【Situational Dialogue】
A: Rachel, I'd like to go through the program for Thursday again, just to make sure that everything's all right.
A: Rachel,为了保证万无一失,我想再检查一遍星期四的日程表。
B: Okay. We've arranged for a car to pick up Mr. Schmitt and his colleague at the airport. They're due to arrive at 8:30.
B: 好的。我们已经安排汽车到机场去接Schmitt先生和他的同事。他们定于八点半到达。
A: They'll only have hand luggage, so they should be coming into the Arrivals Lounge soon afterwards. How will they know which car is waiting for them?
A: 他们只带手提行李,所以到达后,很快就会来到机场的入境大厅。他们怎么知道哪一辆车是接他们的?
B: The driver will be at the exit to the Customs Hall, holding a placard with Mr. Schmitt's name on it.
B: 到时候,司机拿着上面写有Schmitt先生名字的牌子,等在海关办理处的出口处。
A: Maybe I should go to the airport myself.
A: 也许我应当亲自去机场……
B: Don't worry. The driver's used to meeting people like that. If there's any problem, he'll ask for an announcement to be made over the Tannoy System, asking Mr. Schmitt to come to the reception desk.
B: 别担心。司机经常这样接客。如果有问题,他就会让机场通过公共广播系统播一个通知,叫Schmitt先生到接待处去。(Tannoy是著名的公共广播系统的品牌)
A: If all goes well, they will get to us by ten o'clock.
A: 假如一切顺利,他们十点钟就会到这儿。
B: I've arranged for coffee, soft drinks and biscuits to be served in the board room at 10:15.
B: 我已经做了安排,十点一刻把咖啡、软饮料和饼干送到会议室。
A: What sort of coffee?
A: 哪种咖啡?
B: What do you mean?
B: 你说什么?
A: Every detail counts, Rachel, even the coffee. I'll make it myself if necessary, but I want to be good.
A: Rachel,每个细节都很重要,甚至包括咖啡在内。如有必要,我要亲自准备,我需要的是味道纯正的咖啡。
【Note】
1. go through 这个词组有很多意思,今天我们来了解其中的几种:
a) To examine carefully 仔细查看,审查(对话中就是这个意思~)
eg: go through the students' papers 检查学生的试卷
b) To experience; to suffer 经历,遭受
eg: go through many wars 经历很多战争 go through tremendous pain 遭受巨大痛苦
c) To be approved or accepted 被通过,被接受
eg: The amendment went through. 修订案被通过了。
d) To consume; exhaust 用完,耗尽
eg: We went through our supplies in a day. 我们一天就把供给品用完了。
2. 对话中的 due 的意思是“预定,约定,预期”,相当于 scheduled, arranged, expected 等,常用“be due to + 动词”的形式。
而我们知道due还有个介词短语叫due to,它的后面是接名词或代词,表示“应归于,应属于,应给予”,相当于 caused by sb/sth 或者 because of sb/sth。例如:
Her absence is due to illness. 她因病缺席。
The game has been cancelled due to frost. 比赛因雾而取消。
3. count 是个很好用的单词,除了有我们熟知的“数数”的意思外,它还能表达 (sth) be of value or importance “某样东西有价值,有重要性”。例如:
Her opinion counts because of her experience. 因为她有经验,所以她的意见很重要。
We've only a few bullets left, so make each one count. 我们只剩几颗子弹了,因此要弹不虚发。(此句中的 make each one count 就是指 use it effectively)