第三季 第一集 节选台词

Part 1

Dear Aunt Hermione, I hope Belgium was good and this letter reaches you safely in Dijon. Mmmmm. Mustard! We are all happy.Larry is writing his third novel which is more than Leslie has read. And Les has a girlfriend, Daphne. But won’t let us meet her. Margo had ditched her boyfriend, Zoltan, because we begged her to. And Gerry, as ever,prefers his animal family to his human one.I have given up searching for love. So, will all my new free time, I’m thinking of learning the harp. Or getting e cello between my legs. Time just for me. It is gorgeous here.

Mum: I can see it, Gerry.

Gerry: He followed me.

Gerry: Infuriating.

Mum: That’s what you said about most of them.Scorpions don’t follow people home.

Margo: I have nobody. I feel like a dog without an owner.

Mum: You are a terrific young woman, Margo.You don’t need someone to own you.

Margo: Thank you, lonely spinster.

Mum: I am neither. I’m a busy widow.

Margo: Ugh! Even worse.

Larry: Look at this letter! I think I heard a crack. Endless sorry animals. I’ve broken my leg!

Mum: Unlikely, darling. I just wrote to my aunt that we’re all happy. Where’s Leslie?

Margo: Oh, I’ll show you.

Mum: Well, life hasn’t showered Leslie with gifts. He’s allowed a girlfriend. So, that’s Daphne. Hello, Daphne!

Margo: No No No No. it’s not her. He’s got three girls. I found these in his secret nook. He’s made the mistake of photographing his victims.

Mum: so what do you expect me to do about it?

Margo: I don’t know.

Mum: Oh. Nice cardie. Oh, God. They look like trouble.

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1. 【单词】secret nook: 秘密基地

nook: noun [ C ]  可数名词   a small space that is hidden or partly sheltered  角落/隐蔽处

e.g.  a quite nook 僻静的角落    a cosy nook 舒适的角落

2. 【短语】prefer... to... 

prefer verb [ T ] 及物动词   to like, choose, or want one thing rather than another  更喜爱/宁可

e.g.  I prefer red wine to white.

        [ + -ing verb ] He prefers watching football to playing it.

        [ + to infinitive ] I'd prefer not to discuss this issue.

        I'd prefer not to  work but I don't have much choice. 

3. 【 辨析】hate, like, love and prefer

We can use hate, like, love and prefer with an -ing form or with a to-infinitive. There is a very small difference in meaning between the two forms. 

The -ing form emphasises the action or experience. The to-infinitive gives more emphasis to the results of the action or event. 

We often use the -ing form to suggest enjoyment (or lack of it), and the to-infinitive form to express habits or preferences.

The -ing form is more common than the to-infinitive form after hate and love

In American English, the forms with to-infinitive are much more common than the -ing form.

-ing form VS to-infinitive form

4.【短语】would prefer 

We use would prefer or ’d prefer, followed by a to-infinitive or a noun, to talk about present and future preferences:

e.g.    I’d prefer to go by myself.

          Would you prefer a quieter restaurant?

          She’d prefer not to drive at night.

When we want to say that we would like to do one thing more than another, we can introduce the second thing with rather than, followed by an infinitive without to:

e.g.    I’d prefer to go skiing this year rather than go on a beach holiday.

When we are talking about our preferences for the actions of another person, we can use would prefer + object pronoun + to-infinitive or would prefer it if + past simple:

e.g.     They’d prefer us to come later. (or They’d prefer it if we came later.)

            Would you prefer me to drive? (or Would you prefer it if I drove?)

5. 【短语】give up

give up: to stop trying to guess  放弃猜测

e.g.     you'll never guess the answer - do you give up?

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Part 2

Mum: Well, tell your publisher that you won’t use a pseudonym.

Larry：I’ve got no choice.My last novel did so badly my name is commercial leprosy.

Mum: A pseudonym is when you use a namethat isn’t yours because…

Margo: I know what a pseudonym is. Don’t confuse boredom with ignorance.

Mum: Oh, please, Margo. Get a ruddy hobby.

Les: evening

Mum: Is it true you have three girlfriends?

Les: Yes, it is.

Mum: And do they all know about each other?

Les: No, they don’t.

Mum: I can’t help thinking one would be simpler.

Les: this makes up for all the time I hadno girlfriends. If you average it out, I have one girlfriend.

Gerry:Lots of animals mate for life.

Les: Yeah, that’s what I’m going for.

Margo: Me too.

Mum: He doesn’t mean they mate constantly throughout their life.

Gerry: Have only one mate their whole life.Otters, penguins, the prairie vole.

Les: No, I’m not a prairie vole. I’m me

Mum: It would be nice to meet your friends.

Les: Oh, no. No.I don’t want you sticking your oar in.

Larry: Hermione will. She’s coming back.

Margo:It’s weed on you.

Les: She’s coming back again? Why?

Mum: Warmth. Renewal. Her friend Mr. Anestis. In fact, she’s planning to stay permanently.

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1.【单词】boredom ； ignorance

boredom: noun [ U ]     the state of being bored  无聊的名词形式

ignorance:noun [ U ]     lack of knowledge, understanding, or information about something 无知

2. 【习语 】mate for life 一夫一妻制

If animals mate for life, they keep the same sexual partner for their whole life.

3. 【习语 】stick/put your oar in 多管闲事

to say or do something that annoys other people because they have not asked you to join their conversation or activity:

e.g.    No one asked him to help- he's always sticking his oar in.

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（本文台词节选自剧集，仅供学习参考使用，如有拼写错误之处欢迎纠正指出。例句及解释来自剑桥词典。）