零距离美语会话[娱乐]Lesson 1:Let's take a vacation

Unit 4   Entertainment
One     Let’s take a vacation!
我们去度假吧!

 1   Introduction
A    Americans are very mobile 1, and travel is very popular for many people.   In America, when people take a vacation, they often drive a car.  Some families travel far within their home state once a year during vacations.  Some would even go abroad for a change if they have time.
美国人流动性很强，许多人都非常喜欢旅游。在美国，人们度假时，通常是开车。一些家庭度假时，一年去一次国内很远的地方旅行。有些有时间还出国旅游。
B    Instead of Chinese summer vacation and winter vacation, Americans have two or three weeks off from work specifically 2 for vacations.  They may choose to take three one-week vacations depending on the workplace.
取而代之中国的寒暑假，美国人的工作假期也有两、三个星期。根据工作场所的不同，他们可能可以选择去度三次一个星期的假。
C    American children have the entire summer months, June, July and August, for vacation from school.  They also have Christmas to New Year’s, Easter and Thanksgiving holidays.
美国小孩拥有整个夏天的假期，六月、七月至八月，都不用上学。他们还有圣诞节至元旦，复活节和感恩节假日。
D   American vacations are usually longer than four days. Otherwise, they are considered weekend getaways. 
美国的假期一般长于四日。否则就被认为是周末去休闲。

 2   Sample Sentences
1.   I’d like to buy a timetable.
我想买一张列车时刻表。
2.   I want an upper berth 3 / a middle berth / a lower berth in the sleeping car. 
     我想要卧铺车厢中的上铺/中铺/下铺。
3.   I’d like to leave / register 4 my luggage, please.
     我想寄存/托运我的行李。
4.   Is this the platform for the train to Shanghai?
     去上海是在这个站台上车吗？
5.   How long does the slow train / fast train / express train take to get there?
     慢车/快车/特快车要多久才到？
6.   I’d like to take a short cruise 5 / take a tour of the harbor 6.
    我想短途坐船游览/坐船游览一下港湾。
7.   Can I hire a rowing boat?  There’re two of us.  I’d like it for one hour.  What’s the charge per hour?
    我能租个划艇吗？我们有两个人。我想租一个小时。每小时多少钱？
8.   Can you recommend a sightseeing tour / a sightseeing package?
     你能推荐一条旅游路线吗？
9.   I’d like to hire an English-speaking private guide for half a day.
     我想请一位私人英语导游工作半天。
10.  Is there a reduction 7 for children / the disabled / groups / pensioners 8 / students?
    儿童/残废人/团体/退休的/学生买票减价吗？
11.  What’s the rate for excess 9 baggage?
     超重行李怎么计价？
12.  I’d like a single (one-way) / return (round trip) ticket to Los Angeles.
     我想要一张单程/往返票去洛杉矶。
13.  The bus to Boston leaves on the half-hour. 
     去波士顿的汽车在半小时的时刻开。
14.  I usually stay home on my day off.
     我放假通常呆在家里。
15.  I wish I could start my summer vacation early.
我希望暑假能早点开始。

3   Conversations
1.   I need this vacation.
At a research laboratory 10 in Southern California.
Robert:  Anita, I've been here only three days and you're leaving already.
Anita:  Just for a few weeks.  I need this vacation.  You'll be all right.  You know the project we're working on, and you're a good scientist.  Don't worry.  I'll be back as soon as I spend or gamble 11 all my money.
Robert:  Gambling 12?  Where?
Anita:  Las Vegas.  I find gambling relaxing.  I don't take it seriously, the way some people do.  Besides, I love the shows and the all-night atmosphere of the town.  The casinos1 never close, you know.
Robert:   (Laughing) If you gamble all night, you'll run out of money in a few days.
(The director of the laboratory walks in.)
Anita:  Good afternoon, Dr. Green.  I just finished showing Robert the ropes around here.
Green:  That's good.  He'll be able to keep the project going in your absence.  Where are you going on your vacation?
Anita:  I'm going to Nevada to relax.  The desert is a good place to get away from the stress of work.
Green:  Enjoy yourself.  We'll see you when you get back.
【译文】
——阿尼塔，我才到这里三天，而你就要走了。
——只是几个星期。我需要这段假期。你会没事的。你了解我们在做的这个项目，而且你是个好科学家。不要担心。我一花完或者赌完所有的钱，就回来。
——赌博？在哪里？
——拉斯维加斯。我发现赌博很能让人放松。我不像其他人那样认真。而且，我很喜欢镇上的表演以及整个晚上的气氛。赌场从不关门的，你知道吗？
——（笑）如果你整晚都赌博，你几天内就会把钱用光的。（实验室的主任走了进来。）
——格林博士，下午好。我刚带罗伯特看完这儿的绳索。
——那太好了。在你走后，他将能继续进行这个项目。你打算去哪里度假？

