ACT 1-1 “我希望现在就能来一个。”
【故事梗概】
Richard要和Marilyn以及他的妹妹Susan，妹夫Harry一起去宿营。Ellen正在帮助Richard准备野外宿营的东西。
Richard: Hot dogs. I love hot dogs. There is nothing better than a hot dog in the country.
Ellen: Hot dogs and mustard.
Richard: Cooked outdoors over an open fire. I wish I had one now.
Ellen: Do you remember when Daddy and I used to take you and Susan and Robbie to Jones Beach?
Richard: Oh, I sure do.
Ellen: We’d wait until dark and make a fire, and we’d cook the hot dogs. Oh, don’t forget the mustard. And, oh, does anybody want ketchup?
Richard: [He takes a jar of mustard and a jar of ketchup from Ellen.] I might as well take it along. And now to make sure we’ve got the hamburger patties. [He opens the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.] I have to remember to put them in the bag tomorrow morning before we leave.
Ellen: I’ll remind you, Richard.
【语言点精讲】
1. There is nothing better than a hot dog in the country.
在乡间吃热狗，再也没有比这个更可人意的了。
There is nothing better than…: 没有比……更好的了。这是一个用比较级的形式表达最高级含义的句型。也可以说There’s nothing like…
2. Cooked outdoors over an open fire. I wish I had one now.
在户外篝火上烤热的，我希望现在就能来一个。
I wish I had one now.: 这是一个虚拟语气。表达现在希望干什么，wish后面从句中的动词用过去式形式，be动词则要使用were。
3. Do you remember when Daddy and I used to take you and Susan and Robbie to Jones Beach?
你还记得吗，你爸爸和我过去常带你和Susan还有Robbie到琼斯海滨去玩？
used to do sth.: 指过去常常做某事，但是现在已经不做了。
Jones Beach: 是长岛的一个著名海滨，在纽约东面约二十英里处。
4. I might as well take it along.
我不妨带着（蕃茄沙司）。
may as well（might as well）: 意思是“还是……的好”。
5. And now to make sure we’ve got the hamburger patties. [He opens the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.] I have to remember to put them in the bag tomorrow morning before we leave.
现在要保证我们有汉堡包用的小肉饼。[他打开冰箱的冷冻室门。]我们明天早上动身以前，千万不能忘了把它们放到袋子里。
patty: 小肉饼。
freezer compartment: 冰箱内的冷冻室。
before we leave: 在我们离开之前。before后面从句用一般现在式（leave，而不用will leave）表示未来的事。
6. I’ll remind you.
我会提醒你的。
ACT 1-2 “这算不了什么。”
【故事梗概】
Max正在长牙，他哭闹得厉害。Marilyn对把Max交给Ellen照管这件事感到非常不安。
Richard: Mom, we really appreciate your taking care of Max for the weekend and giving up your free time.
Ellen: I love doing it. Susan and Harry have a sitter for Michelle in the city, and I’m taking care of Max. It’s no big deal. I am happy to do it for you.
Richard: I guess Max is asleep by now. He’s not crying anymore.
Ellen: oh, poor baby. He’s teething.
Marilyn: [She enters.] Well, he’s asleep — finally. I feel so bad for him. It hurts so much when a baby gets his first teeth.
Ellen: He’ll be fine, Marilyn.
Richard: Well, he wakes up several times during the night, and the pain is so bad.
Marilyn: I’m really concerned about going away for the weekend, Ellen, and leaving you with the full responsibility of taking care of Max. Especially with his teething. I wish he felt better.
Ellen: Please don’t worry, Marilyn, Remember your father-in-law’s a pediatrician. We have a live-in doctor if there’s a problem I can’t handle.
Richard: I agree, Marilyn. We really don’t have to be overly concerned.
【语言点精讲】
1. Mom, we really appreciate your taking care of Max for the weekend and giving up your free time.
妈妈，我真的感谢你在周末照看Max，放弃了你自己的休息时间。
appreciate your taking care of Max: 在这里，your是动名词taking的逻辑主语。
give up: 放弃。
one’s free time: 某人的空闲时间，自由时间。
2. Susan and Harry have a sitter for Michelle in the city, and I’m taking care of Max.
Susan和Harry在城里给Michelle找了个临时保姆，Max则由我来照顾。
sitter: 临时保姆。相当于baby-sitter.
take care of sb.: 照顾某人。
3. It’s no big deal.
这算不了什么。没什么大事，不难，没什么。
4. He’s teething.
他在长牙。
teething: 长（新）牙。动词原形是teethe.
5. I’m really concerned about going away for the weekend, Ellen, and leaving you with the full responsibility of taking care of Max. Especially with his teething. I wish he felt better.
我们要离开一个周末，Ellen，留下你负担照管Max的全部责任，我真于心不安。特别是他正在出牙，我真希望他不那么疼就好了。
be concerned about doing sth.: 对做某事感到担忧。
leave sb. with the full responsibility of doing sth.: 让某人对做某事负全责。
especially: 尤其，特别。
I wish he felt better: 我真希望他现在好一些。这句是虚拟语气，表示所希望的内容与现在的事实相反。
6. We have a live-in doctor if there’s a problem I can’t handle.
如果有什么我应付不了的问题，我们还有个住在家里的医生呢。
a live-in doctor: 住在家里的医生，这里指的是Philip医生。live-in原指“管吃管住”的工人、保姆等。
7. We really don’t have to be overly concerned.
我们真的不需要过分担心。
overly: 过分。
ACT 1-3 “你们将会度过一生最好的时光。”
【故事梗概】
Max又开始哭了，Richard去陪他。Marilyn和Ellen开始谈起露营的具体安排。
[A few minutes later. Max is crying upstairs.]
