ACT 3-1 “我计划要就此写一篇社论。”
【故事梗概】
Robbie和Alexandra 终于露面了。他们带来了当地报纸的主编Maxwell先生。
Robbie: Hi, everyone. Sorry I’m late. But Alexandra and I have been busy at work this morning on the community-center project. And we brought someone along who can help. You remember Charles Maxwell, Grandpa? He’s the editor of the Riverdale paper. He wrote some nice articles on Mom when she was running for the school board.
Grandpa: Yes, I remember. You were a great help.
Maxwell: Hi, Mr. Stewart. Hope to be a bigger help on the new community-center project. From what Robbie and Alexandra have told me, you people are making one big story.
Grandpa: Let me introduce you, Mr. Maxwell. This is Nat Baker, who’s responsible for this meeting, and this is Joanne Thompson, and Abe Lucas, who used to run the drugstore in town.
Maxwell: Robbie and Alexandra told me what you need to fix up the old library. I am planning to write an editorial that I think will help you.
Grandpa: Let’s go. What are your questions?
Maxwell: OK. Now, I have …first…a couple of questions here. Have you talked to the community council? And have you had an engineer come in to do an inspection?
【语言点精讲】
1. You remember Charles Maxwell, Grandpa? He’s the editor of the Riverdale paper. He wrote some nice articles on Mom when she was running for the school board.
爷爷，你还记得Charles Maxwell吗？他是里弗代尔报纸的编辑，妈妈竞选联合校董会董事的时候，他写过几篇很友好的有关妈妈的文章。
write an article on…: 写关于…的文章。
nice: 这里指的是“以诚相助的”。
run for: 竞选（某个职位）。
2. Hope to be a bigger help on the new community-center project. From what Robbie and Alexandra have told me, you people are making one big story.
希望在新的社区中心的项目上，我能起更大的作用。我从Robbie和Alexandra所说的话里知道，你们各位正筹划着造一条大新闻。
You people are making one big story.: 您几位正筹划着造个大新闻（指创办community center一事）。story 在报纸上指新闻，a big story 指轰动一时的大新闻。这里用one而不用a，是为了强调后面的词。
3. Let me introduce you, Mr. Maxwell. This is Nat Baker, who’s responsible for this meeting, and this is Joanne Thompson, and Abe Lucas, who used to run the drugstore in town.
让我给你介绍一下，Maxwell先生。这是Nat Baker，他是负责召集这次会议的人，这是Joanne Thompson——还有Abe Lucas，他过去经营镇上的杂货店。
who’s responsible for this meeting: 他是负责召集这次会议的人。这是一个定语从句。
be responsible for sth.: 负责某事。
run: 在这里的意思是指经营 。
4. Robbie and Alexandra told me what you need to fix up the old library. I am planning to write an editorial that I think will help you.
Robbie和Alexandra对我讲了你们修整旧图书馆楼都需要什么，我计划要就此写一篇社论，我想它能对你们有帮助的。
fix up: 修整。
5. Let’s go.
我们这就开始说正事。相当于“Let’s go ahead with our business. ”或者“ Let’s get right (down) to work. ”
6. Have you talked to the community council? And have you had an engineer come in to do an inspection?
你们和镇议会谈过了吗？还有，你们是否已找过一位工程师来检查一下？
community council: 镇议会。
have you had an engineer come in…: 在这里相当于have you asked an engineer to come in…?
inspection: 检查。
ACT 3-2 “我们这个社区一向很慷慨的。”
【故事梗概】
Maxwell先生询问并记下了完成翻新改造旧图书馆楼成为新社区活动中心所需要的人力和物资。
Maxwell: OK, what do you need most of all?
Grandpa: People power. Men and women, young and old, to give us their time.
Maxwell: To do what?
Joanne: To help scrub the building interior clean.
Nat: So that we can repaint it.
Maxwell: And you also need bodies to do repainting?
Grandpa: That’s right. And we’ll also need some ladders and some brushes and some paint.
Maxwell: When do you need the volunteers, and where do they report?
Grandpa: I’ve got the council to agree to open the building for us on the next four weekends.
Maxwell: How about furnishings? Are there any special requirements that I should list in the paper?
Joanne: Yes. Here is a copy of all the things we need to start with.[She hands him a list.]
Maxwell: Let’s see. Four desks. Eight straight-back chairs. Thirty folding chairs. Six table lamps. Three end tables. One piano. This is a good start. These items shouldn’t be difficult to come by once I print the article in the paper. This community has always been very generous.
Grandpa: I agree, Mr. Maxwell.
