Part 2 Post-80s—Love Is a Luxury

Lijuan： Oh， have you seen this show？

Guopeng： What show is that？

Lijuan： Sex and the City！

Guopeng： Ummm， no.

Lijuan： Really？ It’s so modern and international！

Guopeng： Sorry I don’t watch much TV. My parents say it 1）rots your brain， the way candy rots your teeth.

Lijuan： Well I think American TV shows are so forward thinking， and watching them is a great way to improve your English.

Guopeng： That’s true. And I have been watching more movies lately. I like old classics like Gone With the Wind and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Lijuan： I like movies too， but watching a TV series allows you to become completely immersed in the characters’ lives. Carrie is my absolute favorite character cuz she’s an independent woman trying to find love in New York City.

Guopeng： Oh， I heard New York City is one of the most expensive places in the world to live.

Lijuan： I heard the same. That’s why I need to find a man like Mr. Big.

Guopeng： Mr. Big？ Is that another fictional character on your show？

Lijuan： The character may not be real， but I’ve heard that the show depicts New Yorkers the way they really are.

Guopeng： Well that remains to be seen.

Lijuan： ①I don’t think it’s setting the bar too high.

Guopeng： I’m just worried you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.

Lijuan： ②You have to shoot for the stars to reach your dreams.

Guopeng： But are you shooting for the right stars？

Lijuan： What are you 2）insinuating？

Guopeng： Nothing. Maybe I’m the one who needs to face the fact that， nowadays， Love is reserved for those who can afford it. And for those who can’t， whose families are poor and 3）destitute， love is a 4）luxury that lies just out of reach， beyond the dreams and the stars.

Lijuan： I think dreams come in steps. A man who dreams of marrying a beautiful woman must take the first step of getting a good education. The next step is finding a stable job that allows for career advancement. And then the beauties will inevitably follow suit.

Guopeng： Ugh. That sounds 5）depressingly accurate. So does that mean men must wait till their late twenties or thirties to find love？ And is it even true love if a girl only wants to be with you for money？

Lijuan： I’m not sure that I could ever love a poor man. I mean， you never know. Stranger things have happened. ③All I know for sure is that I wanna be the apple of my husband’s eye. And I need a wealthy businessman who will provide for me， and can occasionally 6）spring for a shiny new pair of Louboutins when I’m feeling down or 7）neglected.

Guopeng： I guess I’ve got a decade of hard work ahead of me if I want even a remote chance of finding love…

Lijuan： Well， if you find yourself in New York in the next ten years， give me a ring！

Smart Sentences

① I don’t think it’s setting the bar too high. 我不認為這是把標準定得太高。

set the bar high： set a high standard（定高標準）。例如：

You can’t set the bar high for new comers. It could scare them away.對新人而言，別把標準定得太高，不然會把他們嚇走的。

② You have to shoot for the stars to reach your dreams. 你必須為了實現夢想把目標定得高一點。

shoot for the stars： aim very high（目標高遠，眼光高）。例如：

You need to be realistic when you apply to universities overseas. Don’t shoot for the stars.

在申請國外大學的時候你要實際一點，不要眼光太高。

③ All I know for sure is that I wanna be the apple of my husband’s eye. 我只確定想當我老公手心里的寶。

the apple of sb.’s eye： very important to sb.（某人的掌上明珠）。例如：

Penny has always been the apple of her grandma’s eye.

潘尼一直都是奶奶的掌上明珠。