ACT 1-1 “我们要去车站接他吗？”

【故事梗概】

早上，在Stewart家的厨房，Ellen和Marilyn正在厨房里准备早饭。她们兴奋地谈到祖父即将从佛罗里达州到达的事并决定上楼去为他布置房间。这时Richard和Robbie走进了厨房。

Ellen: Marilyn, you want coffee or tea?
Marilyn: Coffee, please.
Ellen: I am so excited! At this time tommorrow morning Grandpa will be sitting in the kitchen with us.
Marilyn: When does he arrive?
Ellen: At six o'clock this evening.
Marilyn: By plane?
Ellen: No, by train.
Marilyn: Are we picking him up at the station?
Ellen: Not Grandpa. He doesn't want anybody picking him up. He likes to be independent.
Marilyn: Huh.
Ellen: Oh, let's go upstairs and prepare Grandpa's room.
Marilyn: Great! Let's do it!
Richard: Good morning, Mom.
Robbie: Morning.
Ellen: Well, hi, fellas.
Richard: Hello.
Marilyn: Hi, honey.
Richard＆Robbie: Morning, Marilyn.
Marilyn: We're going upstairs to set up Grandpa's room. There's coffee ready.

 【语言点精讲】

1. You want coffee or tea?
你要咖啡还是要茶？是"Do you want coffee or tea?"的非正式说法。
这是选择疑问句。注意Ellen使用了先升后降的语调，即连词or前面的部分用升调，后面的部分用降调。

2. At this time tommorrow morning Grandpa will be sitting in the kitchen with us.
will be sitting: 将坐在。动词的将来进行时可表示在将来某一时刻或某段时间正在进行的动作。

3. When does he arrive?
他什么时候到？一般现在时可表示安排或计划好的将来的动作（常用come, go, arrive, leave等动词）。

4. By plane? -- No, by train.
by plane，乘飞机。by train，乘火车。用介词by表示交通方式，又如: by boat（乘船），by bus（乘公共汽车），by taxi（乘出租汽车）。

5. Are we picking him up at the station?
我们要去车站接他吗？
pick sb. up: 用车来接某人。pick up是短语动词。短语动词是由动词与介词或副词组成的固定词组，又如后文出现的set up（准备，收拾）也是短语动词。

6. Well, hi, fellas.
fella（小伙子，孩子，伙计），是fellow的非正式场合的用语。

ACT 1-2 “我希望爷爷会喜欢和我们住在一起。”

【故事梗概】

Richard 和Robbie在厨房里一边准备早饭，一边谈论性格独立的祖父。Richard想要给他准备一份特别的欢迎礼物。

Robbie: I'm really excited about seeing Grandpa.
Richard: Me, too. Milk, please.
Robbie: He's so funny. He always makes me laugh. I hope Grandpa's going to like living with us.
Richard: I think he will. It just takes time to feel comfortable in a new place.
Robbie: Won't he miss being in Florida?
Richard: Well, he will. But I think he'll like being here with the family.
Robbie: Are you sure about that? It's crazy here most of the time.
Richard: But it's fun.
Robbie: That's for sure.
Richard: You know, maybe I'll put together some photos of Grandpa as a "welcome" present.
Robbie: That's a neat idea. What can I do? I've got it! I have a picture of Grandpa and Dad and me in my wallet. It's from the Fathers and Sons' Breakfast at my junior high school graduation.
Richard: Oh, I remember this picture.
Robbie: I'd really like to pick up Grandpa at the railroad station.
Richard: Railroad stations or airports - Grandpa always tells us he'll get here by himself.
Robbie: He's something!

 【语言点精讲】

1. He's so funny. He always makes me laugh.
如强调的是现在仍是如此的情况或习惯，一般用属于现在范畴的时态，如：
He's so funny. He always makes me laugh.（他真逗，他总是引得我笑。）
It's crazy here most of the time.（咱家总是这样乱哄哄的。）
Grandpa always tells us he'll get here by himself.（爷爷总是对我们说他会自己到家。）

2. I hope Grandpa's going to like living with us.
like表示喜欢一种经常性行为或状况时，后面用动名词（doing），如:
I hope Grandpa's going to like living with us.（我希望爷爷会喜欢和我们住在一起。）
But I think he'll like being here with the family.（可是我认为他会喜欢在这儿和全家人在一起。）
但表示喜欢一个一次性的行为时则用动词不定式（to do），如Robbie说的:
I'd really like to pick up Grandpa at the railroad station.（我真想到火车站去接爷爷。）

3. That's for sure.
那倒是，我同意你的看法。这是一种口语式的表达方式。

4. That's a neat idea.
那是个好主意。这里neat相当于"great, fine"，这是一种口语式的表达方式。

5. I've got it! I have a picture of Grandpa and Dad and me in my wallet.
注意"Grandpa and Dad and me"中人的排列顺序。在说话的时候，如果同时提到几个人，应该是年长的在前，年幼的在后。如果同时说到自己和别人，应该是别人在前，自己在后。

6. the Fathers and Sons' Breakfast
许多美国中学每年都要给学生安排一次“父子餐”活动。这一天父亲专门到学校来跟孩子一起共进早餐、午餐或晚餐，并一起拍照纪念。

7. He's something!
他很了不起！他是个人物！这里的something相当于"great, wonderful"，这是一种口语的用法。

ACT 1-3 “我们正在纳闷这大箱子里是什么。”

【故事梗概】

Ellen和Marilyn在楼上布置祖父的房间。Philip拿过来几个自己最好的衣架。祖父已经先把自己的大行李箱托运了回来，它是锁着的。大家很好奇行李箱里装的是什么。

Marilyn: Is this all Grandpa's stuff?
Ellen: That's it. But I'm sure he has a few bags with him on the train.
Marilyn: What's inside?
Ellen: I don't know. It's locked.
Philip: Hi.
Ellen: Oh, hi, darling.
Marilyn: Morning, Philip.
Philip: I want to put some of my good hangers in Grandpa's closet.You know I'm very excited about his arrival.
Ellen: We are, too. Susan called early this morning. She's unhappy because she's had to go to Chicago on a business trip and can't leave till tonight. She wants to be here for Grandpa.
Philip: Well, Grandpa will be disappointed, too. He loves Susan. She always reminds him of Grandma. Well, how's everything here?
Marilyn: Fine. We were just wondering about this trunk.
Ellen: It's locked.
Philip: Oh, I have the key. Grandpa sent it to me.

 【语言点精讲】

1. That's it.
是的，用来表示赞同。

2. But I'm sure he has a few bags with him on the train.
可是我肯定他在火车上还带着几个旅行包。
I'm sure (that) ...的意思是“我肯定...，我确定...”，用以发表自己的意见或信念，表示对...有把握。
bags在这里是指手提箱、小件行李，而trunk则是指大箱子。

3. We are, too.
是"We are also very excited."的意思。当too在句尾时，有时不必重复它前面的每个词。
又如: "Ellen wants to prepare Grandpa's room, and Marilyn does, too." 在这一句中 does指"wants to prepare Grandpa's room"。

4. She's unhappy because she's had to go to Chicago on a business trip and can't leave till tonight.
她很不高兴，因为她不得不出差到芝加哥去，直到今天晚上才能离开那里。
have to do sth. 不得不做某事。on a business trip 出差。till 直到，直到...为止

5. She always reminds him of Grandma.
她总使爷爷想起奶奶。"remind sb of ..."是“使某人想起...”的意思。

6. We were just wondering about this trunk.
我们正在纳闷这大箱子里是什么。
We were just wondering about... 是一种间接询问的方式。
wonder，想知道，纳闷。