Jack: Hi, Sally. What are you doing? Sally: I'm looking at old family pictures. Jack: Why did you get those out? Sally: To help Emily with her homework. She asked me to find some pictures of her relatives. Jack: Can't Emily do that herself? Sally: No. She doesn't know who all these people in the photos are. Jack: I'm not sure I do, either! So why does Emily need these pictures? Sally: Emily has to make a family tree. Jack: With pictures? Sally: Yes. I'm looking for photos of Grandpa George and Grandma Mabel. Jack: Did you find any? Sally: I think so. Isn't this Grandpa George? Jack: Uh, I'm not sure. It could be his brother. Sally: True. I wish there were names on these photos. Jack: Me too. Next time I visit Mom, I'll take these pictures with me. Sally: Good idea. Mom will remember who's who.
讲解:
1. 对话中Sally和Jack在翻看家庭老照片。Sally为什么会把这些老照片翻出来呢?原来她要帮Emily完成她的作业,也就是找一些亲戚的照片。help with something 这个词组表示“帮助,协助”,He let Tom help with the washing-up. 他让Tom帮忙洗碗。那么对话中出现的help someone with something,表示“帮助某人做某事”,例如:I can help you with the packing. 我可以帮你整理行李。
2. 为什么Emily不自己找呢?因为照片上的一些人她也不认识。Jack也不确定自己都认识照片里的人。那么Emily要这些照片做什么呢?原来她的作业就是要用这些照片做一个family tree也就是“家谱图”。在上节课我们已经对family tree做了介绍。我们来说说photo这个词,它是在口语当中比较常用的,比较正式的词是photograph,不过在美国口语中,表示“相片,照片”的比较常用的词还是picture。组成的短语就是take a picture of sb./sth. 比如说,旅游的时候,我们经常会请别人给我们照相,就可以说,Can you take a picture of us? 你能帮我们照张像吗?还有一个习语,take a good picture,表示“上相,上镜”,还有一个专门的形容词来表示这个意义,就是photogenic ,例如:I'm not very photogenic. 我照相不大上相。Sally想找Grandpa George and Grandma Mabel 的照片,但是好像没有什么结果。
3. 因为他们也不知道照片上的人是不是Grandpa George,也许是他的弟弟也说不定。看来这张照片是够老的了。要是照片上写了名字就好了。I wish there were names on these photos. 这是一个虚拟语气的句子,表示与现在事实相反的愿望。