Lesson 89 A Slip of The Tongue 口误

People will do anything to see a free show -- even if it is a bad one. When the news got round that a comedy show would be presented at our local cinema by the P. and U. Bird Seed Company, we all rushed to see it. We had to queue for hours to get in and there must have been several hundred people present just before the show began. Unfortunately, the show was one of the dullest we have ever seen. Those who failed to get in need not have felt disappointed, as many of the artists who should have appeared did not come.The only funny things we heard that evening came from the advertiser at the beginning of the programme. He was obviously very nervous and for some minutes stood awkwardly before the microphone. As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone burst out laughing. We all know what the poor man should have said, but what he actually said was: 'This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening and gentlemen!"

人们总要想尽办法看不花钱的演出——哪怕是拙劣的演出。当“皮尤”鸟食公司将在我们当地影院演出喜剧节目的消息传开后，我们都赶紧跑去观看。我们不得不排了好几个小时才进得场去。在演出开始前场内肯定已有好几百人了。不幸的是，这次演出是我们看过的最乏味的演出了。那些没能进到场内的人没有必要感到失望，因为很多应该出场的专业演员都没有来。


那天晚上唯一有趣的事情是节目开始时那个报幕员的开场白。他显然非常紧张，局促不安地在麦克风前站了好几分钟。但他刚一开口说话，人们便哄堂大笑起来。我们都明白那个可怜的人应该说些什么，而他实际说的却是：“这是‘浦伊’鸟食公司，好女士们，晚上和先生们！”

1．A slip of the tongue，（标题）说走了嘴，失言。


(1)slip 在这里表示“不经心的错误”、“失误”、“疏漏”：


You've made some slips (of the pen) in your report.


你的报告中有一些小错（笔误）。


When he was nervous, he would sometimes make a slip of tongue.


当他紧张时，他有时就会发生口误。


Are you sure that it was just a slip of tongue?


你确信那只是一时口误吗？


(2)纸条，小纸片


Write a phone number on a slip.把电话号码写在纸条上。


（3）v.滑倒或险些滑倒 slip (over) on sth.


She slipped over on the ice and broke her leg.


她在冰上滑倒并把腿给摔断了。


（4）偷偷溜走，悄悄走开


The thief slipped out.那个贼偷偷地溜出去了。


The years slipped by.岁月在不知不觉中逝去。


悄悄地放...... slip sth to sb/slip sth to sth


He slipped a candy to me.他悄悄地给我一颗糖


He slipped the money into his pocket.他偷偷地把钱放入口袋。


（5）be slipping不如平时好，不行了。减退，衰弱


My memory is slipping.我的记忆力不行了。


（6）slip up （on sth）出差错，疏忽


I slipped up on the date.我把日子弄错了。

2.People will do anything to see a free show...人们总是想尽办法去看不花钱的演出...


anything 用于肯定句时表示“无论什么”、“任何事情”，to see a free show 表示目的，也可以用for+名词形式：


He has done anything to save his child's life.


他要想尽办法挽救他孩子的生命。


He will do anything for the child.


为了这孩子，他干什么都愿意。

3.When the news got round that a comedy show would be presented at our local cinema by the P. and U. Bird Seed Company当皮尤鸟食公司将在我们当地影院演出喜剧节目的消息传开后...


（1）when 引导的这个时间状语从句中含有一个同位语从句，即the news that...。由于that 引导的同位语从句较长，便与它所修饰的news 隔开了，放在谓语动词之后，以免句子头重脚轻。同位语从句中用了被动语态的过去将来时形式。


（2）get round 在这里表示消息、谣言等“传开”（也可以用get around/about）：


The word soon got round that there was buried treasure in that cave.


那个洞里有宝藏的消息很快便传开了。


Bad news gets round quickly.


坏消息传得快。

4。rush to do sth...抢着做某事，急着做某事


Don't rush。take your time。别急急忙忙的，慢慢来。


People rush to buy the stocks.人们抢着购买股票


Don't rush away/off别急着走。

5.queue 可以作不及物动词，表示“排队”queue通常为纵队：


We had to queue for hours to get in.


我们不得不排了好几个小时队才进了场内。


She has to queue for the bus every morning.


她每天早上都得排队等公共汽车。（通常与for 连用）


queue 也可以作名词，表示按顺序等待的人、车等的“行列”、“队”：


There's a long queue/line of people waiting for the bus.


人们排着长队等公共汽车。


We'd better join the queue for tickets.


我们最好加入买票的队伍。

6。there must have been several hundred people present just before


the show began．...在演出开始前场内肯定已有好几百人了。

7.the show was one of the dullest we have ever seen。这是我们看过的最乏味的演出了。


 主语+ be + one of the +最高级 +复数名词+in/of, 表示"最……的……之一"。


The Yellow River is one of the longest rivers in China.


黄河是中国最长的河流之一。


The book is one of the most interesting I have ever read.


这是我看过的最有趣的书。

Those who failed to get in need not have felt disappointed, as many of the artists who should have appeared did not come.


那些没能进到场内的人没有必要感到失望，因为很多应该出场的专业演员都没有来。


must+have+过去分词表示对过去发生的事进行推测（其否定式为can't+have+过去分词）；


need+have+过去分词表示过去不必做但实际已做了的事；


should/ought to+have+过去分词表示本来应该做而实际未做的事：

e.g.


He had found five empty whisky bottles which the ghost must have drunk the night before.


他发现了5 只空的威士忌酒瓶子，这肯定是鬼魂前天晚上喝的。


The examiner must have been pleased with my performance.


主考人对我的表现想必是满意的。


You needn't have said that.


你没必要这么说。（实际已经说了）


You needn't have told him about my plans.


你本不必把我的打算告诉他。（实际上已告诉了他）


He should have gone along a side street.


他应该走一条小街。（实际上他走了主要街道）