【走遍美国精讲笔记】第1课：林登大街46号 ACT 1 - 3

ACT 1-3 “ 你想来点咖啡吗？”

【故事梗概】

在交谈中，Alexandra 表示希望了解一下Richard 的书。于是Richard向她展示了自己为这本书拍的一些照片。同时，Richard也向她展示了自己家人的照片。

Richard: Your English is very good.
Alexandra: Thanks. I studied English in school.
Richard: Would you like some coffee?
Alexandra: No, thank you. Tell me about your book.
Richard: Oh, it's not finished yet, but I have some of the pictures. Would you like to see them?
Alexandra: Yes, I'd like that.
Richard: Here they are. Family Album, U.S.A.. It's an album of pictures of the United States: the cities, the special places, and the people. And these are pictures of people working: steel workers, bankers, police, street vendors, ambulance drivers, doctors...Oh, this is my father. He's a doctor. This is my mother.
Alexandra: What's her name?
Richard: Ellen. My younger brother, Robbie. He goes to high school. This is my sister Susan. She works for a toy company. Here's my grandfather. He lives in Florida. And this is my wife Marilyn.
Alexandra: Oh, she's very pretty.
Richard: Thanks.

【语言点精讲】

1. Would you like some coffee?

Would you like...相当于“你想要...吗？”，在客气地请对方做某事或请客时用。
如本文中，Richard问Alexandra“想来一点咖啡吗”，他说 "Would you like some coffee?"
在谈到自己的书Family Album, U.S.A.时，他问对方“想要看一看吗”，"Would you like to see them?"
如果我们不想接受，就说"No, thank you."
如果愿意接受，则说"Yes. I'd like that." 或者"Yes. Please."

2. Here they are.

把东西给别人看时用。单数时用 Here it is.

3. Thanks.

在本情境中出现的两次"Thanks"都是对于别人赞美的回应。
称赞对方，或对方的家人，是美国人很重要的一种社交习惯，被人称赞时，要表示乐于接受并愉快地感谢，不要急于否认或自贬，也不要表现得扭捏不安。所以无论是人家说你的英语好--"Your English is very good."，还是称赞你的夫人很漂亮--"Oh, she's very pretty."，都不必不好意思，只要说声 "Thank you" 就可以了。