CRI实用英语课堂 Unit 37 At a Funeral 参加葬礼

Part 1 Tom Passed Away! 汤姆去世了！

Dialogue Script 1  对话原文 1  

Sarah: You know, Tom's been in the hospital for a couple of days.
Mike: And I'm the one who put him there with my football moves.
Sarah: But you're not to blame for them keeping him there.
Mike: Yeah, what was all that stuff 1 about running tests about anyway?
Sarah: I'm not sure, but we can find out. I bought some crosswords 2 to keep him busy.
Mike: Great, then let's go visit him. I want to give him some books, too.

讲解：

1. 对话中Sarah和 Mike很担心住院了的Tom，商量着想去医院看他。Tom's been in the hospital for a couple of days. 汤姆已经住院好几天了。couple是“一对，一双”的意思，但是这里a couple of people or a couple of things是一个习语，既可以指“两个人或者两件事情”，也可以指“几个人，几件事情”，比如说：I saw a couple of men get out.我刚才看见两个人出去了。 She jogs a couple of miles every morning. 她每天早上都要慢跑几英里。

2. 那么Tom为什么住院呢，原来是Mike在跟Tom玩橄榄球的时候，没有接好球而害Tom住院的。And I'm the one who put him there with my football moves. football moves，意思是“橄榄球动作”，move这个词在这里是指“动作”，因为跟运动相关的动作通常是一连串的，所以move前面加上运动名称的时候，move通常会用复数形式。Mike之所以这么说，是因为他为了接球而撞倒了Tom，造成他被送到医院急救，所以他在相当自责。

3. 但是Sarah安慰Mike说，But you're not to blame for them keeping him there. 但是那些人不让他出院，可不能怪你。这里的them当然是指医院的医护人员了。好，现在我们来说说blame这个词。blame表示“责怪，责备”，它的用法是blame sb for sth 或者blame sth on sb，我们来各举一个例子，I don't blame you for his death. 他的死责任并不在你。She blamed the failure of their marriage on him. 她把他们婚姻的失败全部归咎于他。

4. 关于blame 还有一个习语，就是在对话中出现的be to blame for sth，表示“对某件不好的事情负责，应该受责备”，例如，He was in no way to blame. 他决不应该受到责备。Tom was to blame for the accident. 汤姆应该对那起事故负责。Mike也觉得这些医生太过分了，总是让Tom做这样那样的检验，what was all that stuff about running tests about anyway? run tests，就是指“去医院看病的时候做检验，做检查”。

5. Sarah说她也不知道这些检查是做什么用的，但是他们可以去搞清楚。Find something out表示“经过研究或者询问获知某事物”，比如说，Can you find out what time the show begins? 你能去问问演出什么时候开始吗？

6. 但如果是find sb out，意思就是“发现某人做错事，撒谎等”，举个例子，He had been cheating the taxman but it was years before he was found out. 他一直偷税漏税，但是很多年之后才被查出。

7. Sarah还给Tom准备了一些crosswords，就是那种纵横格猜字的填字游戏。keep someone busy， 是指“让某人有事情做，不至于太无聊”。Mike提议一起去医院看Tom，他也为Tom准备了几本书做消遣。

Dialogue Script 2  对话原文 2  

Sarah: Hello, I was wondering if Tom Smith has checked out yet?
Recept: Just one moment. I'll check with the cancer ward 4 desk.
Sarah: The cancer ward! Oh, my God. (to Mike) It's worse than we thought.
Recept: Ma'am, I'm sorry. The cancer ward said Mr. Smith passed away two days ago.
Sarah: That's impossible! I'm talking about Mister 5 Tom Smith.
Recept: Yes, Ma'am. He died from complications 6 of stomach cancer. I'm very sorry.
Sarah: (Drops the phone) I'm going to be sick!
Mike: Sarah, what's wrong? What happened?
Sarah: Tom's dead. He...had...stomach cancer. It all makes sense now.
Mike: He stomachaches, headaches, bad moods --- and he threw up at the reunion!
Sarah: He had no energy and was so pale and skinny. Why didn't see it sooner?
Mike: Maybe the hospital got the wrong person! Call Fanny! She works 7 in that cancer ward.
Sarah: OK, I'll call her place. You go check the obituaries 8 in the paper. If it's true, he...it must be a mistake.

