今天Larry和Li Hua在商店里给朋友买生日礼物。
LH: 哎哟，Larry, 你看那边那两个小男孩在打架呢。他们家大人怎么也不管呐？
LL: Oh, don’t worry, they’re just horsing around. They won’t hurt each other.
LH: 你要我别担心，说他们只是在horsing around，HORSE这个词在英文里不是"马"吗？
LL: Yes, in "horse around", "horse" is used as a verb, "to horse around" means "to play or joke with someone". Those two kids were just playing, they were horsing around.
LH: 噢，horse在这里是用作动词，to horse around意思是"和别人开玩笑、闹着玩儿"。Larry, 你是说那两个男孩儿是在闹着玩儿啊！
LL: Hey! Why did you punch me in the arm?
LH: I’m just horsing around! 嘿Larry, 这个horsing around还可以用在什么地方呢？
LL: Well, sometimes it means the same as "just kidding" or "just joking." Hey, Li Hua, you have something on your shirt...
LH: 什么？我衣服上沾了东西啊？在哪儿呢？我怎么看不见呢？
LL: That’s because I’m just horsing around. There isn’t anything on your shirt. I just wanted to see if you would look.
LH: 噢，原来你又在跟我开玩笑啊。这么说，和别人开玩笑或者是恶作剧，也可以算是horsing around. Hey, Larry, 你看你的鞋带松了。
LL: Nice try, Li Hua, but I know you’re just horsing around.
LH: 哎哟，我们别光顾开玩笑了，赶快给我朋友挑挑生日礼物吧！
LL: Hey, how about this shirt?
LH: What?! 这衬衫多难看呀！You must be horsing around.
