41. Evening Encounter 晚间的邂逅

A: Good evening, Mrs. Bronson. It's a nice night out, isn't it?
B: Oh, hello, Mr. Phillips. Yes, it is. Are you out for a walk?
A: In a way. I'm showing Mr. Murphy, here, some of the sights of our city. Let me introduce you. Mrs, Bronson, this is Mr. Murphy.
B: How do you do, Mr. Murphy. I hope you like our town.
C: Oh, yes, I'm enjoying my stay here very much.
B: Well, I must be going. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Murphy.
C: And I'm glad to have met you, Mrs. Bronson.
A: Good-bye, Mrs. Bronson. Say hello to your husband for me.
B: I will, Mr. Phillips. And bring Mr. Murphy by to see us some time, why don't you?

Notes
Sight 景色，值得一看的东西
Bring sb. By to 带…来…

A：晚安，布朗森夫人。夜晚出来走走真惬意，是吗？
B：哦，你好，菲利蒲先生。是的，夜晚很美。您是去散步吗？
A：随便走走。我给墨菲先生，就是这位，看看我们城市的一些景色。让我来介绍。布朗森夫人。这位是墨菲先生。
B：您好，墨菲先生。我希望您喜欢我们的城市。
C：啊。是的。我对在这里的停留感到非常快活。
B：啊，我要去了。很高兴见到您，墨菲先生。
C：我也很高兴认识您，布朗森夫人。
A：再见，布朗森夫人。请代我向您丈夫问候。
B：是的，菲利蒲先生。下次请带墨菲先生来我们家，好吗？

42. Looking for a Job 寻找工作

A: Yesterday I started job hunting.
B: Oh, Did you have any luck?
A: I haven't found a job yet.
B: What kind of work are you looking for?
A: I thought maybe I could get into someone's training program. The books all say that industry needs college people with a general education, but none of the personnel officers who interviewed me seemed to have read those books. They all wanted people who could do specific things. I suppose the books are right, but maybe there are more people with liberal educations looking for jobs, and there probably aren't as many of those jobs available anyway.

Notes
Job hunting 寻找工作
Personnel officers 人事官员
Liberal education (大学)文科教育

A：昨天我开始寻找工作。
B：哦，你碰到好运气了吗？
A：我还没有找到一份工作。
B：你想找什么样的工作？
A：我想也许我可以参加某一个单位的实习计划。书上总是说，业务部门需要受过普通教育的大学生，但是看来没有一位对我进行过面试的人事官员读过这些书。他们都想要能够从事具体工作的人。我想书上说的是对的。但是寻找工作的学文科的学生可能太多了。毕竟现在又没有那么多的这类工作可以提供。

43. Leaving for Work 去上班

A: Joe, have you seen my umbrella? My rubbers are here in the hall closet, but the umbrella's disappeared.
B: Don't ask me. I wouldn't be caught dead with an umbrella.
A: Well, it isn't here, and a raincoat's too hot. Maybe I left it on campus. I'll just borrow your coat. Don't work too hard. Goodbye.
B: Hey, Bob. What'll I wear to work? Hey, Ahhh, he's gone. Well, I'll have another cup of coffee. Maybe the sun'll come out.

Notes
Rubbers 套鞋
I wouldn't be caught dead with an umbrella-I don't like to be seen with an umbrella(这是一句习惯用语，be caught dead with的意思是：被人发现有…)

A：乔，你看见我的雨伞了吗？ 我的套鞋在客厅的壁橱里，但雨伞不见了。
B：别问我。 我从不愿别人看到我手里拿着一把伞。
A：嗯，可是这里还是没有， 穿雨衣又太热。也许我忘在校园里了。我就借你的雨衣吧。别工作得那么卖力。 再见。
B：嗨，我穿什么去上班？ 嗨， 唉唉，他走了。好吧，我再来一杯咖啡，也许太阳就要出来。

44. Arriving at Work 到达工作地点

A: Morning, Joe. You're late, aren't you?
B: Sure I'm late. Bob walked off with my raincoat, and I missed my bus, and I had to stand in the rain for twenty minutes waiting for the next one.
A: Well, don't bite my head off. I was just trying to be nice. It isn't my fault if you got up on the wrong side of the bed.
B: Look, Frances, I'm sorry, but today isn't my day. I've got three day's
Work on my desk and a dozen letters to get out by tomorrow.
A: I'm not criticizing you, Joe. I'll be good. I won't speak to you until the day after tomorrow.
B: Okay, that's fine with me.

