美語情景對話 第434期:The Gift 生日禮物
Todd: So, Ruthie, what did you do today?
託德：魯斯，你今天做什麼了？Ruth: Well, I got up quite early this morning, actually, to go shopping.
魯斯：我今天早上起得很早，然後去購物了。Todd: Oh, yeah! (Yeah) Ooh, shopping.
託德：哦，是嗎？（是啊）哦，購物！
Ruth: I really like shopping.
魯斯：我特別喜歡購物。Todd: That's true but you're on a budget. You're trying to save money.
託德：這是沒錯，可是你不是在節省開支嘛。你在存錢啊。Ruth: I know, but is was my brother's birthday. Well, it is my brother's birthday in a week so.
魯斯：我知道，可是我哥哥的生日快到了。我哥哥一週後過生日。Todd: Oh, no kidding.
託德：哦，不是開玩笑吧。Ruth: Yeah.
魯斯：沒有。Todd: So, what did you get your brother for his birthday?
託德：那你爲你哥哥買什麼生日禮物了？Ruth: Well, it was quite difficult to find something that I thought he would like, but I got him some cakes in the end, some Japanese cakes.
魯斯：我認爲很難找到他會喜歡的禮物，不過我最後給他買了蛋糕，一些日式蛋糕。Todd: Japanese cakes?
託德：日式蛋糕？Ruth: Yeah, they're in like a special presentation box.
魯斯：對，蛋糕裝在特別的包裝盒裏。Todd: So, how are you going to get the cakes to your brother? Just through the post office?
託德：那你怎麼把蛋糕給你哥哥呢？去郵局寄給他嗎？Ruth: Yes, I sent them in the post this morning.
魯斯：對啊，我今天早上寄給他了。Todd: Oh, did you send them express or just regular mail?
託德：哦，你寄的是快遞還是平郵？Ruth: No, regular mail because it was cheaper.
魯斯：平郵，因爲便宜。Todd: But, don't you want it to hurry and get there for his birthday?
託德：可是你不想縮短時間，趕在他生日的時候寄到嗎？Ruth: I've got one week. I think it will get there in time.
魯斯：我有一週的時間。我想蛋糕會及時寄到的。Todd: So, what do you think your brother will think of the cakes?
託德：那你覺得你哥哥會怎麼看那些蛋糕？Ruth: I don't think he'll like them actually.
魯斯：我想他不喜歡。Todd: No?
託德：爲什麼？Ruth: Well, he likes chocolate cake, and they look like they've got kind of chocolate inside but it's bean paste. I think he'll be disappointed.
魯斯：因爲他喜歡巧克力蛋糕，那些蛋糕看上去好像裏面有巧克力，可是實際上那是豆沙。我想他會失望的。Todd: So what did your brother get you for your last birthday?
託德：那之前你過生日的時候你哥哥送你什麼了？Ruth: That's a good question. He always gives me money, and he often gives me chocolate as well. He's very generous.
魯斯：這是個好問題。他一般都給我錢，還有巧克力。他非常大方。Todd: Actually, I'm the same way. Guys like to give money. Money is so easy. No shopping involved.
託德：實際上我也是這樣的。男生都喜歡送錢當禮物。給錢很簡單嘛，也不用去購物。Ruth: It's practical, though, it's good.
魯斯：雖然很實際，不過挺好的。Todd: Now, I've been told that when you give money for a gift, it's actually very impolite.
託德：可是有人跟我說給錢當禮物其實非常不禮貌。Ruth: Really?
魯斯：真的嗎？Todd: Is that true? Yeah!
託德：真的嗎？是啊！Ruth: Why is that?
魯斯：爲什麼呢？Todd: I don't know. Some people say it's just really impersonal. That you should take the time to get a gift.
託德：我也不知道。有些人說那種做法很不禮貌。你應該花時間去買個禮物。Ruth: Really! I really think if anybody gave me money I would be so pleased. It's a good present.
魯斯：真的嗎？可是我認爲如果有人給我錢當作禮物我會很高興的。那是個很好的禮物。Todd: Exactly, that's what I think. (Pause) Hey, um, actually, when are you going to see your brother next?
託德：沒錯，我也是那麼想的。（停頓了一下）嘿，你下次什麼時候見你哥哥？Ruth: Probably, I will see him in August of September.
魯斯：大概八九月的時候吧。Todd: Oh, that's quite a way away.
託德：哦，那還好長時間呢。Ruth: Yes, about four months is that.
魯斯：是啊，大概還有四個月。Todd: So is this a younger brother or older brother?
託德：你說的是你弟弟還是哥哥？Ruth: He's older. He's twenty-six.
魯斯：是哥哥，他今年26歲了。Todd: Oh, he's twenty six.
託德：哦，他26歲了。Ruth: He's going to be twenty-six soon.
魯斯：他馬上就要26歲了。Todd: Ok, well, if you happen to e-mail him, tell him happy birthday.
託德：好的，如果你給他發電子郵件的話，替我跟他說一聲祝他生日快樂。Ruth: Oh, certainly will do. Thanks.
魯斯：哦，我當然會的。謝謝你。
譯文屬僅供學習交流使用，未經許可請勿轉載
重點講解：
1. in the end
最後；終於；
eg. As usual, the cops get the baddies in the end.
跟平常一樣，警察最後把壞人都抓起來了。
eg. Things worked out well for Jeanne in the end.
對珍妮來說事情的最終結果不錯。
2. in time
及時；
eg. Firemen reached the house on fire in time.
消防隊員及時趕到那幢失火的房子。
eg. Disregarding all the difficulties, we arrived here in time.
儘管有那麼多困難，我們仍然及時地到達了這兒。
3. quite a way
很遠；很長時間；
eg. Some of them live in places quite a long way from here.
他們中有些人住的地方離這裏很遠。
eg. She had pedaled quite a way ahead of me when she looked back over her shoulder.
她在我的前面騎了好大一截，還笑着回頭看我。
4. happen to do sth.
碰巧；湊巧；
eg. We happen to hold the same view.
我們兩人的想法不謀而合。
eg. And, they happen to face natural disasters this year.
同時，他們碰巧在今年遇到了自然災害。