——我打算去内华达休息一下。沙漠是一个解除工作压力的好地方。
——好好享受。你回来后我们再见面。

2.   Ted 13 and Laura are in a loud disco.
Ted:  Hi, my name is Ted, what's yours?
Laura:  What?
Ted:  I said, I'm Ted, who are you?
Laura:  Huh?  Oh, my name is Laura.
Ted:  Do you come here often, Laura? 
Laura:  Huh?  I can't hear you; the music's too loud. 
Ted:  Let's go outside and talk.  So Laura, do you come here often?
Laura:  Hold on, my ears are still ringing from the music… what was it you asked me?
Ted:  I asked if you come here often.
Laura:  Sometimes, usually once every few weeks.  Do you? 
Ted:  No, this is my first time here. 
Laura:  I usually come with a group of friends.  We dance a little, have a few drinks, and just have a good time.
Ted:  Yeah, that's why I'm here.  My friends dragged2 me here, because they think I spend too much time studying. 
Laura:  That's good.  It's good to hit3 the books, but you need to get out once in a while.
Ted:  I guess so.  But the music is too loud.  I don't mind getting out and meeting people, but next time I'll do it in a park.
【译文】
——嗨，我是特德，你叫什么名字？
——什么？
——我说我是特德，你是谁？
——嗯？喔，我叫劳拉。
——你常来这儿吗，劳拉？
——嗯？我听不见你说话，音乐声太大了。
——我们去外面谈吧。那么，劳拉，你常来这儿吗？
——等一下，我的耳朵中还是音乐声……你刚才问我什么？
——我问你是否常来这儿。
——有时，通常每隔几周一次。你呢？
——不，这是我第一次来这里。
——我通常和一群朋友一块儿来。我们跳一会儿舞，喝点饮料，玩得非常开心。
——是啊，那就是为什么我在这儿。我的朋友们把我拖拉到这儿，因为他们认为我在学习上花的时间太多了。
——那很好。喜欢看书很好，但你也要偶尔出去玩玩。
——我也是这样想。但这音乐太吵了。我不介意出来见人，但下次我会去公园。

3.  Anna is Lucy’s American friend.  They’re talking about traveling.
Luke:  Hi, Anna. I haven’t seen you for ages. Where have you been?
Anna:  I’ve been away on holidays for sometime.
Luke:  No wonder I haven’t seen you recently.  Where did you spend your holidays?
Anna:  I went with my husband.  Our first stop was Bangkok4.  We stayed there for 5 days.  Then we flew to Hong Kong, stopover for 3 days.  Our last stop was China.  We visited the Great Wall.
Luke:  You must have a wonderful time.
Anna:  Yes.  We enjoyed ourselves very much.  Have you traveled much, Luke?
Luke:  No, my wife doesn’t like traveling.  We haven’t been traveling for more than ten years.  The first time we traveled together was in 1978 when we just got married.  We spent our honeymoon 14 in the Alps.
Anna:  Oh, I see.  Yeah.  Some people like traveling, some don’t.  My husband didn’t like traveling at first, either.  He said ‘what’s the use of traveling?  A waste of money and a waste of time.’  At last I got him on the move5.  After all, he loved me.  We went to Bali, Indonesia6, one of the most beautiful places in the world.  That trip left a very deep impression on him.  Since then whenever we have holidays and money, we’d like to patronize7 the travel agency 15.  Isn’t it a bit dull to shut yourself at one place all your life?
Luke:  I know that.  But at present we just can’t arrange time for traveling.  The kids are still young.  The eldest 16 one is in middle school, the second one is in primary school and the youngest one is still in kindergarten.  Besides, my wife is very busy with her doctorate8. 
Anna:  Life must be a bit hard for you at present.  But don’t worry.  You’ll certainly be better off9 when the kids are grown up.  Then you’ll have more time to travel, and your wife will change her mind, too.
Luke:  I hope so.

