（The phone rings.）

Sonny： Hey Mom， Im glad you called. I really miss you.

Mom： Aw， I miss you too. ①Sorry Ive been so busy lately， but theres been a lot on my plate. You know youll always be my baby boy， no matter how old you are.

Sonny： You really mean that， Mom？

Mom： Of course， honey.

Sonny： Thats comforting to know.

Mom： Whats wrong， Sonny？ ②You sound a bit out of sorts.

Sonny： Nothing…

Mom： ③Cmon， spill it. ④Im your mother， and I know when somethings up with you.

Sonny： Its just that…I dont know how to tell you.

Mom： Now Im starting to worry. Are you OK？ Are you sick？

Sonny： Its not that. I just…I dont know where to start.

Mom： You can tell me anything， you know. Im never gonna stop loving you， no matter what.

Sonny： ⑤Well， my life is pretty much in shambles right now， and Ive dug myself a hole that I dont think I can dig out of. I mean school， friends， girls， games； its all going to hell in a handbasket， and theres nothing I can do about it.

Mom： Its alright. Just start at the beginning.

Sonny： I started playing this new game called “Worlds of Warships”and got really into it.

Mom： OK.

Sonny： And to advance in the game， I had to play more and more，so Id be strong enough to compete with all the other players.

Mom： So how often do you play these Wars of Worshippers on the Interweb？

Sonny： First of all， its the Internet or the web， not the interweb. And its not called Wars of Worshippers！ Thatd be like Israel versus Palestine or something. Its Worlds of Warships， an online role-playing game that takes place in a fantasy land.

Mom： So， if its all fantasy， then why do you play it so much？

Sonny： I dont know. Its an escape， I guess， from all the pressures of school and real life.

Mom： Wait. How many hours a week do you play this game？

Sonny： Umm…Probably around， I dont know， 70 or 80…

Mom： Have you lost your mind？？？ This is the education Ive been paying for all these years？ What did your professors say？

Sonny： That I have to repeat the whole semester…

Mom： How many classes？

Sonny： A bunch.

Mom： I dont get it. All this for a game？

Sonny： It gets worse. I spent all my money on accessories and attribute 1）boosters in the game， so now Im flat broke. And Peach said she never wants to see me again. ⑥So basically Im up a creek without a paddle…

Mom： I dont know what to say Im…

Sonny： Disappointed. I know.

Mom： Yes， Im disappointed. And Im at a loss as far as what to do. I love you too much to watch you flush you life down drain like this. You need to get your 2）priorities straight.

Sonny： Im so sorry Mom. Ill cut down on my gaming， I swear！

Mom： I want to believe you son， but actions speak louder than words.

Smart Sentences① Sorry Ive been so busy lately， but theres been a lot on my plate.对不起，我最近很忙，有很多事情要做。

a lot on ones plate： having a lot of work to do（有很多事情要做）。例如：

I still have a lot on my plate before my vacation.

我在度假前还有很多事情要做。

② You sound a bit out of sorts. 你听起来不太高兴。

out of sorts： feel slightly discontented， or different（心情不佳，不太正常）。例如：Hes out of sorts because his girlfriend hung up on him.

他的心情不好，因为他女朋友挂了他的电话。

③ Cmon， spill it. 来吧，快说。

spill it： used to urge the other person to say what he/she intends to say（催促对方说想说的话）。例如：

—I saw Jack and Jenney. Do you know why they disappeared last month？

我看到杰克和简妮了，你知道他们上个月为什么消失了吗？

—Spill it. Ive been wondering about that.

快说，我一直都想知道呢。

④ Im your mother， and I know when somethings up with you. 我是你妈，我知道你肯定有事。

sth. is up with sb.： sb. has encountered some problems（某人遇到问题）。例如：

Jay has hardly talked for the last three days. Something must be up with him.

杰三天都没怎么说话，他肯定遇到什么事。

⑤ Well， my life is pretty much in shambles right now， and Ive dug myself a hole that I dont think I can dig out of. 好吧，我的生活现在一团糟，我这是自作自受。

in shambles： in a messy state（一塌糊涂，乱七八糟）。例如：

After the flood， the town lay in shambles.

洪水过后，城里乱糟糟的。

dig oneself a hole that one cant dig out of： create a situation that one cant resolve； have only oneself to thank for his/her troubles（自作自受，自找麻烦）。例如：

—I think I want to volunteer to help babysit my nephew.

我想自告奋勇去照顾我外甥。

—Are you nuts？ Dont dig yourself a hole that you cant dig out of. Your sister never trusts anyone but herself.

你疯了吗？别自找麻烦，你姐除了自己谁也不相信。

⑥ So basically Im up a creek without a paddle… 所以基本上我是没救了……

up a creek without a paddle： without necessary resources to finish a job（划无桨之船，没有完成工作必要的工具）。例如：

I am supposed to fix the AC， but without any tools， Im up a creek without a paddle.

我得修好这部空调，可我什么工具都没有，这是在划无桨之船嘛。