【语言点精讲】
1. People power. Men and women, young and old, to give us their time.
人力。男子和妇女，年轻人和老年人，我们需要他们把业余时间给我们。
people power: 人力。
2. To help scrub the building interior clean.
帮助把大楼内部刷洗干净。
scrub: 用（硬棕毛）刷子刷。
the building interior: 内部。interior指内里的一面。
3. And you also need bodies to do repainting?
你们还需要劳力搞刷油漆的活儿？
bodies: 人员，劳力。
repaint: 用油漆重新刷一遍。re-再，又；paint此处是动词。
4. When do you need the volunteers, and where do they report?
你们什么时候需要志愿工作人员来，他们到哪儿报到？
volunteer: 志愿者，义工。
Where do they report: 他们该上哪儿报到接活儿呢？是“Where do they report for work?”的简略。
5. Here is a copy of all the things we need to start with.
这张单子上开的是我们一开始所需要的家具设备。
to start with: 一开始。相当于in the first place。
6. Four desks. Eight straight-back chairs. Thirty folding chairs. Six table lamps. Three end tables. One piano.
这里有一些家具的表达法：
desks: 书桌。
straight-back chairs: 直背椅。
folding chairs: 折叠椅。
table lamps: 台灯。
end tables: 茶几。
7. These items shouldn’t be difficult to come by once I print the article in the paper. This community has always been very generous.
一旦我把文章在报上刊登出来，这些东西应该不难弄到，我们这个社区一向很慷慨的。
come by: 意为找到或获得，常指意外地得到。
print: 这里指“刊登”。
generous: 慷慨的。
ACT 3-3 “他说到做到。”
【故事梗概】
Maxwell先生把他收集的信息写成了文章登在了当地的报纸上。他通过文章号召人们加入到建设新社区活动中心的志愿工作中来。
Maxwell: What you’re saying is, in order for this center to succeed, we need to put together volunteers from the various generations of future users.
Grandpa: That’s right.
Nat: And without their energy and stamina, there’s no way we can complete this project.
Maxwell: I’ve got it. Now give me some information about how you see the building being used.
Joanne: Oh, here. [She shows him a floor plan.]On the ground floor we have the reception area…
[The next day. Grandpa is on the patio. He is reading Gharles Maxwell’s editorial in the newspaper. ]
Grandpa: It’s here, Robbie. Charles Maxwell lived up to his word. [He reads the editorial to Robbie.]“At the Stewart family home on Linden Street yesterday, a group of caring Riverdale citizens gathered to plan the refurbishing of the old library to transform it into a new community center. The original plan by the council was tabled because of lack of funds. The new plan needs you. You could call it a community unity plan. It needs your time, and it needs your energy. And it needs your contributions of furniture, paint, brushes, ladders, lamps, et cetera. A list of these items and a volunteer form can be picked up at the Riverdale Press offices. By working together, this community can do anything to benefit its citizens, and we know you will all work together towards refurbishing the old library and making it a new community center. Charles Maxwell, Editor.”
【语言点精讲】
1. What you’re saying is, in order for this center to succeed, we need to put together volunteers from the various generations of future users.
你们刚才说的是，为了要使这个社区中心取得成功，我们需要从未来使用中心的各个不同年龄层的人中聚集志愿工作者。
What you’re saying is: 你们说的是。这个表达用来确认对方的话是不是自己理解的那个意思。
put together: 这里指“组织，安排”。
2. And without their energy and stamina, there’s no way we can complete this project.
没有他们的力量和干劲，我们是无法完成这个项目的。这是一个用双重否定来强调肯定意义的句子。
energy: 精力的投入，活力。
stamina: 耐力。
no way: 是“没有办法，没门儿”的意思。
3. I’ve got it. Now give me some information about how you see the building being used.
我都明白了。现在请跟我说一下你们设想这大楼将如何利用。
I’ve got it. : 我明白了。
see: 这里是visualize（设想）的意思。
4. She shows him a floor plan.
floor plan: (楼房设计的)平面图。
5. Charles Maxwell lived up to his word.
lived up to one’s word: 说到做到。
6. At the Stewart family home on Linden Street yesterday, a group of caring Riverdale citizens gathered to plan the refurbishing of the old library to transform it into a new community center.
昨天在林登大街Stewart家住宅内，有一批里弗代尔的关心公益的公民聚集在一起，计划重新修整旧图书馆，把它改建为一个新的社区中心。
citizens: 居民。
transform: 改建。
7. The original plan by the council was tabled because of lack of funds. The new plan needs you. You could call it a community unity plan.
原先镇议会所订的计划由于缺乏经费而无限期搁置，新的计划需要你们。你可以称这个计划为社区团结计划。
table: 在这里作动词，是“暂缓讨论”的意思，这是美语用法。在英国英语中，table是正式提出供会议讨论的意思。把一件应办的事“束之高阁”，也常用shelve及pigeonhole，意谓放到架子上暂不采取行动或不去过问。
unity: 团结。
8. And it needs your contributions of furniture, paint, brushes, ladders, lamps, et cetera. A list of these items and a volunteer form can be picked up at the Riverdale Press offices.
它需要你们捐赠家具、油漆、刷子、梯子、灯具等等。有关这些东西的单子和申请参加志愿工作的表格可到《里弗代尔报》报社索取。
contributions: 捐献品。
et cetera: 等等（表示省略）。这个拉丁短语常被缩写成etc.，在英语中很常用。
items: 物品。
a volunteer form: 义工申请人员表格。