[ On the patio of the Stewarts' home later that day. Robbie is watering the flowers. He is speaking with his friend Mike about their interviews for college ]
Mike: I had an interview today, too. I had a great interview with Admissions at Columbia University.
Robbie: Really? What did they say? Will you get into the school?
Mike: Well, they didn't say anything for sure. But I figure that with my grades and with my personality, I'll have no problem.
Robbie: Columbia's a terrific school. What are you going to do?
Mike: Do? I don't know. I also applied to NYU.
Robbie: You sound excited about Columbia. What's your problem, Mike?
Mike: Indecision. Indecision. It's not easy, and this is an important decision we have to make. What about you? How was your interview with Michigan?
Robbie: The interview was fine.
Mike: It's a great college.
Robbie: It is. My father would like me to go there. He and my Grandpa both went there.
Mike: Great medical school, too.
Robbie: I know.
Mike: You can follow in your father's footsteps.
Robbie: Ah! I'd like to follow in my own footsteps, Mike.
Mike: What do you want to study?
Robbie: I've been thinking. I think I want to study journalism to be a reporter--a newspaperman.
Mike: You do a pretty good job on the Riverdale High School paper.
Robbie: And I've been thinking about it a lot lately.
Mike: Have you discussed it with your parents?
Robbie: No. But I have to.
Mike: OK. Let's talk.
[ They leave. ]
[ That night. Robbie is sitting in the living room of his home. Philip enters. ]
Philip: Hi, Son. Is everything all right?
Robbie: Hi, Dad. Everything's fine. I was just waiting for you to get home so we could talk.
Philip: Anything special you want to talk about?
Robbie: There is, Dad.
Philip: I'm listening.
Robbie: Well, I know you and Mom have given up a lot to save money for my college tuition.
Philip: We want you to go to college, Robbie.
Robbie: I know. I do.
Philip: But?
Robbie: Well, I've thought a lot about which college, and one of them is Columbia.
Philip: Columbia? Why Columbia?
Robbie: First, they have an excellent School of Journalism.
Philip: They do. And your friends are planning to go to Columbia?
Robbie: That's only part of it. It's complicated. I'll try to explain. Mike and I had a hamburger this afternoon, and we talked.
Philip: Yes?
Robbie: Well, we talked about a lot of things. He applied to Columbia, and his interview was very successful. He thinks he'll be accepted, and he really wants to go there.
Philip: Dean Rafer called me today. He told me he was very impressed with you.
Robbie: He's a nice man. He was very kind.
Philip: He told me you had some doubts about wanting to go to Michigan.
Robbie: Yes. I do. I'm just not sure about what I want to do.
Philip: That's OK.
Robbie: You understand?
Philip: Let me tell you something, Robbie. Something that might be surprising to you.
Robbie: What? Tell me.
Philip: Well, Grandpa wanted me to study engineering, like him. Well, I wasn't clear about my future, but I knew engineering was not for me.
Robbie: What did you tell Grandpa?
Philip: The truth.
Robbie: Then you're not upset about my not wanting to go into medicine.
Philip: I'm not upset at all. I'm just happy that we're able to talk about it.
Robbie: I am too, Dad.
Philip: I suppose you want to apply to Columbia.
Robbie: Yes, but I also want to apply to several other colleges.
Philip: I thought you wanted to go to Columbia.
Robbie: Well, I might want to go to Columbia. But I might not. I just want to be able to make my own decision.
Philip: You're a real Stewart!
Robbie: And if I think about it long enough, you never know ...
Philip: Never know what?
Robbie: If I make my own decision, I might choose Michigan.
Philip: Robbie, you're something! You know, when I was your age, I said exactly the same thing to Grandpa. [ They smile. ]
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与同学聊志愿
I figure that with my grades and with my personality, I'll have no problem.
