of touch with, it’s sometimes hard to meet again and pick up where we left off.” “To fall out of touch” is the opposite of “to keep in touch.” When you fall out of touch with someone, you no longer call them or email them or communicate with them very frequently. Lucy says when you do that, it's “hard to meet again and pick up where we left off.” “To pick up where you left off” means to go back to the point where your, in this case, friendship ended and continue from that point. We can use this expression – “to pick up where you left off” – in a lot of different ways. If you were reading a book, for example, you would want to continue reading the book tomorrow at the place where you stopped reading it today. You would want to pick up where you left off. In this case, it means to continue a relationship after many years.

Lucy says, “We’ve both moved on to a different phase in our lives.” “To move on” means to progress, to leave one place and go to another. In this case, they’ve “moved on to a different phase” (phase). A “phase” is a period or a step along a certain progression. You are moving towards some goal, perhaps. You are changing your situation, or the situation is changing for you.

So, you might meet a beautiful woman and fall in love with this woman. During the first few months, you are in a phase of your relationship where everything is wonderful, and everything is fantastic, and you continue to see this woman, then eventually you get married. Now you move to a different phase where everything is terrible, and – no, I'm just kidding. Just a different phase, that's all.

We continue our story. Lucy says, “Some of my old friends have become very successful, and are living lives in the fast lane.” The “fast lane” (lane) means a very busy, often stressful lifestyle with lots of things happening. We often use this expression for someone who is perhaps very successful in business, who's making a lot of money and who does a lot of things. They go different places. They see different people. They're very busy. Living life in the fast lane has the idea of something exciting – something exciting is happening in your life.

Lucy says that other friends of hers “are having a more difficult time and are just making ends meet.” “To make ends meet” means to barely have enough money to pay for your expenses, to pay your bills. You have just enough money to survive, but not any more.

Lucy says, “No matter how they're doing, it's always nice to touch base again.” “To touch base” (base) means to contact someone to find out what is happening – “to check in” with someone, we might say. Let's say you asked someone to build a new house for you. You have a lot of money, and you ask this person to construct a new house. You would want to touch base with that person frequently – many times – to find out what's going on, to get a progress report. “To touch base” means to communicate with someone, usually for some specific purpose. It's often used in businesses or formal settings.

Lucy ends by saying, “I'm really looking forward to seeing these old pals and catching up after all this time.” A “pal” (pal) is a friend – an informal term for a close friend, like “buddy.” “To catch up” is a two-word phrasal verb which here means to learn about events of someone's life after not having seen that person for a long time. You talk to a friend you haven't talked to in 10 years. You want to find out what happened to that friend during those 10 years. You want to “catch up.”

Lucy ends by saying we just don't mention “how much we've aged.” When you see this person after a long time, you don't talk about how you have become older. “To age” means to become older.

Culture Note
New York City’s High Line Park

We’ve all heard of “recycling,” the using of old things for new purposes. But what if you’re a large city with old “railroad tracks” (metal lines or rails that trains travel on)? What if they’re “elevated” (above the ground) and not easy to “get rid of” (throw away; made to disappear)? New York City came up with a great idea for one section of its old train tracks.

The High Line Park in the middle of New York city is a one-mile (1.61-kilometer) park located on top of a “stretch” (section) of old “freight” (carrying goods, not people) train tracks. Originally, the High Line was a train that brought “raw” (not processed) and “manufactured” (made by people or machines) goods across the city, as well as milk, meat, “produce” (fruits and vegetables). The High Line opened in 1934 and ended its service in 1980.

With the “urging” (encouragement) of people who lived in the neighborhood, “construction” (building) on the new park began in 2006 and opened in 2009. The park includes walkways where people can “stroll” (walk slowly for enjoyment) and “jog” (run for health). It has many “benches” (long seats made with wood, stone, or concrete) where people can sit and enjoy the nice views.

The park is also a place to enjoy nature. It includes 210 “species” (types) of plants and flowers. High Line Park is an excellent example of “repurposing” (making for a new use) an old “eyesore” (something ugly) into something useful and beautiful.

