课文阅读

Psychologically Speaking--Lucretia Govedare

Characters

Thomas Kent, a middle-aged, pompous man
Bessie Kent, his wife
Eve Kent, their daughter
Stephen Sloane, the boy next door
Professor Charles Waring, psychologist
Thelma, the maid
Time: Late afternoon
Place: The living room of the Kent home
Setting: The comfortable, well furnished living room of an American middle-class family, the Kents. As the curtain rises, Mrs. Kent is seated in a large armchair beside a table, sewing. Thelma is arranging flowers in a bowl on the table. Puts them in, stands back, looks at them, takes them out, rearranges them. Repeats several times.

Mrs. Kent: (sternly) Oh, stop that, Thelma! I declare, you make me nervous, fussing and wasting time like that. What is it? I know you want something, or you wouldn't fool around so. Out with it.
Thelma: (Embarrassed, smiles, twists her apron and wriggles her shoulders.) Well, ma'am; I, well, it's this way. There's a dance up at Crosby's barn tonight, and Bill Fox, you know him, ma'am, he works in Paxley's garage he's asked me to go.
Mrs. Kent: (Stops sewing, looks at Thelma, speaks slowly.) We-ll, I don't know. (Pause.) About this Bill Fox, Thelma, are you sure he's genteel?
Thelma: (shocked) Genteel, ma'am? Why, he's that delicate-like —
Mrs. Kent: How so, Thelma?
Thelma: (shyly) Well, he gave his mother a new coat last Christmas — but he wouldn't think of giving me anything so personal-like.
Mrs. Kent: Indeed. What did he give you?

Thelma: (proudly) He gave me a set of books called Greek Myth — mythic — mythiologgio, that's it! It's all about a tribe of people who lived in most peculiar places — like in the air, and under the sea — (Shakes her head.) Oh, I'd never believe a word of it if Bill hadn't given it to me!
Mrs. Kent: (Laughs.) That makes him perfectly respectable, Thelma, does it?
Thelma: (enthusiastically) Oh, yes, ma'am! I wouldn't go out with him, unless he was — not when I'm working for you. (Puts hand over mouth to stifle laugh.)
Mrs. Kent: Ok, (airily) Go along to the dance then, but see you behave yourself properly!
Thelma: Oh, yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am.
(Starts toward door, when it opens and Eve enters. Thelma stops, stares, pretends to pick up threads from floor, straightens chairs, etc., in order to remain.)

参考译文

人物：

托马斯.肯特：一个自负的中年男子
贝西.肯特：托马斯.肯特的妻子
伊娃.肯特：托马斯与贝西的女儿
史蒂芬.斯隆：隔壁的男孩
查尔斯.韦林：心理学家
塞尔玛：肯特家的女佣

时间：傍晚
地点：肯特家的起居室
背景：美国中产阶级家庭肯特家舒适、华丽的起居室里。幕启，肯特夫人坐在桌子旁边的大扶手椅上做针线活，塞尔玛正在整理桌上花瓶里的花，她把它们塞进花瓶，退后看了看，又把它们拿了出来，重新整理，如此重复了几次。

肯特夫人：（严厉地）奥，停下来，塞尔玛！我说，你那样小题大做，浪费时间使我感到紧张。我知道你想要某样东西，否则你不会那样在我周围晃来晃去。想要什么？说出来吧！
塞尔玛：（尴尬地笑了笑扯了围裙，扭了扭肩膀）哦，夫人，事情是这样的。今晚在克劳斯贝家的仓库里有个舞会，比尔.福克斯，夫人，您认识他的，他在帕克斯雷汽车修理厂工作，他叫我去参加舞会。
肯特夫人：（停下针线活，看着塞尔玛，慢条斯理地说）哦，我不认识他。（停顿）关于这个比尔.福克斯，塞尔玛，你确信他是个文雅的人？
塞尔玛：（吃惊地）文雅，夫人？是啊，他是如此体贴---
肯特夫人：怎么体贴，塞尔玛？
塞尔玛：（害羞地）去年圣诞节他送给他妈妈件新大衣，但他不会想到送给我那么私人的东西。
肯特夫人：应该这样。他送给你什么了？

塞尔玛：（骄傲地）他送给我一套叫做“希腊神--什么来着--”的书，对了，是《希腊神话》。整本书都是讲述居住在非常奇怪的地方--如天空中，海底下--的一伙人的故事。（摇了摇头）哦，如果比尔没把这本书送给我，我是不会相信这上面的话的。
肯特夫人：（笑了笑）那使他非常值得尊敬，塞尔玛，是不是？
塞尔玛：（热情地）奥，是的，夫人！如果他不是这样的人，我是不会跟他一起出去的--当然我在工作时间是不会出来的。（用手捂住嘴笑。）
肯特夫人：好吧，（满不在乎地）去参加舞会吧，但要注意举止得体！
塞尔玛：好的，夫人。谢谢你，夫人！
（向门走去，这时门开了，伊娃走了进来。塞尔玛停住脚步，盯着她，为了能留在那儿她假装把线从地板上捡起来，摆了摆桌子等。）

词汇释义

1.pompous adj. 傲慢的,自大的,夸大的

例句：

He's a real gentleman, if a little pompous at times.
他可是个正人君子, 虽然有时略显得傲慢了些.

2.apron n. 围裙

例句：

Could you tie this apron round me?
你受累把围裙给我系上行吗?

3.wriggle ['rigl] n. 蠕动,蜿蜒 v. 蠕动,蜿蜒前进

例句：

I can't brush your hair if you keep wriggling all the time.
你要是一直扭来扭去, 我就没法给你梳头了.

4.genteel adj. 文雅的,有教养的

例句：

Genteel manners and appearance.
优美的举止和漂亮的外表

5.enthusiastically adv. 热情地

例句：

After a few minutes' silence, they perked up and argued enthusiastically again.
沉默了几分钟以后，他们活跃起来，又热烈辩论开了。

6.airily adv.轻快地; 活泼地, 快活地；轻描淡写地; 轻率地

例句：

'I don't care,' he said airily.
‘我才不在乎呢,’他漫不经心地说。

7.straighten ['streitn] v. 弄直,使正确,整顿

例句：

You'd better straighten up your house.
你最好把屋子搞整洁。

8.fool around/about 虚度光阴，游手好闲

例句：

He never does any work, he just fools about all day long.

他从来不做事，只是整天游手好闲。

9.behave oneself （使）举止规矩有礼

例句：

The prisoner behaved himself with great composure.

囚犯表现得很镇静。

难句解析

1.What is it? I know you want something, or you wouldn't fool around so. Out with it.

【难句释义】What is on your mind? There must be something you want, otherwise you wouldn't wander here. Tell me about.

2.There's a dance up at Crosby's barn tonight, and Bill Fox, you know him, ma'am, he works in Paxley's garage he's asked me to go.

【难句释义】It turned out that Thelma just wanted to ask for permission to go to the dance with her boyfriend.