中英文本

A Precocious Child
一个早熟的小孩
When the door-to-door salesman rang the doorbell of the suburban home,
当挨家挨户兜售东西的推销员按了一幢郊区房子的门铃后，
he was taken a back when a 10-year-old boy opened the door smoking a big cigar.
他吓了一跳，开门的竟是一位嘴里叼着一根大雪茄的十岁男孩。
The salesman could only stammer out, "Er, is your mother at home?"
推销员结结巴巴地问道，“哦，你妈妈在家吗?”
Answered the boy, "What do you think?"
小男孩回答说，"你认为呢?"

重点讲解

1.door-to-door 送货上门地；挨户访问地；按户送达的

例句：Don't fall for the fair words of the door-to-door businessmen.
不要相信那些走家串户的生意人的花言巧语。

2.suburban 郊区的，城郊的；土气的；见闻不广的

例句：In this suburban golf course in Beijing, this kind of irrigation happens every day.
在北京郊区的这个高尔夫球场，这样的灌溉每天都在进行着。
3.take a back 使吃惊；使吓一跳；惊吓；使吓呆

例句：American allies are rather take a back by the suddenness of this announcement.
美国的盟国对这一个突然的声明大吃一惊。

4.stammer out 结结巴巴地请求；断断续续地讲述
例句：His stammer means he can hardly get a word out, and the nation cringes with embarrassment.
他的口吃甚至严重到他根本不能说出一个字来，而整个英国民众们只能尴尬地奉承着。