Part2 How Clubs Can Help

Ashley： Oh shoot！ Its almost time for computer club， and I still need to transfer all the updated software to my external hard drive before I go.

Joe： That sounds annoying.

Ashley： Not at all！ I actually never knew how interesting computer science was until I joined this club. Now， Im learning all kinds of stuff that I can use when I eventually enter the job market.

Joe： That makes sense. Ive been learning a lot too， from my fellow 1）choir group members.

Ashley： Thats surprising to hear， coming from the guy who once claimed to be “the best musician in the world！”

Joe： Alright， dont remind me. ①I guess coming to college， as an 2）accomplished high-school 3）soloist， I was kind of a know-it-all. But I really have learned a lot about 4）harmonization， both musically and otherwise.

Ashley： How so？

Joe： You mean musically？ Well， when one person sings the first note of an 5）octave， and someone else sings the third…

Ashley： No no no， I mean in what other ways can you use harmonization？

Joe： Oh！ Sorry about that. ②Im sure all that musical 6）terminology goes right over your head.

Ashley： Yeah， when you start to talk about musical terms， I pretty much just zone out. But I am interested to know how you can use group singing harmonies for real-life lessons.

Joe： Well， before I joined the choir group I was just a selfish solo singer and 7）instrumentalist. Now Ive learned that it takes teamwork to make a beautiful sound. And it takes a group of people with the same goal to accomplish something that is truly 8）spectacular. Working together with like-minded people， you can achieve successes you never even dreamed about！

Ashley： And you learned all that from a simple extra-curricular activity？

Joe： Yes， but its far from simple. Creating perfect harmony takes countless hours of practice and an ability to adapt to things that are happening around you.

Ashley： ③I think I get where youre coming from. You mean that if someone is able to adjust their attitude a little bit when people around them are doing something different， it can create a general sense of harmony. Is that right？

Joe： ④Hehe， I think youre getting the hang of it， and you didnt need to sing a single note！

Ashley： ⑤Thank heavens！ If you heard my singing voice， it would create whatever the opposite of harmony is！

Joe： You mean 9）discord.

Ashley： Dont start in with the musical terms again. ⑥Youre gonna put me right to sleep， and Id miss my computer club. ⑦Speaking of which， Ive gotta get going. See ya later Pavarotti！

Joe： Later Ms. Bill Gates.

Ashley： Ew. Id be Ms. Jobs if anything.

Joe： Why？

Ashley： Bill Gates is kinda creepy. And Mac has a better 10）interface.

Smart Sentences

① I guess coming to college， as an accomplished high-school soloist， I was kind of a know-it-all.我想作为一个在高中有才华的独奏家，来到大学，我是有点自以为是。

know-it-all： sb. who thinks he knows everything and refuses to accept advice or information from others（自以为无所不知的人）。例如：

Wherever you go， you can always find an annoying know-it-all.不管到哪儿，总能碰到一个讨人嫌的自以为是的人。

② Im sure all that musical terminology goes right over your head. 我想你没搞明白那些的音乐术语。

go right over sbs head： too difficult to understand（无法弄明白）。例如：

Im afraid what he said at the meeting went right over my head.我恐怕没搞明白他在会上说的话。

③ I think I get where youre coming from. 我想我明白你的意思了。

where sb. comes from： sb.s thought results from（某人想法的源头）。例如：

Can you explain your point again？ Im not sure I understand where you are coming from.

你能再解释一下你的观点吗？我好像不明白你是怎么得出这个看法的。

④ Hehe， I think youre getting the hang of it， and you didnt need to sing a single note！ 呵呵，我想你懂了，你不需要唱一个音符！

get the hang of sth.： succeed in learning how to do sth.（掌握某事的窍门）。例如：

After three weeks of using this new software， I think Ive finally got the hang of it.

用了这个新软件三周后，我想我终于学会了。

⑤ Thank heavens！ 感谢上帝！

Thank heavens： used to indicate you are very relieved about sth.（用以表示你对某事得到解脱的心情）。例如：

Thank heavens！ We got here. What a trip！

谢天谢地，我们到了。真不容易！

⑥ Youre gonna put me right to sleep， and Id missd my computer club. 你快让我睡着了，我错过了计算机协会的时间了。

put sb. to sleep： bore sb.（让人厌烦）。例如：That dull lecture put me to sleep.

那个沉闷的讲演让我昏昏欲睡。

⑦ Speaking of which， Ive gotta get going.说到这里，我要走了。

speaking of which： used to refer to sth. just mentioned（用以指刚刚提到的事）。例如：

Mom said she needs to borrow my camera tomorrow.

Speaking of which， I need to charge the battery.

老妈说明天要用我的相机。说到这个，我得去给电池充电了。

get going： depart（离开）。例如：

Ive gotta get going. Its late.

我得走了，太晚了。