Helping the Homeless
Girl 1: Hi.
Whittaker: Hi, thanks for coming.
Girl 2: Hey, what's this all about, Whit?
Girl 3: I've been on pins and needles1 ever since church.
Whittaker: Ooo-hoo, well, I figured2 a little suspense3 might increase your interest. Whet your appetite4, so to speak5.
Girl 1: We're /having/ lunch?
Whittaker: No, and there are a lot of other people who won't today either.
Girl: 2: Huh?
Whittaker: You know how the pastor's6 been preaching7 about love and compassion8 over the last couple of Sundays?
Girls: Yeah?
Whittaker: Well, the elders decided that we need to extend9 that compassion to the homeless in our area. You know - those who don't have food or shelter. Now they've come up with10 an idea to make next week 'Compassion Week'-seven days of programs to help those in need11. I figured the young people of the church should, well, have a chance to help out12 too.
Girl 3: Help out?
Whittaker: Well, because of your particular talents, I thought the three of you might come up with an idea to help raise money, clothing or food for the homeless. What do you think?
Girl 1: Why not? I'll help.
Girl 2: Yeah, me too.
Girl 3: Me three.
Whittaker: Good. I knew I could count on13 you.
注释:
1.on pins and needles:如坐针毡
用法:I was on pins and needles until I knew my marks.
在知道成绩之前我如坐针毡。
2.figure:认为
用法:I figure Victor's job as an English teacher is a lot of fun for most people would rather stand up and yell than to sit still and listen.
我想Victor做英语教师一定乐趣无穷,因为在课上大家站起来踊跃发言而不是光坐在那儿安安静静地听讲。
3.suspense:悬念
用法:A good thriller is a story that keeps you in suspense until the last chapter.
一部好的恐怖小说能让读者自始至终充满悬念。
4.whet sb's appetite:调起某人的胃口,引起某人的兴趣
用法:He whetted her appetite to stay in the company by supplying high salary.他通过给高薪使她乐意继续留在公司干。
5.so to speak:可以说
用法:He is satisfied with his family, work and life, so he has, so to speak, nothing to repent of.
他对他的家庭、工作和生活都很满意,所以,可以说他没有什么可后悔的。
6.pastor: (基督教中主管一个教堂的)牧师
7.preach:传道,宣传(思想),鼓吹,反复灌输
用法:Buddha continued to preach until the age of eighty, spreading the philosophy that man has the power to shape his own destiny.
佛祖直到80岁还在传道,传播人有力量自己决定自己的命运这一思想。
8.compassion:同情
用法:My mother could not helpshavingscompassion for the poor.
我妈对穷人总是情不自禁地充满了同情。
9.extend:给予
用法:The rich father extended a diamond ring to his daughter on her birthday.
女儿生日那天,那个有钱的爸爸给了她一枚钻戒。
10.come up with:提出
用法:He has come up with a plan that can easily get the supervisor's approval.
他提出了一个很容易就可以得到主管同意的计划。
11.in need:在危难中,需要帮助的
用法:A friend in need is a friend indeed.
患难见真情。
12.help out:帮助(某人)解决困难
用法:He paused and she saw he did not mean to help her out.
他停下来,她看他就没打算帮她的意思。
13.count on:依靠
用法: The poor widow counted on the government relief to make a living.
那个可怜的寡妇依靠政府的救济过活。
Long Conversations (长对话)
Conversations: (Find a partner and practice these dialogues.)
A:
Laura: Sorry, Victor!
Victor: Laura! "Sorry" doesn't cut1 it! You were supposed to meet me right here - forty minutes ago! You're late, as usual!
Laura: Now! Now! What's a few minutes between friends?
Victor: You don't get it!
Laura: (Reading a note on the bulletin board) Oh, look! I must check them out!
Victor: Hold it! We had a date2!
Laura: Come with me?
Victor: No way! I hate shopping with you. You try on every dress, and it drives me crazy!
Laura: Well, it'll only take a sec3. Just a tiny peek4 at the new fashions. Aren't you coming in?
Victor: No, thank you. I'll wait outside.
B:
Laura: I, Victor! I'm finished. Okay. I'm ready to go on our date.
Victor: It's too late to catch the movie.
Laura: Give me another chance. Please!
Victor: Well, okay. I'll pick you up5 at 8 p.m. sharp6. We'll go dancing.
C:
Laura:Aha! 8 o'clock! Made it. Ready. This outfit7 should make up8 for all the times I was late. Hmmph! Now Victor's five minutes late. Who does he think he is, keeping me waiting? I went to a lot of trouble to look awesome9! Twenty-five minutes already! Boy! I'm hot!…Wait! I get it. Victor is trying to teach me a lesson…trying to give me a taste of my own medicine10. Nine o'clock and he's still not here. I believe he actually stood me up!11If he is not coming, I'll settle in12 for the evening and changesintossomething comfortable.(A knock at the door).
Victoraura! Ready?
Laura:Victor! Err…
Victor:I was caught in a terrible traffic jam and didn't move an inch for two hours. Boy! Even though I'm late, you're still not ready!
注解:
1.cut it: to be able to deal with a problem satisfactorily令人满意地处理问题
用法:(1)If she can't cut it, then we'll get someone else to do the job.
如果她不能令人满意地做好这份工作,我们会找别人来做。
(2)"Sorry" doesn't cut it!意为:光抱歉有什么用!
2.date: meeting or appointment和…约好了的时间,(男女间的)约会
go on a date with somebody和某人约会
用法:We made a date to go to the opera this evening.
我们今晚约好了去看歌剧。
3.sec.: second, "秒"的缩写形式
4.peek: have a glance look quickly and secretly一瞥,匆忙看过,偷看
用法:(1)peek at somebody's diary偷看别人的日记;
(2)peek at others' privacy偷看别人的隐私
5.pick…up: (顺便)接
用法:I will pick you up after work right at the company gate.
下班后我在公司大门口接你。
6.sharp:整,正好
用法:How about meeting at 4:00 p.m. sharp?
下午4点整见面怎麽样?
7.outfit: a set of clothes衣服
用法:(1)She looks great with the wedding outfit.
她穿上婚纱,看上去棒极了。
(2)She bought a new outfit for the awarding ceremony.
她为参加颁奖典礼买了一套新衣服。
8.make up: compensate for弥补
用法:Sometimes the crimes which have been committed can not be made up.
有时候,犯过的罪无法弥补。
9.awesome: causing admiration or fear令人敬畏的,可怕的;这里是口语用法,表示wonderful or better than average极好的、比一般的要好
用法:My girlfriend thought my new car was really awesome.
我的女友觉得我的新车棒极了。
10.a taste of one's own medicine:以其人之道还治其人之身
用法:Maria gave Peter a taste of his own medicine by not returning the money back。
作为报复,Maria没有还给Peter借给她的钱。
11 stand somebody up: to fail to keep an appointment with爽约,相当于现代汉语口语中的"晾了某人","晒了某人","放鸽子"等。
用法:If you continue standing your boyfriend up, he will get annoyed.
如果你还放你男朋友的鸽子,他会翻脸的。
12 settle in:to stop activity to rest or sleep停止某一活动去休息或睡觉
用法:I will settle in for the evening if there is no work.
如果没有更多的工作要做那今晚我就准备休息了。
Exercise: Turn the three mini-dialogues/into/ONE descriptive narrative. Use only indirect speech. |
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