讲解：

1. 对话中Sarah和Mike打电话去医院询问Tom的情况，却被告知Tom几天前死于癌症并发症，这样Sarah和Mike难以置信。开始的时候Sarah说，I was wondering if Tom Smith has checked out yet? 我想知道Tom Smith出院了没有。wonder if 在这里用来提出要求，是一种礼貌的表达方式，比如说，I wonder if/ whether you could do me a favor. 我能不能请你帮我个忙。check out 是指“退房或者付款”，对话中是指“出院”。那“入住，办理登记手续” 等等就是check in。

2. 医院的服务人员说要问问癌症病房服务台，就是cancer ward desk，ward指“病房，医院里的通常容纳六个或六个以上病人的房间”，也可以指“特殊病房，医院里处理某种特殊病人的房间”，比如说a maternity 9 ward就是指“产科病房”。Sarah一听要去查询癌症病房，就知道事情不妙，对Mike说，It's worse than we thought. 比我们想象的还要糟糕。服务人员回复说，Tom两天前就去世了，表示“去世，过世”这里用的是pass away，是一种比较隐讳的用语。

3. Sarah不敢相信，她说，I'm talking about Mister Tom Smith. 我说的是Tom Smith先生，而不是其他的人。但是得到的答案还是一样的，Tom已于两天前死于胃癌并发症，He died from complications of stomach cancer. 这里complication的意思是“并发症”，是一个医学术语了。比如说，Complications set in, and the patient died. 病人因为出现并发症而死亡。

4. Sarah听了这个消息，无比的震惊，I'm going to be sick! 我快要吐了，其实感到恶心的情况有很多种，比较特殊的是，美语里也会用I'm going to be sick! 这句话来表达哀伤，因为美国人认为人在非常伤心的时候会感觉恶心，这是个很自然的生理现象。不过一般情况下，看到令人作呕的东西，也句话也同样适用，比如说，---This movie only shows people getting killed. ---Let's turn it off. I think I'm going to be sick. ---这部电影只看得到杀人。---关掉它，我想我快要吐了。

5. Mike看到Sarah很不舒服，急忙问发生什么事情了，Sarah说，Tom死了，他有胃癌，现在一切都说得通了，It all makes sense now. 在这句话当中，make sense是一个常用短语，表示“事情合情合理，让人明白”的意思，所以碰上什么困惑的事情，最后总算解决了，搞清楚了，我们就可以说It all makes sense now. 我们来用一个对话做例子：---Andy and Joan were so happy before, but since they met Tammie, they fight constantly. ---It all makes sense now, Andy's in love with Tammie! ---Andy 和Joan以前在一起很开心，但自从认识了Tammie，他们就经常吵架了。---现在全说的通了，Andy 爱上了Tammie。

6. 那么是哪些事情都说得通了呢？Tom经常胃疼，头疼，脾气也很坏，在同学聚会上还吐了，他没有精神而且苍白消瘦，原来这一切都证明了Tom病的不轻，Sarah很后悔他们为什么没有早发现。大家比较熟悉的是stomachache 和headache这两个词作名词，在对话中，这两个词却成了动词，分别表示“胃疼”和“头疼”。throw up，这个词组表示“呕吐”，I'm going to throw up. 和上面提到的I'm going to be sick.一样，都表示“我快要吐出来了”。

7. Mike还是不愿意相信Tom已经得癌症死了，也许是医院搞错了，他建议给另一个朋友Fanny打电话，因为Fanny就在那个癌症病房区工作。Sarah说还会打电话到她家，那么打电话到某人家就是call one's place。

8. Sarah还建议Mike去查一查报纸上的讣闻，在美国呢，被通知参加葬礼的方式有这么几种，一是收到家属寄发的“白贴”，也就是funeral card，另一种就是看到报纸上的“葬仪启事”，就是death notice 或者funeral notice，或是登在报纸上的“讣闻”，也就是对话中的obituary 10。

9. 那么在写法上呢，白贴和葬仪启事差不多，都是说明死者过世的时间以及通知葬礼的时间和地点，而讣闻则可能会提到死者的生平事迹等等。Sarah真不愿意相信Tom的死是真的，还安慰自己说，It must be a mistake. 这一定是个错误。

Dialogue Script 3  对话原文 3  

Mike: I don't know what to say. This can't be happening. Here's the obituary.
Sarah: It's really there? This all seems so surreal --- like it's all one big nightmare 11.
Mike: But it explains why Tom isn't answering and Fanny took time off from work.
Sarah: Poor Fanny. Tom's death must have made her realize that she still cared for him.
Mike: This says the viewing is at Myers Funeral Home today until five.
Sarah: It's already half past four. We should go and pay our respects. Tom's family will be there.
Mike: Don't we need to give a white envelope with money for the family, though?
Sarah: No. People give plates of food. The food is brought to the reception or in the weeks following.
Mike: At the reception?
Sarah: That's after the funeral. That way the family doesn't need to think about cooking while they're mourning.
Mike: Then you don't take anything with you for a viewing?
Sarah: You can bring flowers if you want, but you usually have those delivered.

