Desperate Housewives 1《绝望主妇》1（视频精讲六）

影片对白

Mary Alice Young: Of the many suburban 1 rituals, none is quite so cherished as the neighborhood yard sale. The shoppers come to sift 2 through the discarded belongings 3 of someone they don't really know, in the hopes of finding bargains they don't really need, each so determined 4 to save a few pennies, they often miss hidden treasures.

Susan: Hey, Paul.

Paul: Hi, Susan.

Susan: I got to say, I was a little surprised to see Mary Alice's award for sale. She got it for doing charity work, from the Chamber 5 of Commerce.

Paul: Zach and I are moving. We don't need to carry any more with us than is absolutely necessary.

Susan: That makes sense. Still, I just want to make sure you didn't want to keep it, for Zach, something to remember his mother by.

Paul: Zach doesn't need a piece of glass to remember his mother. I'm out of newspaper. Here, let's call it ten bucks 6 for everything.

Susan: Great. Speaking of Zach, I haven't seen him around lately.

Paul: He's been a bit depressed 7. I thought he could use a change of scenery, so I sent him to stay with relatives.

Susan: Oh, which ones?

Paul: You don't know them.

Susan: So, how'd you get the fat lip?

Paul: The usual way. Asking too many questions.

Gabrielle: Find out where Zach is?

Susan: No, but I can tell you this much. He's not staying with relatives.

Carlos: It's driving me crazy, mama. It could be any one of these guys she's having the affair with.

Mama Solis: No worry about it. I'm not letting her out of my sight.

Carlos: Now, who the hell is that? And look at the way she's touching 8 him. You think that's the guy she's having the affair with?

Mama Solis: Carlos, don't be stupid. A guy she talks to in public isn't someone you're gonna worry about.

Carlos: So it's someone that she doesn't talk to. What do I have to do? Beat up every guy in town?

Mama Solis: Marriage takes work!

Lynette: I'm not surprised that he's playing it close to the vest. Paul knows we're on to him.

Bree: Zach said Mary Alice killed herself because of something that he had done, something bad. Is there anyone else who'd know what he was talking about?

Susan: No. That's why we have to find him. It's the only way we'll know the truth.

Bree: It just doesn't make any sense. Zach is such a sweet kid. I can't imagine him doing anything that terrible.

Gabrielle: Well, he did break into your house. I mean, the kid is obviously troubled in some way.

妙语佳句，活学活用

1. Make sense

是口语中常常出现的片语。Make sense 有两种意思，一种是“可理解的，合理的”，通常用否定形式，例如：This explanation doesn't make sense. 这个解释不合理。

另一个意思是“可行，说得通，合理的”，比如：It makes sense to find out first how many will attend the conference. 先确定一下有多少人会参加会议比较可行。

在片断中，That makes sense.的意思是“有道理”。

2. Have an affair with

常用来形容“韵事”、“关系不长久的恋情”，在文中可理解为“与……有染”、“婚外性关系”。如：Joni feels that her husband has an affair with some woman. 琼尼感觉到丈夫和别的女人有染。

3. Play close to the vest
“把守秘密”的意思。

比如：The thief plays close to the vest no matter how hard the police threaten him. 不管警察怎么威胁，小偷就是不肯把秘密说出来。

4. Be on to

有两种意思，一种是be aware of or have information about，比如：You'll never deceive us again; we're on to you. 你再也不能欺骗我们了。我们知道你的伎俩。另一个意思是 discover something important or profitable，比如：The researchers claim they are really on to something big. 研究者们声称他们发现了一些重要的东西。

文化面面观

Chambers 9 of Commerce 商会

As early as the 1780s, businessmen realized they needed a commercial and trade organization to represent their interests in the wider community. Voluntary associations of local business leaders, usually culled 10 from the service professions, chambers of commerce consider a wide variety of business, cultural, and community challenges. In addition to leadership development and fraternal aspects, chambers of commerce often focus on issues that directly involve local business leaders, such as zoning ordinances 11, property taxes, commercial development, and public relations efforts at promoting the business interests of the local area.

Chambers of commerce in the United States are modeled after similar organizations in England. Many chambers in older American cities evolved from two preceding associations: the Board of Trade and the Civic 12 Association. While most chambers tackle a broad range of interests, many still cling to their roots and heavily promote trade and civic interests. Chambers of commerce also have an emphasis on charity work and raise money for the local community.

In 1912, a group of business leaders from local and regional chambers and trade associations founded the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. These leaders realized that they needed an organization in Washington, D.C., that would represent their interests regarding public policy issues. In 1926, they built a headquarters in the nation's capital in a building designed by the famous architect Cass Gilbert. By 1929, the chamber had more than 16,000 affiliated 13 business organizations. The group worked closely with the government during World War I, organizing more than 400 War Service Committees to help coordinate 14 business involvement in the war effort. The group remained supportive of the government until the New Deal. Like other business interests, they challenged President Franklin D. Roosevelt's policies, particularly over social security and public welfare. However, during World War II, the chamber once again rallied to aid the nation's efforts. After the war, the chamber once again fought expansion of the federal government and became a powerful lobbying force.

In 2002 there were 3 million businesses represented by the chamber, consisting of 3,000 state and local chambers, more than 800 business associations, and ninety-two American chambers of commerce overseas. Keeping with its tradition of representing local business leaders, 96 percent of its members were small businesses with 100 or fewer employees.

考考你

将下面的句子译成英语。

1. I thought he could use a change of scenery, so I sent him to stay with relatives.
2. How'd you get the fat lip?
3. Marriage takes work!

Desperate Housewives 1《绝望主妇》1（精讲之五）

1. 别再对那家伙抛媚眼了。他是不会在乎你的。
Don't bat your eyes at that guy. He'll just blow you off.

2. 这是新的工程计划，别再搞糟了。
This is the new project plan. No more screw-ups.

3. 你穿那件紧身衣服很好看。
You look beautiful in the form-fitting dress.

点击收听单词发音  






1
suburban

  
 


adj.城郊的，在郊区的


参考例句：





Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。












2
sift

  
 


v.筛撒，纷落，详察


参考例句：





Sift out the wheat from the chaff.把小麦的壳筛出来。
Sift sugar on top of the cake.在蛋糕上面撒上糖。












3
belongings

  
 


n.私人物品，私人财物


参考例句：





I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。












4
determined

  
 


adj.坚定的；有决心的


参考例句：





I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。












5
chamber

  
 


n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所


参考例句：





For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。












6
bucks

  
 


n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃


参考例句：





They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》












7
depressed

  
 


adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的


参考例句：





When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。












8
touching

  
 


adj.动人的，使人感伤的


参考例句：





It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
His letter was touching.他的信很感人。












9
chambers

  
 


n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅


参考例句：





The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网












10
culled

  
 


v.挑选，剔除( cull的过去式和过去分词 )


参考例句：





The herd must be culled. 必须有选择地杀掉部分牧畜。 来自辞典例句
The facts were culled from various sources. 这些事实是从各方收集到的。 来自辞典例句












11
ordinances

  
 


n.条例，法令( ordinance的名词复数 )


参考例句：





These points of view, however, had not been generally accepted in building ordinances. 然而，这些观点仍未普遍地为其他的建筑条例而接受。 来自辞典例句
Great are Your mercies, O Lord; Revive me according to Your ordinances. 诗119:156耶和华阿、你的慈悲本为大．求你照你的典章将我救活。 来自互联网












12
civic

  
 


adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的


参考例句：





I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。












13
affiliated

  
 


adj. 附属的, 有关连的


参考例句：





The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。












14
coordinate

  
 


adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调


参考例句：





You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。