I figure that 我琢磨着 / 我想(非正式判断)
- I figure that it'll take about an hour to get there. 我估摸着到那儿得花一个小时。
- I figure that if we leave now, we'll beat the traffic. 我想咱们要是现在走,就能避开早高峰。
- I figure that she's just a bit tired after the trip. 我琢磨着她可能就是旅途之后有点累了。
| I reckon 我猜 / 我看(地道口语) | I reckon we'll have a storm tonight. 我看今晚得有一场暴风雨。 |
|---|---|
| I suspect 我怀疑 / 我料想 | I suspect that he already knows the truth. 我料想他其实已经知道真相了。 |
This is an important decision we have to make.
make a decision 做决定
- It’s hard to make a decision when you have so many choices. 当你有这么多选择时,很难做决定。
- I need more time before I make a final decision. 在做最终决定前,我还需要点时间。
- Have you made a decision about which car to buy? 关于买哪辆车你定下来了吗?
| Reach a decision 达成决定(经过讨论) | The committee has finally reached a decision. 委员会终于达成了决定。 |
|---|---|
| Come to a decision 得出结论 / 决定 | I hope you can come to a decision soon. 我希望你能尽快定下来。 |
My father would like me to go there.我父亲倒是希望我也去那儿读书。
would like someone to do 想要某人做某事(礼貌/愿望)
- I'd like you to meet my sister. 我想让你见见我姐姐。
- Would you like me to call a taxi for you? 需要我帮你叫辆出租车吗?
- My parents would like me to become a doctor. 我父母希望我能当个医生。
You can follow in your father's footsteps.你可以继承你父亲的衣钵。
follow in someone's footsteps 效仿某人 / 继承某人的事业
- He followed in his father's footsteps and joined the army. 他继承父志,参军入伍了。
- She decided not to follow in her mother's footsteps. 她决定不走她母亲的老路。
- Many children follow in their parents' footsteps in the medical profession. 很多孩子在医学事业上子承父业。
| Carry on the tradition 传承传统 | They are carrying on the tradition of family farming. 他们正在传承家族务农的传统。 |
|---|---|
| Take up the mantle 接班 / 承担责任 | It's time for the younger generation to take up the mantle. 是时候让年轻一代接过重担了。 |
I think I want to study journalism to be a reporter.我想我要去学新闻专业,当个记者。
study journalism 学新闻学
- If you want to be a writer, you should study journalism. 如果你想当作家,你应该去学新闻。
- She's studying journalism at Columbia University. 她正在哥伦比亚大学攻读新闻专业。
- Why did you choose to study journalism? 你为什么选择学新闻?
You do a pretty good job on the Riverdale High School paper.你在河谷镇高中的校报工作干得相当漂亮。
do a good job on 在……方面做得出色
- You did a great job on the presentation yesterday. 你昨天的演讲做得太棒了。
- He's doing a good job on the new project. 他在新项目上表现得很出色。
- I'm trying to do a good job on fixing the car. 我正努力把这车修好。
| Excel at 擅长 / 胜出 | She excels at creative writing. 她非常擅长创意写作。 |
|---|---|
| Acing it 表现完美(口语) | You're acing it with your English study! 你英语学得真溜! |
Have you discussed it with your parents?这事儿你跟爸妈商量过了吗?
discuss something with someone 和某人商量某事
- I need to discuss this with my manager first. 我得先跟我经理商量一下这事。
- We discussed the problem with the neighbors. 我们和邻居讨论了那个问题。
- Have you discussed the budget with the team? 你跟团队讨论过预算了吗?
| Talk it over 商量 / 讨论清楚 | Let's talk it over tonight. 咱们今晚好好商量商量。 |
|---|---|
| Consult with 咨询 / 请教 | You should consult with your lawyer. 你应该咨询一下你的律师。 |
和父亲谈想法
I was just waiting for you to get home so we could talk.我刚才一直在等你回家,好让我们能谈谈。
wait for someone to do 等待某人做某事
- I'll wait for you to finish your homework. 我会等你写完作业。
- We are waiting for the rain to stop before going out. 我们在等雨停了再出去。
- She's waiting for the bus to arrive. 她正在等公交车过来。
| So (that) 以便 / 为了(引导目的) | I'll leave the light on so (that) you can see. 我会开着灯,好让你能看得见。 |
|---|
Anything special you want to talk about?有什么特别想聊的事儿吗?
