走遍美国文本及笔记15-1

ACT 1-1 “没有特别的理由。”

【故事梗概】

Richard整日在外奔波忙碌，Marilyn在家照顾婴儿，生活缺少浪漫气息。在他们结婚五周年纪念日的前几天，Richard建议两个人把孩子托给母亲照料，到新婚时度蜜月的地方去重拾最初的欢乐。

[Richard hands Marilyn a bouquet of roses.]

Marilyn: What's this for?

Richard: Just because. How's the baby?

Marilyn: Fast asleep.

Richard: I'm sorry I missed him. I had to work late.

Marilyn: What are the flowers for, Richard?

Richard: Five years of happiness. Happy anniversary.

Marilyn: But our anniversary isn't until Saturday.

Richard: I couldn't wait. Besides, we are not going to be here Saturday. Marilyn: We're not?

Richard: Uh-uh.

Marilyn: Where are we going to be?

Richard: If you had your choice of all the places in the world, where would you choose to spend our anniversary?

Marilyn: The Watermill Inn. I loved that place when we went on our honeymoon. Richard: Perfect! You picked the right place.

Marilyn: I don't understand.

Richard: You and I, Mrs. Stewart, are going to spend a second honeymoon at the Watermill Inn.

【语言点精讲】

1. What's this for?

这是为什么？这是干什么？

2. Just because.

没有特别的理由。这是回避回答问题的一种说法，通常带有幽默的口吻。

3. Fast asleep.

睡熟了。也可以说sound asleep（睡得很香）。

fast是副词，意思为“紧，牢固”。形容词asleep只能作表语，不能作定语。

4. I'm sorry I missed him.

很抱歉我错过了他（醒着的时候）。miss在这里的意思是“错过”。

5. But our anniversary isn't until Saturday.

但是要到星期六才是我们的结婚纪念日。

not(…)until…: 意思是“直到……才……”。

6. If you had your choice of all the places in the world, where would you choose to spend our anniversary?

假如让你挑选世界上任何地方，你会选择哪里去度我们的结婚纪念日？

这是一个虚拟条件句，表示与现在事实相反的内容，其中主句用过去将来时（would加动词原形），从句用过去时。这种句型多用于描述发生的可能性并不太大的事。

这里Richard之所以用虚拟条件句，是强调只是问一问而已，以便后来给Marilyn一个惊喜。如果他用了真实条件句（If you have your choice…where will you choose…），意思就变成“我已安排好，只等你选择地方了”。

7. You and I, Mrs. Stewart, are going to spend a second honeymoon at the Watermill Inn.

Inn: 小旅馆。通常指乡村或主要道路旁的旅馆。

second honeymoon: 第二次蜜月。

ACT 1-2 “我们早该这么做了。”

【故事梗概】

Marilyn很想在结婚纪念日的时候去度假，但是她又放心不下Max。Richard告诉她Ellen 同意在周末照顾Max。在他的极力劝说下，Marilyn逐渐放下顾虑，高高兴兴地同意了去度二次蜜月。

Marilyn: Oh, Richard! That's wonderful, but…

Richard: No buts.

Marilyn: What about the baby? Aren't we taking the baby on our honeymoon? Richard: Absolutely not. The world's greatest grandmother, Mrs. Ellen Stewart, has agreed to take care of him for the weekend.

Marilyn: Richard, isn't that too much to ask of your mother?

Richard: Too much? She loves taking care of Max.

Marilyn: But…I'll miss him.

Richard: Well, we'll phone every hour, and you can listen to him over the phone. Come on, Mar. It's time you and I had a romantic weekend alone together. We've earned it. What do you say?

Marilyn: It does sound tempting. You're right. We've earned it.

Richard: Great! I'll make a reservation right now. Remember that wonderful little balcony where we had our meals…with a view of the Hudson River? Marilyn: How could I forget?

【语言点精讲】

1. No buts.

不要说但是。当希望对方不要为否定自己提出的建议而找借口的时候，可以使用这个表达。这里but当作名词使用。

2. What about the baby?

小宝宝怎么办？

What about…: 这里的意思是“如何处理……，如何对待……”。

3. Isn't that too much to ask of your mother?

那是不是太麻烦你母亲啦？

Isn't that…: 这是一个反问句，表示“那岂不是……？”

to ask sth. of sb.: 与to ask sb. for sth.不同，后者常表示索取某种具体的东西，而前者常表示要求做某种动作或采取某种立场、持某种态度等。

4. Come on, Mar. It's time you and I had a romantic weekend alone together.