每日英语听力走遍美国36

act 3 -1 “这是很了不起的经历！”
【故事梗概】
grandpa 在 john marchetta先生的办公室里接受面试。marchetta 先生浏览了grandpa的简历，给了他很高的评价。
grandpa: hi. i’m malcolm stewart.
marchetta: john marchetta. sit down, sit down.
grandpa: susan has told me a great deal about you. she says you’re quite a man.
marchetta: she says a lot of wonderful things about you too, mr. stewart.
grandpa: that’s always nice to hear, mr. marchetta.
marchetta: call me john. may i call you malcolm? let’s talk business.
grandpa: that’s music to my ears.
marchetta: i understand you used to be in the construction business.
grandpa: yup. forty-three years. here’s a brief description of forty-three years of on-the-job training.
marchetta: that is some history! you’re a valuable asset, malcolm. very valuable.
grandpa: thank you. yup. forty-three years. half that time in my o

wn construction company. big jobs — factories, shopping malls. that kind of thing.
marchetta: then you retired.
grandpa: yes. after my wife died, and i felt i should spend more time with my children and grandchildren. i lived in florida, and they lived in new york.
marchetta: i understand. my daughter, cami lives in new york. i like being near her.
【语言点精讲】
1. susan has told me a great deal about you. she says you’re quite a man.
susan跟我说了不少有关你的事，她说你是个很了不起的人。
a great deal: 很多。也可以说 a great deal of sth. , 但后面的名词只能是不可数的。
you’re quite a man. 你真是个了不起的人。
2. call me john．
叫我john好了。在对方称自己为某先生或用其它尊称时，欲使对方直呼己名以示亲近，常这样说。也可以: “john to you．”
3. let’s talk business.
talk business: 谈工作, 谈生意。这是个惯用语，talk 在这里用作及物动词。
类似的不带介词，以talk为及物动词的用法还有: talk politics/sport（谈论政治/体育），talk shop（说行话，谈本行业或本职工作的事），talk sense/nonsense，talk nonsense/rubbish（说胡话，胡说八道）等。
4. that’s music to my ears.
正合我意。正是我想听的。
5. i understand you used to be in the construction business.
我听说你过去是在建筑业工作的。
i understand: 在这里的意思是“我听说，我知道这样的信息”。
used to do: 过去曾做过某事。用来谈论过去的经历。
6. here’s a brief description of forty-three years of on-the-job training.
这儿有一份材科，简短地记录了我四十三年的工作经历。
a brief description: 简单的叙述。这里指简历。
on-the-job training: 指工作经历。美国人很重视实际工作经验，所以他们把工作经历称为“工作时的培训”。
7. that is some history! you’re a valuable asset, malcolm. very valuable.
这是很了不起的经历！你是个很宝贵的人才，malcolm，非常宝贵。
some: 了不起的，相当于“a wonderful…”。这是一种非正式用法。
asset: 资产, 财富, 人才。
8. i like being near her.
我喜欢离她近一点。
这里like后面接-ing形式，表示“经常或总是或习惯性地”喜欢某事。
act 3 -2 “tops: 优秀老人协会”
【故事梗概】
marchetta先生和grandpa讲了关于优秀老人协会tops的事情，grandpa很感兴趣，随即表示要入会。marchetta先生还要带grandpa去建筑工地。grandpa的新工作马上就要开始了。
grandpa: when i came here, i planned to take a few months off. relax with the family and then look for some work. put my experience on the line…but, unfortunately, there isn’t any work for a retired person my age.
marchetta: sometimes there is, and sometimes there isn’t. well, i’m involved with an organization, and we’re trying to resolve that problem.
grandpa: what’s that?
marchetta: tops. t-o-p-s-means talented older people’s society.
grandpa: i’d like to be a member. how much are the dues?
marchetta: there are no dues. the organization serves major companies in this city. why? because our members are men and women like you. experienced, talented, retired. but our members want to go out there and use their talents. they want to work.
grandpa: that is fantastic, john!
marchetta: i’ve got an idea for you, malcolm. just fill out this form for me. it’ll only take a few minutes. sit right here, and do it while i talk to my secretary. when i get back, we’ll talk about my new factory. my company is a member of tops. so i try hard to find opportunities for people like you, malcolm. and when i see an opportunity, i can act on it. well, i can use your brainpower on the job right now. have you got time this morning to go over to the construction site with me? i’d like to have you meet my foreman — get some background on the job.
grandpa: i’ve got plenty of time.
marchetta: i’ll be right back. we’ll go over to the job site together.
【语言点精讲】
1. when i came here, i planned to take a few months off.
我来这里以后，计划先休息几个月。
plan to do sth.: 计划做某事，打算做某事。
to take a few months off: 休息几个月。
2. put my experience on the line.
