ACT 1-1  “我无法相信！”

【故事梗概】

市里教育经费拮据，联合校董会出了空缺，Carter Boswell竞选的口号是节约经费，办法是取消学校的课余文化项目。Ellen对这种短见的作法感到气愤。

Ellen: [as Philip enters] I don't believe it!
Philip: What's wrong?
Ellen: Carter Boswell!
Philip: Who's Carter Boswell?
Ellen: He's running for the school board. The election's next month.
Philip: What's wrong with wanting to be on the school board?
Ellen: Nothing. But he wants to cut the school budget!
Philip: Maybe it needs cutting.
Ellen: Cutting the budget is fine, but he wants to do it by cutting all the cultural programs. No music, no dance, no concert, no stage presentations.
Philip: Why does he want to do that?
Ellen: He says it's to save the taxpayers’ money and I think he believes that the taxpayers will vote for him if he spends less on the cultural programs.
Philip: He's probably right. Lots of people want their taxes used for new books and a new paint job in the schoolrooms.
Ellen: Maybe some of us would like to pay a little bit more and keep the cultural programs for our kids.
Philip: Well, I'm not sure, Ellen. I hear it from my patients. Lots of people are tired of higher taxes.
Ellen: I know, but if Boswell wins he'll be an important decision-maker on the school board, and he doesn't know anything about our children's education.

【语言点精讲】

1. He's running for the school board. The election's next month.
run for: 竞选，角逐。
school board:（地方政府的）联合校董会；教育委员会。美国各州的公共教育是由州内各学区（school district）负责。各学区由通过选举产生的联合校董会（school board）人员组成。联合校董会的权力有: 聘用学区教育局长。局长负责学区的具体教育工作。联合校董会在任用教师，选择教材方面施加影响。还有权批准其它决策。竞选联合校董会委员，常成为美国公民参政的第一步。
election: 选举。

2. Cutting the budget is fine, but he wants to do it by cutting all the cultural programs. No music, no dance, no concert, no stage presentations.
削减经费也可以，可是他想要通过削减所有文化项目的方法来削减经费。取消音乐课，取消舞蹈课，取消音乐会，取消舞台演出。
cut the budget: 削减预算。
stage presentation: 表演，演出。

3. He says it's to save the taxpayers’ money and I think he believes that the taxpayers will vote for him if he spends less on the cultural programs.
他说是为纳税人节约开支，而我认为他相信假如他在文化项目上少花一些钱，纳税人会投他的票。
It's to save…: 这是为了省（钱，时间等）。
taxpayer: 纳税人。
vote for sb.: 为某人投票。

4. Lots of people are tired of higher taxes.
很多人厌倦交纳更多的税款。
be tired of sth.: 对某事感到厌倦。

5. Lots of people want their taxes used for new books and a new paint job in the schoolrooms.
很多人想让他们的钱被用于买新的书籍和把教室重新粉刷一次。
a new paint job: 指一次重新粉刷油漆的活儿。

6. I know, but if Boswell wins he'll be an important decision-maker on the school board, and he doesn't know anything about our children's education.
我知道，可是假如Boswell竞选获胜，他将成为联合校董会上重要的决策者，而他却对于我们孩子们的教育一无所知。
decision-maker: 决策者。

ACT 1-2  “为什么我不该参加竞选？”

【故事梗概】

鉴于并没有人与Carter Boswell竞争，Ellen决定要参选。她的决定得到了全家人的支持。

Philip: Who's running against him?
Ellen: Nobody. That's the problem.
Philip: Well, it sounds to me like Carter Boswell is going to win this seat on the board.
Ellen: Oh, not if can stop him!
Philip: And how are you going to stop him?
Ellen: I don't know. Maybe I'll run against him.
Philip: [He thinks she is joking.] Well, you've got my vote.
Ellen: I'm serious, Philip. Why shouldn't I run?
Robbie: [He enters.] Why shouldn't you run for what, Mom?
Philip: Your mother is thinking of running for the school board.
Robbie: Hey, that's terrific, Mom!
[Richard and Marilyn enter.]
Richard: Against Carter Boswell? Great!
Ellen: Well, if I run for office, the voters will have a clear choice. I stand for everything Boswell doesn't.
Marilyn: I think a lot of people will vote for you against Boswell, Ellen. I'll vote for you.
Ellen: Will you help me if I do run?
Marilyn: Absolutely.
Ellen: The trouble is it takes a little bit of money to run a campaign.
Philip: I think you can make a difference, Ellen. And in a short campaign you wouldn't need as much money. You know something. Ellen? Why not give the people of Riverdale a clear choice? I'm with you. You can make a difference.

