ACT 2-1 “我有一些心事。”
【故事梗概】
当天晚上，Robbie等着Ellen开会回来。他和Ellen讲了自己对父母这种几乎连见面的时间都没有的生活状况的担心。
Ellen: Hello there, Robbie. What are you doing up this late?
Robbie: Reading.
Ellen: Reading? At this hour? Ah, come on.
Robbie. What are you doing up this late?
Robbie: Things on my mind.
Ellen: Do you care to talk about them?
Robbie: Sure, if you don’t mind listening.
Ellen: Robbie, Robbie, remember me? I’m your mother. If you have something you want to talk about, I’m always prepared to listen.
Robbie: You haven’t been around much lately.
Ellen: So that’s it. OK, let’s talk.
Robbie: You and Dad are like ships that pass in the night. Dad works hard, and he works late. You work hard on all your committees, and you work late.
Ellen: I thought you were proud of the work I do.
Robbie: I am, Mom Real proud. You are one fantastic mom, but…but I’ve been noticing how little quality time you spend with Dad and Me …and the family.
Ellen: It’s a real problem, Robbie. I know it.
【语言点精讲】
1. What are you doing up this late?
你这么晚不睡在干什么？
up: 醒着，不睡。在这里相当于awake.
this: 这样，如此。在这里相当于so.
2. Come on.
算了吧。实话实说吧，不要拐弯抹角。
3. Things on my mind.
我有一些心事。我在想一些事情。
on one’s mind: 在这里指有心事。
4. Do you care to talk about them?
你愿谈谈吗？愿意和我谈谈吗？
5. You haven’t been around much lately.
最近你常不在家。
around: 在家。在这里相当于at home。
lately: 最近。
6. You and Dad are like ships that pass in the night.
你和爸爸像是黑夜交错而过的航船。
like ships that pass in the night: 像夜里交错而过的船。此短语可用来表示两个人之间没有时间相处，或只见到对方片刻。
7. I thought you were proud of the work I do.
我原以为你为我所做的工作感到骄傲。
thought: think的过去式thought后带名词（宾语）从句，句中亦用过去时，表示原来是这样想的，因而常有现在不这样想，或现在发现这不符合事实的意思。
8. I am, Mom. Real proud. You are one fantastic mom, but…but I’ve been noticing how little quality time you spend with Dad and Me …and the family.
我是感到骄傲，妈妈，真正的骄傲。你是一位了不起的妈妈，可是……可是我最近注意到你和爸爸和我在一起度过的黄金时间太少了……和全家在一起的时间太少了。
Real proud: 用real当副词修饰形容词或副词，限于美国口语中非正式用法，等于程度副词very，并带一定的感情色彩。
one fantastic mom:一位非常好的母亲。使用one+形容词+名词，比用 a+ 形容词+名词的结构显得更有感情。
ACT 2-2 “我想我有一个办法。”
【故事梗概】
Robbie建议他的父母一起去度假，但是Ellen认为他们的时间表不会允许他们去度假。于是，Robbie又提了另一个方案。
Robbie: I’m concerned. There must be a way that Dad and you can spend more time together.
Ellen: Well, we always talk about taking a vacation together — with the family.
Robbie: I think you ought to take a vacation away from the family — alone. Kind of a second honeymoon.
Ellen: It would be wonderful, but our schedules won’t allow it.
Robbie: I think I have an idea.
Ellen: You do?
Robbie: Yup. I think I have an idea that will bring Dad and you together in a more scheduled way.
Ellen: What is it?
Robbie: Well, you know how Dad is always talking about the kids in the ward and how important it is for them to be paid attention to?
Ellen: Yes.
Robbie: Well…and how hard it is because the doctors and nurses are so busy?
Ellen: Yes.
Robbie: Well, how would it be if you took some time to work with Dad towards solving that problem?
Ellen: I don’t get it.
