Dialogue 2
下面的對話是 A 同學幫 B 同學想辦法解決 B 在度假期間公寓處置的問題:
A:*You must be ⑴ pretty excited about your trip to Europe. When is it that you are leaving?
B: In just three weeks, and I am excited. But there are still ⑵ a few things I need to do before I go.
A: ⑶ Like what?
B:: Like renewing my passport, going to the travel agency to buy my plane ticket and ⑷ figuring out what to do with my apartment while I’m gone.
A: ⑸ You are not going to give it up, are you?
B: ⑹ No way. I’ll never find another apartment around here. But ⑺ I don’t like the idea of paying three months’ rent on an empty apartment, either.
A: I don’t blame you. *Perhaps you could ⑻ sublet it.
B: Yes, but whom to?
A: Mmm… let me think. Oh, I know just a person. An old colleague of mine, Jim Thomas, is coming here to do some research this summer, from June to August.
B: That’s exactly when I’ll be away. It sounds ideal, as long as the landlord agrees.
A: ⑼ Tell you what, I’ll be calling Jim late this week anyway, so I’ll mention it to him then.
B: Well, thanks, Bill. Let me know what happens. That extra money will really ⑽ come in handy.
詞句解析:
⑴ pretty:在口語中的意思是“very”相當于副詞的作用。
⑵ a few:意思是“很少一些”,用來修飾可數名詞。注意:如果是 few,意思就是“幾乎沒有”。
⑶ Like what:當what 重讀時,表示說話方極度不耐煩;輕讀時,表示說話方想繼續這個對話,并想了解更多的細節。在本段對話中要輕讀。
⑷ figure out:美國習語,意思是“弄清楚、明白”。
⑸ You are not going to give it up, are you?:這種句式在英語中被稱為“tag question”,其中,“give up”是美國習語,意思是放棄。
⑹ No way:重讀,表示堅決反對或不同意。
⑺ I don’t like the idea of something or doing something:美國習語,意思是“我不愿意干某
事”。
⑻ sublet:意思是“轉租”。
⑼ Tell you what:這是美語中常用的插入語,相當于漢語中的“這個、那個”;類似的詞語還有“guess what, I mean, well, anyway, you know, etc.”
⑽ come in handy:美國習語,意思是“be useful from time to time。
思維解析:
1. You must be pretty excited about your trip to Europe.
美國是個充滿活力的國家。美國人好動的性格使他們不停留于安逸,尤其是學生,都愿意利用閑暇時間去世界各地旅游、長見識。在美國國內,那些從事重復性工作或服務性行業的人多數是外國勞工或美國的老年人,而年輕人都在旅游或從事創造性強的工作。這是美國精神中求新求異觀念的體現。
美國人對于旅游都是很熱衷的。美國人最喜歡吹牛的話題就是旅游,因為這是一個花錢花體力的事兒。但并不是一定要等有錢的才能旅游。
2. Perhaps you could sublet it.
在美國,你租的房子可以轉租,當然這要爭得房主的同意;一般來說房主會同意的,因為讓空房子閑置是一種浪費,中美之間就這一點有共同之處,但在怎樣是浪費的問題上卻存在分歧,比如:美國人認為讓自己的錢靜靜地躺在銀行里就是一種浪費,而中國人認為那是處理資金最穩妥的辦法。
美國人商品社會發展的比較長的必然結果,Americans really know how to use money to make money,如何用錢去賺錢。美國人買很多大件貴重的東西都會用credits,大多數美國人都沒有閑置的財富。
3. Define travel agency
Travel agency is a kind of business. It provides service to travelling.