Dialogue Script 3 對話原文 3

Mike: I don't know what to say. This can't be happening. Here's the obituary.
Sarah: It's really there? This all seems so surreal --- like it's all one big nightmare.
Mike: But it explains why Tom isn't answering and Fanny took time off from work.
Sarah: Poor Fanny. Tom's death must have made her realize that she still cared for him.
Mike: This says the viewing is at Myers Funeral Home today until five.
Sarah: It's already half past four. We should go and pay our respects. Tom's family will be there.
Mike: Don't we need to give a white envelope with money for the family, though?
Sarah: No. People give plates of food. The food is brought to the reception or in the weeks following.
Mike: At the reception?
Sarah: That's after the funeral. That way the family doesn't need to think about cooking while they're mourning.
Mike: Then you don't take anything with you for a viewing?
Sarah: You can bring flowers if you want, but you usually have those delivered.

講解：

1. 對話中Sarah和Mike證實了Tom的死訊是真的。Mike說，I don't know what to say. This can't be happening. Here's the obituary. 我不知道該說什么好，這不可能是真的，訃聞在這里。I don't know what to say. 這句話相當簡單，卻可以用在很多場合，比如說你突然得上臺發表感言，發生了什么尷尬的狀況，或者太過驚訝的時候等等，只要是大腦一片空白，就可以先拿這句話頂一頂。 我們用一個對話做例子，---And the winner of this years Classic Biker Chick Award goes to… Sarah Allen! ---Oh, my God! What an honor! I don't know what to say. ---今年的摩托車小姐得主是Sarah Allen! ---天啊！真是太榮幸了！我不知道該怎么說。

2. Sarah 和Mike在報紙上看見了訃聞，感覺像做了一場天大的惡夢，This all seems so surreal --- like it's all one big nightmare.這里surreal的意思是“不真實的，超現實的”。

3. 報紙上的訃聞說今天在Myers殯儀館舉行遺容瞻仰，將開放到下午五點。這里先說一下這個funeral home，美國早期也有些人家會在家里辦喪事，但是到了現在，幾乎整個葬禮過程都在私人的funeral home，也就是我們說的“殯儀館，葬儀社”內舉行，美國的殯儀館都有可供舉行葬禮儀式的大廳，而負責安排喪葬一切過程的“葬儀員”，也就是funeral director也大多是有專業執照的殯儀館老板。在下面的對話中我們就會接觸到葬儀員。

4. 還要說說這個viewing，原意是“觀看”，這里指“瞻仰死者的遺容”。在中國，我們不太習慣讓死者的遺容暴露在外人面前，但在美國，葬禮前的一兩天有時會安排一個viewing瞻仰遺容的時間，親朋好友會在那段時間到殯儀館瞻仰死者已經畫好妝的遺容，并且跟死者說再見，不過因為追悼會通常也會看到遺容，有時候死者的家人也會省去瞻仰遺容這個流程。

5. 在正式葬禮舉辦的前一天或當天，通常也會安排一個“致哀時間”，就是visiting hours，地點會在殯儀館、教堂或者親友家中，這時候死者的遺體不會在現場，但氣氛還是很令人悲傷，參加的人會在致哀時間向死者的家屬表達哀悼之情，也會相聚緬懷死者過去的種種。好，Tom的遺容瞻仰時間是到下午五點，雖然現在已經四點半了，但是Sarah和 Mike決定還是應該去致意，Tom的家人也會在那。pay one's respects，向某人表達敬意。

6. Mike問用不用包白包給家屬，就是a white envelope with money，就像去參加婚禮要給紅包一樣，這在中國是很流行的。Sarah說不用，只要帶一盤食物過去就行了，食物會帶到接代會上，或者在葬禮過后的幾周之內，都可以帶菜去給死者的家屬。

7. 在葬禮結束之后呢，一般會有招待親友的“接待會或者聚餐會”，就是reception。但這是比較私人的聚會，去參加的賓客，都是受到邀請的，接待會上會提供簡單的飲食、茶點等給來賓享用，而舉辦reception的地點也常常是在殯儀館的宴會廳。

8. 那么為什么要帶食物去reception呢？Sarah解釋說這樣家屬在哀痛之余，就不必分神去準備食物了。當然，通過葬禮接待會呢會看到久未見面的一些朋友，因此在接待會上的氣氛也會比較輕松，大家也會利用這個機會來敘舊和聊天，但是別忘了，你是來參加葬禮的，不應該太過興奮或者喧嘩。

