Part 1 I Don't Want Braces! 我不想戴牙套!
Dialogue script 1 对话原文 1
Mom: Tim! Are you ready for a big, big surprise?
Tim: I guess so. What is it?
Mom: It's something that you really need!
Tim: A new baseball glove?
Mom: No.
Tim: A cell phone?
Mom: No! You don't need a cell phone---you're too young for that.
Tim: OK, I give up, Mom.
Mom: You’re gonna get...braces!
Tim: Braces? Mom! have you checked out a calendar lately?
Mom: Why?
Tim: I start high school in two weeks! High school! I can't have braces now!
Mom: Now is a good time for us to pay for them. They're expensive, you know.
Tim: I don't care if they're free! I don't want them.
讲解:
1. 对话中,为了庆祝Tim上高中,爸爸妈妈决定送给Tim一份礼物,为Tim准备了一个超大惊喜,会是什么呢?妈妈提示Tim说,是一件Tim现在很需要的东西。难道是棒球手套baseball glove吗?因为Tim现在正需要一个新的棒球手套。
2. 妈妈说不是,让他再猜,Tim又猜是不是一部手机呢?妈妈说,不是手机,Tim还太小,用不着手机。Tim实在是猜不到了,让妈妈快说吧。原来爸妈给他的礼物是牙套,braces,就是牙齿矫正器,因为经常是上下成对的,所以经常用复数。
3. Tim简直不敢相信自己的耳朵,难道妈妈最近没有查日历吗?Have you checked out a calendar lately? calendar是“日历”的意思。对话中这句话是用在有人做出就是时间上来说不合理的事情,所以才会这么反问。
4. 妈妈不明白,要查日历干什么?原来Tim还有两个礼拜就要上高中了,这可是高中啊,他怎么能现在就带牙套呢?可是妈妈说现在刚好有钱负担你的牙套,可要知道现在牙套很贵的。但是Tim才不管是很贵还是免费,反正他现在就是不愿意戴牙套去上学,这样会影响他的形象的。
Dialogue script 2 对话原文 2
Mom: Tim, take it easy.
Tim: Mom, I'm going to look like a geek. A total loser!
Mom: You'll only be half-finished with high school by the time the braces come off.
Tim: Can I get them put on next year?
Mom: No. Just think how nice your smile will be in a few years' time.
Tim: A few years might as well be an eternity, Mom. this isn't fair. Why don't I have a say in this?
讲解:
1. 妈妈让Tim别这么激动,take it easy。Tim说戴上牙套会让他看起来像一个怪胎,一个十足的窝囊废!I'm going to look like a geek. A total loser! geek是一个很口语化的词,表示“怪胎,怪物”,在时下的美国青少年中是很流行的一个词。
2. 妈妈安慰他说,牙套拿下来的时候,你高中才读完一半,也就是说,还有足够的时间去建立自己的良好形象。Tim央求说,能不能明年再戴牙套呢?妈妈说不行,让Tim想想再过几年后他的笑容会有多美。
3. Tim抱怨说,这几年简直就像永远,太漫长。eternity,表示“永远”。
4. Tim觉得很不公平,为什么这件事他没有发言权,没有讨论的余地呢?Why don't I have a say in this? say 在这里作名词表示“发言权,决定权,参与讨论的机会”,这么用的时候没有复数形式,在这个用法中say 前面加上a是一个固定的用法。当你发现别人没有征求你的意见,就帮你做了决定的时候,就可以用Why don't I have a say in this?这句话。我们现在来用一个对话做例子,---We decided to cancel the meeting. ---Why don't I have a say in this? ---我们决定取消会议。---为什么我对这件事都没有发言权?还有,---Tom doesn't want us to go to the party. ---He doesn't have any say in that. Tom不想让我们参加派对。---这件事轮不到他说话。He doesn't have any say in that. 这句话当中的any say其实就是a say,用any来加强语气。
Part 2 At the Orthodontist's 在牙医诊所
Dialogue script 1 对话原文 1
Doc: You have a lot of teeth inside a small mouth, Tim.
Tim: Lucky me.
Doc: We're going to need to pull four teeth. You have want we call "fangs" on the top and bottom.
Tim: I can't sit through a four-teeth-pulling session without passing out, doctor!
Doc: It's the only way you'll have enough room in there.
Tim: Will I feel any pain?
Doc: Not until you wake up. The anesthesia is going to put you fast asleep.
(One week later)
Tim: Aaaaaaow! My teeth!
Doc: Getting the braces tightened always hurts...especially in the beginning stages.
Tim: How often do I need them tightened?
Doc: once every two weeks to start. Eventually it'll be once a month.
Tim: Aaaaaow! Can I get the braces off after one year?
Doc: Don't count on it. The teeth need time to fill these gaps in your mouth. Expect two years.
讲解:
1. 对话中,Tim来到了牙医诊所戴牙套。orthodontist是指“牙齿矫正师”,要注意并不等于“牙医”,dentist,而是牙科的一个分支,专门给人矫正牙齿。
2. 医生检查了一下Tim的牙齿,发现Tim小小的口腔里塞了一堆牙,Tim很不高兴地说,Lucky me. 我可真走运啊。这里是反讽的语气,而不是真的说自己走运。
3. 医生需要给Tim拔掉四颗牙齿,Tim上排和下排牙齿上都有所谓的“暴牙”。拔牙就用pull这个词。fang是指“獠牙,暴牙”,比如说,The dog growled and showed its fangs. 那条狗狂吠起来,露出了獠牙。
4. Tim一听,连忙说,我绝对无法坐着撑到拔完四颗牙而不昏过去。sit through指“坐着撑到结束,挨过去”,跟go through差不多。pass out 这个词组表示“昏厥,昏过去,失去知觉”。
5. 看来Tim还很怕疼。医生说没有办法,只有这样才能在口腔内获得足够的空间来矫正Tim的牙齿。Tim问拔牙会疼吗?医生说他醒来之前就不会疼,麻醉会让Tim很快睡熟的。anesthesia 指“麻醉,失去知觉”或者“麻醉手术”。
6. fast asleep表示“某人睡得很熟,睡得很香”,She fell fast asleep in just five minutes. 她不到五分钟就睡得很香了。
7. 一周之后,Tim又去看牙齿矫正医生,绑紧牙套,tighten the braces。Tim疼的大叫起来,医生安慰他说,绑紧牙套总是会很疼,尤其是在最开始的阶段。
8. Tim问医生,他要多久来绑一次牙套呢?how often就是问“频率”的,多久才做某事。医生回答说一开始的时候是两周一次,到最后会变成一个月一次。eventually 表示“最后”,跟at last差不多。
9. Tim问医生他可不可以一年之后就把牙套拿掉呢?医生说,你就别指望了,Don't count on it. count on 是“指望,依赖”的意思,所以count on something就表示“指望某事能够发生”。当一个人满心期望一件事的到来,但你却觉得发生的机会很低的时候,就可以对那个人说Don't count on it. 别指望了。我们用对话来作例子,---Do you think Tom will eventually marry Lisa? ---Don't count on it. ---你觉得Tom最后会和Lisa结婚吗?---别指望了。
10. 而count on someone则表示“指望,期望某人能够帮上忙”,举个例子,---Let's get Lilly to babysit the baby. ---Don't count on her. She's unreliable. ---我们让Lilly帮忙照顾宝宝吧。---别指望她了,她不可靠。
11. 医生告诉Tim牙齿需要时间填满他嘴里的缝隙。做好两年的准备吧。