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Larry accompanied Li Hua to buy a computer. Today we’re going to learn two common expressions: do the trick and a grain of salt. LH: Larry, do you think I should buy a PC or an Apple device? LL: Well, I’m not an expert on computers, but I think Macs are much more user-friendly. LH: I often hear people say how great Apple products are, but I’ve never used one; besides, PCs are relatively cheaper. LL: Well, they are both really good computers. I think either one would work fine. LH: Work fine? Larry, I buy computers to look up information and work on papers, not to play games. LL: Actually, Lihua, when you say that something does the trick, that means it will be successful, or good enough. LH: Oh, “does the trick” means it’s sufficient to achieve the desired result. You mean that either PC or Apple will be sufficient for my needs. LL: Right! Here’s another example. Joe doesn’t need to live in a big house. Since he lives by himself, a small apartment will do the trick. LH: I understand. What this sentence means is that Joe lives alone anyway, so a small apartment is sufficient; there’s no need for a large house. So Larry, which store do you think we should go to buy a computer? LL: Well we could go to a big computer store, but the Internet will work just as well. You can order your computer online. LH: Order it online? That’s not good. How about we go to an Apple store? I can try out an Apple device, and you can check whether you want to buy an iPhone. LL: That’s okay. I don’t need many fancy features on my phone; my old, simple cell phone is still sufficient for my needs. LH: To be honest, if you don’t replace your phone any time soon, it will end up becoming an antique. Weren’t you saying it wasn’t working well last week? LL: Actually, it was just the battery that broke. But I went to the store and got a new one, and that fixed the problem. LH: So you just replaced the battery so you could keep using it? I’m really impressed by you. Saving money is certainly good, but one shouldn’t be too outdated either! New phones these days have all kinds of features – don’t you want any of them? LL: Who needs all this technology? When I want to be entertained, reading a book always works. LH: By the way, Apple’s newly released iPad has a function for reading e-books; you should buy an iPad! LL: As far as I'm concerned, Lihua, traditional paper books still work just fine.******Larry and Lihua went to Best Buy to look at computers. LH: Hey Larry! What do you think of this computer? It has all the features I need, and the price is reasonable too – only 2000 yuan. LL: Two thousand dollars? That seems pretty expensive to me. Are you sure it’s worth it to buy such an expensive computer? LH: Of course it’s worth it. Didn’t you hear what the salesperson said just now? It’s his favorite computer, and he highly recommends it. LL: Well, the salesperson always wants you to buy the most expensive item, so I would take what he says with a grain of salt. LH: A grain of salt? Add some salt? What do you mean? LL: When you slightly doubt something you are told, you can say that you take it with a grain of salt. LH: Oh, “with a grain of salt” means to be cautious and skeptical. Are you saying that shop assistants always try to sell expensive products to customers, so their words can’t be taken entirely at face value? LL: Right. Here is another example. Emily always exaggerates about her talents, so when she told me she is fluent in Japanese, I took it with a grain of salt. LH: That’s true; Emily always likes to exaggerate, so her words can’t be taken entirely at face value. LL: So Lihua, what are the features that make this computer so good? LH: According to the product description, this computer’s battery can last for 15 hours continuously, which is twice as long as that of other computers on the market. LL: You know, companies often make exaggerated claims about their products, so I would take that with a grain of salt. LH: But my friend Tammy bought a computer from this brand and said it’s really good. LL: But Lihua, Tammy only uses the computer to check emails. I’d take her opinions on computers with a grain of salt. LH: But you’re not an expert in high technology either; just look at your old-fashioned phone to see that. LL: That’s true. I don’t know much about technology, so I would take all my advice with a grain of salt. LH: Don’t worry; I always do the opposite of what you suggest regarding high-tech products like phones and computers. If you say not to buy something, then buying it is definitely the right choice. LL: Haha... very funny.... Today, Li Hua learned two common expressions. One is “do the trick,” which means it is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. The other is a grain of salt, which means to be cautious