英语小达人 242 Dear Mom and Dad

 　　Dear Mom and Dad

　　亲爱的爸爸妈妈

　　Bob is almost 29 years old, his friends have already gotten married, and Bob just dates and dates.

　　鲍勃快29岁了，他的朋友们都结婚了，只有鲍勃还在不停地约会再约会。

　　Finally a friend asked him, "What's the matter, Bob, are you looking for the perfect woman? Are you that particular? Can't you find anyone who suits you?"

　　一个朋友终于忍不住问他：“鲍勃，你是怎么回事啊？你在找完美的女人吗？你有那么挑剔吗？你就不能只是找一个适合你的人吗？”

　　"No," Bob replied. "I met many nice girls, but as soon as I brought them home to meet my parents, my Mother didn't like them. So I kept on looking!"

　　“不是我挑剔，”鲍勃答道，“我遇到过不少好女孩，可是我把她们带回家见父母时，我妈妈都不喜欢。所以我还在找！”

　　"Listen," his friend suggested, "Why don't you find a girl who's just like your dear old Mother?"

　　“听着，”他的朋友建议说，“你为什么不找一个和你亲爱的妈妈一样的女孩呢？”

　　Several months went by and again Bob and his friend got together.

　　几个月后，鲍勃和这个朋友又见面了。

　　"So Bob. Did you find the perfect girl yet? One that just like your Mother?"

　　“怎么样，鲍勃，找到那个完美女人了吗？那个像你妈妈的人？”

　　Bob shrugged¹ his shoulders, "Yes, I found one just like Mom. My mother loved her, they became fast friends."

　　鲍勃耸耸肩膀，说：“是的，我找到一个像我妈妈的。我妈妈很喜欢她，她们俩马上就成了朋友。”

　　"So are you and this girl engaged²?"

　　“那么你要和她订婚了吗？”

　　"I'm afraid not, my Father can't stand her!"

　　“恐怕还是不行，这回是我爸爸受不了她！”

　　重点讲解：

　　1. keep on doing sth.

　　继续做某事；反复做某事；

　　eg. My wife keeps on saying that I work too hard.

　　我妻子总说我工作太辛苦了。

　　eg. To know it's no use , but keep on doing it -- there can be no greater folly³ than this.

　　知其不可而为之,愚不可及也.

　　2. go by

　　（时间）流逝，过去；遵循；遵照；

　　eg. My grandmother was becoming more and more sad and frail⁴ as the years went by.

　　随着时间的流逝，我的祖母变得日益伤感和虚弱。

　　eg. If they prove that I was wrong, then I'll go by what they say.

　　如果他们能证明我不对，我就听他们的。

　　3. get together

　　开会；聚会；

　　eg. This is the only forum⁵ where East and West can get together.

　　这是东西方可以聚首的唯一论坛。

　　eg. Let's get together and talk it over.

　　大家聚在一起商量商量。

1 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 engaged   

a.having agree to get married

参考例句：

• They are engaged in talks with the Irish government. 他们正忙着与爱尔兰政府谈判。
• The old lady engaged herself in making clothes for her children. 这位老太太忙着为孩子们做衣服。

3 folly   

n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话

参考例句：

• Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
• Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

4 frail   

adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的

参考例句：

• Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了，身体虚弱，不便独居。
• She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上，看上去特别虚弱。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。