[故事的开始]

这一个月是见老朋友的一个月。几周前，我收到一封大学时的老朋友发来的电子邮件。她和她的家人正在洛杉矶访问一个星期。他们计划看望家人并拜访老朋友。自从她搬走后，我已经很久没有见到她了。我很期待见到她的新孩子并再次见到她。

另一位老朋友这周打电话来。她和我年轻时是好朋友。她计划在去旧金山的路上经过洛杉矶。我们已经计划好一起吃午饭。她在华盛顿特区工作，平时很忙。我很高兴她能抽出时间让我们相聚。

当我们与朋友告别时，我们总是希望能保持联系。但是，由于这个和那个的原因，有时很难做到。对于那些我已经失去联系的朋友，有时很难再次见面，从我们离开的地方重新开始。我们都已经进入了我们生活的不同阶段。我的一些老朋友已经变得非常成功，并且生活在快车道上。其他的朋友则过得更加艰难，只是在维持生计。但是，无论他们的情况如何，再次接触总是很好。

我真的很期待见到这些老伙伴，并在这么长时间后叙旧。我们只是不提我们已经老了多少。

[故事结束]

露西在故事的开头说，"这是一个见老朋友的月份"。这里的 "老 "字可以有两种不同的含义。它可以指年龄大的朋友；90岁的人可能被称为你的 "老朋友"，而不是你的 "年轻朋友"。在这里，露西在不同的意义上使用它，表示与 "新 "相反。一个 "老朋友 "将是一个你已经认识多年或几十年的朋友，甚至。

露西说，她 "几周前收到一封电子邮件"--几周前，两周，也许三周前--"来自一个大学的老朋友"--和她一起上大学的人。这位朋友和她的家人 "正在访问洛杉矶" - 洛杉矶--"为期一周。他们计划去看望家人，并[去]拜访老朋友。" "自从她搬走后，"自从她去了另一个地方，"我已经很久没有见到她了。" "in ages "是指非常长的时间，也许是10年或20年。"很长时间 "是一种表达方式，是相对的，"年代 "也是相对的，取决于你说的是什么其他时间段。但在这里，肯定已经有很长一段时间了。她说，"我期待着见到她的新孩子，期待着再次见到她。"

"另一个[老]朋友这周打电话来，"她说。露西说，"我和她年轻时是哥们儿"。你的 "哥们"（buddy）是你的亲密朋友。这是一个我们非正式使用的术语。现在已经不大常见了。我们会特别对年幼的孩子使用它。一个小男孩可能有一个伙伴。在学校里甚至有一种叫做 "伙伴系统 "的东西。伙伴系统，不仅可以在学校使用，也可以在任何地方使用，是指你有一个人在帮助你，你也在帮助他们，特别是如果你要去旅行的话。

好吧，露西正在谈论她的一个伙伴--她年轻时的一个好朋友。这个朋友 "计划在去旧金山的路上晃过洛杉矶"。"摆（swing）过 "某地意味着在去另一个地方的路上在一个地方停留，或者在去别的地方旅行的路上短暂地拜访某人。"我今天下午要去杂货店，但我首先要去咖啡店转转，买杯咖啡"--我要在去另一个地方的路上在那里短暂停留一下。这就是 "路过 "某个地方的意思。这位朋友要 "在去旧金山的路上路过洛杉矶"。

"路过 "通常是在我们谈论一个相对较近的地方时使用。我们通常不会在谈论去一个完全不同的城市的情况下使用它，但这是露西告诉我们的。她说，"我们已经计划好要吃午饭了。她在华盛顿特区工作"。- 这是我们国家的首都，在美国的东海岸--"而且通常很忙。" 露西说，"我很高兴她能为我们腾出时间来相聚。" "为 "某人腾出时间，或者干脆说 "腾出时间"，意味着在你忙的时候找时间做一件事--即使你有许多其他事情要做，也要为某人计划一些事情。

露西说："当我们和朋友说再见时，我们总是希望能保持联系。" "保持联系 "意味着保持联系，继续与这个人沟通。这是你可能对一个也许要离开去另一个城市，去另一个地方工作的人说的话。"让我们保持联系"。或者你可以对一个也许你不打算在不久的将来经常见面的人说这句话，但你希望这个人仍然是你的朋友。露西说，"但是，有了这个和那个，有时很难做到。" 这个表达方式，"什么这个或那个，"意味着 "与其他一切事情一起，"因为生活是如此繁忙。这就是 "什么这个那个的 "的意思。

