Radio: On the local front, our town of Hale, Maryland, is still buzzing about the less-than-flattering article about their native daughter, Maggie Carpenter. Her bridal exploits were taken to task by New York columnist Ike Graham in USA Today. Mr. Graham called her—
Maggie's Voice: Dear Editor: Greetings from the sticks. Perhaps you believe that a rural education is focused mainly on hog calling and tractor maintenance rather than reading. Why else would you print a piece of fiction about me and call it fact? I suppose Mr. Graham was too busy thinking up slanderous statements about how I dump men for kicks to bother with something silly like accuracy in reporting. Which is understandable, because with a man-eater like me on the loose, who has time to check facts?
Ike: Hey, Frances, lunch today?
Frances: No, I'm going to the bank.
Ike: Sure?
Frances: Sorry, Ike.
Ike: All right. Hey.
Woman: Hey.
Ike: I'm going to put in a good word for you.
Woman: No, that’s OK. Don't mention my name there.
Maggie's Voice: That's why I was surprised to find Mr. Graham's editor was a woman. Call me a sentimental fool, but I sort of hoped we man-eaters could stick together.
Ellie’s voice: "Anyway, I'm just dropping you big-city folk this little note to say that I have thought of a ritual sacrifice that would satisfy my current appetite: ‘Ike Graham's column on a platter.’ Yours truly, Maggie Carpenter. P.S. I have enclosed a list of gross factual misrepresentations in your article. "There are fifteen.
Ike: Funny. I like her. She's got spunk.
Ellie: Ike, look. She sent us this list. Our lawyers say it's actionable. I left you four messages. You don't return my calls.
Ike: so? I never returned your calls. Even when we were married I didn't--What's Fisher doing here?
Fisher: Ellie asked me to come down to offer moral support.
Ike: Since when does Ellie need moral support?
Ellie: It's for you, Ike.
Ike: What? What?
Ellie: Journalism lesson number one: If you fabricate your facts, you get fired.
Ike: Lesson number two: Never work for your former spouse.
Ellie: That has nothing to do with it. You cooked this story up, and you know it!
Ike: I did not cook anything up. I had a source.
Ellie: Someone reliable? Some boozehound in a bar?
Fisher: In vino veritas.
Ike: Hey, hey, hey. Don't knock drunk guys in bars. It means they're not driving. Besides, l am a columnist. This is what columnists are supposed to do. It's what you like. We push, we stretch, we go out on a limb. That's what makes me good!
Ellie: No, that's what makes you unemployed.
Ike: All right. Let's consider that my wrist has been slapped alright. There. Slap it. Go ahead, just-- Slap my wrist. That's done. Just give me a call when you feel that I've served my time, and move on.
Ellie: This is permanent, Ike. If you go quietly, I'll get you severance pay.
妙語佳句，活學活用
1. take to task
這個片語的意思是“責備，責難”，比如：The teacher took Doris to task for turning in such a sloppy report. 桃瑞斯交的報告太糟糕了，老師責備了她。
2. think up
意思是“想出，發明，捏造，虛構”，比如：Can you think up an arrangement of furniture for this room? 你能想出怎么擺放這屋子里的家具好嗎？
3. for kicks
這個俚語的意思是“for pleasure or excitement為了尋歡作樂，為了追求刺激(常指不道德或不負責任的作樂)”，比如：They drove around for hours, just for kicks. 他們開車兜風兜了幾個小時，就為了找點樂子。
