Part 1 Hardcore Gamer

（Link makes an Internet call to his fellow online gamer Zelda.）

Link： Hey Zelda， Can I ask you about something？①Ive got a bit of a situation on my hands.

Zelda： Sure， Link. What can I do to help？

Link： Well， you know how I spent all last week leveling up on that side mission？

Zelda： I remember. I still cant believe you built up as many experience points as you did in such a short time.

Link： Well thats what a few all-nighters will do for you. Anyway， cuz of all the intense sessions Ive been getting into， I decided to 1）splurge on this new 2）ergonomic gaming chair.

Zelda： Do you mean the new GameMaster 10，000？ Thats over 500 bucks！ How can you afford it？

Link： ②I borrowed some money from my mom， and told her it was for school supplies and what not.③Anyway， Ive only had the chair a few days and its already on the fritz！ ④You know any place around here that can get to the bottom of it？

Zelda： Wait a second！ Can we get back to the fact that you spent your moms hard earned money on such a 3）luxurious 4）accessory？

Link： But this wasnt just some 5）impulse buy. I needed it.

Zelda： Firstly， youre the only kid I know who lives off-campus， and alone， for the sole purpose of gaming. Does your mom provide your rent money as well？

Link： Of course she does！ I dont have time for a job with so many missions to complete. And I just downloaded the newest expansion pack too.

Zelda： Do you even go to class anymore？

Link： Some of them， unless Ive got urgent business to attend to online， if you know what I mean.

Zelda： This is no joking matter. I think youve got a serious online video-game addiction， and I dont really feel comfortable further enabling your 6）obsession.

Link： Youve gotta be kidding me？！ So what if I like online fantasy worlds more than real-life？ Thats not a crime.

Zelda： No， its not a crime. But it is a shame. I used to like hanging out with you in the“real world，” where people eat real meals and engage in real-life conversations about things 7）pertaining to reality. The real world misses you.

Link： Well I dont miss the real world. Fantasy is much more fun and exciting.

Zelda： But its not exciting， for those of us who used to be your nearest and dearest， watching you slowly 8）wither away. I havent actually seen you， in a physical sense， in weeks. And the last time I did， you had lost nearly 30 pounds. ⑤Youre becoming a mere shell of your former self， and its just sad to watch.

Link： Geez…9）Dramatic much？

Zelda： I cant take it anymore. You need help…Real-life help…and Im not equipped to deal with it.

Link： You dont know what youre talking about. I am perfectly fine. Hello？ Zelda， you there？？ Hmmm… ⑥Maybe things are getting a bit out of hand…

Smart Sentences① Ive got a bit of a situation on my hands. 我遇到了一个难题。

on sb.s hands： sth. sb. has to deal with（某人必须处理某事）。例如：

The deadline is tomorrow and I still have a lot of work on my hands.

明天就是截止日期了，我手头上还有许多工作。

② I borrowed some money from my mom， and told her it was for school supplies and what not. 我向我妈借了些钱，告诉她是用来交学校的费用等等。

what not： refer vaguely to other things similar to some things mentioned before（在提到一些事情后，含糊地指其他类似的事情）。例如：

It was a relaxing weekend. I spent time watching TV， reading and what not.

这周末很放松，我看看电视、看看书，等等。

③ Anyway， Ive only had the chair a few days and its already on the fritz！总之，那张椅子我才用几天就出问题了！

on the fritz： not operating， not operating correctly（出故障）。例如：

The printer has been on the fritz for almost two weeks.

打印机一直在出问题，都快两周了。

④ You know any place around here that can get to the bottom of it？ 你知道这附近有维修它的地方吗？

get to the bottom of sth.： find out the real cause/ answer of sth.（探明真相，弄清起因）。例如：

If you want to get to the bottom of his falling grades， you probably need to talk to his teachers and school friends.

如果你想弄明白他成绩下降的原因，你可能要跟老师和同学谈谈。

⑤ Youre becoming a mere shell of your former self， and its just sad to watch. 你不再是以前的你了，这真让人揪心。

a mere shell of ones former self： sb. has changed a lot（某人发生了很大变化）。例如：

Do you know John is a mere shell of his former self since he returned from the Afghan War？

你知不知道约翰从阿富汗战场回来后发生了很大的变化？

⑥ Maybe things are getting a bit out of hand… 也许事情一发不可收拾了。

get out of hand： sb. doesnt have control over sth.（非某人所能控制，失控）。例如：

The talent shows have gotten out of hand， and now audiences are getting tired of it.

选秀节目如今已经失控，观众也厌倦了。