9. 在美國參加葬禮呢，如果死者是比較親密的人，可以去花店訂花或者花環送到葬禮現場。　

Part 2 Say Good-bye to Tom 跟湯姆告別

Dialogue Script 對話原文

FD: I'm sorry, Ma'am. Mr. Smith's viewing is over. It ended an hour ago.
Sarah: But we just drove across town. Can't we just go in to see him one last...
FD: I'm afraid not. But at tomorrow's funeral, the family requested.
Sarah: This is all too fast. He's my best friend, and now he's gone.
FD: I'm sorry. I know it must have come as a great shock.
Sarah: The viewing was for saying goodbye, and I didn't even get that.
FD: It may comfort you to know that many people attended his viewing.
Sarah: How did they hear? No one called.
FD: In times of loss, it is often hard to pick up the phone. But his whole family was here.
Sarah: His mom and dad must be destroyed. He was heir only son.
FD: And he was so young, with so much life to look forward to.
Sarah: Yes...thank you for understanding. We have to go now.
FD: This sheet tells the visiting hours and funeral time and location.

講解：

1. 對話中Sarah 和Mike去殯儀館見Tom最后一面，就是我們上面說過的viewing。但是殯儀館的工作人員說Tom的遺容瞻仰已經在一小時前結束了。可是Sarah和 Mike才大老遠開車過來，求工作人員能不能讓他們見Tom最后一面。

2. 這恐怕不行。I'm afraid not. 這句話省略了一些東西，在口語中很常用，補充完整了就是I'm afraid you can't go in to see him one last time. 個比較委婉的拒絕人的說法。還有一個就是I'm afraid so. 意思是“恐怕是這樣的”，在口語中也很常用。

3. 雖然現在他們不能進去見Tom最后一面，見某人最后一面我們可以說“see somebody one last time ，但是在明天的葬禮上，家屬有要求開棺的儀式，an open casket service，是指在舉行葬禮時，開棺瞻仰死者遺容的一種儀式。Sarah對Tom的突然逝去還是不太適應，她說This is all too fast. 這一切來得太快了。

4. 當你覺得某事發生得太過突然，或者進展過快，This is all too fast. 就可以恰當地表達你的難以置信了。我們來用一個對話做例子，---Will you marry me? ---This is all too fast. We've only been dating a week. ---嫁給我好嗎？---這一切來得太快了，我們才約會一個星期呀。Tom是Sarah 和Mike 最好的朋友，現在突然死去，確實是讓人難以接受。

5. 殯儀館的工作人員也非常理解他們的心情，他說I'm sorry. I know it must have come as a great shock. 很遺憾，我知道這打擊很大。其中something comes as表示“某事的發生給某人帶來了什么心理上的影響”。比如說：It came as a big surprise when she suddenly got married. 她閃電結婚，讓大家感到很驚訝。Sarah甚至錯過了見Tom最后一面的機會，非常傷心。殯儀館的工作人員為了讓他們好受一些，告訴他們有很多人來瞻仰Tom的遺容。

6. comfort這個動詞表示“安慰某人，讓某人好受一些”，形容詞是comfortable，舉個例子，The kid ran to its mother to be comforted. 孩子跑到媽媽身邊以求得到安慰。comfort還可以是名詞，表示“舒適或者安慰”，比如說，They did everything for our comfort. 他們盡力讓我們過的舒適。The news brought comfort to us. 這消息讓大家松了一口氣。

7. Sarah感到很奇怪，這些人是怎么知道Tom的死訊的？沒有人給他們打電話阿，殯儀館工作人員解釋說，在痛失親人之際，打電話常常是很痛苦的事情，不過Tom的全家人都來了。in times of something，就表示“在某種時刻，在…之際”。

8. Sarah說Tom的父母一定是崩潰了，因為Tom是家里的獨生子，His mom and dad must be destroyed. 這里用destroy 來表達“崩潰，傷心欲絕”這個意義。獨生子女，我們可以說成an only child，比如說，My mother was an only child.我母親是家里的獨生女。 Only children are sometimes spoilt. 獨生子女有時候會被寵壞。

9. 而且Tom還這樣年輕，還有大好的人生在等著他，And he was so young, with so much life to look forward to. look forward to something 表示“盼望，期待某事”，比如：I'm looking forward to the summer holiday. 我在期待著暑假的到來。Look forward to seeing you soon. 期待著和你的見面。Sarah很感謝殯儀館的工作人員能夠理解他們的心情。thank somebody for something，就表示“因為某事感謝某人”。

