《新概念》二册课文赏析

《新概念》英语二册第25课

课文赏析

李正宏

Lesson25 Do the English speak English?

I arrived in London at last. The railway station was big, black and dark. I did not know the way to my hotel, so I asked a porter. I not only spoke English very carefully, but very clearly as well. The porter, however, could not understand me. I repeated my question several times and at last he understood. He answered me, but he spoke neither slow ly nor clearly. ‘I am a foreigner,’ I said. Then he spoke slowly, but I could not understand him. My teacher never spoke English like that! The porter and I looked at each other and smiled. Then he said something and I understood it.

‘You’ll soon learn English!’ he said. I wonder. In England, each man speaks a different language. The English understand each other, but I don’t understand them ! Do they speak English ?

《新概念》英语二册第25课标题是 Do English speak English? 讲述一个外国人第一次坐火车去伦敦的感受和经历。

一般情况下，我们会把这一课的重点放在并列句连词：Not only……，but……as well 以及neither……nor的使用上。而我在给学生上这一课时，在单词语法讲解之后，则从作者描写一个外国人第一次来到遥远陌生的大城市时的惶恐、懵懂，甚至有所委屈厌烦的心情入手，讲解文章的修辞手法和写作用意，带领学生体会这篇英语故事的美妙。

第一句：I arrived in London at last . 一个at last 道出主人公（也就是作者本人）经过长途颠簸终于到达目的地的旅途艰辛。At last 的使用既可以表达成功的喜悦，也可以表达艰辛之后的无奈。在本文中到底是哪一种呢？作者留下伏笔，让读者带着疑问和好奇继续阅读。

第二句：The railway station was big, black and dark. 我不知道别人在读到这句是想到了什么，反正我是想到了《红楼梦》里刘姥姥进大观园的场景。Big 、black and dark 三个普通的形容词，看似用来描述大车站，却精准、深刻的描述了主人公此时此刻的心情。Big：面向一个你认为大的场景，自然感到自己的渺小、自卑和惶恐。Black：黑色代表沮丧。Dark：更是暗示主人公心情的黯淡。有前文的铺垫，后面一句就顺理成章了。

接下来，I did not know the way to my hotel, so I asked a porter. 问路引出一个车站搬运工。搬运工，社会最底层人士，但是因为其生活在这个大都市,天生一种优越感。外地人与本地人相见，会是一种什么场景呢？I not only spoke English very carefully, but very clearly as well .形象地描写了外地人谨小慎微。The porter, however, could not understand me. I repeated my questions several times and at last he understood. 不仅carefully 而且clearly, 还是没能获得理解，多次重复之后，终于听懂了！作者又是如何描述这个作为搬运工的本地人的呢？He answered me, but he spoke neither slowly and clearly. 前面已经折腾了半天，已经知道人家是外地人，英语说得既不慢又不清楚，不是存心的傲慢又是什么呢？鲜明的特点对比跃然纸上。‘I am a foreigner,’ I said . 作者尽管没用任何副词形容他说的这句话时的神态，我想他一定是in a low voice ,一定不会是loudly, 更不会是firmly. Then he spoke slowly, but I could not understand him. My teacher never spoke English like that ！好委屈！The porter and I looked at each other and smiled .两个人都笑了，都无奈的笑了。这个无奈有两层意思：一个是笑对方，你怎么这么笨呢？另一个在疑问，你在说什么呀？

‘You’ll soon learn English!’he said . “学着点吧！”他说，俨然一副教训人的口吻。I wonder .我懵了。In England ,each person speaks a different language. They understand each other, but I don’t understand them！你们英国人可以随意地说英语，可苦了我们这些外国人!这句话如果直译为“在英国，每个人说一种不同的英语，他们彼此能懂，我却不懂。”就完全失去了作者原文的意境。

最后发出疑问：Do they speak English? 你们说的到底是不是英语？既是无奈又是愤怒。

这是伟大的亚历山大奉献给我们英语学习者的精美作品，他的文章里蕴藏着作为一个语言学家深厚的文字功底。倘使我们的老师能把这些精致的描写细细地讲解给学生，让学生感受到英语之美，学起来势必兴趣更加浓厚，理解更加深入！