想学说英语吗？我们的学习美国英语日常对话在这里提供一个练习机会。请点击以下录音链接，收听美国人在不同场景中的一段对话，同时还可以参照每篇对话的英文原文和对语言点的中文解释。今天的对话场景是表达时间。
Natasha: What time is it? We’re going to be late!
Tony:It’s a quarter after 7. We’re on time. Don’t panic.
Natasha: But I thought we had to be at the restaurant by 7:30 for the surprise party. We’ll never make it there with all this evening traffic.
Tony: Sure we will. Rush hour is almost over. Anyway, the party starts at 8. But I do need help with directions. Can you call the restaurant and ask them where we park our car?
语言点（点击阅读英文解释）
• It’s a quarter after seven. (现在是7点一刻。)这是最常用的表达时间的用语，意思是“It’s 15 minutes past 7:00.”(现在是7点过15分)。也可以简单地说“It’s seven fifteen.”(现在是7点15分。)“It’s a quarter past + 钟点.”(现在是……点一刻。)是常用表达法。那么，怎么判断一天当中的时间呢？在这里你可以通过“evening traffic”(晚上交通状况)找到答案。
• 在这一对话中，娜塔莎和托尼前去参加一个要有惊喜效果的派对。他们必须准时到达，因此有一种 “压力和匆忙”的感觉。当某人因为时间压力而感到紧张时，你可以用如下的表达方式进行安慰：Don’t worry.(别担心。) / Don’t stress. (别紧张。)/ We’re fine.(我们没事的。)/ We will be on time.(我们会准时。)
• 娜塔莎认为惊喜派对是7:30开始。可以有两种方式表达这一时间。你可以简单地说“seven thirty” (七点三十分)，或者 “half past seven.”(七点半)。
• Rush hour (交通高峰时间)——通常指早晚交通拥挤的时段，即大多数人坐公车或地铁和开车或步行上下班的时间。
还想更深入学英语吗？连线美国经常登载 英语学习内容。美国国务院也提供可供英语教师和学生使用的各种程度的资源（resources for English teachers and students）。
Learning to speak English? Our Everyday Conversations help you practice. Click the audio link to hear a native speaker pronounce each word while you read. Key terms are explained, in your language, at the end of each conversation. Today’s dialogue is about time.
Natasha: What time is it? We’re going to be late!
Tony: It’s a quarter after 7. We’re on time. Don’t panic.
Natasha: But I thought we had to be at the restaurant by 7:30 for the surprise party. We’ll never make it there with all this evening traffic.
Tony: Sure we will. Rush hour is almost over. Anyway, the party starts at 8. But I do need help with directions. Can you call the restaurant and ask them where we park our car?
Language notes
It’s a quarter after 7. This phrase is one of the most common ways of stating this time. It means: “It’s 15 minutes past 7 o’clock.” Another possibility here is to simply say: “It’s 7:15.” In general you can say: “It’s a quarter past the hour.” How do we know the time of day? Look for context clues: “evening traffic.”
In the dialog, Natasha and Tony are going to a surprise party. They need to be on time. Therefore there is an element of stress and urgency. When someone is stressed for time you can use expressions like: Don’t worry. / Don’t stress. / We’re fine. / We will be on time.
Natasha thinks the surprise party begins at 7:30. There are two different ways to express this time. You may say simply “7:30” or “half past 7.”
Rush hour is the time of day—usually in the morning and evening—when traffic is heavy because of people commuting to and from their workplace by bus, by car, by subway, on foot, etc.
Ready to learn more English? Our materials can help. And the U.S. Department of State has great resources for English teachers and students of all levels.
