Her birthday is Saturday. We need a plan.
她生日是周六。我们得有个计划。

A real Dining dialogue: Planning a birthday dinner. 32 lines, 4 key words, one phrase to keep and a short check.一段真实的吃饭对话:计划生日聚餐。。32 句对白、4 个重点词、一句金句和一个小练习。
Tap a line for audio. Keywords are highlighted in every language.
Her birthday is Saturday. We need a plan.
她生日是周六。我们得有个计划。
How many people?
多少人?
Twelve. Maybe fourteen if her cousins come.
十二个。她表兄妹来就十四个。
That’s a big table. Any restaurant in mind?
那需要一张大桌。心里有餐厅了吗?
Somewhere with a round table and a lazy Susan.
要有圆桌和转盘的那种。
The dumpling place can seat sixteen.
饺子馆能坐十六个人。
But can we bring a cake?
但能自带蛋糕吗?
They charged us ten yuan last time.
上次收了我们十块钱。
Fine. We bring the cake and pay the fee.
行。我们带蛋糕,付这个费用。
What about the menu? Set or individual?
菜单怎么定?套餐还是单点?
Set is easier. Three dishes per person.
套餐省事。一人三个菜。
One dish must be the sweet and sour fish.
一定要有糖醋鱼。
She still talks about that fish from two years ago.
两年前那条鱼她到现在还念叨。
And someone must remember she hates coriander.
还有人得记住她不吃香菜。
I’ll write it on the booking note.
我写在预订备注里。
Also no durian in the dessert course.
还有甜品环节不要榴莲。
Agreed. Learned that the hard way.
同意。我们吃过教训。
Budget per head?
每人的预算?
Around one fifty. We can split evenly.
一百五左右。我们平。
Twelve times one fifty is eighteen hundred.
十二个一百五是千八百。
I’ll collect the money before dinner.
饭前我把钱收齐。
Someone will be slow. Someone always is.
总有人会慢。总有人会慢。
Then I’ll chase them. Loudly.
那我就大声催他们。
Should we tell her at all?
我们要不要干脆告诉她?
No. She hates surprises, except this kind.
不。她讨厌惊喜,除了这种。
She hates all surprises.
她讨厌所有惊喜。
This one is dinner. It’s legal.
这是晚饭。合法的。
I’ll book Friday evening to be safe.
保险起见我订周五晚上。
Six thirty. Nobody comes late.
六点半。谁也不许迟到。
Nobody has ever come on time to a birthday dinner.
从来没人生日饭准时到过。
We can hope.
可以抱有希望。
We can also order the fish early. It takes twenty minutes.
也可以提前点到鱼。那道菜要二十分钟。
Her birthday is Saturday. We need a plan.
她生日是周六。我们得有个计划。
Match the meaning, then try the scene again.
Her birthday is Saturday. We need a plan.
Agreed. Learned that the hard way.
We can also order the fish early. It takes twenty minutes.