【走遍美国精讲笔记】第3课：祖父的行李箱 ACT 3 - 3

ACT 3-3 “这是我们家的家谱”

【故事梗概】

祖父感到累了，他想要休息了。Ellen和Philip陪他去了他的房间。祖父打开了自己寄来的大行李箱，并拿出了自己制作的家谱送给了自己的儿子和儿媳。出差的Susan赶了回来，她冲进了祖父的房间。

Grandpa: I'd better unpack. I started traveling twenty-four hours ago. I'm not so young anymore.
Ellen: Don't you want something to eat?
Grandpa: No, thanks. After a good night's sleep, I'll enjoy breakfast even more.
Philip: Well, come on, Dad. Ellen and I'll take you to your room.
Robbie: I'm sure glad you're here, Grandpa.
Richard: Good night, Grandpa.
Marilyn: Pleasant dreams.
Grandpa: Philip, do you have the key to the trunk?
Philip: I have the key, but it doesn't work.
Grandpa: I sent the wrong key. I have something for you. I made it myself. I think you'll enjoy it. I researched it for over a year. It's our family tree.
Ellen: Oh, Grandpa! How exciting!
Philip: Fabulous! Why, I didn't know that your grandfather was born in Germany.
Grandpa: Lots of interesting information about our family. A gift from me.
Ellen: Thank you so much.
Susan: Grandpa! Grandpa! Oh, Grandpa, I'm so happy to see you!
Grandpa: Oh, you look so beautiful, Susan. My granddaughter. Like I always said, you look just like Grandma.
Philip: I think you're going to be very happy here with us.
Ellen: I know you will.
Grandpa: I don't feel alone anymore.

【语言点精讲】

1. I'd better unpack.
I'd better do sth. 我最好做某事
unpack: 打开（行李等），是反义前缀un加上动词 pack 构成的。

2. Pleasant dreams.
做个好梦，在别人准备就寝前的道别语。亦说 "Sweet dreams."

3. I have the key, but it doesn't work.
钥匙在我这儿，但它打不开。
work的意思是“起作用，行得通，有效”，是不及物动词，不带宾语。

4. It's our family tree.
family tree: 家谱，家族的历史。
美国人现在流行写“家谱”，甚至有专门的公司帮助寻找家谱。

5. Fabulous!
太好了。这是口语用法。
美语中说某物很好，有不少夸张性的说法，如：wonderful，marvelous，fantastic，terrific以及这里出现的 fabulous等。其中除了 wonderful外，都不宜用于正式场合，因为不免有些孩子气。另外，注意terrible是很糟糕的意思，请不要与terrific混淆。

6. Why, I didn't know that your grandfather was born in Germany.
Why: 你看。 这里的why 不是疑问词，而是用在句首表示惊讶的情绪。

7. Like I always said, you look just like Grandma.
我一直这么说，你长得像奶奶。
Like I always said: 就像我一直说的那样。这是一种比较口语的说法，在书面的较正式的语言中，通常不用like而用连词as。