《走遍美国》Family Album U.S.A 第27集

Love English 2 2023-03-01

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走遍美国是我认为最优秀的口语教材之一，由美国新闻总署赞助，美国麦克米伦公司制作。在数十位英语专家和作者通力合作之下，费了8年（1983-1991）的时间，才制作完成这部划时代的巨作。虽然教材有点久远，但是对于练习口语还是非常的有帮助，大家可以通过以下步骤进行学习。

1. 先看视频，了解大致情节。

2. 再听音频，盲听音频3-5遍，大致听懂。

3. 通过文本，学通全部内容。

4. 再听音频，模仿跟读练习语音和口语。

5. 盲听音频，最后盲听音频尽可能多遍，听出画面感。

ACT 3-1 “我倒是愿意走我自己的路。 ”

【故事梗概】

Robbie在家里一边浇花一边和他的朋友Mike聊关于大学面试的事。Mike刚刚参加过哥伦比亚大学的面试。

Mike: I had an interview today, too. I had a great interview with Admissions at Columbia University.

Robbie: Really? What did they say? Will you get into the school?

Mike:Well, they didn't say anything for sure. But I figure that with my grades and with my personality, I'll have no problem.

Robbie: Columbia's a terrific school. What are you going to do?

Mike: Do? I don't know. I also applied to NYU.

Robbie: You sound excited about Columbia. What's your problem, Mike?Mike: Indecision. Indecision. It's not easy, and this is an important decision we have to make. What about you? How was your interview with Michigan?

Robbie: The interview was fine.Mike: It's a great college.Robbie: It is. My father would like me to go there. He and my Grandpa both went there.Mike: Great medical school, too.Robbie: I know.

Mike: You can follow in your father's footsteps.

Robbie: Ah! I'd like to follow in my own footsteps, Mike.

Mike: What do you want to study?

Robbie: I've been thinking. I think I want to study journalism to be a reporter -- a newspaperman.

Mike: You do a pretty good job on the River dale High School paper.

Robbie: And I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

Mike: Have you discussed it with your parents?

Robbie: No. But I have to.Mike: OK. Let's talk.

【语言点精讲】

1. I had a great interview with Admissions at Columbia University.Columbia University: 哥伦比亚大学，纽约市的一所私立大学，是著名的常青藤盟校（Ivy League）之一。其他的常青藤盟校包括: 布朗大学(Brown University)，康乃尔大学(Cornell University)，达特茅斯学院(Dartmouth College)，哈佛大学(Harvard University)，宾夕法尼亚大学(University of Pennsylvania)，普林斯顿大学(Princeton University)以及耶鲁大学(Yale University)。

2. Well, they didn't say anything for sure. But I figure that with my grades and with my personality, I'll have no problem. 他们没有给明确的答复。但是我猜想以我的分数和我的品行，我不会有问题的。I figure: 我合计，我猜想，我估计。grades: 这里指“分数”。personality: 指人的个性，性格，品行。

3. I also applied to NYU.我还申请了纽约大学。NYU: 纽约大学 (New York University)。这是纽约的另一所私立大学。

4. You sound excited about Columbia.You sound excited about…: 听起来你对……兴趣很大。

5. You can follow in your father's footsteps.你可以走你父亲的路（当医生）。follow in your father's footsteps: 走你父亲的路。

6. Ah! 用这个声音表示不以为然、不认同。

7. I think I want to study journalism to be a reporter -- a newspaperman.我想我要念新闻专业，当记者——当新闻工作者。newspaperman: 新闻记者，新闻工作者。后缀-man 表示职业，例如: milkman（送牛奶的人），fireman （消防队员），mailman（邮递员）等。但近年来女权运动者对这类合成词愤慨不已，认为有明显的性别歧视，因此很多改以中性词代替，例如: journalist, milk person, firefighter, mail carrier等。

ACT 3-2 “我想了很久上哪所大学好。 ”

【故事梗概】

当晚，Robbie和Philip进行了一次长谈。他坦诚的讲出了自己对申请大学这一问题的想法。Philip表示理解他做的决定。

Philip:Hi, Son. Is everything all right?

Robbie: Hi, Dad. Everything's fine. I was just waiting for you to get home so we could talk.

Philip: Anything special you want to talk about?

Robbie: There is, Dad.Philip: I'm listening.

Robbie: Well, I know you and Mom have given up a lot to save money for my college tuition.

Philip: We want you to go to college, Robbie.

Robbie: I know. I do.

Philip: But?Robbie: Well, I've thought a lot about which college, and one of them is Columbia.

