ACT 2-1 “这就是我理想中的天堂！”
【故事梗概】
星期六下午，Richard，Marilyn, Susan和Harry 到达了湖边的宿营地。
Susan: Oh, I love it! I love it! To be away from the city on such a beautiful day is my idea of heaven! The grass. The trees. The fresh air.
Harry: I told you you’d like it. I’ve been doing this for years.
Richard: [He takes photographs of her.] You have the spirit of a teenager, Susan .Wait till you see yourself jumping around.
Marilyn: That’s what I love about Susan. She works hard. She plays hard. She’s a real Stewart.
Harry: Come on, Richard. Help me get this stuff out of the car.
Richard: Where does it go?
Harry: Well, we’ll put everything over there. We’ll set up our tents over there by the edge of the woods. Then we’ll be able to make our fire there where it’s safe.
Richard: Oh, there’s our table and benches. All set for eating.
Harry: That’s what makes this spot so good.
【语言点精讲】
1. To be away from the city on such a beautiful day is my idea of heaven!
在这样美好的日子里远离城市，这就是我理想中的天堂！
be away from: 远离……
my idea of: 我心目中的……
heaven: 天堂。
2. He takes photographs of her.
他给她拍照。
photographs of her: 注意 of的用法，这个说法与her photographs相比，有较强的“动”性，her photograph是静止的。
3. You have the spirit of a teenager, Susan .Wait till you see yourself jumping around.
Susan，你那股热情劲儿，像是十几岁的孩子。你等着看我拍的你到处又跳又蹦的样子吧。spirit: 精神，热情， 冲劲。
teenager: 指 13—19岁的少年。
Wait till you see yourself jumping around.: 指等照片洗印出来以后，让Susan自己看看。
4. That’s what I love about Susan. She works hard. She plays hard. She’s a real Stewart.
我就喜欢Susan这股劲儿。她干活卖力气，玩起来也卖力气。她是个真正的Stewart家的人。
a real Stewart: 一个真正的 Stewart 家的人。
5. Where does it go?
（东西）放在哪儿？
也可以说: Where shall we put it?
6. We’ll set up our tents over there by the edge of the woods. Then we’ll be able to make our fire there where it’s safe.
我们把东西都放在那里，我们把帐蓬搭在树林边上，那样我们就可以在那边安全的地方生营火。
set up one’s tent: 搭帐篷。
the edge of the woods: 树林边缘。
7. Oh, there’s our table and benches. All set for eating.
噢， 那就是我们的饭桌和板凳。都现成的，可以在那里吃饭。
there’s our table and benches: 指野营地预置的野餐桌凳。现在口语中 there’s 比there are用得更多，而不论其后的名词为单数还是复数。尤其是在there’s a… and… 中，因第一个名词是单数，就更少用are了。这句中需要注意的是，there’s 在本句中的意思不是“有”，而是倒装的is there“在那儿”。
8. That’s what makes this spot so good.
正是这些使我们的营址很理想。
spot: 地点。
ACT 2-2 “真像是三个孩子。”
【故事梗概】
刚刚到达宿营地，但是Marilyn, Susan, Richard都感到饿了。Harry同意马上开始准备野餐。
Marilyn: Is anybody hungry?
Susan: I am.
Harry: We just got here.
Susan: When you’re out in the fresh air like this, it makes you hungry. Aren’t you hungry, Marilyn?
Marilyn: I sure am. How about you, Richard?
Richard: Starving.
Harry: You guys are like three kids.
Richard: Aren’t you hungry, Harry?
Harry: Well, yeah. Now that you mention it, I guess I am. I mean, how could a guy not be hungry with all this talk about eating?
Marilyn: Where’s the bag with the chicken salad sandwiches?
Harry: Right here, next to the ice packs. Here. [He hands Marilyn the groceries and supplies from the back of the car.] Put the tablecloth on the picnic table, and I will bring the cola and the plastic cups.
