Dialogue 1
Mark: Guten tag, Jingjing. Here we are on the final stretch before the holiday.
马克：你好，京晶。再过几天就春节假期啦！
Jingjing: Yeah, on what day are you making the trip to your wife's home town?
京晶：是啊，你们打算哪天启程去你夫人的老家？
Mark: Her parents are moving to Beijing. So, we'll spend the Spring Festival here.
马克：我岳父岳母要搬来北京住，所以我们今年就在北京过春节了。
Jingjing: Oh? That'll be nice. Beijing empties out quite a bit. It'll be nice and quiet.
京晶：哦？那不错啊。春节期间北京几乎会变成空城。很好很清静。
Mark: I'm looking forward to that. Plus, that way, my wife and I can focus on work during the busy times before and after the holiday.
马克：很期待。这样一来，我和夫人都可以在节前节后繁忙的时候专心工作了。
Jingjing: Right. I know you're busier around the so-called holidays than you are during the times when it's week after week of regular work.
京晶：没错。我知道你们在所谓的假期前后比平时还忙。
Mark: This year is no exception. It'll be great to have my wife's parents supporting us at home. We lucked out on an apartment: walking distance from work, and a stone's throw away from a big park.
马克：今年也不例外。不过，今年有我岳父岳母在家帮我们，真是很好。我们很幸运地租到了一所公寓，步行就可以上下班，而且距离一个大公园仅有咫尺之遥。
Jingjing: That sounds ideal.
京晶：听起来非常理想啊！
Mark: What about your plans, Jingjing?
马克：春节假期你有什么计划，京晶？
Jingjing: Well, I have to go back. Last year, I stuck around Beijing, and my parents stayed with me for a few days. So, now I'm overdue to see all the relatives.
京晶：嗯，我得回老家。去年我就逗留北京没走成，父母前来陪我住了些天。所以，我早就该回家看看我的亲戚们了。
Mark: I bet they've all missed you these many months. They can hear your voice on the radio; but that's not the same.
马克：我确信他们这么多个月没见到你一定非常想念你。他们能在电台里听到你的声音，但那种感觉还是不太一样。
Jingjing: Not even close. I have to be with them in person this year.
京晶：嗯，确实差远了。今年我必须跟他们当面聚聚。
Mark: So, have you made the arrangements already?
马克：那，你已经安排好了吗？
Jingjing: I'm doing that now, actually. I still haven't found a ticket.
京晶：实际上，我正在安排呢，但，还没买到回家的票。
Mark: How about I go get us some milk tea. Good luck with the search.
马克：我出去给咱俩买点儿奶茶怎么样？祝你找票成功哈！
Jingjing: I'll need it. See you in a few.
京晶：好，我正想喝杯奶茶呢。一会儿见。

New words : 习语短语
guten tag 德语（问候语）白天好，你好
(German) “good day” (a way of saying hello)
empties out 清空了 (an area)
gets less crowded

Dialogue 2
Jingjing: It took you long enough, Mark. I was about to call the search party.
京晶：你总算回来啦，马克。我都要打电话给救援搜索队了。
Mark: Oh, there were some things on sale at the department store. I browsed for a while and then got the milk tea on the way back, so that it'd still be hot.
马克：哦，商场有些商品正在打折，我逛了一会儿，然后在回来的路上买的奶茶，所以应该还是热的。
Jingjing: Thanks. Is that one for me?
京晶：谢谢啦。这杯是我的吧？
Mark: Yes, here. So, did you book a ticket?
马克：是的，拿好了。你订到车票了吗？
Jingjing: There's still nothing. The day I can go back is the busiest day for high speed rail. Plan B, of course, is to fly. I need to decide this afternoon, or the prices will skyrocket.
京晶：还是没有余票。我能回家的那天是高铁最繁忙的一天。当然，B计划就是飞机。我得今天下午做出决定，不然机票价就该直冲云霄了。
Mark: Do you have a plan C?
马克：那你还有C计划吗？
Jingjing: Ha! Actually, yes.
京晶：哈！还真有。
Mark: That peaks my curiosity, unless it's to give up on the trip.
马克：这激起了我的好奇心。不会是放弃回家吧？
Jingjing: A friend of mine is driving back to the same city where my parents live. It's a small group, and there's still space for me in the car.
京晶：我有个朋友今年要开车回我父母住的城市。搭她车的人不多，目前车上还有我的位置。
Mark: Wow, a road trip! How long does it take?
马克：哇，自驾出行啊！多久的车程？
Jingjing: We could either leave early in the morning and try to make it in one day, or stay somewhere along the way.
京晶：我们可以早晨早点儿出发，争取当天到；也可以沿途停歇。
Mark: I guess that'd depend on how many people can drive. You wouldn't want the same person behind the wheel for more than three or four hours straight.
马克：我猜这要取决于你们有几个人能开车。可不能让同一个人连续开车三四个小时以上。
Jingjing: I'll have to check with my friend. I like the idea of splitting it over two days, but wouldn't want to get stuck in some dingy hotel.
京晶：我得和我朋友确认一下。我倾向于把行程分成两天，但不想在简陋的路边小旅馆凑合一宿。
Mark: You might not have a lot of options—unless you found an attractive city at the halfway point on the map and made a reservation.
马克：你可能没有太多选择。除非，你能够在行程一半的位置找到一座有魅力的城市，在那里预订到酒店房间。
Jingjing: Oh, that gives me another thing to check online.
京晶：哦，我又多了一件需要上网查的事情。
Mark: I hope you work it out smoothly.
马克：希望你能顺利搞定！


New words : 习语短语
I was about to call the search party.
我准备要叫救援队了
（一种表达太久不在的夸张说法）
a way of expressing that someone has been gone for a long time
skyrocket 快速上升
go up quickly
peak my curiosity 让我十分好奇
make me as curious as possible
a road trip 陆路行，自驾行
a long trip by car, usually more than one day of mostly driving
behind the wheel 开车，驾车
driving
dingy 不卫生的，简陋的
dirty, poorly furnished