讲解：

1. 对话中Sarah和Mike证实了Tom的死讯是真的。Mike说，I don't know what to say. This can't be happening. Here's the obituary. 我不知道该说什么好，这不可能是真的，讣闻在这里。I don't know what to say. 这句话相当简单，却可以用在很多场合，比如说你突然得上台发表感言，发生了什么尴尬的状况，或者太过惊讶的时候等等，只要是大脑一片空白，就可以先拿这句话顶一顶。 我们用一个对话做例子，---And the winner of this years Classic 12 Biker Chick Award goes to… Sarah Allen! ---Oh, my God! What an honor 13! I don't know what to say. ---今年的摩托车小姐得主是Sarah Allen! ---天啊！真是太荣幸了！我不知道该怎么说。

2. Sarah 和Mike在报纸上看见了讣闻，感觉像做了一场天大的恶梦，This all seems so surreal --- like it's all one big nightmare.这里surreal的意思是“不真实的，超现实的”。

3. 报纸上的讣闻说今天在Myers殡仪馆举行遗容瞻仰，将开放到下午五点。这里先说一下这个funeral home，美国早期也有些人家会在家里办丧事，但是到了现在，几乎整个葬礼过程都在私人的funeral home，也就是我们说的“殡仪馆，葬仪社”内举行，美国的殡仪馆都有可供举行葬礼仪式的大厅，而负责安排丧葬一切过程的“葬仪员”，也就是funeral director也大多是有专业执照的殡仪馆老板。在下面的对话中我们就会接触到葬仪员。

4. 还要说说这个viewing，原意是“观看”，这里指“瞻仰死者的遗容”。在中国，我们不太习惯让死者的遗容暴露在外人面前，但在美国，葬礼前的一两天有时会安排一个viewing瞻仰遗容的时间，亲朋好友会在那段时间到殡仪馆瞻仰死者已经画好妆的遗容，并且跟死者说再见，不过因为追悼会通常也会看到遗容，有时候死者的家人也会省去瞻仰遗容这个流程。

5. 在正式葬礼举办的前一天或当天，通常也会安排一个“致哀时间”，就是visiting hours，地点会在殡仪馆、教堂或者亲友家中，这时候死者的遗体不会在现场，但气氛还是很令人悲伤，参加的人会在致哀时间向死者的家属表达哀悼之情，也会相聚缅怀死者过去的种种。好，Tom的遗容瞻仰时间是到下午五点，虽然现在已经四点半了，但是Sarah和 Mike决定还是应该去致意，Tom的家人也会在那。pay one's respects，向某人表达敬意。

6. Mike问用不用包白包给家属，就是a white envelope with money，就像去参加婚礼要给红包一样，这在中国是很流行的。Sarah说不用，只要带一盘食物过去就行了，食物会带到接代会上，或者在葬礼过后的几周之内，都可以带菜去给死者的家属。

7. 在葬礼结束之后呢，一般会有招待亲友的“接待会或者聚餐会”，就是reception。但这是比较私人的聚会，去参加的宾客，都是受到邀请的，接待会上会提供简单的饮食、茶点等给来宾享用，而举办reception的地点也常常是在殡仪馆的宴会厅。

8. 那么为什么要带食物去reception呢？Sarah解释说这样家属在哀痛之余，就不必分神去准备食物了。当然，通过葬礼接待会呢会看到久未见面的一些朋友，因此在接待会上的气氛也会比较轻松，大家也会利用这个机会来叙旧和聊天，但是别忘了，你是来参加葬礼的，不应该太过兴奋或者喧哗。

