Lesson 83 After the elections大选之后
First listen and then answer the question.听录音,然后回答以下问题。
Why did Patrick keep on asking the same question?
The former Prime Minister, Mr. Wentworth Lane, was defeated in the recent elections. He is now retiring from political life and has gone abroad. My friend, Patrick, has always been a fanatical opponent of Mr. Lane's Radical Progressive Party. After the elections, Patrick went to the former Prime Minister's house. When he asked if Mr. Lane lived there, the policeman on duty told him that since his defeat, the ex-Prime Minister had gone abroad. On the following day, Patrick went to the house again. The same policeman was just walking slowly past the entrance, when Patrick asked the same question. Though a little suspicious this time, the policeman gave him the same answer. The day after, Patrick went to the house once more and asked exactly the same question. This time, the policeman lost his temper. 'I told you yesterday and the day before yesterday,' he shouted, 'Mr. Lane was defeated in the elections. He has retired from political life and gone to live abroad!"
'I know,' answered Patrick, 'but I love to hear you say it!'
参考译文
前首相温特沃兹.莱恩先生在最近的大选中被击败。他现在退出了政界,到国外去了。我的朋友帕特里克一直是莱恩先生的激进党的强烈反对者。大选结束 后,帕特里克来到了前首相的住处。当他询问莱恩先生是否住在那里时,值班的警察告诉他这位前首相落选后出国去了。第二天,帕特里克再次来到首相的住处。昨 天的那位警察正从门口慢慢走过,帕特里克上前问了和昨天同样的问题。虽然那位警察这次有点疑心,但还是对他作了同样的回答。第三天,帕特里克又去了,提出 了同前两天完全一样的问题。这一次警察火了。“我昨天和前天都告诉过您了,”他大叫着,“莱恩先生在大选中被击败了,他已经退出了政界去国外了!”
“这我都知道,”帕特里克说,“可我就是喜欢听你说出这句!”
New words and expressions 生词和短语
election
n. 选举
former
adj. 从前的
defeat
v. 打败
fanatical
adj. 狂热的
opponent
n. 反对者,对手
radical
adj. 激进的
progressive
adj. 进步的
ex- prefix
(前缀,用于名词前)前......
suspicious
adj. 怀疑的
Lesson 83 自学导读First things first
课文详注 Further notes on the text1.The former Prime Minister, Mr. Wentworth Lane, was defeated in the recent elections. 前首相温特沃兹·莱恩先生在最近的大选中被击败。
(1)former在这里表示“以前的”、“从前的”或“前任的”,后面需要跟名词:
Yesterday, he received a letter from his former wife/English teacher.
昨天他收到了他前妻/以前的英语老师的一封信。
(2)election指一般选举时用单数,指全国性的选举时用复数:
An election will be held next month.
下月将举行一次选举。
He hopes to defeat his rival in next year's elections.
他希望在明年的大选中击败对手。
2.…the ex-Prime Minister had gone abroad.……这位前首相出国去了。
前缀ex-加在名词前表示“以前的”(相当于former),如ex-husband(前夫), ex-wife(前妻),ex-taxi-driver(前出租汽车司机),ex-manager(前任经理),ex-headmaster(前任校长)等。
3.Though a little suspicious this time…虽然那位警察这次有点疑心……
这是一个省略了主语和连系动词的让步状语从句。通常,如果从句的主语与主句的相同而谓语带系动词be,则主语+be可省略(原因状语从句例外):
While at college, she wrote a novel.
她上大学时写了一部小说。
He acted as if certain of success.
他的举止就像一定会成功一样。(方式)
If possible, please let me know by this evening.
如果可能的话,请在今晚以前告诉我。(条件)
Though tired, he went to bed very late.
他虽然疲惫,但还是很晚才上床。(让步)
原因状语从句的省略形式要带分词being:
Being worried about his child, he walked up and down in the room.
他由于为孩子担心,在屋子里来回走着。
词汇学习 Word study
1.suspicious adj.
(1)猜疑的,认为可疑的,对……起疑心的,多疑的:
If travellers look nervous, customs officers get suspicious.
如果旅客看上去神情紧张,海关官员就会起疑心。
Customs officers are suspicious of nervous-looking travellers.
海关官员对那些神情紧张的旅客起疑心。
Don't be so suspicious. Everything's all right.
别这么多疑。一切正常。
(2)可疑的,令人起疑的:
You get a lot of suspicious-looking people in this bar.
你这个酒吧里有许多人看上去很可疑。
The car crash looks suspicious.
这个撞车事故看上去可疑。
2.temper与mood
(1)temper可以指“脾气”、“性情”,mood则不可以:
This time, the policeman lost his temper.
这一次警察火了/发脾气了。
Whatever happens, remember to keep your temper.
无论发生什么事都要记着保持冷静。
My sister is of a calm/quick temper.
我姐姐/妹妹性情平和/脾气急躁。
My grandfather has a temper.
我爷爷容易生气。
The boss is in a temper today.
老板今天脾气不好。
(2)temper指“心情”、“情绪”时,与mood同义:
That morning George was in a good mood/temper.
那天上午,乔治心情好。
但bad mood与bad temper稍有区别:
When he is in a bad temper, he gets angry easily. But when he is in a bad mood, he likes to sit alone.
当他脾气不好时,他很容易生气。但当他心情不好时,他喜欢独自坐着。
(3)mood可以表示“有意/想要(做某事)”,temper则不可以:
At that time I was not in the mood for talking/to talk.
当时我没有心情/不想说话。
Although Jeremy is well-known for his great sense of humour, he is in no mood for telling funny stories today.
尽管杰里米以绝妙的幽默感著称,但他今天没有心情讲笑话。