《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！。