露西说，"对于那些已经失去联系的朋友，有时很难再次见面，重新开始我们的工作。" "失去联系 "与 "保持联系 "恰恰相反。当你与某人失去联系时，你不再给他们打电话或发电子邮件，或与他们频繁交流。露西说，当你这样做时，"很难再次见面，从我们离开的地方继续前进"。"拾起你离开的地方 "意味着回到你的，在这种情况下，友谊结束的地方，并从那个点继续。我们可以在很多不同的方面使用这个表达方式--"重拾你离开的地方"。例如，如果你在读一本书，你会想明天在你今天停止阅读的地方继续读这本书。你会想从你离开的地方继续读下去。在这种情况下，它意味着多年后继续一段关系。

露西说，"我们都已经进入了我们生活的不同阶段"。"继续前进 "意味着进步，离开一个地方，去另一个地方。在这种情况下，他们已经 "进入了一个不同的阶段"（phase）。一个 "阶段 "是一个时期或沿着某种进展的一个步骤。你正在朝着某个目标前进，也许。你正在改变你的情况，或者情况正在为你改变。

因此，你可能遇到一个美丽的女人，并爱上了这个女人。在最初的几个月里，你们的关系处于一个阶段，一切都很美好，一切都很奇妙，你继续和这个女人交往，然后最终你们结婚了。现在你转到另一个阶段，一切都很糟糕，而且--不，我只是在开玩笑。只是一个不同的阶段，就这样。

我们继续我们的故事。露西说，"我的一些老朋友已经变得非常成功，在快车道上生活。" "快车道"（lane）的意思是一种非常忙碌、经常有压力的生活方式，有很多事情发生。我们经常用这种说法来形容一个人，他也许在生意上非常成功，赚了很多钱，做了很多事情。他们去不同的地方。他们见不同的人。他们非常忙碌。生活在快车道上的人有一个想法，就是有一些令人兴奋的事情发生在你的生活中。

露西说，她的其他朋友 "日子过得更艰难，只是为了维持生计"。"入不敷出 "意味着勉强有足够的钱来支付你的开支，支付你的账单。你的钱只够生存，但不再是了。

露西说，"不管他们的情况如何，能再次接触到基地总是好的。" "接触基地"（base）的意思是与某人联系以了解情况--我们可以说是与某人 "签到"。比方说，你让某人为你建造一座新房子。你有很多钱，你要求这个人建造一座新房子。你会希望经常--多次--与这个人接触，以了解情况，获得进度报告。"接触 "意味着与某人沟通，通常是为了某些特定目的。它经常用于企业或正式场合。

露西最后说："我真的很期待见到这些老伙伴，在这么长时间后再叙旧。" "伙伴"（pal）是一个朋友--对亲密朋友的非正式称呼，像 "哥们"。"叙旧 "是一个两个字的短语动词，在这里指的是在很久没有见到某人之后了解他的生活事件。你和一个10年没联系过的朋友聊天。你想知道在这10年里那个朋友发生了什么。你想 "追赶"。

露西最后说，我们只是不提 "我们已经老了多少"。当你在很长时间后见到这个人时，你不会谈论你如何变老。"变老 "是指变老。

文化说明
纽约市的高线公园

我们都听说过 "回收"，将旧物用于新的用途。但是，如果你是一个拥有旧 "铁轨"（火车行驶的金属线或铁轨）的大城市呢？如果它们是 "高架"（高于地面）并且不容易 "摆脱"（扔掉；使之消失）呢？纽约市为它的一段旧火车轨道想出了一个好主意。

纽约市中部的高线公园是一个一英里（1.61公里）的公园，位于旧的 "货运"（运载货物，而不是人）火车轨道的 "延伸"（部分）之上。最初，高线是一列火车，将 "原始"（未经加工）和 "制造"（由人或机器制造）的货物以及牛奶、肉类、"农产品"（水果和蔬菜）运过城市。高铁于1934年开通，于1980年结束服务。

在住在附近的人们的 "敦促"（鼓励）下，新公园的 "建设"（建造）于2006年开始，并在2009年开放。该公园包括人行道，人们可以 "漫步"（慢慢走，享受）和 "慢跑"（跑步，健康）。它有许多 "长椅"（用木头、石头或混凝土制成的长座椅），人们可以坐在那里享受美好的景色。

该公园也是一个享受自然的地方。它包括210种 "物种"（类型）的植物和花卉。高线公园是 "重新利用"（为新的用途）一个旧的 "碍眼"（丑陋的东西）变成有用和美丽的东西的一个很好的例子。