这句话的意思相当于“to test my experience by trying something. ”（把我的经验考验一下。考验我的阅历。）
3. well, i’m involved with an organization, and we’re trying to resolve that problem.
说起来，我参加了一个组织，我们这个组织正在力求解决这个问题。
be involved with: 意思是“与……有关系”, “与……有牵连”。
resolve: 解决（问题）。
4. tops. t-o-p-s-means talented older people’s society.
tops: talented older people’s society的缩写, 即优秀老人协会。另外tops这个词本身也有“最优秀”的意思， 即“the best”, 所以 tops是个含义丰富的机构名称。
5. how much are the dues?
会费是多少？dues: 费用, 会费。
6. just fill out this form for me.
请把这张表格填好。
fill out: 意思是“填写（表格）”, 这是美国用法。英国英语用 fill in。
7. sit right here, and do it while i talk to my secretary.
请就坐在这儿，趁我和我的秘书谈话的时间你（填一下这张表）。
talk to sb.: 和某人谈话，对某人说…。talk to是从主动的立场对某人谈，有时是去吐露心里发愁的事，有时是去责备、吩咐或抗议、要求等。
8. i’ve got plenty of time.
我时间多得是。
plenty of后面既可带不可数名词，也可以带可数名词。它主要表示量大，还含有“足够”或“有余”的意思，等于lots of。
9. i’ll be right back.
我马上回来。
act 3 -3 “欢迎加入。”
【故事梗概】
在建筑工地，grandpa 见到了marchetta 先生的工头danny。针对danny遇到的问题，grandpa给了他一个很好的建议，这赢得了danny对他的信任和尊重。
danny: malcolm, you worked on the spaceport project?
grandpa: my company was the contractor. i built the theater there with my own two hands, practically.
danny: i understand.
marchetta: well, i’m glad to see you two guys getting along so well because, danny, malcolm is on the tops team. he’s going to be working with you for a while. his experience will be valuable to both of us.
danny: welcome aboard, malcolm!
marchetta: i’m going back to my office. give me a call later, malcolm. i’ll tell you the time and date of the next tops meeting. i’d like you to meet the group.
grandpa: i will, john. and again, thanks.
marchetta: no … thank you. and thank susan.
grandpa: he’s quite a man.
danny: a real inspiration for me.
grandpa: ok, danny. i know you didn’t expect to have me around, but i think i can be of some help to you.
danny: let me tell you something, malcolm. with your background and experience, i can learn something…and i do need some advice on a difficult problem. let me show you this.
grandpa: i don’t want to give you a final opinion without studying these building plans more carefully. but a simple solution might be to move the air-conditioning units instead of redesigning the entire system. it might be simpler and less expensive.
danny: you just earned your weight in gold, malcolm. welcome aboard!
【语言点精讲】
1. malcolm, you worked on the spaceport project?
worked on the spaceport project: 参与了 spaceport建设工程。work on是“从事……”, “参与……的工作”的意思。
2. my company was the contractor. i built the theater there with my own two hands, practically.
我的公司是承包商。我差不多是独力地修建了那里的剧院。
contractor: （工程）承包商, 立约人。
with my own two hands: 独立地。相当于“without help, by myself. ”
practically: 差不多, 几乎。
3. well, i’m glad to see you two guys getting along so well because, danny, malcolm is on the tops team.
getting along so well: 相处得好。
get along（with）是表示过日子，与人相处或应付事物是否成功的用语
4. welcome aboard, malcolm!
welcome abroad. : 欢迎加入。在欢迎新成员时通常用这个表达法。aboard 原意为“在船（车、飞机）上”。如，火车将要离站时，车长照例要喊一声all aboard！（各位请上车）。welcome aboard 由此有了“欢迎参加到我们这一事业中来”的意思。
5. i will.
我会的。这是对上一句话“i’d like you to meet the group. ”的回答。当问句中用 would, might, could等词时, 回答时要用will, may, can 等词表示确定之意。
6. a real inspiration for me.
他能鼓舞我努力干。inspiration: 给人启发或灵感的人或物。
7. i know you didn’t expect to have me around, but i think i can be of some help to you.
我知道你本来没料到我会来到这里和你共事，可是我想我能对你有所帮助。
to have me around: 有我在你身边（共事）。
be of some help: 有所帮助。这里的介词of表示“具有”。
8. you just earned your weight in gold, malcolm.
