envelope 信封,torrential 傾瀉的,dispatch 派遣
【笑話(huà)原文】
Not in An Envelope
Torrential rainstorms were knocking down power lines all over town. I had to dispatch repairmen right and left. When I called a customer to get her address, she replied, “I’m at Post Office Box 246.” I said, “Ma’am, we’ll be coming to you in a truck, not an envelope.”
【中文譯文】
不是裝在信封里
傾盆大雨造成全城多處停電。我只好調(diào)度修理人員東奔西跑。我打電話(huà)問(wèn)一個(gè)顧客的地址。她回答說(shuō):“我在郵政信箱246號(hào)。”我說(shuō):“夫人,我們是開(kāi)著卡車(chē)去,不是裝在信封里去。”
【詞匯講解】
1. envelope 信封。Address an envelope and put the letter in it. 把地址寫(xiě)在信封上, 把信裝進(jìn)信封里。
2. torrential 傾瀉的。 That summer a torrential rain poured down for two days and nights. 那年夏天,一場(chǎng)暴雨下了兩天兩夜。
3. knock down 擊倒。也可以指“拆卸”:Why are they knocking down the wall? 他們?yōu)槭裁丛诓饓?
4. dispatch 派遣。也可以指“匆匆吃完”:We soon dispatched the chocolate cake. 我們很快就吃完了巧克力蛋糕。
5. ma’am 太太,夫人/主婦/喜歡差使人的女子
6. truck 卡車(chē)。也可以作動(dòng)詞,指“用卡車(chē)裝運(yùn)”。