ACT 3-1 “他们坚持要我留下来。”
【故事梗概】
Alexandra要提前回国了，送别晚会似乎是开不成了。正当Robbie的朋友在Robbie家里感到沮丧的时候，Robbie居然带Alexandra回来了。
Millie: How about some music?
Sandra: No, let’s wait till Robbie gets back from the airport.
Millie: Did she say why she had to leave today?
Mike: She told Robbie that her flight tomorrow was canceled, so she had to take an earlier flight
today.
Millie: This is terrible.
Mike: Well, that must be him.
Sandra: Why is he blowing his horn like that?
Mike: I don’t know. Maybe he’s angry.
Sandra: Do you think we should take down the decorations? They’ll just make him sad.
Mike: Too late now. We should have done it sooner. Oh, here he comes.
[Robbie enters.]
Mike: [to Robbie] Hi, How’d it go?
Robbie: OK, I guess. Especially when Alexandra gave me a surprise…
Mike: Yeah? What was it?
Robbie: This!
[Alexandra enters.]
Mike: Alexandra!
Sandra: Hi! What happened?
Alexandra: I called my parents from the airport. When I told them my friends were giving me a party, they insisted that I stay. So now I’m taking a flight on Monday instead.
Mike: That’s great! Terrific!
【语言点精讲】
1. No, let’s wait till Robbie gets back from the airport.
咱们等到Robbie从飞机场回来再说吧。
till: 到……时候为止。
2. Why is he blowing his horn like that?
他为什么这样一个劲儿地按喇叭？
blow horn: 这里指按汽车的喇叭。
3. Do you think we should take down the decorations? They’ll just make him sad.
你们认为我们是不是该把装饰都拿下来？这些东西只会使他更伤心的。
4. Too late now. We should have done it sooner. Oh, here he comes.
现在太晚了，我们本该早点儿取下来的。
should have done sth.: 指本该做某事，但是实际上没有做。常含有指责或者后悔的语气。
5. How’d it go?
事情办得怎么样？
How’d it go? = How did it go?
6. When I told them my friends were giving me a party, they insisted that I stay. So mow I’m taking a flight on Monday instead.
当我告诉他们说我的朋友们要给我举行聚会时，他们坚持要我留下来，所以我现在准备改搭星期一的班机走。
They insisted that I stay.: 他们坚持让我留下来。在表示主观愿望的动词insist, order, command, demand, ask, recommend, suggest, propose等后面表示所希望做到的宾语从句中，动词用虚拟语态，其形式为should+动词原形（should可以省略）。
I’m taking a flight on Monday: 现在进行时常用来表达计划好的将要进行的动作。
instead: 是副词，表示改变了原先的计划，而代之以新的计划。
ACT 3-2 “为了永远的友谊。”
【故事梗概】
Alexandra在晚会上也送了Robbie一个礼物，居然也是一块手表，而且款式是和Robbie送她的一样。
Sandra: But how did you know the party was for you?
Alexandra: Well, Robbie told me when he gave me this.
[She shows everyone her new wristwatch.]
Sandra: Oh, it’s so pretty!
Alexandra: It’s lovely, Robbie.
Millie: All right! Now we can really start the party!
Alexandra: No. Would you mind? I’d like to say something first.
Philip: Hear, hear!
Alexandra: I would just like to thank all of you, my friends, who have made my stay in the United States so wonderful, and to Robbie and the Stewart family for opening their home to me.
Robbie: We should thank you. You’re a real friend!
Alexandra: And I also have a little surprise for you, Robbie. A little going-away present. [She gives him a gift.]
Alexandra: Open it, please. I think you might be amused.
Robbie: OK. [He opens the gift. It is a wristwatch.] I can’t believe it!
Alexandra: I guess we were thinking the same thought.
Robbie: You had it engraved!
Ellen: Read it, Robbie.
Robbie: “In friendship, always. Alexandra.”I knew we thought alike, but this is too much! Thank you. [He hugs her.]
Mike: All right! Let’s have some music!
Robbie: [to Alexandra] Miss Pappas?
Alexandra: [to Robbie] Mr. Stewart…
Philip: [to Ellen] Mrs. Stewart, may I have this dance?
Ellen: My pleasure, Doctor.
[They all dance.]
【语言点精讲】
1. Would you mind? I’d like to say something first.
你们不介意吧？我想先说几句话。
Would you mind?: 你们不介意吧？回答礼貌的Would you mind? 时，如果你的意思是“同意，可以”，千万不要说Yes，而要说No，因为后者才是I wouldn’t mind，而前者是I would mind = I object/I don’t like it/I wish you wouldn’t 等意思。
2. Hear, hear!
说吧，让我们听一听！
这是在会场上表示对别人的发言拥护或赞成时说的。
3. I would just like to thank all of you, my friends, who have made my stay in the United States so wonderful, and to Robbie and the Stewart family for opening their home to me.
我只想对你们大家都表示感谢，朋友们，是你们使得我在美国的生活如此丰富多采。我还要感谢Robbie和Stewart一家对我打开了他们家庭的大门。
4. I guess we were thinking the same thought.
我想我们两个人想到一块儿去了。
5. You had it engraved!
你还让人给它上面刻了字！
have sth. done: 这个句型的意思是你让别人为你做什么，而不是你自己做。
6. In friendship, always.
为了永远的友谊。
7. I knew we thought alike, but this is too much! Thank you.
我知道我们想的一样，可这太教人难以相信了，谢谢你。
we thought alike: 我们想的一样。
too much: 在这里是指“太难以置信了”。相当于difficult to believe; incredible.
8. Miss Pappas? — Mr. Stewart.
这是比较正式的表示邀舞和应允的办法。
比较完整的说法看下面Philip和Ellen所说的：
Mrs. Stewart, may I have this dance? — My pleasure, Doctor.（Stewart夫人，我可以和你跳这个舞吗？– 我的荣幸，医生。）