你已经帮了大忙了，malcolm。
earned your weight in gold: 你帮了大忙。相当于“helped very much”。当某人完成一件很重要的工作时, 可用这个惯用语表示致谢。
act 3 -4 “一言为定！”
【故事梗概】
在susan的办公室里，grandpa和susan讲了marchetta先生带他去工地和danny见面的事情。两人都为grandpa找到了事情做而高兴。
grandpa: it all happened so quickly! i can’t believe it!
susan: i’m glad mr. marchetta was so helpful.
grandpa: he was more than helpful. he actually took me to meet his foreman.
susan: i’m thrilled for you, grandpa.
grandpa: i don’t know how to thank you, susan. you’re a wonderful granddaughter.
susan: it’s good to see you so happy.
grandpa: i’ll be at the construction site tomorrow. what are you doing tomorrow night?
susan: i’m not doing anything. why?
grandpa: how about a date with your grandfather? i owe you a good steak dinner.
susan: i’ll accept. tomorrow night. you and me. dinner. what time?
grandpa: i’ll pick you up here at seven. is that ok?
susan: i can’t wait! and you can tell me all about your first full day back on the job.
grandpa: it’s a deal!
【语言点精讲】
1. he was more than helpful.
他不仅仅是帮忙而已。
more than: 这里的意思是“不仅仅”。
2. i’m thrilled for you, grandpa.
我真为你高兴极了，爷爷。
thrilled: 非常兴奋的，极为激动的。
3. what are you doing tomorrow night?
你明天晚上有什么安排？这里用现在进行时态表示将来要发生的事情。
4. i owe you a good steak dinner.
我欠你的情，应该请你吃一顿精美的牛排晚餐以示感谢。
owe: 这里指“欠…的人情”，后面常接双宾语。
5. i’ll pick you up here at seven.
我七点钟到这儿来接你。
pick sb. up: 开车去接某人
6. and you can tell me all about your first full day back on the job.
你还可以把你头一天再次开始工作的情况都告诉我。
back on the job: 又开始工作。
7. it’s a deal!
一言为定！
全文:
hi. i’m malcolm stewart.
嗨。我是 malcolm stewart。
john marchetta.
我是john marchetta。
sit down, sit down.
请坐,请坐。
susan has told me a great deal about you.
susan告诉我许多关于你的事。
she says you’re quite a man.
她说你是个了不起的人。
she says
她也谈起
a lot of wonderful things about you too, mr. stewart.
不少你的非凡作为,stewart先生。
that’s always nice to hear, mr. marchetta.
听到这些话总是好的,marchetta先生。
call me john.
叫我john。
may i call you malcolm?
我能称你malcolm 吗?
let’s talk business.
我们来谈谈正经事。
that’s music to my ears.
正合我意。
i understand
听说
you used to be in the construction business.
你过去在建筑界工作。
yup. forty-three years.
是的,四十三年。
here’s a brief description
这是一份简单的记录
of forty-three years of on-the-job training.
关于我四十三年的工作经历。
that is some history!
这阅历了不得!
you’re a valuable asset, malcolm.
你是很有价值的资产, malcolm。
very valuable.
很有价值。
thank you.
谢谢你。
yup. forty-three years.
是的。四十三年。
half that time in my own construction company.
一半时间是在我自己的建筑公司。
big jobs–factories, shopping malls.
大的工程—-工厂, 大型购物中心。
that kind of thing.
等等。
then you retired.
然后你退休了。
yes.
是的。
after my wife died,
我妻子去世后,
and i felt i should spend more time
我觉得应该多花些时间
with my children and grandchildren.
与儿子孙子们在一起。
i lived in florida,
我住在florida,
and they lived in new york.
而他们住在纽约。
i understand.
我了解。
my dautghter cami lives in new york.
我女儿cami住在纽约。
i like being near her.
我喜欢离她近一点。
when i came here,
当我初到这儿,
i planned to take a few months off.
我计划休息几个月。
relax with the family and then look for some work.
与家人轻松一段时间然后找个工作。
put my experience on the line …
考验我的阅历……
but, unfortunately,
但是,很不幸,
there isn’t any work for a retired person my age.
没有适合我这种年纪的退休老人的工作。
sometimes there is,
有时候有的,
and sometimes there isn’t.
有时候没有。
well, i’m involved with an organization,
嗯,我参加一个组织,
and we’re trying to resolve that problem.
试图解决这类问题。
what’s that?
什么组织?
tops.
t-o-p-s–means talented older people’s society.
t-o-p-s 全名是优秀老人协会。
i’d like to be a member.
我想加入做为会员。
how much are the dues?
会费多少?
there are no dues.
不要会费。
the organization serves major companies in this city.
这个组织为本市的各大公司服务。
why?
为什么?
because our members are men and women like you.
因为这个组织的会员都是像你这样的人。
experienced, talented, retired.
有经验,有才能,也都退休了。
but our members want to go out there
但会员们希望在社会上
and use their talents.
贡献他们的才能。
they want to work.
他们想工作。
that is fantastic, john!
那太好了,john!
i’ve got an idea for you, malcolm.