【译文】
——安娜，你好。我很久没有见到你了。你去哪里了？
——我度假离开了一段时间。
——难怪我最近都没有见到你。你去哪里度假了？
——我和我丈夫一起去的。第一站是曼谷。我们在那里呆了五天。然后我们飞到了香港，中途停留了三天。最后一站是中国。我们参观了长城。
——你一定玩得很开心。
——是啊。我们都玩得很尽兴。卢克，你有没有去旅游？
——没有，我妻子不喜欢旅游。我们已经有十年多没有旅游过了。第一次是在1978年我们刚结婚时一起去旅游过。我们在阿尔卑斯山度过了我们的蜜月。
——哦，我明白了。是啊。一些人喜欢旅游，一些人不喜欢。我的丈夫开始也不喜欢旅游。他说‘旅游有什么好？浪费钱又浪费时间。’最后我使他也行动起来。毕竟他是爱我的。我们去了印度尼西亚的巴里岛，世界上最漂亮的地方之一。那次旅行使他留下了深刻的印象。从那以后，每当我们有假日和钱，我们就喜欢惠顾旅行社。一生把自己关在一个地方不是有点乏味吗？
——这些我知道。但是目前我们就是没有时间来旅游。小孩还小。老大在读中学，老二在读小学，最小的还在幼儿园。除此之外，我妻子在忙于她的博士学位。
——现在你的生活肯定难一点。但是不要着急。孩子们长大了，当然你的境况也会好一点。然后你就会比较有时间去旅行，而且你妻子也会改变她的想法。
——我希望如此。

4.  Taking a vacation.
George:  Lili, let’s take a vacation!
Lili:  George, how can we?  Vacations cost money.  And this month we don’t have much money left after paying the rent.
George:  Well, Lili, we can visit different places in the state in our van10.  We are not going to take a plane or stay at a hotel this time.  Trust me, it won’t cost much.
Lili:  Where will we sleep, then?
George:  In the van. 
Lili:  What about other expenses?
George:  Let’s see.  Gas, food, recreation11, we won’t spend much.  Come on.  Don’t hesitate.  We need to get out of the house once in a while.  We have been working hard, haven’t we?
Lili:  Maybe you’re right.  When do you plan to go?
George:  The sooner the better!  I can’t wait!
Lili:  Oh, I don’t know where we’re going yet.
George:  As long as we’re going, you can decide where to go.  I trust your judgments12.  I know you miss Chinese food, so we can eat at a Chinese restaurant this time.
Lili:  Let’s go to Chicago.  We can have lunch in Chinatown.  Then we can go to a ball game at Wrigley Field! 
George:  You have such good ideas!

【译文】
——莉莉，我们去度假吧!
——乔治，我们怎么去得了？度假要花钱。而这个月我们付清房租后就所剩无几了。
——莉莉，我们可以开微型车在州内逗留不同的地方。这次我们不会坐飞机，也不会住酒店。相信我，不会花多少钱的。
——那么，我们睡哪？
——睡车内。
——其它费用怎么办?
——我们算算。汽油、食品、娱乐，……我们不会花很多钱。别犹豫了。我们需要偶尔出去一次。我们工作这么努力，不是吗？
——也许你说得对。你计划什么时候去？
——越快越好！我等不及了！
——噢，我还不知道我们去哪里呢。
——只要我们去，你就可以决定我们去哪。 我相信你的判断力。我知道你想吃中国菜，所以这次我们可以去一个中国饭店吃饭。
——我们去芝加哥吧。我们可以去唐人街吃午饭。然后我们可以去瑞格蕾球场看一场球赛。
——你的主意真好！

 4    Words and Expressions
1. casino  (有跳舞、音乐等娱乐的) 赌场
2. drag  拉,拖;拖着(脚等)行进
3. hit   打,打击;击中
4. Bangkok  曼谷(泰国首都) 
5. on the move  在活动中;在进行中
6. Indonesia  印度尼西亚
7. patronize  资助,光顾,惠顾
8. doctorate  博士头衔,博士学位
9. better off    景况较佳;更有余裕
10. van  有盖小货车;箱形客货两用车
11. recreation  消遣;娱乐,游戏
12. judgment  审判;判断力,辨别力