《走遍美国》Family Album U.S.A 第20集

走遍美国是我认为最优秀的口语教材之一，由美国新闻总署赞助，美国麦克米伦公司制作。在数十位英语专家和作者通力合作之下，费了8年（1983-1991）的时间，才制作完成这部划时代的巨作。虽然教材有点久远，但是对于练习口语还是非常的有帮助，大家可以通过以下步骤进行学习。

1. 先看视频，了解大致情节。

2. 再听音频，盲听音频3-5遍，大致听懂。

3. 通过文本，学通全部内容。

4. 再听音频，模仿跟读练习语音和口语。

5. 盲听音频，最后盲听音频尽可能多遍，听出画面感。

ACT 2-1 “让我想想。”

【故事梗概】

为了找到迷路的狗狗Gemma的主人，Robbie在为难时想到了防止虐待动物协会（ASPCA），因为过去他曾得到过他们的帮助。他想到给ASPCA打电话寻求帮助。

Robbie: Don't worry, Alexandra. We'll find the owner.

Alexandra: How, Robbie?

Robbie:  Let me think.

Alexandra: Gemma, sit. Good Gemma. Give me your paw. Good Gemma. This dog is well trained.

Robbie:  She likes you, too.

Alexandra: So how are we going to find the owners?

Robbie:  With a little help from the ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They're the ones. We once found a cat. She was caught in the branches of our tree. And Dad called the ASPCA. They came and solved the problem.

Alexandra: Robbie, let's call them.

Robbie: Let me see - ASPCA... Here it is. ASPCA Animal Shelter, 555-7700.

【语言点精讲】

1. Let me think.让我想想。用于回答问题前略加思考时。

2. This dog is well trained.这条狗受过良好的训练。well trained: 受过很好训练的。

3. With a little help from the ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.靠ASPCA——美国禁止虐待动物协会帮忙。ASPCA: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals的缩写。美国禁止虐待动物协会于1866年在纽约成立，其宗旨是保护动物。ASPCA组织负责对各种虐待动物的事情进行调查、核实并使“犯法”之人受到惩罚。这个组织有自己的动物保护机构及动物医院。ASPCA组织的工作人员还有权检查收养动物的人家、单位等以确保那里的动物得到良好的照顾。

4. They're the ones.就得找他们。可以用the one或 the ones来确指某人或某物。在这里the ones指最好的人选。

5. ASPCA Animal ShelterASPCA动物收容所。shelter: 收容所，避难所。

ACT 2-2 “咱们走吧，到动物收容所去。”

【故事梗概】

Robbie给ASPCA动物收容所打了电话，那里的工作人员Linda接了他的电话。Robbie和Alexandra决定把Gemma送到ASPCA去。

Linda: Hello, ASPCA.

Robbie: Hello, my name is Robbie Stewart. I have a lost dog I'd like to bring to you. How late are you open?

Linda: We're open till nine P.M.

Robbie: Thank you. I'll bring the dog over by nine.

Linda: Thanks. Bye.

Robbie: Thanks. Good-bye.

Alexandra: They're still open?

Robbie: They're open until nine o'clock. We have two and a half hours. Let's take Gemma by there now. They'll find the owner.

Alexandra: I hope so. I'm so sad to see this little dog without her family.

Robbie: I'm sure they'll find the owner. But if they don't, I'll adopt her. She's so cute. Look at those eyes. She's hard to resist. Don't you just love her?

Alexandra: I'd like to keep her, too. But I'll be going home to Greece at the end of the semester. She just wants love and affection. Come on, Robbie. Let's get her to the animal shelter, so they can find her owners quickly. Don't worry, Gemma. We'll get you home. It's not easy being away from home.

Robbie: Come on, poochie. Atta girl! Let's go. We're off to the animal shelter.

【语言点精讲】

1. How late are you open？你们几点下班？你们开门到几点钟？

2. Let's take Gemma by there now.咱们现在就把Gemma送去吧。by: 去，到。

3. Look at those eyes. She's hard to resist.你看看她的眼睛，真招人喜欢。hard to resist: 惹人喜爱，人见人爱，无法抗拒。

4. Come on, poochie.来吧，小狗。poochie: 狗。口头用语，pooch比poochie 更口语一些。

5. Atta girl!意思相当于That's a good girl! (真是个好女孩!)Atta girl! 和 Atta boy! 都是很口语化的表达法。用这些词句来称赞小动物、小孩，干得好，好样的等。

6. We're off to the animal shelter.咱们走吧，到动物收容所去。be off: 出发，上路。

ACT 2-3 “我是认真的。”

【故事梗概】

Robbie和Alexandra争取时间，把小狗Gemma带到了ASPCA动物收容所。在 Linda Aborn的办公室里，Robbie得知了如在48小时内找不到狗主人，他可以申请领养Gemma。

Linda: Your name?

Robbie: Robbie Stewart. And this is Alexandra Pappas.

Linda: Your name will do, Mr. Stewart. Your address?

Robbie: 46 Linden Street, Riverdale.

Linda: Where did you find the dog?

Alexandra: She found us.

Linda: You tried calling the number on the collar?

Robbie: Yes, but the number's no longer in service.

Linda: And there's no address on the dog tag?

Alexandra: There's no other information.

Linda: No ID number. Without that, it's hard.

Alexandra: You will try to find the dog's owner.

Linda: Oh, we'll try, believe me.

Robbie: And if you don't?

Linda: Yes?

Robbie: If you don't…can I… can I adopt the dog?

Linda: Why, yes. If the owners don't claim the dog in forty-eight hours, then you can apply for adoption.

Robbie: How do I do that?

Alexandra: You really want to?

Robbie: Yes, I'm serious. If no one comes to claim Gemma, I'd like to adopt her.

Linda: It's not difficult.

【语言点精讲】

1. Your name will do.有你的名字就可以了。不及物动词 do在这里表示“够了，能行”。

2. No ID number. Without that, it's hard.没有登记号码。没有的话，可难找啊。ID: identification. 识别证，身份证的缩写形式。

3. You will try to find the dog's owner.你会尽力找到狗的主人的。注意这里Alexandra重读了”will”。will重读时不只表示未来，而且带有较强的感情色彩，表示较强的意愿或承担做某事，有时也表示固执、不听劝阻。

4. If the owners don't claim the dog in forty-eight hours, then you can apply for adoption.如果狗的主人在48小时内不来认领，那么你就可以申请领养了。claim: 认领，要求（应得的权利）。apply for: 申请，请求。

5. How do I do that?我该怎么（申请领养她）呢？这个句子可以用来询问事情的办理过程、处理程序。第一个do在此与can和should意思相同。

6. I'm serious. 我是认真的。还可以说: I mean business.或者I mean what I say.

来源：Family Album U.S.A

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