零距離美語會話[娛樂]Lesson 1:Let's take a vacation

Unit 4 Entertainment
One Let’s take a vacation!
我們去度假吧!

1 Introduction
A Americans are very mobile, and travel is very popular for many people. In America, when people take a vacation, they often drive a car. Some families travel far within their home state once a year during vacations. Some would even go abroad for a change if they have time.
美國人流動性很強，許多人都非常喜歡旅遊。在美國，人們度假時，通常是開車。一些家庭度假時，一年去一次國內很遠的地方旅行。有些有時間還出國旅遊。
B Instead of Chinese summer vacation and winter vacation, Americans have two or three weeks off from work specifically for vacations. They may choose to take three one-week vacations depending on the workplace.
取而代之中國的寒暑假，美國人的工作假期也有兩、三個星期。根據工作場所的不同，他們可能可以選擇去度三次一個星期的假。
C American children have the entire summer months, June, July and August, for vacation from school. They also have Christmas to New Year’s, Easter and Thanksgiving holidays.
美國小孩擁有整個夏天的假期，六月、七月至八月，都不用上學。他們還有聖誕節至元旦，復活節和感恩節假日。
D American vacations are usually longer than four days. Otherwise, they are considered weekend getaways.
美國的假期一般長於四日。否則就被認爲是週末去休閒。

2 Sample Sentences
1. I’d like to buy a timetable.
我想買一張列車時刻表。
2. I want an upper berth / a middle berth / a lower berth in the sleeping car.
我想要臥鋪車廂中的上鋪/中鋪/下鋪。
3. I’d like to leave / register my luggage, please.
我想寄存/託運我的行李。
4. Is this the platform for the train to Shanghai?
去上海是在這個站臺上車嗎？
5. How long does the slow train / fast train / express train take to get there?
慢車/快車/特快車要多久纔到？
6. I’d like to take a short cruise / take a tour of the harbor.
我想短途坐船遊覽/坐船遊覽一下港灣。
7. Can I hire a rowing boat? There’re two of us. I’d like it for one hour. What’s the charge per hour?
我能租個划艇嗎？我們有兩個人。我想租一個小時。每小時多少錢？
8. Can you recommend a sightseeing tour / a sightseeing package?
你能推薦一條旅遊路線嗎？
9. I’d like to hire an English-speaking private guide for half a day.
我想請一位私人英語導遊工作半天。
10. Is there a reduction for children / the disabled / groups / pensioners / students?
兒童/殘廢人/團體/退休的/學生買票減價嗎？
11. What’s the rate for excess baggage?
超重行李怎麼計價？
12. I’d like a single (one-way) / return (round trip) ticket to Los Angeles.
我想要一張單程/往返票去洛杉磯。
13. The bus to Boston leaves on the half-hour.
去波士頓的汽車在半小時的時刻開。
14. I usually stay home on my day off.
我放假通常呆在家裏。
15. I wish I could start my summer vacation early.
我希望暑假能早點開始。

3 Conversations
1. I need this vacation.
At a research laboratory in Southern California.
Robert: Anita, I've been here only three days and you're leaving already.
Anita: Just for a few weeks. I need this vacation. You'll be all right. You know the project we're working on, and you're a good scientist. Don't worry. I'll be back as soon as I spend or gamble all my money.
Robert: Gambling? Where?
Anita: Las Vegas. I find gambling relaxing. I don't take it seriously, the way some people do. Besides, I love the shows and the all-night atmosphere of the town. The casinos1 never close, you know.
Robert: (Laughing) If you gamble all night, you'll run out of money in a few days.
(The director of the laboratory walks in.)
Anita: Good afternoon, Dr. Green. I just finished showing Robert the ropes around here.
Green: That's good. He'll be able to keep the project going in your absence. Where are you going on your vacation?
Anita: I'm going to Nevada to relax. The desert is a good place to get away from the stress of work.
Green: Enjoy yourself. We'll see you when you get back.
【譯文】
——阿尼塔，我纔到這裏三天，而你就要走了。
——只是幾個星期。我需要這段假期。你會沒事的。你瞭解我們在做的這個項目，而且你是個好科學家。不要擔心。我一花完或者賭完所有的錢，就回來。
——賭博？在哪裏？
——拉斯維加斯。我發現賭博很能讓人放鬆。我不像其他人那樣認真。而且，我很喜歡鎮上的表演以及整個晚上的氣氛。賭場從不關門的，你知道嗎？
——（笑）如果你整晚都賭博，你幾天內就會把錢用光的。（實驗室的主任走了進來。）
——格林博士，下午好。我剛帶羅伯特看完這兒的繩索。
——那太好了。在你走後，他將能繼續進行這個項目。你打算去哪裏度假？
——我打算去內華達休息一下。沙漠是一個解除工作壓力的好地方。
——好好享受。你回來後我們再見面。

