《走遍美国》Family Album U.S.A 第29集

ACT 2-1 “ 我得打个电话。”

【故事梗概】

Susan在接待室见到了Harry 和Michelle。Michelle对Susan的态度并不特别友好。Susan给客户Levine先生打了电话，把原定的工作午餐改了时间。

Susan: Hi, Michelle. Hello, Harry. It's nice to see you again.

Michelle: Hello.

Harry: Hi, Susan. We have both been excited about seeing you and having lunch with you today.Michelle picked these flowers out for you.

Michelle: Daddy, can we go soon?

Harry: We're going to go to lunch in a few minutes, honey.

Michelle: But I'm thirsty.

Harry: OK. You go out and get a drink of water at the fountain.

Susan: The fountain is over there, Michelle. Near the Exit sign.

Michelle: Thank you.

Harry: Michelle is a little shy.

Susan: I used to be that way when I was her age. Harry, if Michelle doesn't want to go, we don't have to.

Harry: She'll be fine. Remember, I haven't dated anyone else since her mother died. This is a little difficult for her. Are you ready to go?

Susan: Yes. But could you wait one minute? I have a call to make. Would you excuse me? Sam, get Mr. Levine at Toytown Stores on the telephone for me, please.

Sam: Right. Hello. Susan Stewart calling Mr. Levine, please. He's on the phone.

Susan: Mr. Levine, Susan Stewart. I find myself in an embarrassing  situation. I made another lunch date for today and forgot to enter it in my appointment book. Can you and I meet for drinks tomorrow? I'd really appreciate it …Yes…Thank you…Tomorrow at five o'clock at the Biltmore. I'll see you then. Thank you, Mr. Levine.

【语言点精讲】

1. Michelle picked these flowers out for you. 这些花是Michelle给你挑选的。pick sth. out: 挑选。pick out是短语动词。另外我们还可以说pick out sth.

2. You go out and get a drink of water at the fountain.你可以出去到饮水器那儿喝点水。fountain: 本意是“泉水”，也指街道或公园里供行人饮水的流水龙头。一般较大的办公室常在走道里设一饮水器，也称 fountain 或 water-cooler。

3. I used to be that way when I was her age.我过去像她那么大时也是那样的。used to be（do）: 过去习惯于。指过去的习惯动作或状态，而常意味着现在已不这样了。口语中的发音为yoosta。注意不要将其和be used to (doing) something混淆，后者是表示对某事物习以为常。

4. I have a call to make.我得打个电话。have a call to make是打电话的另一种表达方式。

5. Sam, get Mr. Levine at Toytown Stores on the telephone for me, please.Sam，请给我接通“玩具城”连锁商店Levine先生的电话。get sb. on the telephone for me: 为我接通某人的电话。

6. He's on the phone.他在接电话。他接电话了。

7. I find myself in an embarrassing situation.我发现我现在的处境很为难。embarrassing: 窘迫的；令人为难的。

ACT 2-2 “你还记得吗？ ”

【故事梗概】

当天午后，Susan和Harry以及Michelle在南大街海港口的一家餐厅吃饭。一盘蟹肉色拉勾起了Michelle对幸福家庭的追忆。

Waiter: Welcome to the South Street Restaurant, folks. What'll it be?

Harry: What do you recommend?

Waiter: Well, the crab salad's always a big hit.

Harry: Susan, would you like the crab salad?

Susan: I'd love the crab salad.Harry: Michelle, would you like to try the crab salad, too?

Michelle: OK, Daddy.Harry: We'll have the three crab salads and a pitcher of lemonade.

Waiter: Help yourself to celery and carrots and other vegetables.

Harry: We used to catch crabs.Susan: Where was that?

Harry: We had a summer house on Fire Island. Do you remember, Michelle?

Michelle: Sure. You and Mommy used to take me on the ferryboat.

Harry: Sometimes, at night, we would go down to the beach and catch crabs, remember?

Michelle: With a piece of meat on a string!

Harry: Right. Well, I think I'm going to get us all some vegetables.[Harry leaves the table. The waiter arrives and sets down their food.]

Waiter: There you go.

Susan: Thank you.

