欢乐美语:Moving In 近邻胜远亲

　　INTRODUCTION¹ TO ACT I
Today on TUNING² IN THE U.S.A., We are in Riverdale, where Michael and Eva Buchman have just bought the house next door to the Stewarts’. They have rented a small truck to move their furniture. As they start to carry in a large couch³, Richard Stewart arrives. He introduces himself and offers to help them move their furniture. Later, Richard’s wife Marilyn appears with a gift to welcome the new neighbors.
Act I
Michael: Ready, Eva? One, two, three, lift.
Eva: Michael, let me catch my breath⁴. This couch is very heavy.
Michael: Ok. Take your time. I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Why didn’t we hire⁵ a moving company to do this work for us?
Eva: We can do it by ourselves. We’ll just have to take it slowly.
Mi: Ready, now?
Eva: Ready! One, two, three…
Richard: Hi, there!
Michael and Eva: Hello.
Richard: I’m Richard Stewart. I live right there. Next door, at my parents house.
Michael: Nice to meet you. I’m Michael Buchman, and this is my wife Eva.
Richard: How do you do, Eva? Are you the new owners?
Eva: Yes. This is our first house. We’re very excited.
Richard: I saw you trying to lift that couch. I came to offer my help.
Michael: That’s very kind of you.
Richard: It’s nothing. Should I take this end?
Michael: That’s great! Thanks, Richard. I’m ready when you are. One, two, three. [Michael, with Richard’s help, lifts the couch.] Eva, go open the front door.
Richard: It’s heavy. I hope this is the only couch you have.
Eva: Oh, it is.
Michael: We made it! Let’s set it down right here.
Richard: It looks mice in front of the fireplace⁶. Shall⁷ we bring in something else?
Michael: Oh, Eva and I can finish the job. The couch was the hard part.
Richard: I’ve got time to do more. With three of us working, we might be done in an hour.
Mi: Are you sure?
Ri: I’m sure. Come on. I want to help. [later]
Ev: Is that the last box?
Ri: This is it.
Mi: Put it right over here, Richard. I can’t believe it, Eva! We’re all moved in!
Ri: Yup. You’re all done.
Mi: Thanks for your help, Richard.
Ri: You’re welcome.
Ev: I think we’re going to be very happy in Riverdale.
Marilyn: [She knocks on the door and enters.] Hello?
Ri: Hey! This is my wife Marilyn. Marilyn, meet Eva and Michael.
Ma: Hi.
Eva: Hello, Marilyn.
Michael: Hi.
Matiyn: Hello, I brought you all something to rat⁸.
Michael
And Eva: For us? How nice of you!
Marilyn: Welcome to the neighborhood.
INTRODUCTION TO ACT II
This time on TUNING IN THE U.S.A., we are in the Stewarts’ backyard⁹ for a Fourth of July celebration¹⁰. Susan is cooking some hamburgers and hot dogs on a barbecue¹¹ grill¹². Robbie is playing volleyball with his parents and some other neighbors. Richard and Marilyn are talking with Michael and Eva, the new neighbors. They are explaining this traditional family picnic. It happens every year on Independence¹³ Day.
Act II
Susan: [She rings a dinner bell.] Come and get it Hot dogs and hamburgers are ready
Richard: My sister Susan docs the cooking every year.
Eva: It was really nice of your family to invite us to your Fourth of July picnic. Thank you for making us feel so at home in Riverdale.
Ri: :You’re welcome. We’re just happy you could join us.
Ev: Do you have this party every year?
Ri: Sure. Every Independence Day. We’ve been doing it for ten or fifteen years.
Ev: Are there always this many people here?
Ri: More or less. There’s all of our family, of course, plus many of our neighbors. The Goldbergs, the Lindstroms, Mrs. Romero, and the Masseys. Have you met them?
Michael: Not yet. They live across the street, don’t they?
Ri: That’s right. There they are, They’re playing volleyball with my parents and my brother.
Mi: I’m sorry. I’ve forgotten your brother’s name.
Ri: My brother’s name is Robert. But we call him Robbie.
Mi: Boy, Robbie’s a good volleyball player!
Ri: He loves it. He would rather play volleyball than any other sport.
Ev: I think he’s been playing all afternoon.
Ri: I think he’s been playing all afternoon.
Ri: I’m sure he has. But pretty soon it’ll be too dark to see the ball.
Mi: What happens then?
Ri: The fireworks¹⁴, of course. They should be starting just as soon as it’s dark. So, come on. We had better get some food soon. [later]
Mi: That was a great hot dog.
Ri: Susan is a great cook. She buys the best hot dogs from the butcher¹⁵. Then she cooks them slowly over a charcoal¹⁶ fire.
Ev: She told me that she made the relish¹⁷ herself. With vegetables from your dad’s garden.
Ri: Every year. Oop! There are the fireworks.
Ev: The fireworks! They’re beautiful.
Mi: Red…green…blue…and yellow.
Ri: You know, all across America people will be watching fireworks tonight.
Mi: Last year, we went to New York City for the fireworks. There’s a beautiful display over the Brooklyn Bridge. People come from all over to see it.
Eva: So, of course, the traffic there is terrible.
Ri: Well, we don’t have to travel to see great fireworks.
Ev: You’re lucky to be able to see them from here.
Ri: But, Eva, both of us are lucky. It’s your neighborhood now, too.
All: Ah!

