新概念英语第一册第20课课文及详解

新概念英语第一册第20课课文及详解
Lesson 20 A pretty carpet
It is something of an ordeal to choose a carpet. It is almost more difficult to choose one now than it used to be, because we have so much more choice than our grandparents had. They make lovely carpets these days, but I have never seen so many designs, or so many colours. A carpet seller has an immense stock of carpets, and he may have two or three of
each design.
I went to buy a carpet three days ago, when I arrived in the city. I had no idea which carpet to choose, so I decided not to buy any. The temptation, however, was too great. I began to look at one or two and ended up by buying a carpet which I saw by chance as I was going out. The carpet seller described the carpet as 'a pretty little Persian' when in
fact it was not a Persian at all. It was one that had been
made in a factory an hour's drive away. The carpet seller would have called any carpet 'a pretty little Persian', but I was not deceived. I did not care what it was called; I was simply attracted by its design and colour. Nevertheless, the carpet seller had a habit of making everyone feel he had got something really special. On the way out, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'You've made a good choice, Sir!' I was still wondering whether I had, when I got it back to the hotel. As I was admiring it in my room, a friend of mine came in and admired it too. He asked me how much I had paid for it and I told him the price. 'I am the carpet seller in the city,' he said, laughing, 'but when I sell a carpet, I never tell people the price I paid for it!'
【课文讲解】
1. It is something of an ordeal to choose a carpet.
【译文】挑选一张地毯，真是一场折磨。

这句句子里的It is something of…可译作“真是……之
苦”“真叫人头疼”，例如：
It is rather an ordeal to learn a foreign language.学习外语实在令人头疼.
2. It is almost more difficult to choose one now than it used to be, because we have so much more choice than our grandparents had.
【译文】现在挑选地毯比过去挑选地毯要困难得多，因为地毯的种类比我们祖辈多得多。

这句话用了一种比较的方法来表达“如今的地毯种类很多”，使用用了It is +形容词+ to do sth.的结构，其中形容词是more difficult。

3. They make lovely carpets these days, but I have never seen so many designs, or so many colours.
【译文】现如今的地毯好看得很，但我从未见过如此多的图案和如此多的颜色。

这句句子中有一个部分是so…that结构，其中so后可加形容词或副词，如：
He is so rich that he can buy this car.他是那么有钱，以至于购买得起这辆车。

4. I had no idea which carpet to choose, so I decided not to buy any.
【译文】我不知道该选哪张地毯，所以决定不买了。

这里的so表示“因此”，so I decided not to buy any可以翻译为“于是，决定不买了”，so后面也可以接一个从句。

5. The temptation, however, was too great.
【译文】然而，引诱太大了。

temptation意为“诱惑”，这里用了定冠词the，由于前面没有提到要诱惑谁，所以the temptation表示泛指，“引诱太大了”。

6. On the way out, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'You've made a good choice, Sir!'
【译文】在离开时，他将手放在我的肩膀上说：“你选得好，先生！”
这里的put…on + n.表示“将……放在……上”，例如：
He put the book on the desk.他将书放在桌上。

7. I was still wondering whether I had, when I got it back to the hotel.
【译文】当我把它拿回旅馆时，我仍在犹豫是否自己是不是选对了。

这里的when在句中作时间状语，相当于and at that time。

8. 'I am the carpet seller in the city,' he said, laughing,
【译文】“我是城里的地毯商人，”他笑着说，
这个句子中的the carpet seller in the city表示泛指，“城里的地毯商人”，the用于这里是特指，表示已经提到过的人物。