2. Ted and Laura are in a loud disco.
Ted: Hi, my name is Ted, what's yours?
Laura: What?
Ted: I said, I'm Ted, who are you?
Laura: Huh? Oh, my name is Laura.
Ted: Do you come here often, Laura?
Laura: Huh? I can't hear you; the music's too loud.
Ted: Let's go outside and talk. So Laura, do you come here often?
Laura: Hold on, my ears are still ringing from the music… what was it you asked me?
Ted: I asked if you come here often.
Laura: Sometimes, usually once every few weeks. Do you?
Ted: No, this is my first time here.
Laura: I usually come with a group of friends. We dance a little, have a few drinks, and just have a good time.
Ted: Yeah, that's why I'm here. My friends dragged2 me here, because they think I spend too much time studying.
Laura: That's good. It's good to hit3 the books, but you need to get out once in a while.
Ted: I guess so. But the music is too loud. I don't mind getting out and meeting people, but next time I'll do it in a park.
【譯文】
——嗨，我是特德，你叫什麼名字？
——什麼？
——我說我是特德，你是誰？
——嗯？喔，我叫勞拉。
——你常來這兒嗎，勞拉？
——嗯？我聽不見你說話，音樂聲太大了。
——我們去外面談吧。那麼，勞拉，你常來這兒嗎？
——等一下，我的耳朵中還是音樂聲……你剛纔問我什麼？
——我問你是否常來這兒。
——有時，通常每隔幾週一次。你呢？
——不，這是我第一次來這裏。
——我通常和一羣朋友一塊兒來。我們跳一會兒舞，喝點飲料，玩得非常開心。
——是啊，那就是爲什麼我在這兒。我的朋友們把我拖拉到這兒，因爲他們認爲我在學習上花的時間太多了。
——那很好。喜歡看書很好，但你也要偶爾出去玩玩。
——我也是這樣想。但這音樂太吵了。我不介意出來見人，但下次我會去公園。

3. Anna is Lucy’s American friend. They’re talking about traveling.
Luke: Hi, Anna. I haven’t seen you for ages. Where have you been?
Anna: I’ve been away on holidays for sometime.
Luke: No wonder I haven’t seen you recently. Where did you spend your holidays?
Anna: I went with my husband. Our first stop was Bangkok4. We stayed there for 5 days. Then we flew to Hong Kong, stopover for 3 days. Our last stop was China. We visited the Great Wall.
Luke: You must have a wonderful time.
Anna: Yes. We enjoyed ourselves very much. Have you traveled much, Luke?
Luke: No, my wife doesn’t like traveling. We haven’t been traveling for more than ten years. The first time we traveled together was in 1978 when we just got married. We spent our honeymoon in the Alps.
Anna: Oh, I see. Yeah. Some people like traveling, some don’t. My husband didn’t like traveling at first, either. He said ‘what’s the use of traveling? A waste of money and a waste of time.’ At last I got him on the move5. After all, he loved me. We went to Bali, Indonesia6, one of the most beautiful places in the world. That trip left a very deep impression on him. Since then whenever we have holidays and money, we’d like to patronize7 the travel agency. Isn’t it a bit dull to shut yourself at one place all your life?
Luke: I know that. But at present we just can’t arrange time for traveling. The kids are still young. The eldest one is in middle school, the second one is in primary school and the youngest one is still in kindergarten. Besides, my wife is very busy with her doctorate8.
Anna: Life must be a bit hard for you at present. But don’t worry. You’ll certainly be better off9 when the kids are grown up. Then you’ll have more time to travel, and your wife will change her mind, too.
Luke: I hope so.

