生活英语对话 Episode 26: Planning a menu

本单元是关于计划菜谱的对话

Michal: Alice was only helping¹ me!
Helen: I'm sorry Michal, I didn't mean to fly off the handle. What's wrong?
Michal: I was just telling Alice I wanted to eat better but that I didn't know how to cook any of my favourite dishes.
Helen: Mm, let's think about this. I know! Chinese New Year is coming up soon. Why don't we make a special Polish-Chinese dinner together! We'll both do research, find typical recipes, buy all the ingredients²?
Michal: And cook a meal together! You do the main course, and I'll make the pudding!
Helen: Sounds like a perfect second date, don't you think?

Vocabulary :

to fly off the handle (v, informal): to be very angry 发脾气

a pudding (n): a dessert or a sweet 布丁（西餐中的一种甜点心）

本单元的语言点是间接引语，间接引语是当我们告诉别人我们或他人说过什么的时候，我们可以用直接引语或间接引语来表述。

Reported speech 间接引语

When we want to tell someone else what we or someone else has said we can use either direct or reported (or indirect³ speech). 当我们告诉别人我们或他人说过什么的时候，我们可以用直接引语或间接引语来表述。

In Episode⁴ 25 Michal said to Alice "I don't know how to cook" using direct speech.

But in today's episode he said to Helen "I was just telling Alice I didn't know how to cook" using reported speech.


The reporting verb 引语动词

In reported speech, the first verb is usually in the past tense (在间接叙述中，第一个动词通常是过去时)for example:
He said that he was trying to give up fast food.
He told Alice he missed his mum's cooking.
He explained to Helen that he wanted to eat better.

However, if the reporting verb is in the present tense, it isn't changed in reported speech 然而，如果引语动词是现在时，那么它在间接引语中不会改变） .
Michal says "I want to make pudding."
He says he wants to make pudding.


Modal verbs 情态动词

Some model verbs change in reported speech （有些情态动词在间接引语中要发生变化）:

Direct speech Reported Speech
can could
will would
must had to


While some others don't （有些则不发生变化）:

Direct speech Reported speech
would would
should should
could could
must must
might might


That

You can leave out that in reported speech:
Michal said that he was trying to give up fast food.
Michal said he was trying to give up fast food.

He told Alice that he missed his mum's cooking.
He told Alice missed his mum's cooking


Pronouns⁵

Pronouns can change in reported speech depending on who the reported speech is directed to (直接引语变为间接引语时，须在代词人称方面作一些必要的调整)。 For example:
Michal said "I want to give up fast food" changes to:
"He said he wanted to give up fast food" when Alice is telling Helen what Michal said.

Alice (talking to Michal) said "I'll make you a cup of tea" changes to:
"She said she would make me a cup of tea" when Michal tells Helen what Alice said.

But pronouns don't always change (但代词人称不一定总是会变)。 For example:
Tim said "We're going to the pub⁶ later" talking to Michal (about Michal, Alice and Helen), changes to:
"He said we were going to the pub later" when Michal tells Helen what Tim said.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 ingredients   

n.（混合物的）组成部分( ingredient的名词复数 )；（烹调的）原料；（构成）要素；因素

参考例句：

• All ingredients are readily available from your local store. 所有的原料都可以方便地从你当地的商店买到。
• We never use second quality ingredients to build building. 我们决不使用次等材料用于建筑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 indirect   

adj.间接的，转弯抹角的，非直接的

参考例句：

• What he said was very indirect.他的话很婉转。
• He gave only an indirect answer.他只作了间接的回答。

4 episode   

n.（作品的一段）情节，插曲，系列事件中之一

参考例句：

• The episode was a huge embarrassment for all concerned.这段小插曲令所有有关人员都感到非常尴尬。
• This episode remains sharply engraved on my mind.这段经历至今仍深深地铭刻在我的心中。

5 pronouns   

n.代词( pronoun的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Relative pronouns and adverbs introduce attributive clauses. 关系代词和关系副词引导定语从句。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• "I", "you"and "he" are all personal pronouns. I，you和he都是人称代词。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 pub   

n.[英]旅馆，小店，酒馆

参考例句：

• He is the landlord of this pub.他是这家酒店的店主。
• They saw that four large men marched into the pub.他们看到四个彪形大汉走进了酒吧。