我倒替你想出了一个主意,malcolm。
just fill out this form for me.
请把这份表填好。
it’ll only take a few minutes.
只要几分钟时间。
sit right here,
就坐在这儿填,
and do it while i talk to my secretary.
我去和秘书说个话。
when i get back, we’ll talk about my new factory.
我回来后,我们谈一谈我的新工厂。
my company is a member of tops.
我的公司也是优秀老人协会的会员。
so i try hard to find opportunities for people like you.
所以我努力为像你这样的人寻找机会。
malcolm.
and when i see an opportunity,
而且当我一看到机会,
i can act on it.
我就可以处理。
well, i can use your brainpower on the job right now.
嗯,我马上可以将你的才智用在这项工程上。
have you got time this morning
今天上午你有时间
to go over to the construction site with me?
去看一看建筑工地吗?
i’d like to have you meet my foreman–
我希望带你去认识工头—
get some background on the job.
了解这项工程的一些背景。
i’ve got plenty of time.
我有的是时间。
i’ll be right back.
我马上就回来。
we’ll go over to the job site together.
我们等一会儿一起去工地。
malcolm, you worked on the spaceport project?
malcolm,你曾负责太空港的工程?
my company was the contractor.
我的公司承包了这项工程。
i built the theater there
我建造这个剧院
with my own two hands, practically.
差不多是独自完成的。
i understand.
我明白了。
well,
好的,
i’m glad to see you two guys getting along so well
看到你们两位相处得这么融洽,我很高兴
because, danny,
因为,danny,
malcolm is on the tops team.
malcolm是tops的一员。
he’s going to be working with you for a while.
他将与你一起工作一段时间。
his experience will be valuable to both of us.
他的经验对你我都很有好处。
welcome aboard, malcolm!
欢迎加入,malcolm。
i’m going back to my office.
我要回办公室了。
give me a call later, malcolm.
请稍后打电话给我,malcolm。
i’ll tell you the time and date of the next tops meeting.
我要告诉你tops下次聚会的时间。
i’d like you to meet the group.
我希望你能与协会的成员见面。
i will, john.
我会的,john。
and again–thanks.
再次谢谢你。
no … thank you.
不……谢谢你。
and thank susan.
还要谢谢 susan。
he’s quite a man.
他是个了不起的人。
a real inspiration for me.
他给我很大的启发。
ok, danny.
好啦,danny。
i know you didn’t expect to have me around,
我知道你没有预料到我出现在你身边,
but i think i can be of some help to you.
但我觉得我可以对你有所帮助。
let me tell you something, malcolm.
我跟你说,malcolm。
with your background and experience,
依你的背景和经验,
i can learn something
我能学到一些东西。
… and i do need some advice on a difficult problem. ……
我的确有一个难题想请教你。
let me show you this.
我给你看看这个。
i don’t want to give you a final opinion
我不想给你最终的意见
without studying these building plans more carefully.
在没有仔细研究这些建筑图的情况下。
but a simple solution might be
但是一个简单的解决方法可能是
to move the air-conditioning units
移动这些空调设备
instead of redesigning the entire system.
而不必重新设计整个系统。
it might be simpler and less expensive .
这样可能比较简单而且省钱。
you just earned your weight in gold, malcolm.
你可帮了我大忙,malcolm。
welcome aboard!
欢迎加入我们的行列!
it all happened so quickly!
这一切发生得太快了!
i can’t believe it!
我简直不敢相信!
i’m glad mr. marchetta was so helpful.
我真高兴 marchetta先生如此帮忙。
he was more than helpful.
他不仅仅是帮忙。
he actually took me to meet his foreman.
事实上他带着我去见他的工头。
i’m thrilled for you, grandpa.
我真为你兴奋,爷爷。
i don’t know how to thank you, susan.
我不知道如何感谢你,susan。
you’re a wonderful granddaughter.
你真是个好孙女。
it’s good to see you so happy.
能看见你如此高兴,我太快乐了。
i’ll be at the construction site tomorrow.
明天我要去工地。
what are you doing tomorrow night?
明天晚上做什么?
i’m not doing anything.
我没有要做什么。
why?
怎样?
how about a date with your grandfather?
和你爷爷约会好吗?
i owe you a good steak dinner.
我欠你一顿牛排晚餐。
i’ll accept.
我接受邀请。
tomorrow night.
明天晚上。
you and me. dinner.
你和我。吃晚饭。
what time?
什么时候?
i’ll pick you up here at seven .
我七点钟到这儿来接你。
is that ok?
可以吗?
i can’t wait!
我盼望着那个时候!
and you can tell me
到时候你就可以告诉我`
all about your first full day back on the job.
关于你重回工作第一天的全部事情了。
it’s a deal!
就这么约定!