【譯文】
——安娜，你好。我很久沒有見到你了。你去哪裏了？
——我度假離開了一段時間。
——難怪我最近都沒有見到你。你去哪裏度假了？
——我和我丈夫一起去的。第一站是曼谷。我們在那裏呆了五天。然後我們飛到了香港，中途停留了三天。最後一站是中國。我們參觀了長城。
——你一定玩得很開心。
——是啊。我們都玩得很盡興。盧克，你有沒有去旅遊？
——沒有，我妻子不喜歡旅遊。我們已經有十年多沒有旅遊過了。第一次是在1978年我們剛結婚時一起去旅遊過。我們在阿爾卑斯山度過了我們的蜜月。
——哦，我明白了。是啊。一些人喜歡旅遊，一些人不喜歡。我的丈夫開始也不喜歡旅遊。他說‘旅遊有什麼好？浪費錢又浪費時間。’最後我使他也行動起來。畢竟他是愛我的。我們去了印度尼西亞的巴里島，世界上最漂亮的地方之一。那次旅行使他留下了深刻的印象。從那以後，每當我們有假日和錢，我們就喜歡惠顧旅行社。一生把自己關在一個地方不是有點乏味嗎？
——這些我知道。但是目前我們就是沒有時間來旅遊。小孩還小。老大在讀中學，老二在讀小學，最小的還在幼兒園。除此之外，我妻子在忙於她的博士學位。
——現在你的生活肯定難一點。但是不要着急。孩子們長大了，當然你的境況也會好一點。然後你就會比較有時間去旅行，而且你妻子也會改變她的想法。
——我希望如此。

4. Taking a vacation.
George: Lili, let’s take a vacation!
Lili: George, how can we? Vacations cost money. And this month we don’t have much money left after paying the rent.
George: Well, Lili, we can visit different places in the state in our van10. We are not going to take a plane or stay at a hotel this time. Trust me, it won’t cost much.
Lili: Where will we sleep, then?
George: In the van.
Lili: What about other expenses?
George: Let’s see. Gas, food, recreation11, we won’t spend much. Come on. Don’t hesitate. We need to get out of the house once in a while. We have been working hard, haven’t we?
Lili: Maybe you’re right. When do you plan to go?
George: The sooner the better! I can’t wait!
Lili: Oh, I don’t know where we’re going yet.
George: As long as we’re going, you can decide where to go. I trust your judgments12. I know you miss Chinese food, so we can eat at a Chinese restaurant this time.
Lili: Let’s go to Chicago. We can have lunch in Chinatown. Then we can go to a ball game at Wrigley Field!
George: You have such good ideas!

【譯文】
——莉莉，我們去度假吧!
——喬治，我們怎麼去得了？度假要花錢。而這個月我們付清房租後就所剩無幾了。
——莉莉，我們可以開微型車在州內逗留不同的地方。這次我們不會坐飛機，也不會住酒店。相信我，不會花多少錢的。
——那麼，我們睡哪？
——睡車內。
——其它費用怎麼辦?
——我們算算。汽油、食品、娛樂，……我們不會花很多錢。別猶豫了。我們需要偶爾出去一次。我們工作這麼努力，不是嗎？
——也許你說得對。你計劃什麼時候去？
——越快越好！我等不及了！
——噢，我還不知道我們去哪裏呢。
——只要我們去，你就可以決定我們去哪。 我相信你的判斷力。我知道你想吃中國菜，所以這次我們可以去一箇中國飯店吃飯。
——我們去芝加哥吧。我們可以去唐人街吃午飯。然後我們可以去瑞格蕾球場看一場球賽。
——你的主意真好！

4 Words and Expressions
1. casino (有跳舞、音樂等娛樂的) 賭場
2. drag 拉,拖;拖着(腳等)行進
3. hit 打,打擊;擊中
4. Bangkok 曼谷(泰國首都)
5. on the move 在活動中;在進行中
6. Indonesia 印度尼西亞
7. patronize 資助,光顧,惠顧
8. doctorate 博士頭銜,博士學位
9. better off 景況較佳;更有餘裕
10. van 有蓋小貨車;箱形客貨兩用車
11. recreation 消遣;娛樂,遊戲
12. judgment 審判;判斷力,辨別力