【语言点精讲】

1. Who's running against him?
有谁跟他竞选这职务？
run against sb.:与某人竞选。

2. Well, it sounds to me like Carter Boswell is going to win this seat on the board.
那么，听起来好像Carter Boswell要稳拿联合校董会的职位了。
It sounds to me like: 听起来好像，听起来似乎会。
seat: 职位。每位校董事在校董会里都有一个席位。

3. Not if I can stop him!
我要是能办得到，就不让他赢得这个席位。
这是省略句，全句应为He's not going to win this seat on the board if I can stop him．

4. Why shouldn't I run?
为什么我不该参加竞选？

5. Well, if I run for office, the voters will have a clear choice. I stand for everything Boswell doesn't.
说起来，如果我竞选这一职务，选民们将有明确的选择。我支持Boswell所不支持的一切事物。
run for office: 竞选某职务。office在这里指公职，职务。
voter: 投票人，选民。
a clear choice: 明确的选择。
stand for: 代表，支持。

6. The trouble is it takes a little bit of money to run a campaign.
问题是进行竞选活动要花不少钱呢。
It takes a little bit of money to do sth.: 做某事要花些钱。a little bit of money意思实际上是 quite a bit of money，这是反话。
run: 进行（竞选），推动。
campaign: 这里指竞选活动。竞选活动可包括公开演讲，在报纸上做广告、访问选民，以及在电视上露面。

7. I think you can make a difference, Ellen. And in a short campaign you wouldn't need as much money.
我认为你会产生影响的，Ellen。而且如果竞选活动的时期很短，你就不需要那么多钱。make a difference在这里指关系重大，影响很大。

8. You know something？
口语中常用的引导语，表示将提供某种对方可能还不知道的情况。也常说: You know what？

9. I'm with you.
我在你这边。我支持你。

ACT 1-3  “因为我关心。”

【故事梗概】

Ellen去找里弗代尔当地报纸的编辑 Charles Maxwell, 希望他可以帮忙宣布自己参加竞选的消息。

Maxwell: Come in.
Ellen: Mr. Maxwell?
Maxwell: [He looks up.] Yes, Charles Maxwell.
Ellen: My name is Ellen Stewart.
Maxwell: Hello. Please, sit down. You asked to see me. What would you like to see me about?
Ellen: I'd like your help.
Maxwell: Well, I'm editor of the most influential newspaper in Riverdale. Actually, it's the only newspaper. [He smiles.] A lot of people would like my help. Do you have a story?
Ellen: I'm planning to run for the school board.
Maxwell: Against Carter Boswell?
Ellen: Yes.
Maxwell: Well, that is news.
Ellen: Will you announce that I'm running?
Maxwell: Sure. But I need some information.
Ellen: Of course.
Maxwell: [He gets a pad and a pen .] Why will the voters vote for you against Boswell, Mrs. Stewart?
Ellen: Because I care.
Maxwell: "Vote for Ellen Stewart. She cares." Not a bad slogan.

【语言点精讲】

1. Well, I'm editor of the most influential newspaper in Riverdale. Actually, it's the only newspaper.
嗯，我是里弗代尔最有影响的报纸的编辑。实际上，它是这里惟一的报纸。
the most influential: 最有影响力的。
Actually, it's the only newspaper.: 比较小的地方常只有一种地方报纸。Maxwell前面说的 the most influential newspaper是带诙谐意味的，但亟需补充下面这句，以免听者误认他在大言不惭。

2. Do you have a story?
你是有一条新闻吗？
a story: 是报业的行话，指刊出或播出的一条新闻，不指虚构小说。

3. That is news.
这可是条新闻。句中的is重读了，加重了强调的语气。

4. Because I care.
因为我关心；因为我认真于……。

5. Not a bad slogan.
这口号不坏。
slogan: 标语，口号。

ACT 1-4  “你现在正在成为新闻来源。”

【故事梗概】

Ellen向当地报纸的编辑Maxwell解释了自己的竞选计划。Maxwell同意给刊登一条她参加竞选的消息。

Maxwell: But what do you care about?
Ellen: Well, I care about the children of our town. I don't want them to grow up without cultural programs in our school.
Maxwell: Do you have a plan?
Ellen: I want our children to learn more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. I want to keep the after-school programs -- the music, the concerts.
Maxwell: It's not a bad plan. But who's going to pay for all of this?
Ellen: We are. The citizens of Riverdale, of course. I plan to get help from the businessmen and the corporations of Riverdale.
Maxwell: That's fair enough. Exactly what do you want from me, Mrs. Stewart?
Ellen: You don't know me. I can't expect you to take my side against Boswell. But I do need some publicity so that the people of our town know that I'm running for office and that I care about our children.
Maxwell: Fair enough. I certainly can print the news. And you are now making news.

【语言点精讲】

1. I want our children to learn more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. I want to keep the after-school programs -- the music, the concerts.
我要让咱们的孩子不止学会读、写、算。我想要保持课余的项目——音乐课，音乐会。
reading, writing and arithmetic: 阅读、写作、算术。通称 the three R's，因为都含有字母r。

2. That's fair enough.
这倒很合理。

3. I can't expect you to take my side against Boswell. But I do need some publicity so that the people of our town know that I'm running for office and that I care about our children.
我无法指望你支持我反对Boswell。可是我确实需要一些宣传，好让我们镇上的人民知道我在竞选职务，我关心我们的孩子。
expect sb. to do sth.: 期望某人做某事，指望某人做某事。
to take my side: 支持我。
run for office: 竞选职务。
publicity: 宣传。

4. Exactly what do you want from me, Mrs. Stewart?
Stewart夫人，你究竟要我为你做什么呢？

5. I certainly can print the news. And you are now making news. 
我当然可以把这条消息刊登在报上，而你现在正在成为新闻来源。
print: 刊登在报纸上。
make news: 制造新闻。