9. 在美国参加葬礼呢，如果死者是比较亲密的人，可以去花店订花或者花环送到葬礼现场。　

Part 2 Say Good-bye to Tom  跟汤姆告别 

Dialogue Script   对话原文   

FD: I'm sorry, Ma'am. Mr. Smith's viewing is over. It ended an hour ago.
Sarah: But we just drove across town. Can't we just go in to see him one last...
FD: I'm afraid not. But at tomorrow's funeral, the family requested.
Sarah: This is all too fast. He's my best friend, and now he's gone.
FD: I'm sorry. I know it must have come as a great shock.
Sarah: The viewing was for saying goodbye, and I didn't even get that.
FD: It may comfort you to know that many people attended his viewing.
Sarah: How did they hear? No one called.
FD: In times of loss, it is often hard to pick up the phone. But his whole family was here.
Sarah: His mom and dad must be destroyed. He was heir 3 only son.
FD: And he was so young, with so much life to look forward to.
Sarah: Yes...thank you for understanding. We have to go now.
FD: This sheet tells the visiting hours and funeral time and location.

讲解：

1. 对话中Sarah 和Mike去殡仪馆见Tom最后一面，就是我们上面说过的viewing。但是殡仪馆的工作人员说Tom的遗容瞻仰已经在一小时前结束了。可是Sarah和 Mike才大老远开车过来，求工作人员能不能让他们见Tom最后一面。

2. 这恐怕不行。I'm afraid not. 这句话省略了一些东西，在口语中很常用，补充完整了就是I'm afraid you can't go in to see him one last time. 个比较委婉的拒绝人的说法。还有一个就是I'm afraid so. 意思是“恐怕是这样的”，在口语中也很常用。

3. 虽然现在他们不能进去见Tom最后一面，见某人最后一面我们可以说“see somebody one last time ，但是在明天的葬礼上，家属有要求开棺的仪式，an open casket service，是指在举行葬礼时，开棺瞻仰死者遗容的一种仪式。Sarah对Tom的突然逝去还是不太适应，她说This is all too fast. 这一切来得太快了。

4. 当你觉得某事发生得太过突然，或者进展过快，This is all too fast. 就可以恰当地表达你的难以置信了。我们来用一个对话做例子，---Will you marry me? ---This is all too fast. We've only been dating a week. ---嫁给我好吗？---这一切来得太快了，我们才约会一个星期呀。Tom是Sarah 和Mike 最好的朋友，现在突然死去，确实是让人难以接受。

5. 殡仪馆的工作人员也非常理解他们的心情，他说I'm sorry. I know it must have come as a great shock. 很遗憾，我知道这打击很大。其中something comes as表示“某事的发生给某人带来了什么心理上的影响”。比如说：It came as a big surprise when she suddenly got married. 她闪电结婚，让大家感到很惊讶。Sarah甚至错过了见Tom最后一面的机会，非常伤心。殡仪馆的工作人员为了让他们好受一些，告诉他们有很多人来瞻仰Tom的遗容。

6. comfort这个动词表示“安慰某人，让某人好受一些”，形容词是comfortable，举个例子，The kid ran to its mother to be comforted. 孩子跑到妈妈身边以求得到安慰。comfort还可以是名词，表示“舒适或者安慰”，比如说，They did everything for our comfort. 他们尽力让我们过的舒适。The news brought comfort to us. 这消息让大家松了一口气。

7. Sarah感到很奇怪，这些人是怎么知道Tom的死讯的？没有人给他们打电话阿，殡仪馆工作人员解释说，在痛失亲人之际，打电话常常是很痛苦的事情，不过Tom的全家人都来了。in times of something，就表示“在某种时刻，在…之际”。

8. Sarah说Tom的父母一定是崩溃了，因为Tom是家里的独生子，His mom and dad must be destroyed. 这里用destroy 来表达“崩溃，伤心欲绝”这个意义。独生子女，我们可以说成an only child，比如说，My mother was an only child.我母亲是家里的独生女。 Only children are sometimes spoilt 14. 独生子女有时候会被宠坏。

9. 而且Tom还这样年轻，还有大好的人生在等着他，And he was so young, with so much life to look forward to. look forward to something 表示“盼望，期待某事”，比如：I'm looking forward to the summer holiday. 我在期待着暑假的到来。Look forward to seeing you soon. 期待着和你的见面。Sarah很感谢殡仪馆的工作人员能够理解他们的心情。thank somebody for something，就表示“因为某事感谢某人”。