【语言点精讲】
1. When you’re out in the fresh air like this, it makes you hungry. Aren’t you hungry, Marilyn?
你在户外这么好的新鲜空气里呆着，它会使你觉得饿的。Marilyn，你不饿吗？
fresh air: 新鲜空气。
2. You guys are like three kids.
你们这些人，真像是三个孩子。
guys，家伙。 kids，娃娃，孩子。这些都是口语中用的非正式词。
3. Now that you mention it, I guess I am. I mean, how could a guy not be hungry with all this talk about eating?
你们这样一提，我想我也觉得饿了。我的意思是说，你们这样大谈特谈饿的问题，谁还能不感觉饿？
now that: 既然，由于。
I mean…: 我的意思是……
How could a guy not be hungry…? 注意，此处不能说成 How couldn’t…，因为所否定的是 be hungry，即“怎能不饿”，而不是“怎么不能饿”。
3. Where’s the bag with the chicken salad sandwiches?
装鸡肉沙拉三明治的袋子在哪儿？
4. Right here, next to the ice packs
就在这儿，在装冰块的袋子旁边。
ice packs: 冰袋。
5. He hands Marilyn the groceries and supplies from the back of the car.
他从车子后箱里取出食物和供应品交给Marilyn。
grocery: 在美国指售各种食品及罐头的商店，副食店。店主称为 grocer。在这类店中买来的东西也称为 groceries，用复数形式， 不用单数形式。
6. Put the tablecloth on the picnic table, and I will bring the cola and the plastic cups.
把桌布铺在野餐桌上，我把可乐和塑料杯子拿来。
put the tablecloth on: 铺桌布。
ACT 2-3 “我从来没有这样轻松过。”
【故事梗概】
四个人开始野餐。美事和野外的美景让Susan和Marilyn又惦记起了Michelle和Max。
Harry: Well, how do you like it so far?
Richard: I’ve never been more relaxed.
Marilyn: Me, neither.
Susan: I wish we had brought Michelle, Harry. She would have loved it.
Marilyn: Oh, you’re right. I wish we had brought Max.
Richard: Marilyn, Susan, let’s not begin to worry about Michelle and Max We’re having a good time, and they’re in good hands.
Harry: Richard is right. Are you having a good time, Susan? You haven’t answered my question.
Susan: I am having a good time, Harry. I promise not to think about the city. We’re in the country. Let’s all just enjoy this wonderful place and this wonderful weather.
Harry: Good
【语言点精讲】
1. Well, how do you like it so far?
好了，到现在为止你们感觉怎么样？
so far: 直到现在，到现在为止。一个潜在的意思是“只说现在，以后可能会不同”。
2. I’ve never been more relaxed. — Me, neither.
我从来没有这样轻松过。– 我也没有。
Me, neither.: 等同于“Neither have I.” 用me 代替Ⅰ，在口语中用得很多，常常用于单独使用或与 not 等否定词连用的情况。
3. I wish we had brought Michelle, Harry. She would have loved it.
我真希望我们带了Michelle来，Harry。她会喜欢的。
I wish we had brought Michelle.: 我真希望我们把 Michelle带来了。这是wish引导的虚拟语气。表达与过去事情相反的希望时，wish后从句中动词时态用过去完成式(had brought)。又如：
I wish he had come with us. (But he didn’t. What a pity!)
I wish my daughter had spent the holiday here. ( But she did not.)
4. Marilyn, Susan, let’s not begin to worry about Michelle and Max We’re having a good time, and they’re in good hands.
Marilyn，Susan，不要开始担心Michelle和Max。我们玩得很快乐，他们也得到很好的照顾。
Let’s not begin to worry about…: 这是一个否定祈使句，用于提醒或规劝某人。在较非正式的语言中可以说 Don’t let’s begin to…，但绝对不能说Let’s don’t…。
in good hands: 得到很好的照顾，相当于being taken care of well。
5. Richard is right. Are you having a good time, Susan? You haven’t answered my question.
Richard是对的。玩得高兴吗，Susan？你还没有回答我的问题呢。
6. I am having a good time, Harry. I promise not to think about the city. We’re in the country. Let’s all just enjoy this wonderful place and this wonderful weather.
我玩得很高兴，Harry。我保证不去想城里的事。我们在乡村。让我们大家都来享受这个美妙的地方和这种美妙天气吧。
I promise not to do sth.: 我承诺不做某事。
ACT 2-4 “这是我提起精神的方法。”
【故事梗概】
星期六的晚上，在 Susan和Harry的帐篷里，Susan和Harry 还没有睡，他们在谈论这次露营之旅。
Susan: This is Heaven, Harry! It was such a great idea to spend the weekend this way.
Harry: Thanks, Susan. I thought you’d all like it.
Susan: [She kisses him.] Like it? I love it! Listen to the sounds of the summer that surround us. It’s so calming.
Harry: I’ve always liked camping out. Away from the telephones and account books. It’s refreshing for me. I always go back to the city in a wonderful state of mind.