【语言点精讲】
1. Well, we always talk about taking a vacation together — with the family.
噢，我们总说要一起去度一次假期——同全家在一起。
take a vacation: 度假。
with the family: 同家人一起。
2. I think you ought to take a vacation away from the family — alone. Kind of a second honeymoon.
我认为你们应该离开家里人去度一次假期——就你们两人在一起，好像是个第二次蜜月似的。
I think you ought to…: 我认为你（你们）应该，必须……。用此来表示一种很强的建议。
away from the family: 离开家里人。
kind of: 是美国口语用法，也说sort of，有时简拼为kinda或sorta，用于名词或动词前，或甚至独立使用，有较强的状语功能，表示“好像是……，有点像……，大概如此”等模糊概念。
3. I think I have an idea that will bring Dad and you together in a more scheduled way.
我想我有一个办法能使你和爸爸较为定期地在一起。
4. Well, you know how Dad is always talking about the kids in the ward and how important it is for them to be paid attention to?
噢，你知道爸爸总是在谈病房里的孩子们，说一件很重要的事是要有人关心他们。
ward: 是医院住院部的一间病房或一个病区。在这里显然是指儿科病区。
for them to be paid attention to:有人关心他们。
5. Well, how would it be if you took some time to work with Dad towards solving that problem?
那么，你为何不花点儿时间同爸爸一起设法解决这个问题呢？
How would it be if you took some time…? : 你何不花点时间……？用此结构来提建议。
work（with Dad）towards: （与爸爸合作）致力于某个目标。
6. I don’t get it.
我不明白，我不懂。相当于I don’t understand.
ACT 2-3 “你是个非常聪明的青年人。”
【故事梗概】
Robbie又向Ellen建了一个建议。这次，他巧妙地把父亲在医院的工作和母亲在教育方面的工作结合了起来，达到了使他俩产生共同兴趣的目的。Ellen对这个建议很感兴趣，夸他是个聪明的年青人。
Robbie: Like setting up a regular weekly reading program. You and Dad. You and Dr. Philip Stewart — going to the children’s ward once or twice a week and reading to them.
Ellen: Not bad. Not a bad idea, Robbie. As a matter of fact, it fits right in with something I’m working on right now with the school-board committee.
Robbie: What’s that?
Ellen: I’ve been trying to work out a program in the public school that will bring parents and teachers together once a week to read to the students — their own children, really. By doing that, it will encourage reading.
Robbie: So it might fit in with a program for reading to the kids in the hospital.
Ellen: You’re right. We’ll do it! I’m going to talk to Daddy about it right now.
Robbie: But Dad was so exhausted when he came home from work. Why don’t you talk to him about it tomorrow?
Ellen: You are a very smart young man, Robbie. I think I’ll wait until tomorrow.
Robbie: You won’t forget, will you?
Ellen: Believe me, I won’t. It is a great idea, and I promise you I won’t forget.
Robbie: Thanks, Mom.
Ellen: Thank you, Robbie. [She hugs him.]
【语言点精讲】
1. Like setting up a regular weekly reading program.
例如建立一项每周一次的阅读计划。
2. As a matter of fact, it fits right in with something I’m working on right now with the school-board committee.
事实上，这恰好同我正在和校董会委员会研究的一件事相吻合。
as a matter of fact: 事实上。
fit right in with: 恰好与……相吻合。
3. I’ve been trying to work out a program in the public school that will bring parents and teachers together once a week to read to the students — their own children, really.
我一直在研究要在公立学校设立一个计划，把家长和教师们聚在一起，每周一次给学生们——实际上是给他们自己的孩子们——读故事书。
try to do sth.: 尝试做某事。
work out a program: 制定出一个计划。想出一个方案。
4. But Dad was so exhausted when he came home from work. Why don’t you talk to him about it tomorrow?
可爸爸从医院下班回来后累得不得了，你明天再和他谈这件事不行吗？
Why don’t you do sth.? : 这是一个用于提建议的常用句式。
5. You are a very smart young man.
你是个非常聪明的青年人。
Robbie不但提出了好建议，还能指出马上找Philip谈是不恰当的，故此Ellen说他smart。称未成年男孩为young man表示对他的尊重或期望，但有时对方会不高兴，认为有调侃的意思，宜慎重。