Dialogue - Planning an evening out!

jì huà wǎn jiān de wài chū huó dòng!
计划晚间的外出活动！
Planning an evening out!

临临时做出计划约请朋友晚间外出是可以的，但是提前安排好计划则更为礼貌。典型的约会包括看电影、跳舞、唱卡拉OK、或参加社交聚会。每个人都应该准确地掌握两种场合的基本着装礼仪，即正式场合和非正式场合。参加正式的晚宴，应着晚礼服为宜；参加非正式的活动，着休闲装即可。
It's OK to make plans with friends for evening parties at the last minute. It's more polite, however, to make them ahead of time. Typical dates include going to the movies, going dancing, singing karaoke or going to parties. Everybody should accurately grasp basic dress etiquette for two types of occasions, formal and informal. Evening attire is appropriate for formal parties while casual wear is proper for informal activities.
 

课文
Text

mài kè: lì lì, hái zài gōng zuò ne? bié lèi zhe.
麦克：丽丽，还在工作呢？别累着。 
Mike: Hi, Lili, are you still working? Don't wear yourself out.

lì li: wǒ zài bāng lǎo bǎn shěn hé yī fèn xié yì, zhè gè zhōu wǔ jiù yào jǔ xíng qiān zì yí shì le.
丽丽：我在帮老板审核一份协议，这个周五就要举行签字仪式了。  
Lili: I'm reviewing an agreement for the boss. The signing ceremony will be held this Friday.

mài kè: yuán lái rú cǐ. qiān zì yí shì zài nǎ er jǔ xíng, yī dìng huì hěn lóng zhòng ba?
麦克：原来如此。签字仪式在哪儿举行，一定会很隆重吧？ 
Mike: I see. Where will the ceremony be held? It must be very grand.

lì li: zài běi jīng fàn diàn jǔ xíng, dàng tiān wǎn shàng hái ān pái le yī gè jī wěi jiǔ huì, yāo qǐng le hěn duō shè huì míng liú cān jiā.
丽丽：在北京饭店举行，当天晚上还安排了一个鸡尾酒会，邀请了很多社会名流参加。 
Lili: It will be held at the Beijing Hotel, and in the evening there will be a cocktail party where many celebrities have been invited to attend.

mài zhè me shuō yāo qǐng hán dōu yǐ jīng fā chū qù le, kě xī wǒ méi yǒu jī huì cān jiā ya.
麦克：这么说邀请函都已经发出去了，可惜我没有机会参加呀。 
Mike: So the invitations have been sent out. Unfortunately I have no chance to attend.

lì li: lǎo bǎn dào shì jiàn yì nǐ gēn wǒ men yī qǐ qù, kě yǐ jié shí yī xiē xīn péng yǒu.
丽丽：老板倒是建议你跟我们一起去，可以结识一些新朋友。
Lili: The boss did suggest that you go with us, so that you can get to know some new friends.

mài kè: tài hǎo le. wǒ xià bān hòu jiù qù shāng chǎng guàng guàng, mǎi shēn er wǎn huì chuān de yī fu.
麦克：太好了。我下班后就去商场逛逛，买身儿晚会穿的衣服。 
Mike: Great! I will go shopping after work to buy proper clothes for the party.

lì li: děng wǒ máng wán shǒu tóu zhè diǎn er shì, zán men yī qǐ qù ba, wǒ yě zhèng dǎ suàn mǎi shēn er wǎn lǐ fú ne.
丽丽：等我忙完手头这点儿事，咱们一起去吧，我也正打算买身儿晚礼服呢。 
Lili: Let's go together as soon as I finish my work on hand. I'm going to buy an evening dress, too.

mài kè: wǒ de zhè shuāng xié yě chuān huài le, wǒ xiǎng shùn biàn zài mǎi shuāng pí xié.
麦克：我的这双鞋也穿坏了，我想顺便再买双新皮鞋。 
Mike: My shoes are worn out, too. It'd be convenient to buy a pair of new leather shoes then.

lì li: méi wèn tí, lǎo bǎn shuō ràng wǒ shùn biàn yě bāng tā xuǎn tiáo hé shì de lǐng dài.
丽丽：没问题，老板说让我顺便也帮他选条合适的领带。 
Lili: No problem. The boss also asked me to help him choose a suitable tie.

mài kè: kàn lái lǎo bǎn hěn xìn rèn nǐ a, shén me shì qíng dōu ràng nǐ bāng zhe zuò.
麦克：看来老板很信任你啊，什么事情都让你帮着做。 
Mike: It seems the boss has great confidence in you, since he asks you to help him so much.

lì li: wǒ men jì shì tóng shì, yě shì péng yǒu, shì péng yǒu jiù gāi hù xiāng bāng máng ma.
丽丽：我们既是同事，也是朋友，是朋友就该互相帮忙嘛。 
Lili: We are both colleagues and friends, and friends should help each other.

mài kè: nǐ shuō zán men shì qù xī dān hái shì qù wáng fǔ jǐng ne? dà shāng chǎng de dōng xi jiù shì tài guì le.
麦克：你说咱们是去西单还是去王府井呢？大商场的东西就是太贵了。 
Mike: Where do you think we should go, Xidan or Wangfujing? Things in big shopping malls are too expensive.

lì li: wǒ dài nǐ qù fù jìn de yī jiā wài mào shāng diàn ba, nà de fú zhuāng hěn piào liang, hái kě yǐ dǎ zhé.
丽丽：我带你去附近的一家外贸商店吧，那的服装很漂亮，还可以打折。 
Lili: Let's go to a foreign trade shop nearby where clothes are nice and sold at a discount.

生词
New Words

计划 jì huà: plan 
外出 wài chū: be out (for a party, etc.) 
活动 huó dòng: activity 
邀请 yāo qǐng: invite; invitation 
安排 ān pái: arrange; arrangement 
礼貌 lǐ mào: polite; politeness 
约会 yuē huì: date 
社交活动 shè jiāo huó dòng: social activities 
着装 zhuó zhuāng: put on (clothes, headgear and footwear, etc.) 
礼仪 lǐ yí: etiquette; protocol 
晚礼服 wǎn lǐ fú: evening dress 
休闲服 xiū xián fú: casual wear; casual clothing 
审核 shěn hé: review; check 
协议 xié yì: agreement 
签字 qiān zì: sign; signing 
仪式 yí shì: ceremony 
隆重 lóng zhòng: grand 
饭店 fàn diàn: hotel 
晚会 wǎn huì: evening party 
鸡尾酒会 jī wěi jiǔ huì: cocktail party 
社会名流 shè huì míng liú: celebrities from all walks of life 
可惜 kě xī: unfortunately  
机会 jī huì: chance, opportunity 
参加 cān jiā: attend; participate 
结识 jié shí: get to know; get acquainted (with somebody) 
皮鞋 pí xié: leather shoes 
领带 lǐng dài: tie 
穿坏的 chuān huài de: worn-out 
信任 xìn rèn: trust; confidence 
朋友 péng you: friend 
外贸商店 wài mào shāng diàn: foreign trade shop 
打折 dǎ zhé: sell at a discount; give a discount