Richard: I’ll go upstairs and stay with him until he falls asleep again.
Marilyn: Thanks, Richard. Try putting him across your lap on his stomach. He likes that.
Richard: I’ll try it. [He leaves.]
Ellen: When are Susan and Harry picking you up, Marilyn?
Marilyn: They’re coming by at six tomorrow morning, so we can get an early start.
Ellen: That’s nice. And you’ll have a full day in the country.
Marilyn: And a full night. Tomorrow night we’ll be camping out in tents.
Ellen: And coming home on Sunday?
Marilyn: We’ll be heading back late in the afternoon.
Ellen: You’re going to have the time of your lives. Camping out is such great fun.
Marilyn: We’ll have a great time camping out, I’m sure. But I’m still a little worried about you, Ellen.
Ellen: It will be my great pleasure, Marilyn. Remember, it’s only one night.
Richard: [He enters.] He’s asleep. I think he’ll sleep through the night now.
Marilyn: Thanks, honey. I hope he’s good when we’re away.
Richard: Well, so do I. Now, to check the list of things we need for the camping trip. We need to bring a flashlight.
Ellen: It’s in the right-hand drawer, next to the bottle openers.
【语言点精讲】
1. I’ll go upstairs and stay with him until he falls asleep again.
我上楼去陪着他，到他睡着。
until he falls asleep: 直到他入睡。在until后面用现在式（falls而不是will fall）表示将来的事。
fall asleep: 入睡，睡着。
2. Try putting him across your lap on his stomach.
试着让他趴着睡在你的大腿上。
lap: 人坐着时胯部到膝盖的部位。
on his stomach: 脸朝下趴着睡。仰着叫 on one’s back, 侧着叫on one’s side.
3. They’re coming by at six tomorrow morning, so we can get an early start.
他们明天早上六点钟过来，我们好早点儿上路。
so we can get an early start: 这里的so不是并列连词“因此”，而是主从连词so that“以便”的省略。
4. Tomorrow night we’ll be camping out in tents.
明天晚上我们将在户外露营，睡在帐蓬里。
camp out: 睡在户外，露宿。
tent: 帐篷。
5. We’ll be heading back late in the afternoon.
我们会在黄昏时往回返。
late in the afternoon: 黄昏，傍晚。
6. You’re going to have the time of your lives. Camping out is such great fun.
你们将会度过一生最好的时光，野营是件非常好玩的事。
have the time of your lives: 最美好的时光。
be such great fun: 非常有趣（好玩）的事。
7. It’s in the right-hand drawer, next to the bottle openers.
手电筒在右边的抽屉里，在开瓶器旁边。
drawer: 抽屉。
bottle openers: 开瓶器。
ACT 1-4 “一切就绪。”
【故事梗概】
去露营的准备工作做得差不多了。Marilyn建议带上录音机和空白卡带，以便录制有声日记来记录露营中的感受。
Richard: [He goes to the drawer.] Do we have a bottle opener on the list, Marilyn?
Marilyn: [She looks at the list.] No. No bottle opener. Is that one of the things Susan and Harry are bringing?
Richard: No. And we’re bringing the ketchup, mustard, relish — all that stuff. And cooking utensils. Well, here’s the bottle opener, and here’s the flashlight.
Ellen: Matches.
Marilyn: Matches?
Richard: Yes, of course. For when we build our camp-fire. I can’t build a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together.
Marilyn: And don’t forget your camera and film, Richard.
Richard: All packed and ready.
Marilyn: And let’s not forget our cassette player and some tapes. Some music tapes and some blank tapes so that we can record our thoughts about the trip.
Ellen: Oh, that’s a nice idea. An audio diary.
Marilyn: That’s what I thought.
Richard: Got it! [he holds up the cassette player and the tapes.] The cassette player and the tapes.
[Max begins to cry again.]
【语言点精讲】
1. And we’re bringing the ketchup, mustard, relish — all that stuff. And cooking utensils.
我们带着蕃茄沙司、芥末、调味酱，等等一切，还有炊具。
ketchup: 在中国一般称为番茄沙司。美语更普遍的说法是 catsup。而“番茄酱”则常指 tomato puree, 与 ketchup 有较大的差别。
relish: 调味酱。
cooking utensils: 烹饪用具。
2. For when we build our camp-fire. I can’t build a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together.
我们生篝火的时候用的。我可不会钻木取火。
build a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together: 钻木取火。
3. All packed and ready.
都已经打好包装了，一切就绪。
4. And let’s not forget our cassette player and some tapes. Some music tapes and some blank tapes so that we can record our thoughts about the trip.
还有，别忘了带盒式录音机和盒带。带上几盒音乐带，几盒空白带，好让我们能录下这次旅行的观感。
cassette player : 盒式录音机。
blank tapes: 空白磁带。
5. Oh, that’s a nice idea. An audio diary.
噢，这主意很好，一部录音日记。
audio diary: 录音日记，指用录音机记录生活片断。
6. Got it!
我找到了。
it: 在这里，指录音机和录音带。
Got it!: 相当于I’ve got it. 在不同的上下文中，这也可以是“我明白了；我想出来了；我听到了；我抓到了”等不同意思。