Philip:Columbia? Why Columbia?Robbie: First, they have an excellent School of Journalism.

Philip: They do. And your friends are planning to go to Columbia?

Robbie: That's only part of it. It's complicated. I'll try to explain. Mike and I had a hamburger this afternoon, and we talked.Philip: Yes?Robbie: Well, we talked about a lot of things. He applied to Columbia, and his interview was very successful. He thinks he'll be accepted, and he really wants to go there.Philip: Dean Rafer called me today. He told me he was very impressed with you.

Robbie: He's a nice man. He was very kind.

Philip: He told me you had some doubts about wanting to go to Michigan.

Robbie: Yes. I do. I'm just not sure about what I want to do.

Philip: That's OK.Robbie: You understand?

【语言点精讲】

1. Well, I know you and Mom have given up a lot to save money for my college tuition.嗯，爸爸，我知道你和妈妈为攒钱供我上大学，做出不少牺牲。give up: 放弃，牺牲（享受）。tuition: 这里指学费。

2. I know. I do. 我知道。我真的知道。“I do.”是“I do know. ”的简略，do表强调。

3. But?然而？这里相当于But what's on your mind, anyway? （知道归知道，不过你是想说……？）

4. Well, I've thought a lot about which college, and one of them is Columbia. 嗯，我想了很久上哪所大学好，其中有一所就是哥伦比亚大学。I've thought a lot about…: 关于…我想了很久。这里用现在完成时，表示一个在过去开始而延续到现在，或可能延续到将来的动作或情况，一般表示延续的时间较长。

5. That's only part of it. It's complicated. I'll try to explain. 这只不过是一部分理由。事情很复杂，我会尽力解释一下。complicated: 难以理解的，难以说清楚的，复杂的。explain: 解释，说明…的含义 (或原因、理由)；

6. He thinks he'll be accepted他认为他会被录取入学的。be accepted: 这里指被大学录取，相当于be permitted to enter.

7. He told me he was very impressed with you. 他对我说他对你的印象很不错。He told me (that)…: 他告诉我…，后面接的是间接引语，用来转述别人的话。又如Philip说的：He told me you had some doubts about wanting to go to Michigan.（他告诉我说你对于是否上密歇根大学还拿不定主意。）be impressed with you: 对你留有好印象，对你印象很深。

ACT 3-3 “你真了不起！ ”

【故事梗概】

Philip给Robbie讲了自己申请大学选择专业时的经历。原来Philip当年也是很有主见，要自己来选择和塑造自己的前途。Philip评价Robbie“真是Stewart家的人”

Philip: Let me tell you something, Robbie. Something that might be surprising to you.

Robbie: What? Tell me.Philip: Well, Grandpa wanted me to study engineering, like him. Well, I wasn't clear about my future, but I knew engineering was not for me.

Robbie: What did you tell Grandpa?

Philip: The truth.

Robbie: Then you're not upset about my not wanting to go into medicine?

Philip: I'm not upset at all. I'm just happy that we're able to talk about it.Robbie: I am too, Dad.

Philip: I suppose you want to apply to Columbia.

Robbie: Yes, but I also want to apply to several other colleges.Philip: I thought you wanted to go to Columbia.

Robbie: Well, I might want to go to Columbia. But I might not. I just want to be able to make my own decision.

Philip: You're a real Stewart!Robbie: And if I think about it long enough, you never know …

Philip: Never know what?

Robbie: If I make my own decision, I might choose Michigan.

Philip: Robbie, you're something! You know, when I was your age, I said exactly the same thing to Grandpa.

【语言点精讲】

1. Well, I wasn't clear about my future, but I knew engineering was not for me. 嗯，我当时对自己的未来也不很清楚，但我知道我不该学工程。be clear about: 对…清楚，关于…很明白。not for me: 这里指“某事不适合我”。

2. I suppose you want to apply to Columbia. 我猜想你想申请上哥伦比亚大学。I suppose : 我猜，我认为，我推想。apply to: 正式申请，向…要求

3. You're a real Stewart! a real Stewart: 真是Stewart家的人。Philip是指Robbie有自己的主见。从这点来讲，他和Stewart家的人具有同样的个性。

4. And if I think about it long enough, you never know …再说，如果我考虑的时间够长的话，说不定……you never know: 说不定，说不准。

5. You're something! 你真了不起！something 在 you're something 中，表示某种了不起的给人以深刻印象的物或人。

6. You know, when I was your age, I said exactly the same thing to Grandpa. When I was your age: 当年我像你这么大的时候。I said exactly the same thing: 我说的话跟你现在的一模一样。

来源：Family Album U.S.A

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