Notes
Walked off with 顺手牵羊拿走）
Bite my head off-speak angrily (冲着我发脾气)
Got up on the wrong side of the bed-began the day in a bad mood (一澡起来情绪不好)

A：早安，乔。你迟到了，是吗？
B：我是迟到了。鲍勃顺手牵羊拿走了我的雨衣，我没赶上我那班公共汽车，不得不在雨里站了二十分钟等下一班车。
A：好吧，别恼火。我没有责怪你的意思。如果你一早起来情绪不好，那不是我的过错。
B：听着，弗兰西斯，我很抱歉，不过今天我什么事都不顺心。我的办公桌上已经堆积了三天的工作，还有十几封信明天要发出。
A：乔，我不是在批评你。我会对你很友好的。后天之前我将不同你说话。
B：啊，那对我来说太好了。

45. Coffee break 喝咖啡的休息时间

A: If that man gives me any more letters to type I'll scream. He's given me ten already today, and there'll be more when I get back from coffee. I'll be here till midnight.
B: Simmer down, Franny. He can't make you stay after five.
C: Sure, francs. Finish what you can, and leave the rest for Minday.
A: But they're important letters, Joe. They should go out tonight.
C: That's not your worry. If they're that urgent, he should've given them to you earlier.
B: Joe's right, Fran. You won't catch him staying in the office after five on a Friday. He's got better things to do.

Notes
Scream 大叫大嚷(要做某事)
Simmer down 别激动
Make you stay 要你留下
You won't catch him-he would never

A：如果那个人再给我一些信要我打字，我就要大声嚷嚷了，今天他已经给了我十封信。等我喝完咖啡回来还会有更多的信。我在这儿要呆到午夜了。
B：别激动，弗兰尼。他不会让你呆到五点以后的。
C：是的，弗朗西斯，你能干多少就干多少，剩下的留到星期一再做。
A：可是这都是些重要信件，乔，今天晚上应该发出去。
C：这用不着你担心。如果这些信那么紧急，他应该早一点交给你。
B：乔说得对，弗朗。每星期五他从来不会在办公室呆到五点以后。他有意思的事要做。

46. The Annual Business Meeting 年度的业务会议

A: How did the meeting turn out last night, Bill?
B: Oh, we elected officers for next year. You should've been there to cast your vote.
A: Who was elected president?
B: Allen Jones. Three other people were nominated, but he won out.
A: That's too bad. I don't think he'll make a really good president.
B: Well, he has one thing in his favor. He's the one who always makes or seconds the motion to adjourn.

Notes
Turn out-develop, end
Cast vote 投票选举
In his favor-helping him
Make or second the motion 提出或支持提案(建议)
Adjourn 结束会议

A：比尔，昨晚会议结果怎样？
B：哦，我们选出了明年任职的官员。你应该来出席投票的。
A：谁当选为会长？
B：艾伦.琼斯。还有三个人被提名，但他获胜了。
A：这太糟了。我不认为他是一个十分优秀的会长。
B：不过，他有一个优越之处。他总能提出或支持一项休会的建议。

47. A Car can be Expensive 一辆汽车开销很大

A: Where are you off to?
B: I'm taking the car to the garage. It has to be lubed, the oil needs changing, and the brakes are grabbing. I'm going to leave it so the mechanic can check it over.
A: I thought you just had it in the garage.
B: That was last month. I had a new transmission put in. The car's a real lemon. I've only had it six months, and I've already spent a fortune on repairs.
A: Every time I think about buying a car, I consider how much it costs to keep one up, and decide to get along without one a little longer.