Part 3 At the Viewing 在葬礼上 

Dialogue Script   对话原文   

Sarah: Oh, no. It looks like we're late.
Mike: Let's just sit in the back. We can still hear the service from here.
Sarah: There're so many people here. Where are Rich and Cath and Tom's parents?
Mike: They're probably up front. The preacher's about to speak. Let's listen.
Sarah: (after the preacher's eulogy 15) That was such a touching 16 speech. He must have really known Tom well.
Mike: Oh, how I wish this all wasn't happening!
(A man rushes in)
Tom: Sorry! Excuse me!
Sarah: (surprised) Tom? Tom! Is this a joke? Is it really you? But...but...everyone said you were dead!
Tom: I'm OK! I was out of town with...Fanny.
Sarah: Oh, Tom! I'm so...so happy. But then...(points to the front) who's that?
Tom: Tom Smith. But not me. The pallbearers are carrying out the casket. It would be rude to just leave. Let's follow.
Sarah: It seems so strange to be here, burying you, but it's not you.
Tom: (throws a handful 17 of dirt into the grave) Ashes to ashes and dust to dust...
Sarah: This has been the worst and best day of my life, Tom. The kept you in the hospital, and ...
Tom: Uh…I'll tell you all about it another day.
Sarah: But you're OK? It was nothing serious, was it?
Tom: You look very elegant 18 in black. But I don't want you to wear black in my honor for a long time yet to come...

讲解：

1. Sarah 和Mike来到了Tom葬礼的现场，正赶上牧师致词。不过在葬礼上他们没有看见Tom的爸爸妈妈，还有Rich 和Cath，可能都是Tom的家人，或许他们在最前面。They're probably up front. front本来就表示“前面”，这里又加了一个up，强调在最前面。

2. 在美式葬礼上，一般是由牧师主持，由家属和应邀的亲友致悼词，就是eulogy。整个仪式持续的时间大概是半小时到一个小时，在葬礼的过程当中，常会播放死者生前爱听的音乐。而追悼会之后，如果是举行土葬，则立即转移到墓园举行下葬仪式，参加者多是家属和比较亲近的朋友。

3. Sarah觉得牧师的致词很感人，他一定是跟Tom很熟，Mike只希望这一切都没有发生过，Oh, how I wish this all wasn't happening! 这是一个虚拟语气的感叹句。这时人群当中突然闯进了一个人，Sarah定睛一看，那人不正是Tom吗？真是的，幸好是在大白天，要不然还以为见鬼了呢。

4. 原来Tom安然无恙，几天没有消息因为他跟Fanny一起出去玩了。out of town，意思就是“不在家里，到外地去了，出远门”。比如说，I was out of town last week.上周我出门了，不在家里。看到Tom活生生地出现在他面前，Sarah非常高兴，简直都有点语无伦次了。但是，既然Tom安然无恙了，那么准备下葬那个是谁呢？

5. 原来死的那个也叫Tom Smith，但并不是Sarah的朋友Tom，只是同名同姓的人而已。这时扶棺人已经在抬棺木了，离开会很失礼，所以他们决定跟着送葬的队伍走。pallbearers就是指“出殡时的扶棺者，护柩者”。Sarah待在这里挺奇怪的，埋葬Tom，那个人却不是他们认识的Tom。

6. Tom还像模像样的往坟墓里抛了一把泥土，还说Ashes to ashes and dust to dust…意思是“尘归尘，土归土”，这在汉语里经常听到，就是来源于这句话。那么这句Ashes to ashes and dust to dust又是出自何处呢？它出自基督教圣公会的《公祷书》，也就是the Book of Common Prayer，是用在葬礼仪式上的祷告文。

7. 因为圣公会是英国国教，《公祷书》对圣公会信徒的重要性仅次于圣经，所以在英语文学上也造成了影响，《公祷书》里面的祷词，也常被引用于其他教派的英语祷词中。Sarah说这一天真是这辈子最糟糕也最棒的一天，在同一天经历了生死。Tom说Sarah穿黑颜色的衣服看起来非常优雅，但是Tom可不希望在漫长的将来，Sarah为了他穿上黑衣，意思就是他可不想那么早死。

8. in one's honor，表示“向某人致敬”，有些事情或者活动，是为了向某人致敬，而这种说法也常用在某人过世之后，你特别做了某样事情，好对这个人表达敬意，这里Tom当然是指Sarah特地穿上黑色的衣服参加他的葬礼。