新概念英语第二册Lesson 83 After the elections

Lesson 83 After the elections 大选之后

First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Why did Patrick keep on asking the same question?
   
The former Prime Minister, Mr. Wentworth Lane, was defeated in the recent elections. He is now retiring from political life and has gone abroad. My friend, Patrick, has always been a fanatical opponent of Mr. Lane's Radical¹ Progressive Party. After the elections, Patrick went to the former Prime Minister's house. When he asked if Mr. Lane lived there, the policeman on duty told him that since his defeat, the ex-Prime Minister had gone abroad. On the following day, Patrick went to the house again. The same policeman was just walking slowly past the entrance, when Patrick asked the same question. Though a little suspicious this time, the policeman gave him the same answer. The day after, Patrick went to the house once more and asked exactly the same question. This time, the policeman lost his temper. 'I told you yesterday and the day before yesterday,' he shouted, 'Mr. Lane was defeated in the elections. He has retired² from political life and gone to live abroad!"
'I know,' answered Patrick, 'but I love to hear you say it!'

New words and expressions 生词和短语   返回目录

election n. 选举
former adj. 从前的
defeat v. 打败
fanatical adj. 狂热的
opponent n. 反对者，对手
radical adj. 激进的
progressive adj. 进步的
ex- prefix³ （前缀，用于名词前）前......
suspicious adj. 怀疑的

参考译文   返回目录

前首相温特沃兹.莱恩先生在最近的大选中被击败。他现在退出了政界，到国外去了。我的朋友帕特里克一直是莱恩先生的激进党的强烈反对者。大选结束后，帕特里克来到了前首相的住处。当他询问莱恩先生是否住在那里时，值班的警察告诉他这位前首相落选后出国去了。第二天，帕特里克再次来到首相的住处。昨天的那位警察正从门口慢慢走过，帕特里克上前问了和昨天同样的问题。虽然那位警察这次有点疑心，但还是对他作了同样的回答。第三天，帕特里克又去了，提出了同前两天完全一样的问题。这一次警察火了。“我昨天和前天都告诉过您了，”他大叫着，“莱恩先生在大选中被击败了，他已经退出了政界去国外了！”
“这我都知道，”帕特里克说，“可我就是喜欢听你说出这句！”

 

　　自学导读
b1．The former Prime Minister, Mr. Wentworth Lane, was defeated in the recent elections. 前首相温特沃兹·莱恩先生在最近的大选中被击败。
（1）former在这里表示“以前的”、“从前的”或“前任的”，后面需要跟名词：
Yesterday, he received a letter from his former wife/English teacher.
昨天他收到了他前妻／以前的英语老师的一封信。
（2）election指一般选举时用单数，指全国性的选举时用复数：
An election will be held next month.
下月将举行一次选举。
He hopes to defeat his rival in next year's elections.
他希望在明年的大选中击败对手。
2．…the ex-Prime Minister had gone abroad.……这位前首相出国去了。
前缀ex-加在名词前表示“以前的”（相当于former），如ex-husband（前夫）， ex-wife（前妻），ex-taxi-driver（前出租汽车司机），ex-manager（前任经理），ex-headmaster（前任校长）等。
3．Though a little suspicious this time…虽然那位警察这次有点疑心……
这是一个省略了主语和连系动词的让步状语从句。通常，如果从句的主语与主句的相同而谓语带系动词be，则主语+be可省略（原因状语从句例外）：
While at college, she wrote a novel.
她上大学时写了一部小说。
He acted as if certain of success.
他的举止就像一定会成功一样。（方式）
If possible, please let me know by this evening.
如果可能的话，请在今晚以前告诉我。（条件）
Though tired, he went to bed very late.
他虽然疲惫，但还是很晚才上床。（让步）
原因状语从句的省略形式要带分词being：
Being worried about his child, he walked up and down in the room．
他由于为孩子担心，在屋子里来回走着。

　　词汇学习 Word study
1．suspicious adj.
（1）猜疑的，认为可疑的，对……起疑心的，多疑的：
If travellers look nervous, customs officers get suspicious.
如果旅客看上去神情紧张，海关官员就会起疑心。
Customs officers are suspicious of nervous-looking travellers.
海关官员对那些神情紧张的旅客起疑心。
Don't be so suspicious. Everything's all right.
别这么多疑。一切正常。
（2）可疑的，令人起疑的：
You get a lot of suspicious-looking people in this bar.
你这个酒吧里有许多人看上去很可疑。
The car crash looks suspicious.
这个撞车事故看上去可疑。
2．temper与mood
（1）temper可以指“脾气”、“性情”，mood则不可以：
This time, the policeman lost his temper.
这一次警察火了/发脾气了。
Whatever happens, remember to keep your temper.
无论发生什么事都要记着保持冷静。
My sister is of a calm/quick temper.
我姐姐/妹妹性情平和/脾气急躁。
My grandfather has a temper.
我爷爷容易生气。
The boss is in a temper today.
老板今天脾气不好。
（2）temper指“心情”、“情绪”时，与mood同义：
That morning George was in a good mood/temper.
那天上午，乔治心情好。
但bad mood与bad temper稍有区别：
When he is in a bad temper, he gets angry easily. But when he is in a bad mood, he likes to sit alone.
当他脾气不好时，他很容易生气。但当他心情不好时，他喜欢独自坐着。
（3）mood可以表示“有意/想要（做某事）”，temper则不可以：
At that time I was not in the mood for talking/to talk.
当时我没有心情/不想说话。
Although Jeremy is well-known for his great sense of humour, he is in no mood for telling funny stories today.
尽管杰里米以绝妙的幽默感著称，但他今天没有心情讲笑话。

　　练习答案 Key to written exercises
1．难点练习答案
1 He refused to help us and I lost my temper with him.
2 They were very rude but I managed to keep my temper.
3 He isn't usually in such a good temper on a Monday morning!
4 Don't ask him for a rise now. He's in a very bad temper today．
5 She's just won a prize in the lottery⁴, so she's in a very good mood.
6 He's just lost a lot of money, so he's in a very bad mood.
7 Let's go out. I'm in the mood for a celebration!
2．多项选择题答案
1b  2a  3c  4c  5a  6b
7c  8b  9c  10d  11a  12b

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 prefix   

n.前缀；vt.加…作为前缀；置于前面

参考例句：

• We prefix "Mr."to a man's name.我们在男士的姓名前加“先生”。
• In the word "unimportant ","un-" is a prefix.在单词“unimportant”中“un”是前缀。

4 lottery   

n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事

参考例句：

• He won no less than ￡5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。
• They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。