Part 3 At the Viewing 在葬禮上

Dialogue Script 對話原文

Sarah: Oh, no. It looks like we're late.
Mike: Let's just sit in the back. We can still hear the service from here.
Sarah: There're so many people here. Where are Rich and Cath and Tom's parents?
Mike: They're probably up front. The preacher's about to speak. Let's listen.
Sarah: (after the preacher's eulogy) That was such a touching speech. He must have really known Tom well.
Mike: Oh, how I wish this all wasn't happening!
(A man rushes in)
Tom: Sorry! Excuse me!
Sarah: (surprised) Tom? Tom! Is this a joke? Is it really you? But...but...everyone said you were dead!
Tom: I'm OK! I was out of town with...Fanny.
Sarah: Oh, Tom! I'm so...so happy. But then...(points to the front) who's that?
Tom: Tom Smith. But not me. The pallbearers are carrying out the casket. It would be rude to just leave. Let's follow.
Sarah: It seems so strange to be here, burying you, but it's not you.
Tom: (throws a handful of dirt into the grave) Ashes to ashes and dust to dust...
Sarah: This has been the worst and best day of my life, Tom. The kept you in the hospital, and ...
Tom: Uh…I'll tell you all about it another day.
Sarah: But you're OK? It was nothing serious, was it?
Tom: You look very elegant in black. But I don't want you to wear black in my honor for a long time yet to come...

講解：

1. Sarah 和Mike來到了Tom葬禮的現場，正趕上牧師致詞。不過在葬禮上他們沒有看見Tom的爸爸媽媽，還有Rich 和Cath，可能都是Tom的家人，或許他們在最前面。They're probably up front. front本來就表示“前面”，這里又加了一個up，強調在最前面。

2. 在美式葬禮上，一般是由牧師主持，由家屬和應邀的親友致悼詞，就是eulogy。整個儀式持續的時間大概是半小時到一個小時，在葬禮的過程當中，常會播放死者生前愛聽的音樂。而追悼會之后，如果是舉行土葬，則立即轉移到墓園舉行下葬儀式，參加者多是家屬和比較親近的朋友。

3. Sarah覺得牧師的致詞很感人，他一定是跟Tom很熟，Mike只希望這一切都沒有發生過，Oh, how I wish this all wasn't happening! 這是一個虛擬語氣的感嘆句。這時人群當中突然闖進了一個人，Sarah定睛一看，那人不正是Tom嗎？真是的，幸好是在大白天，要不然還以為見鬼了呢。

4. 原來Tom安然無恙，幾天沒有消息因為他跟Fanny一起出去玩了。out of town，意思就是“不在家里，到外地去了，出遠門”。比如說，I was out of town last week.上周我出門了，不在家里。看到Tom活生生地出現在他面前，Sarah非常高興，簡直都有點語無倫次了。但是，既然Tom安然無恙了，那么準備下葬那個是誰呢？

5. 原來死的那個也叫Tom Smith，但并不是Sarah的朋友Tom，只是同名同姓的人而已。這時扶棺人已經在抬棺木了，離開會很失禮，所以他們決定跟著送葬的隊伍走。pallbearers就是指“出殯時的扶棺者，護柩者”。Sarah待在這里挺奇怪的，埋葬Tom，那個人卻不是他們認識的Tom。

6. Tom還像模像樣的往墳墓里拋了一把泥土，還說Ashes to ashes and dust to dust…意思是“塵歸塵，土歸土”，這在漢語里經常聽到，就是來源于這句話。那么這句Ashes to ashes and dust to dust又是出自何處呢？它出自基督教圣公會的《公禱書》，也就是the Book of Common Prayer，是用在葬禮儀式上的禱告文。

7. 因為圣公會是英國國教，《公禱書》對圣公會信徒的重要性僅次于圣經，所以在英語文學上也造成了影響，《公禱書》里面的禱詞，也常被引用于其他教派的英語禱詞中。Sarah說這一天真是這輩子最糟糕也最棒的一天，在同一天經歷了生死。Tom說Sarah穿黑顏色的衣服看起來非常優雅，但是Tom可不希望在漫長的將來，Sarah為了他穿上黑衣，意思就是他可不想那么早死。

8. in one's honor，表示“向某人致敬”，有些事情或者活動，是為了向某人致敬，而這種說法也常用在某人過世之后，你特別做了某樣事情，好對這個人表達敬意，這里Tom當然是指Sarah特地穿上黑色的衣服參加他的葬禮。