1 introduction   

n.(to)介绍；传入，引进；导言，导论，绪论

参考例句：

• The introduction tells you how to use the book.引言告诉你怎样使用这本书。
• A letter of introduction will ensure you an interview.凭一封介绍信准保会接待你。

2 tuning   

n.调谐，调整，调音v.调音( tune的现在分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• They are tuning up a plane on the flight line. 他们正在机场的飞机跑道上调试一架飞机。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The orchestra are tuning up. 管弦乐队在定弦。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 couch   

n.睡椅，长沙发椅；vt.表达，隐含

参考例句：

• Lie down on the couch if you're feeling ill.如果你感觉不舒服就躺到沙发上去。
• The rabbIt'sprang from its grassy couch.兔子从草丛中跳出。

4 breath   

n.呼吸，气息，微风，迹象，精神，一种说话的声音

参考例句：

• I'm just going out for a breath of fresh air.我正要出去呼吸新鲜空气。
• While climbing up the stairs the old man always loses his breath.那老人上楼时总是气喘吁吁的。

5 hire   

vt.雇佣，租用；vi. 受雇；n.租金，租用，雇用

参考例句：

• The day's hire for the car is ten dollars.汽车每日的租金是十美元。
• We'd better hire a car for the weekend.我们最好租一辆汽车在周末用。

6 fireplace   

n.壁炉，炉灶

参考例句：

• The fireplace smokes badly.这壁炉冒烟太多。
• I think we should wall up the fireplace.我想应该封住壁炉。

7 shall   

v.aux.（主要用于第一人称）将

参考例句：

• I shall always love you.我将永远爱你。
• Which club shall we join?我们要参加哪个社团？

8 rat   

n.鼠，卑鄙的人，变节者；vi.背叛，捕鼠；vt.弄蓬松，告发

参考例句：

• The rat is hated by many people.老鼠被很多人憎恶。
• He stopped up the rat holes.他塞住了那些老鼠洞。

9 backyard   

n.后院，后庭

参考例句：

• I parked the car in the backyard.我把汽车停在后院。
• The residents didn't want a new factory in their backyard.居民不希望在他们住地附近建新工厂。

10 celebration   

n.庆祝，庆祝会；典礼

参考例句：

• The celebration passed off successfully.庆祝活动圆满结束。
• The celebration of Christmas is a custom.庆祝圣诞节是一种习俗。

11 barbecue   

n.（户外的）烤肉，尤指户外；vt.烤肉，烧烤

参考例句：

• The barbecue starts at around six.烧烤晚会大约六点钟开始。
• Can you make the best barbecue sauce in America?你作出最好的烧烤酱油在美国？

12 grill   

n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问

参考例句：

• Put it under the grill for a minute to brown the top.放在烤架下烤一分钟把上面烤成金黄色。
• I'll grill you some mutton.我来给你烤一些羊肉吃。

13 independence   

n.独立，自主；足够维持生活的收入；vt.为做索引；vi.做索引

参考例句：

• Our people thirst for independence.我们的人民渴望独立。
• These plans encourage the elderly to retain their independence.这些计划鼓励老年人保持自立。

14 fireworks   

n.烟火

参考例句：

• Children enjoy a fireworks display.孩子们喜爱看烟火。
• Kids like to set off fireworks.孩子们爱放烟花。

15 butcher   

n.屠夫，肉商，小贩；vt.屠宰，屠杀

参考例句：

• A butcher needs sharp knives.屠夫需利刃。
• He was as great a butcher as the world has been.他是有史以来最大的杀人狂。

16 charcoal   

n.炭，木炭，生物炭

参考例句：

• We need to get some more charcoal for the barbecue.我们烧烤需要更多的碳。
• Charcoal is used to filter water.木炭是用来过滤水的。

17 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。