Susan: We’ve only been here for a day, and I’ve completely forgotten about all my business problems. The office seems so far away.
Harry: I’m glad you like it, Susan. We’ll spend many more weekends like this.
Susan: And next time we’ll bring Michelle. I wish she were here with us to enjoy the country.
Harry: And next time we’ll bring Michelle.
[They go to sleep.]
【语言点精讲】
1. This is Heaven, Harry! It was such a great idea to spend the weekend this way.
这简直是上帝过得日子，Harry！这样过周末的主意简直太棒了。
such a great idea: 如此好的主意。也可以说so great an idea.
spend the weekend: 过周末。
2. I thought you’d all like it.
我料想你们都会喜欢的。
3. Like it? I love it! Listen to the sounds of the summer that surround us. It’s so calming.
喜欢？我爱上它了！仔细倾听环绕我们的夏夜声息。好宁静。
surround: 环绕，周围。
calming: 安静，静谧。
4. I’ve always liked camping out. Away from the telephones and account books. It’s refreshing for me.
我一直喜欢露营。远离电话和帐本。这是我提起精神的方法。
account books: 会计簿。
refreshing: 恢复精神，重新充满活力，清爽怡人，精神振作。
5. I always go back to the city in a wonderful state of mind.
我总是精神饱满地回到城里（去工作）。
这句话是指“我每次野营之后……”，故用一般现在时go。
in a wonderful state of mind的意思是feeling refreshed and relaxed。
6. We’ve only been here for a day, and I’ve completely forgotten about all my business problems. The office seems so far away.
我们到这儿仅仅一天，但我已经抛开了我所有的业务上的问题。办公室好像变得那么遥远。
seem so far awawy: 感觉上似乎很遥远。
7. I wish she were here with us to enjoy the country.
我真希望现在她就和我们在一起享受这乡村美景。
I wish she were here.: 我希望她在这，她现在在这该多好。动词wish后的从句中，用系动词be表示与现在的事实相反的希望时，不管主语是什么，一般用其过去式复数形式were。例如：
I wish I were 18 years old. (Unfortunately, I’m not 18 years old.)
I wish Ann were as pretty as Mary. (The fact is that Mary is much prettier than Ann.)
ACT 2-5 “像是一种特别的音乐。”
【故事梗概】
在Marilyn和Richard的帐篷里，Marilyn 和Richard 在谈论乡间的虫鸣声。Marilyn决定把这让人感到宁静的声音记录下来。
Marilyn: Just listen to the sound. It’s so soothing.
Richard: I can hardly keep my eyes open. If only we could bottle the fresh air.
Marilyn: Wouldn’t it be wonderful?
Richard: We could call it “Deep Sleep Country Air.”
Marilyn: It puts you to sleep. So does the sound. I’ve been having a hard time keeping my eyes open just listening to it. It’s like a special music.
Richard: Too bad we can’t bottle the sound.
Marilyn: But we can! [She sits up quickly.]
Richard: Can what?
Marilyn: Bottle the sound.
Richard: What are you talking about?
[Marilyn picks up the cassette player.]
Richard: Oh, yeah? Great idea! Let’s do it! [He turns on the cassette player and begins to record the sounds of the country.]
【语言点精讲】
1. Just listen to the sound. It’s so soothing.
听听这些声音。是这样的安详。
soothing: 温柔的，柔和的，静谧的。
2. I can hardly keep my eyes open.
我简直睁不开眼睛了。
hardly: 几乎不，简直不。
3. If only we could bottle the fresh air.
要是我们能用瓶子把新鲜空气装回去该多好。
If only 的意思是“要是……该多好”，其后常用虚拟语气来表达不能实现的愿望。其主句因不言自明，故经常被省略。例如：
If only the time could slow down! (Of course, it’s impossible.)
If only Jack had passed the exam! (Actually, he failed.)
If only I were an engineer! (But I am a student.)
4. We could call it “Deep Sleep Country Air.”
我们可以称它为“（使人）沉睡的乡村空气” 。
5. I’ve been having a hard time keeping my eyes open just listening to it. It’s like a special music.
听着这些声音时我一直挣扎着要让双眼睁开。它就像是一种特别的音乐。
have a hard time doing sth.: 做某事很困难。
6. Too bad we can’t bottle the sound.
不能将声音装进瓶里真是太可惜了。
bottle: 这里用作动词，指装入瓶中。
7. He turns on the cassette player and begins to record the sounds of the country.
他开动盒式录音机，开始录下乡野的声音。
turn on: 打开。