Anything special 有什么特别的吗(疑问句/否定句中形容词后置)
- Is there anything special on the menu tonight? 今晚菜单上有什么特别的菜吗?
- I didn't do anything special over the weekend. 周末我没做什么特别的事。
- If anything special happens, let me know. 如果有啥特别的情况,告诉我一声。
| Something special 特别的东西(肯定句) | I have something special for your birthday. 我给你准备了一份特别的生日礼物。 |
|---|
Mom and I have given up a lot to save money for your tuition.妈和我为了攒你的学费牺牲了很多。
give up 放弃 / 牺牲 / 戒掉
- He had to give up his dream of becoming an actor. 他不得不放弃当演员的梦想。
- They gave up their weekends to volunteer. 他们牺牲了周末时间去做志愿者。
- Don't give up on your goals so easily. 别这么轻易就放弃你的目标。
It's complicated.这事儿挺复杂的。/ 一言难尽。
complicated 复杂的 / 难对付的
- The instructions are too complicated for me. 这些说明对我来说太复杂了。
- Relationship status: It's complicated. 感情状态:一言难尽。
- Stop making things so complicated! 别把事情搞得那么复杂!
| Complex 复杂的(侧重结构严密) | The human brain is a complex organ. 人脑是一个复杂的器官。 |
|---|---|
| Tricky 棘手的 / 难办的 | That's a tricky question to answer. 那是个很难回答的棘手问题。 |
He was very impressed with you.他对你的印象非常深刻。
be impressed with 对……印象深刻 / 感到钦佩
- I was impressed with her fluent English. 她的流利英语给我留下了深刻印象。
- The boss was impressed with your performance. 老板对你的表现很满意/很钦佩。
- Are you impressed with the new office? 你觉得新办公室怎么样?(印象好吗?)
Something that might be surprising to you.这事儿可能会让你感到惊讶。
surprising to 对……来说是惊讶的
- The news was surprising to everyone in the room. 这消息让房间里的所有人都感到惊讶。
- It is surprising to me that he failed the exam. 他考试没及格让我觉得很吃惊。
- Nothing is surprising to him anymore. 对他来说,再没有什么事是新鲜的了。
I knew engineering was not for me.我知道工程学并不适合我。
not for me 不适合我 / 我不感兴趣
- I tried skydiving, but it's not for me. 我试过高空跳伞,但不适合我(我受不了)。
- Spicy food is not for me. 我不爱吃辣(辣味不适合我)。
- This kind of lifestyle is not for me. 这种生活方式不适合我。
| Not my cup of tea 不是我的菜 | Opera is not my cup of tea. 歌剧不是我的菜。 |
|---|
Then you're not upset about my not wanting to go into medicine.这么说,你并没因为我不想学医而生气。
go into 进入……行业 / 从事
- Why did you decide to go into teaching? 你为什么决定从事教育行业?
- He's planning to go into politics. 他打算从政。
- Many graduates go into the tech industry. 许多毕业生进入了科技行业。
| Upset about 对……感到不快/生气 | Don't get upset about such a small thing. 别为这么点小事不痛快。 |
|---|
I want to apply to several other colleges.我想申请其他几所大学。
apply to 向……提出申请(机构/学校)
- You should apply to at least five universities. 你至少应该申请五所大学。
- I'm going to apply to a few big companies for a job. 我打算向几家大公司申请工作。
- Did you apply to that art school in London? 你申请伦敦那家艺术学院了吗?
| Apply for 申请(具体的事物,如职位/奖金) | He applied for a visa last week. 他上周申请了签证。 |
|---|
If I make my own decision, I might choose Michigan.如果由我自己拿主意,我可能会选密歇根大学。
choose 选择(语气比 select 更生活化)
- It's hard to choose between the two options. 在这两个选项中很难抉择。
- Which dress did you choose in the end? 你最后选了哪件裙子?
- You can choose to stay or leave. 你可以选择留下或者离开。