ACT 1-1 “我能感觉到。”
【故事梗概】
Alexandra已成为Robbie的益友。除了帮助Robbie学数学以外，她还经常同他一起听音乐和跳舞。一天一纸家书，勾起了Alexandra的乡愁。Alexandra有些情绪低落。为了让她高兴起来，Robbie提议两人一起出去吃点东西。
Alexandra: Robbie, this new Walkman is absolutely wonderful.
Robbie: Richard and Marilyn bought it for me for my birthday.
Alexandra: They’re so thoughtful. You are very lucky, Robbie, to have such a nice family.
Robbie: Is something wrong, Alexandra?
Alexandra: No, nothing.
Robbie: Yes, there is. I can tell. What’s the matter? Come on, you can tell me. What’s up?
Alexandra: I don’t know. Something’s wrong.
Robbie: OK, let’s talk.
Alexandra: I received a letter from my parents this morning.
Robbie: Did they write some bad news?
Alexandra: No.
Robbie: Well, then why are you so sad?
Alexandra: I miss them. I miss them very much.
Robbie: I’m sorry, Alexandra. But I understand.
Alexandra: The Molinas treat me so nicely, and I love being with your family so much … but when I received the letter with photographs of my family, I cried. I cried because I miss them all.
Robbie: You really miss your family, don’t you?
Alexandra: Yes. I know I must seem silly. It’s not like I have nobody. I like the Molinas very much, and they’re so kind to me.
Robbie: Hey, why don’t we go out for a cheeseburger and French fries? That’ll cheer you up. And you can use my Walkman.
Alexandra: That’s a good idea. But if we go out, please don’t complain about your math teacher or your math homework. I want to have fun.
Robbie: So do I.
【语言点精讲】
1. You are very lucky, Robbie, to have such a nice family.
动词不定式”to have such a nice family”用来表示”lucky”的理由。
such a nice family: 如此温暖的家庭，这么好的家人。”such a+形容词+单数名词” 比”a very+形容词+单数名词” 更有感情意味。
2. I can tell.
我能感觉到。我知道这里面有什么事。我能看出来。
3. What’s up?
怎么啦？出什么事了？这是非常口语化的一种表达方式。
与本情景中出现的”What’s the matter? “，”Is something wrong?” 意思相同。
4. I know I must seem silly.
我知道我看上去一定傻得可笑。我知道别人一定觉得我很可笑。
silly: 在这里的意思是“可笑的，滑稽的”。
5. Hey, why don’t we go out for a cheeseburger and French fries? That’ll cheer you up.
嗨，咱们出去吃点芝士汉堡包和炸土豆条怎么样？那会让你高兴起来的。
cheeseburger: 奶酪汉堡包，芝士汉堡包。
French fries: 炸土豆条。
cheer you up: 让你舒畅些，让你高兴起来。
6. But if we go out, please don’t complain about your math teacher or your math homework.
可是我们要是出去玩的话，请你不要抱怨你的数学老师和数学作业。
if we go out: 如果我们出去。这是一个由if引导的真实条件句。在if之后，使用动词现在时形式（go，而不是will go），来表示将来可能发生的事。
complain about: 抱怨，发牢骚。
7. I want to have fun.
我想玩个痛快。我想高高兴兴地玩一场。
ACT 1-2 “听起来像是有只狗在叫。”
【故事梗概】
在Robbie和Alexandra准备出门的时候，他们发现了一只迷路的狗狗。Robbie按照狗狗脖子上的牌子上的电话号码打过去，发现那个电话已经停机了。
Robbie: I have to turn off the lights, or else my father will get really angry. He says I never turn them out when I leave. If they come home and they’re on…
[He moves his index finger across his throat to show that his father will be angry. ]
Robbie: Do you hear something?
Alexandra: Yes. What was that?
Robbie: It sounded like a dog barking.
Alexandra: It sounded like a dog barking right here.
Robbie: Yeah.
[He opens the door. A dog is standing there. ]
Alexandra: A dog!
Robbie: A springer spaniel!Come on in! Make yourself at home.
Alexandra: Oh, you poor little thing. Come here.
Robbie: Come on.
Alexandra: Poor baby.
Robbie: Where did you come from?
Alexandra: [She looks at the dog’s identification tag. ]Her name’s Gemma, and she belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Levinson. There’s a phone number – five five five… eight four four eight. Robbie, maybe you should call them and tell the Levinsons we have their cute little spaniel.
Robbie: I’ve always wanted a springer spaniel. She’s so cute.
Operator: The number you are calling – 555-8448 – is no longer in service.
Robbie: The number’s no longer in service.
Alexandra: Oh, you poor, poor baby. You’ve lost your family.
Robbie: We’ll find them. Don’t worry, Alexandra.
【语言点精讲】
1. I have to turn off the lights, or else my father will get really angry.
我必须关上灯，要不然我父亲真要生气了。
turn off the lights: 关灯，闭灯。也可以说”turn out the lights”。
or else: 要不然，否则。相当于”if not”，用来说明后果。
get angry: 生气，发怒；变得生气。这里”get”的意思是“变成，成为”，用在形容词前或修饰形容词的副词之前时常有这种含义。
2. If they come home and they’re on…
要是他们回来看见灯还亮着…
they’re on: 在这里指灯还亮着。句型to be on中的on表示正在持续的一种状态。
3. It sounded like a dog barking.
听起来像是有只狗在叫。
sound like: 声音好像很熟悉，听起来像是…
4. Make yourself at home.
别拘束，随便些，就像在自己家里一样。
5. Oh, you poor little thing.
噢，你这可怜的小家伙。安慰小孩或动物时的常用语。
6. I’ve always wanted a springer spaniel.
我一直都想养条史宾格犬。
I’ve always wanted… : 我一直想要。这句话用的是现在完成时。这一时态表示发生过或直到现在还在进行的事，侧重与现在的关系。
springer spaniel: 史宾格犬，一种长毛垂耳猎狗
7. The number you are calling – 555-8448 – is no longer in service.
你要的电话555-8448是空号。
no longer in service: 不再使用，（电话）空号。