| Jobs at Home 家务活儿 |
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作者：佚名 文章来源：英语知识 点击数： 更新时间：2008-5-2 10:07:44  |
Jobs at Home 家务活儿
1.But it’s such a hassle!
Beth is talking to her 15-year-old son, Martin.
Beth:It’s your turn to do the bathroom, Martin. Meg did il last time.
Martin: Mum, please! rll do it tomorrow. Premise.
Beth:Let’s not have a discussion about it. I tell you what. I’ll bring youthe things.
Martin:Butit’s such a hassle!
Beth:Look, its a hassle far everybody.
Martin: But why now? I’m going off to meet Craig soon.
Beth:It’ll take you only half an hour. Here’s the cloth, and here’s the
stuff:for the shower door.
Martin:Mum, you’re obsessed with the shower door.
Beth:I jusl don’t want limescale on it.It’ll get to the stage where we’llnever get rid of it.
Martin: Last time you gave me Coke to clean it with.
Beth: Yeah, then you drank most of it.
"Things" and "stuff" are often used instead of the names of objects when it isclear what you are talking about.
TIPS!
A hassle is an annoying situation that involves doing something difficult orinconvenient: "Phone them up! It’s less (of a) hassle than writing to them."
"To go off" means to leave a place to do something elsewhere: "I’m going offto play tennis," Remember that "take" is used when talking about time:"Ittakes about an hour to get to the airport."
Don’t mix up "cloths", which is the plural of "cloth" and "clothes".
"Stage" is often used to refer to the state something is in.
2.You could have told me earlier
Patrick is getting dressed before going to work.
Patrick:Have you seen my blue shirt? You know,the one with the bullon-down collar,
Denise:I’ve washed it.
Patrick:Oh, OK, Is it dry?
Denise:Yeah, but not ironed. Do you want it today?
Patrick:Well, if possible.
Denise:OK, if you ger the ironing board out, I’ll do itfor you. When have you got to go?
Patrick:Not for another 15 minutes.
Denise:You could have told me earlidr.
Patrick:Well, I didn’t know, did l? l’ve iust come outof the shower.
Denise:I still have 1o get ready myself.
Patrick:Well, let me do it then.
Denise: You? Iron a shirt?That’ll be the day!
Patrick: Maybe it’s time for me to start,
Denise: No,I’d better do it.Why don’t you clear thetable?
TiPS
The verb "have got to" expresses an externalobligation a person feels at the moment of speakingIn informal English, this expression is sometimesspelled "gotta":"I gotta go."
"That’ll be the day!" is a fixed expression, meaningthat something is very unlikely to happen.
’Td better" ("I had better") is used to make asuggestion or give advice:"We’d better leave now, orwe’ll miss our train."
3.I’ve run out
Sally is in the middle of making a cake and needs hersisler’s help.
Sally: Ruth.You busy?
Ruth:Why?
Sally: Well, can you do me a favour?
Ruth:Depends what it is.
Sally:Could you nip down tothe shops and get mesome almonds? rve just realized rve run out.
Ruth:Shopping? Where do you want me to go?
Sally:Just to the corner shop. Take my bike if youwant.
Ruth:The saddWs too high.
Sally:AII I need are almonds: chopped ones.
Ruth:Why didn’t you think of it before?
Sally:I did think of it. I just didn’t get enough, thars all.
Ruth:OK, but now you owe me a favour, right?
Sally:Write it down so you don’t forget!
Ruth:Look, I’m not stupid. Chopped almonds.
Sally:No, the favour I owe you.
Tips
Sally asks a generaI question，(Are)you busy?，anaThen a mOre spec…c queslon.“Can you do me afavour?”Tw0-step auestions like this are common inspoken Engish
lf you"nlp"somewhe re(n lnformal Brltl8h English)，yougo there qujckly Sally uses this verb to make it easierfor he r sister to agree to her reauesf.
Sally uses "did"In "I did think of it”to give the Verb moreemphasis.
Here，"qet"means "buy".
Eer Cises
1.What do the words in red rdfer to?
a)Meg did it last time (scene1)________
b) l’ll do if for you (scene 2)________
c) Why didn’t you think of it before?(secene 3)________
2. What are the exact words used in the scenes?
a) Cleaning lhe bathroom is such a lot of work!(scene)
b)l ought to do it.You cleanlhetable(scene 2)
c)CouId you go tothe shops quickly forme?(scene 3)
Answers
1 a) cleaning the bathroom;
b) ironlng the shin;
c)buymg almonds
2 a)hassle:b’d(=had) better；c) nip
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