大学体验英语听说教程 第四册06

　　Unit 6 A three-way marriage?

Vocabulary Task

Script and Answers

1. A: Hi, Julie, fancy meeting you here! Where is George?

B: Oh, he is busy, Georgia. Hey, isn’t this a nice digital camera?

A: Yeah, I just bought it to take picture of little Barbara.

B: ... and keeping track of every step she takes?

2. A: ... Hello! This is Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln speaking! We are not in at the ...

B: Hi! Rosemary! Pick up the phone! I know you’re there ...

A: (My goodness!) Hello, Linda, what’s up? You know, I’m in the middle of ...

B: Dishwashing this time?! Why don’t you arrange for somebody else to do the job? You poor housewife!

3. A: Is the girl sitting over there Doria?

B: Which one? ... Oh, yes, definitely! Pity she is no longer the happy-go-lucky girl she was back in the middle school ...

A: What happened?

B: She was literally 1 torn apart when her stepmother died. It seems that she has never recovered since.

4. A: Hello again, you two little love birds ...

B: Come on, Jasmine! Don’t be so ... Where is Jackie?

A: Who is Jackie?! I don’t know anyone by that name ...

B: If you would stop being funny and he were less devoted 2 to his work, things would be much better ...

5. A: Hello, dear Evelin, this is Grandpa. Are you coming to join us for Christmas?

B: I’m trying to arrange my work so that I can visit you and Grandma. I miss you so much.

A: We too. Grandma will be delighted.

B: Tell her not to bother with the arrangements for the holiday. I can help when I arrive.

Listening Task

1. Pre-listening Activity

Answers for Reference

1. Draw a dish on the table.

2. Draw a pen.

3. Draw a needle in the woman’s hand.

4. The child needs a schoolbag to go to school.

2. Listening Activity

Now listen to the monologue 3 carefully.

1) First Listening

Answers

a) Female.

b) Since a wife is supposed to do all the household chores for the family and she takes good care f the husband and children, isn’t it a good thing to be served well by a wife?

c) Sarcastic 4.

2) Second Listening

Answers

a) I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a wife. And, not altogether incidentally I am a mother.

b) As I thought about him while I was ironing one evening, it suddenly occurred to me that I, too, would like to have a wife. Why do I want a wife?

c) I want a wife who will wash the children’s cloths and keep them mended.

d) I want a wife who is a good nurturing 5 attendant to my children, ...

e) ... who arranges for their schooling 6, makes sure that they have an adequate social life with their peers, takes them to the park, the zoo, etc.

f) I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. A wife who will pick up after me.

Script and Answers to Self-study

She wants a “wife”

I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a wife. And, (1) not altogether incidentally, I am a mother. Not too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene (2) fresh from a recent divorce. He had a child, who is, of course, with his ex-wife. As I thought about him while I (3) was ironing one evening, it suddenly (4) occurred to me that I, too, would like to have a wife. Why do I want a wife?

I want a wife who will work and send me to school. And while I am going to school I want a wife to take care of my children. I want a wife to (5) keep track of the children’s doctor and dentist appointments. And to keep track of mine, too. I want a wife to make sure my children eat properly and are kept clean. I want a wife who will wash the children’s clothes and (6) keep them mended. I want a wife who is a good nurturing attendant to my children, who (7) arranges for their schooling, makes sure that they have an adequate social life (8) with their peers, takes them to the park, the zoo, etc. I want a wife who takes care of the children when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care, because, of course, I cannot miss classes at school. (9) Needless to say, my wife will arrange and pay for the care of the children while she is working.

I want a wife who will take care of my (10) physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. A wife who will (11) pick up after me. I want a wife who will keep my clothes clean, ironed, mended, (12) replaced when needed, and who will see to it that my (13) personal things are kept in their proper place so that I can find what I need the minute I need it. I want a wife who cooks the meals. I want a wife who will not bother me with (14) rambling 7 complaints about a wife’s duties. But I want a wife who will listen to me when I feel the need to explain a rather difficult point I have come across in my (15) course of studies. And I want a wife who will type my papers for me when I have written them.

Real World Listening

1. Predict

Answer

The husband fell in love with another woman but he still loved his wife. The relationship between the man and the other woman kind of opened him up and improved the relationship with his wife, as the wife commented. The other woman whom he fell in love with didn’t expect such a relationship but she wanted a family and she wanted a “wife”/ family to take care of her children.

2. Get the Main Ideas

Answers

1. He claimed that he loved his wife, too, plus the latter is the mother of his two children, and that he didn’t want to break the family.

2. 1) The relationship between the husband and wife improved, in a way.

2) The relationship with Patti kind of “opened up” the man.

3. Though she didn’t grow up picturing it for her marriage, Patti has no other way out but to accept the fact.

Script

A three-way marriage?

Man: I had been married to Mindy for eight years when Patty and I ...

Reporter: You and Patty work in the same firm as lawyers?

Man: Yes.

Reporter: And you fell in love with Patty?

Man: I did.

Reporter: You were no longer in love with Mindy?

Man: Well, the fact is, my marriage did seem dead. I was meeting Patty, I fell in love with her. I thought of leaving Mindy, but I realized I couldn’t, I loved her too, plus she is the mother of my two children, and I didn’t want to break up the family.

Reporter: You were in love with two women?

Man: Yes. And I could either tear things apart or I could try to bring everything together. So t he three of us sat down and talked and we decided 8 to try this.

Reporter: This being the three of you.

Man: Yes. That was two years ago, and since then, Patti and Mindy have become close, and we decided to have a child together.

Reporter: And you think that justifies 9 you in being joined in matrimony, as a threesome?

Man: Well, we are a family, Miss Lake. Conventional? No. But we’re happy, we’re devoted to each other, the kids live in a home with love and trust and security. How many people in this room can make the same claim?

Mindy: At first I was devastated-- my husband having an affair, I was destroyed.

Reporter: How did you respond?

Mindy: I cried for about two weeks. I think one of the reasons why it was so painful is that, it came at a time when our relationship seemed stronger than ever ...

Reporter: While he was engaged with another woman?

Mindy: I didn’t know that. All I knew is that we were laughing together again, talking, being affectionate-- that had been missing for a long time.

Reporter: Just a second. You said that you were laughing, talking and loving each other more once he started this affair?

Mindy: Strangely enough.

Reporter: Why, do you think?

Mindy: Well, his relationship with Patti kind of opened him up. Maybe that helped my relationship with him ... I can’t sort it out.

Patti: I would be the evil other woman, yes.

Reporter: You seem to wear the badge proudly.

Patti: I work. I wanted a family. I didn’t really want to turn my kids over to a nanny. As nuts as it sounds, in addition to getting a husband, I am marrying the mother of my children.

Reporter: And it, it does sound nuts.

Patti: You don’t have to tell me that ...

Reporter: Surely you didn’t grow up picturing this for your marriage?

Patti: No ..

Reporter: You sounded a little sad with that answer.

Patti: I grew up with the same dreams as everybody else. I dreamed of my wedding day, had visions of my little house, my garden ... It didn’t work out exactly according to plan ...