Last week at a dinner-party, the hostess asked meto sit next to Mrs Rumbold. Mrs Rumbold was alarge,unsmiling lady in a tight black dress. She didnot even look up when I took my seat beside her.Her eyes were fixed on her plate and in a short time,she was busy eating. I tried to make conversation.'A new playis coming to" The Globe" soon,' I said. "Will you be seeing it ?" 'No,'she answered. 'Willyoube spendingyour holidays abroad this year?' Iasked. 'No,' she answered. 'Will you be staying inEngland?' I asked. 'No,' she answered. In despair, I asked her whether she wasenjoying her dinner. 'Young man,' she answered, 'if you ate more and talked less, wewould both enjoy your dinner!'
精講筆記:
10. 'Will you be staying in England ?'I asked.
“您就待在英國嗎?”我問。
語言點 參考上面第8句的分析。
11. 'No,' she answered.
“不,”她回答。
語言點 參考上面第7句的分析。
12. In despair, I asked her whether she was enjoying her dinner.
失望之中我問她飯吃得是否滿意。
語言點 whether在此引出間接引語,作“是否”講。
13. 'Young man,'she answered,‘if you ate more and talked less,we would both enjoyour dinner
!’
“年輕人”她回答道,“假如你多吃點,少說點,我們兩個都會吃得好的。”
語言點 這是一個標準的對當時情況進行假設的虛擬語氣。
再例:If you helped me, I would be grateful.
如果你幫助我,我會感激你的。