ACT 1-1  “见到你我真高兴！”

【故事梗概】

Grandpa在家中起居室里等Susan 来吃晚饭。他们见面后，Grandpa和Susan讲到了打自己退休以后，每天都有很多时间不知道该如何打发。

Grandpa: Is that you, Susan?
Susan: It's me, Grandpa.
Grandpa: Am I glad to see you!
Susan: And am I glad to see you! I am also glad to be here.
Grandpa: How are things?
Susan: I have been talking to a group of sales men since ten this morning, and I'm real exhausted.
Grandpa: Well, you look good. What's Harry doing tonight?
Susan: He and Michelle are visiting relatives in New Jersey today.
Grandpa: The rest of our family went to the movies. So it's just you and me, Susan.
Susan: It's nice to be alone with you, Grandpa. We don't get to see enough of each other.
Grandpa: Oh, I feel the same way, Susan. I miss seeing you. But to tell the truth, next time I'd like to go into the city and meet you there, instead of you coming here.
Susan: You don't need to do that, Grandpa.
Grandpa: Yeah, I do. I need to get out more. Well, I mean there's a lot to do around the house, and I love being here with the family, you know, but I'm restless. Since I retired, I've got extra time on my hands.
Susan: I understand, Grandpa.
Grandpa: I think you do. Frankly, I'd like to use my brain a little more.

【语言点精讲】

1. It's me, Grandpa.
It's me. 是我。这是非正式用法。正式用法应该是 It's I。但是大多数美国人用非正式用法。另外这句话主语用的It。讲话时如果看不见对方，彼此称呼时常用that，it，this等词，如上一句话: Is that you, Susan?

2. Am I glad to see you!
见到你我真高兴！这种句子形式上是问句，实际上是感叹句，加强感情和语气。

3. I have been talking to a group of sales men since ten this morning, and I'm real exhausted.
我从今天上午十点钟一直在同一批推销员谈话，真是筋疲力尽了。
I have been talking to…我一直在和（他们）谈……。这是现在完成进行时的表达法，表示从过去某一时间一直持续到现在的动作或状态。
real: 确实。这是一个非正式用法，正式用法应该是really或very。

4. It's nice to be alone with you, Grandpa.
能跟你单独在一起很好，爷爷。
to be alone with you: 单独和你在一起。

6. We don't get to see enough of each other.
我们见面的时候不多啊。
get to: 有机会或时间做某事。表示通过一个过程逐渐做到某事，或花费一定的力气做到某事。

7. Oh, I feel the same way, Susan. I miss seeing you.
我也这样感觉，苏珊。我见不到你时很想念你的。
I feel the same way: 我也有同感。我有同样的感觉。
miss doing sth.: 在这里指“怀念作某事，怀念做过的事”。

8. But to tell the truth, next time I'd like to go into the city and meet you there, instead of you coming here.
可是跟你说真心话，下次我愿意到市内去，在那儿见你，而不是让你上这儿来。
to tell the truth: 说实话，老实说。类似含义的表达还有frankly, to be frank with you, as a matter of fact, frankly speaking等。
instead of…: 而不是…，不是…而是。

9. Since I retired, I've got extra time on my hands.
打从我退休以来，我手头有许多多余的时间无法打发掉。
time on my hands: 可以自由支配的时间，无法打发的时间。on one's hands常含有“必须自己承担或解决的负担”的意义。

ACT 1-2  “我们会找到一个解决办法的。”

【故事梗概】

Susan看Grandpa并不喜欢这种清闲的退休生活，主动提出要帮他找点事情做。Grandpa没有在意，让她帮助摆餐桌。没想到Susan却是当真的。

Susan: Grandpa, you have so much energy and so many years of experience. There are probably a lot of places for you to work. Particularly in the construction field.
Grandpa: But at my age, I'm not looking for a full-time job. I'm retired. But I'm bored.
Susan: Well, there must be something. Maybe I can help.
Grandpa: Let's go into the kitchen, and maybe you can help me set the table.
Susan: Sounds good to me. What are we having?
Grandpa: I prepared lamb chops, mashed potatoes, and a tossed green salad to begin with.
Susan: Grandpa, you are a terrific guy!
[A little later, Grandpa and Susan are eating dinner in the kitchen.]
Susan: You're still thinking about something to do, aren't you? A job of some kind.
Grandpa: That's right. I've been thinking about it for weeks now. There must be some way to put my mind to good use.
Susan: We'll find a solution. A positive solution to your finding a way to use that wonderful mind of yours.

【语言点精讲】

1. But at my age, I'm not looking for a full-time job. I'm retired. But I'm bored.
可是我这把年纪了，我不想找一个全职的工作。我是退休了，可是我腻烦得要命。
a full-time job: 全职工作，全天工作。
retired: 退职的，退休的。这种形容词由动词加-ed构成，类似的词还有 bored（厌烦的）、interested（感兴趣的）等。

2. Sounds good to me.
这（主意）听着不错。sound: 意思是“听来像，令人觉得”。
这个句子省略了主语it。省略主语在口语里比较常见，例如: “Want something to drink?”的完整形成为“Do you want something to drink?”。

3. I prepared lamb chops, mashed potatoes, and a tossed green salad to begin with.
我做了羊肉块，土豆泥，还有拌蔬菜色拉当头道菜。
lamb chops: 羊肉块。chop这里指(一块)排骨，肋条肉。
mashed potatoes: 土豆泥。
tossed green salad: 蔬菜色拉。

4. A job of some kind．
找个什么工作之类的。
some在这里表示“某一种、未知的”，后面带单数可数名词。

5. I've been thinking about it for weeks now.
我想了有几个星期了。
have been thinking about: 使用了动词的现在完成进行式，表示“想”这个行为在过去发生并持续到现在。

6. There must be some way to put my mind to good use.
总该有个办法让我施展我的才能。
put my mind to good use: 施展我的才能。

7. We'll find a solution. A positive solution to your finding a way to use that wonderful mind of yours.
我们会找到一个解决办法的。为让你能使用你那了不起的头脑寻找一个积极的解决办法。
find a solution: 找到一个解决办法。与后面的find a way同义。
to use that wonderful mind of yours: 使用你那了不起的头脑。最后面的of yours起强调作用，强调“你的”，这样说更有感情色彩。