Waiter: And some ice-cold lemonade.

Susan: Thank you.Waiter: Enjoy it.

【语言点精讲】

1. Welcome to the South Street Restaurant, folks. What'll it be?欢迎到南大街餐厅来，各位。想用点儿什么？Welcome to sp.: 欢迎来到某地。What'll it be? : 你们想来点什么？在这里相当于“What would you like to eat (drink)?”这是侍者问顾客的常用句子之一。

2. Well, the crab salad's always a big hit.哦，蟹肉沙拉总是很受欢迎。crab: 螃蟹。a big hit: 指的是很受欢迎的（菜等）。

3. We'll have the three crab salads and a pitcher of lemonade.我们要三个蟹肉沙拉和一大瓶柠檬汁。We’ll have…: 我要要点…。这是点菜时常用的句子pitcher: 指的是一种有嘴和柄的水罐。lemonade: 柠檬汁。

4. Help yourself to celery and carrots and other vegetables. 芹菜、胡萝卜和别的蔬菜，请随便自己取用。help (yourself) to: 这里指请自己取用。

5. We used to catch crabs.我们过去常去捉螃蟹。used to do sth.: 过去常常做某事。又如Michelle说的：You and Mommy used to take me on the ferryboat.（你和妈妈常带我坐渡船去。）

6. Sometimes, at night, we would go down to the beach and catch crabs, remember?有时在夜里我们就到海滩上去捉螃蟹，你还记得吗？would go: 过去常去。与used to一样， would指过去的习惯。用would时，通常指一段特定时间里常常发生的事。

7. There you go. 这是你们要的。你们点的东西来了。当食物或饮料端上桌时，侍者常说的句子。也可以说: Here you are。本情景中出现的“What'll it be? ”“There you go. ”以及“Enjoy it. ”都属于中低档餐馆侍者的口吻，比较随便。

8. And some ice-cold lemonade.还有冰凉的柠檬汁。ice-cold: 冰凉的。相当于“very cold”。

ACT 2-3 “只不过是女孩子之间的谈话。 ”

【故事梗概】

Harry离开了餐桌去取些蔬菜。Susan抓紧时机同Michelle进行了开诚布公的谈话，并被她接受为朋友。

Susan: Michelle, can I help you with the lemonade?

Michelle: No, thank you. I'll wait for my father.

Susan: Michelle, can we have a talk?

Michelle: Sure.Susan: I know you miss your mother.

Michelle: You do?

Susan: Yes. And I'm not trying to take her place.

Michelle: Then why are you and Daddy spending so much time together?

Susan: Because we like each other. And right now, he needs a friend.

Michelle: I'm his friend.

Susan: I know you are.

Michelle: Sometimes he's very sad.

Susan: And so are you, I think.

Michelle: Sometimes.

Susan: I'd like to be your friend, too. Will you let me be your friend, Michelle?[She offers her hand to Michelle. Michelle accepts it.]

Harry: So, what were you two talking about?

Michelle: Just girl talk, Daddy. It's too hard to explain.

Harry: You're probably right. Well, let's get started.

【语言点精讲】

1. Michelle, can we have a talk?Can we have a talk? : 咱们谈谈好吗？常用这个句子开始一个比较严肃的话题。

2. And I'm not trying to take her place.我并不想要取代她的位置。try to do sth.: 设法做某事。试图做某事。take（her） place: 取代（她的）位置。

3. Will you let me be your friend, Michelle?你肯让我成为你的朋友吗，Michelle？Will you…? : 你可以…吗? 用以表示请求或邀请。

4. She offers her hand to Michelle. 她向Michelle伸出了手。offer one’s hand to…: 向…伸出手。

5. Just girl talk, Daddy. It's too hard to explain.只不过是女孩子之间的谈话，爸爸。很难解释。这是一种常用的表示自己不想继续某话题的方式。所表达的意思其实是：I don’t want to go into detail about it. I really don’t want to discuss any more right now.girl talk: 女孩子或女人之间的谈话。too hard to…: 太难了以至于不能…，很难…。

来源：Family Album U.S.A

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往期回顾

Family Album U.S.A 第26集