Notes
Off to-going to (现代美国口语中常用off to，表示到…地方去)
Garage 车库，汽车修理行(这里作汽车修理行解)
Oil 润滑油
Brakes are grabbing 刹车吱吱作响
A real lemon 一个道道地地的废物
Keep up-maintain 维持
Get along without 没有…也过得去

A：你到哪儿去？
B：我把汽车送到修理厂去。它需要润滑。换一下机油。刹车吱吱作响。我打算把它留下让机修工检查一下。
A：我想你刚送去修理过。
B：那是上个月。我换上一个新变速器。这辆汽车是个道地的废物。我才买了六个月，已经花了一大笔钱修理。
A：每次当我想买一辆车时，我就考虑到要花多少钱来维修保养它，最后我想没有它也能过得去。

48. At the Filling Station 在加油站

A: What can I do for you today?
B: Just fill her up and check the oil.
A: You want regular or high test?
B: I think ethyl. That's what I usually use. And the oil's number 30. Oh, and maybe you'd better check the water and air, and the battery too.
A: Everything seems to be all right, sir. I'll get your windshield. There. That'll be thirteen fity all together. Eleven thirty for ten gallons of gas, and a quart of oil at two twenty.
B: Okay. Here's my credit card.
A: There you are, sir. Here's your receipt. And thanks for coming in.

Notes
Fill up 加满油
Regular 普通汽油(在美国的加油站中通常有两种汽油，一种是为防震而加入铅的普通汽油，又称乙烷油；另一种是不含铅的高级汽油)
High test 高级汽油
Number 30 30号润滑油
Gas-gasoline 汽油

A：今天我能为您做些什么？
B：只要加满油并检查一下机油。
A：加普通汽油还是高级汽油。
B：我想加乙烷汽油。这是我通常使用的。机油是30号的。啊，或许你最好再检查一下水和轮胎的气，还有电瓶。
A：看来都没问题，先生。我替你擦一下挡风玻璃。呶，总共十三元五角。十加仑汽油十一元三角，一夸脱机油两元两角。
B：嗯，这是我的信用卡。
A：好了，请收好，先生。这是您的发票。谢谢您光顾。

49. Are Women Good Drivers? 女人是好的驾驶人吗？

A: Joe said something funny to me yesterday. I didn't understand him at all.
B: What did he say?
A: That I was just another women driver.
B: What were you talking about?
A: I had some trouble with a policeman. I was making a U-turn downtown, and he made an awful fuss. He didn't give me a ticket, though.
B: You were lucky. What Joe meant was that probably you were in the wrong. American men always say that women are bad drivers, even when they're not.

Notes
U-turn 将汽车掉头开(在美国城市某些街道上有No U-turn标记，即不准在此将汽车掉头)
Fuss 大惊小怪
Ticket 汽车违章罚款单

A：昨天乔对我说了一些奇怪的话。我全然没有听懂他的意思。
B：他说了什么？
A：他说我只不过是又一个女驾车人？
B：你们在谈论什么来着？
A：我同一位警察发生点麻烦。我在市中心区把车掉头，他大肆发作。可是他没有给我罚单。
B：算你运气。乔的意思是说，看来你是做了错事。美国男人总是说女人是蹩脚的驾车人。即使在她们开得并不差的时候。

50. Free Will 自由意志

A: Do you believe in free will, Frank? Or do you think that everything a person does is determined in advance?
B: I think that man always has free choice.
A: But look. Suppose you knew everything about someone, where he was born, what his parents were like, everything that happened to him since he was a baby, even what he had for breakfast and how his shoes were tied. If you know all those things, don't you think you could predict his behavior?
B: Stated that way I might be tempted to agree. But surely you don't believe one can ever know all these things about people. For all practical purposes, you'd have to say man has free will.

Notes
Free will 自由的选择
Stated-said, presented
Tempted-induced, lured

A：你相信自由意志吗，弗兰克？或者你认为一个人做的每件事都是事先定好的？
B：我想每人都可能随时做出选择。
A：但是，假定你知道某人的一切：他在何处出生，他的父母是什么模样，从幼儿起他所经历的一切事，甚至他早餐吃些什么和他鞋如何系鞋带。如果你知道所有这些事，难道你不认为你能预知他的行为吗？
B：在这个意义上，我会同意你的说法。但是你肯定不会认为一个人能够了解到有关别人的所有这些细节。因此，现实地说，你还是应该承认人有无法预计的自由行动的可能。