口語步步高（二十）

張新峰供稿

功能口語

創造發明促進了社會的進步與發展。了解科學發明也許會對你的生活有所幫助。本期我們就一起來談談 the history of inventions吧。

一、常用表達

1. —I think the TV was invented before the car.

我認為在汽車之前就發明了電視。

—Well, I think the TV was invented after the car.

哦，我認為電視是在汽車之后發明的。

2. —Can you help me think of an invention?

你能幫我想一個發明出來嗎？

—My pleasure.

非常愿意!

3. —When was the telephone invented?

電話是什么時候發明的?

—It was invented in 1876.

1876年。

4. —By whom was the zipper invented?

是誰發明了拉鏈?

—Whitcomb Judson.

惠特科姆·賈德森。

5. —When was the TV invented?

電視是什么時候發明的?

—In 1927. 1927年。

6. Tea was invented by accident.

茶的發明純屬偶然。

7. —When did people first drink tea?

人類第一次飲茶是什么時候?

—Nearly 5,000 years ago. 近5000年前。

8. Do you know how potato chips were invented?

你知道薯條是如何發明的嗎？

9. Do you know when basketball was invented?

你知道籃球是什么時候發明的嗎？

二、對話演練

從方框內選出合適的選項補全對話。

A. so he cut the potatoes really, really thin.

B. I guess it was back in 1853.

C. Really? What do you mean?

D. And the customer loved them and asked for more.

E. that one day, a customer came into the restaurant where George worked.

A: Hi, did you know that potato chips were invented by mistake?

B: _ 1_

A: Well, here on the bag it says that they were invented by a cook called George Crum.

B: When was that?

A:__2_

B: So, why was it an accident?

A: I remember,____3_____He ordered a plate of fried potatoes. When the potatoes came, he said they were cut too thick and sent them back to the kitchen.

B: So what’s up?

A: Oh, George was angry,___4____ And he cooked them for a long time until they were crispy. And he put lots of salt on them so they were really salty. He thought the customer would hate them.

B: And?

A: ___5_____He told the other customers about them, and soon everyone was ordering thinly cut, crispy, salty potato chips.

B: And we’re still eating them today.What a cool story!

口語一點通

1 Are you sure? 你確定嗎？

我們對于某人所敘述的事情半信半疑時，便使用本句來質疑對方。本句與Are you certain?意思相同。

Q: Did you know Carl is almost fifty? 你知道卡爾將近五十歲了嗎？

A: Are you sure? He doesn’t look that old. 你確定嗎？他看起來并沒有那么老。

Q: He told me so himself. 他親口告訴我的。

【常用口語】

Are you positive? 你肯定嗎？

Really? 真的嗎？

【特別提醒】

上述對話中，“He doesn’t look that old.”句中的that作副詞用，相當于so，表“那么；如此的”的意思。另外，注意以下例句所表達的含義。例如：

He looks young/old for his age. = He looks younger/older than he really is. 他看起來比實際年齡年輕/老。

2That reminds me.那倒提醒了我。

某人不經意地提及某事，勾起我們對某件事或某個人的回憶，或聯想起要做某件事情，這時我們可使用本句。

Q: Do you know where Helen is? 你知道海倫在哪兒嗎？

A: She’s gone to a flower shop. Today is her husband’s birthday. 她去了花店。今天是她先生的生日。

Q: That reminds me. My mother’s birthday is tomorrow. 那倒提醒了我。明天是我母親的生日。

【常用口語】

Speaking of that,...談到某事，……

【特別提醒】

首先應注意與動詞remind有關的常用句型：“remind+人+of+事”，表“使某人想起某事”。例如：That picture reminds me of my childhood. 那幅畫勾起我兒時的回憶。

此外，“speaking of...”詞組常置于句首，表“談到……”，其后主要接名詞。例如：

Speaking of music, which do you like? 談到音樂，你喜歡什么類型的？

3Wait a minute. 等會；且慢。

某人提議進行某事，但我們覺得那件事情恐有不周、欠考慮之處，便可使用本句，要求對方暫停計劃，待思慮清楚澄清疑問后再做。本句與“Wait a second.”和“Wait a moment.”具有相同的意思。

Q: Let’s go to that new disco pub tonight.咱們今晚去那家新開的迪斯科舞廳吧。

A: It’s a great idea, David! 好主意，大衛！

B: Wait a minute, guys. That place is really expensive. 且慢，各位。那地方消費很貴的。

【常用口語】

Hold on. 稍后。

Just a minute. 等會。= Just a second.

【特別提醒】

上列類似用語中，“Hold on.”亦常作為電話用語，例如：

A: This is Peter. May I talk to John? 我是彼特。可以請約翰聽電話嗎？

B: Hold on, please. 請稍候。

4I’m out of luck. 我運氣不佳。

我們走霉運的時候，總會覺得厄運連連，事情不管怎么做都不順遂，此刻便可使用本句。與本句意思相反的表達為：I’m in luck. 我走運。

Q: Bob, can you give me a ride to the train station? 鮑勃，能載我一程送我到火車站嗎？

A: Sorry, I can’t. I have a date. 抱歉，沒辦法。我有約會。

Q: Ted, how about you? 泰德，那你呢？A: I have to pick up my wife. 我得去接我太太。

Q: Looks like I’m out of luck tonight. I guess I’ll just have to take a taxi.

似乎我今晚運氣不佳。我想我只能搭出租車了。

【常用口語】

What a bad luck! 真倒霉！