课文原文（Bilingual Dialogue）

场景： Grandpa的朋友Nat Baker因为社区中心计划被搁置而烦恼，大家决定一起行动。

Robbie: Morning, Grandpa. Is something the matter, Grandpa? Robbie: 早安，爷爷。怎么了，爷爷？

Grandpa: The editorial in this paper has my friend Nat Baker real upset. 爷爷: 这张报纸上的社论着实令我的朋友Nat Baker不高兴。

Grandpa: Ah! I’ll read it to you. “The old library building on Chestnut Street, which has been vacant for over a year now, was supposed to be made into a community center to serve the senior citizens as well as the younger people of Riverdale. Due to lack of funds for the repainting of the interior of the building and for the furniture needed, the plans for the community center have been postponed indefinitely.” 爷爷: 啊！我来读给你听听。“Chestnut街老图书馆已空了一年多，原计划改成一个社区交谊中心，为Riverdale的老年人和年轻人服务。由于缺乏经费用来重新粉刷内部和购买必需家俱，这项修建社区中心的计划被迫无限期延缓。”

Robbie: Is it that serious a problem, Grandpa? Robbie: 这个问题有那么重要吗，爷爷？

Grandpa: It is. Nat’s not as lucky as I am, Robbie. He doesn’t have any family with him. He lives alone and depends on places like a community center to be with people — people his own age. 爷爷: 是的。Nat不像我这样幸运，Robbie。他没有家人和他在一起。他一个人生活，主要靠社区中心这样的地方和别人交往——像他那般年纪的人。

Robbie: But there’s the old community center on Elm Street. Robbie: 但是在Elm街有一个旧的社区中心。

Grandpa: It’s small, and the problem is that it’s set up primarily for kids to play. Ping-Pong tables, soda machines, and lots of music. It’s too noisy for some older people like Nat. 爷爷: 它小小的，而问题是它主要是让孩子们去玩的。乒乓球台，汽水贩卖机，热闹的音乐。它对于像Nat这样的老人来说太吵了。

Robbie: I never realized that. Robbie: 我从来没有意识到这点。

Grandpa: It’s hard for some older people to take all that noise. That’s why the new community center is a good idea. Part of the building for older people, part of the building for younger people. 爷爷: 一些老年人没办法忍受那些噪音。这就是为什么说新的社区中心是个好主意。建筑物中的一部分给老年人用，另一部分给年轻人用。

（Alexandra来访）

Alexandra: Hi, Robbie. Alexandra: 嗨！Robbie。

Robbie: Hi, Alexandra. Come on in. Do you want something cold to drink? Robbie: 嗨，Alexandra。请进。你想喝点什么冰凉的东西吗？

Alexandra: I’d love some cola, please. Alexandra: 请给我可乐。

Robbie: Cola coming up. Robbie: 可乐马上就来了。

Alexandra: I really appreciate you coming over to help me with my math. My final exam is next Tuesday. You’re so good in all your other subjects. I just can’t understand why you have so many problems with math. Alexandra: 我真的很感谢你过来帮我补习数学。期终考就在下周二。你别的功课都那样好。我就不懂为什么你在数学方面有那么多问题。

Grandpa: Hi, Alexandra. 爷爷: 嗨，Alexandra。

Alexandra: Hi, Mr. Stewart. Alexandra: 嗨，Stewart先生。

Grandpa: I thought that was Nat Baker who rang the front doorbell. 爷爷: 我还以为是Nat Baker按大门门铃呢。

Alexandra: Don’t let me interrupt you. Alexandra: 别让我打搅你们。

Grandpa: No problem, Grandpa. 爷爷: 没有关系，爷爷。

Robbie: We’re just having some cola before getting to the tough stuff — math. Robbie: 我们只是先喝点可乐，在对付难缠的东西——数学——之前。

Alexandra: He’ll do anything to avoid getting down to math lessons, Mr. Stewart. Alexandra: 他老是设法想逃避数学，Stewart先生。

Grandpa: I was the same way. Really. I didn’t like math. I wasn’t good at it, and I didn’t like studying it. 爷爷: 我当年也是这样。真的。我不喜欢数学。我不精于此道，也不爱去学它。

Robbie: But you had to be good at math. You graduated from engineering school. Robbie: 但是你数学一定很好。你是从工学院毕业的。

Grandpa: I was. But not in high school. For some reason, I couldn’t get a handle on it. Then, in college, I became good at it. 爷爷: 说的对。但高中时不好。因为某些原因，我就是开不了窍。然后，在大学里我变得很精于数学。

Alexandra: Then there’s hope for Robbie. Alexandra: 看来Robbie还有希望。

Robbie: I can’t wait. You think I can just skip it now and get to it at college? Robbie: 我迫不及待。你想我现在略过数学，等到上了大学再学，可以吗？

Grandpa: You’ll never get to college to find out, Robbie, if you skip it now. 爷爷: 你根本就进不了大学去探究这个问题的答案，Robbie，假如你现在略过它的话。

（Nat Baker来访）

Grandpa: I’d like you to meet my friend Nat Baker. This is Alexandra Pappas, and this is my grandson Robbie, whom I think you’ve met once or twice before. 爷爷: 我来向你们介绍我的朋友Nat Baker。这是Alexandra Pappas，这是我孙子Robbie，我想你以前见过他一两次面。

Nat: Nice to meet you, Mr. Baker. Nat: 很高兴见到你，Baker先生。

Robbie: Hi, Mr. Baker. We met before. Robbie: 嗨，Baker先生，我们以前见过面。

Nat: Where? Nat: 在哪里？

Robbie: In town. At the hardware store. Robbie: 在镇上。在五金行里。

Nat: I remember now. Right. Hi. Nat: 我现在想起来了。对了。嗨。

Nat: Did you read the story in the paper, Malcolm? Nat: 你看到报纸上的新闻了吗，Malcolm？

Grandpa: I did. It’s a serious matter for a lot of us. 爷爷: 看到了。对我们许多人来说这可是个严重的问题。

Nat: A serious matter. Nat: 一个严重的问题。

Grandpa: It is. Come on out to the patio. We’ll talk about it out there. 爷爷: 的确如此。请到院子里来吧，我们到外头谈。

（讨论解决方案）

Nat: There is a way, Malcolm. We get our friends to roll their sleeves up and get to work. Nat: 有一个办法，Malcolm。我们召集我们的朋友共同卷起袖子来做。

Grandpa: It’s certainly a good idea. If I could take a look at the place, I could probably tell what it requires to fix it up. How much paint, how many hours of work… 爷爷: 这的确是个好主意。假如我能看看那个地方的话，我大致能说出修复它需要些什么。多少油漆，多少小时的工作量……

Nat: That’s what I came to ask you to do, Malcolm. If you would supervise the refurbishing, I’ll find the people to help do it. Nat: 这正是我来请你做的，Malcolm。假如你能监督整修过程，我可以找人来帮忙。

Robbie: I’ll help too, Mr. Baker. I can get some of my friends to go around the neighborhood and collect the furniture we need. Robbie: 我也要帮忙，Baker先生。我可以叫我的朋友们在这社区募集我们需要的家具。

Alexandra: I’ll help. Alexandra: 我也来帮忙。

Nat: Tomorrow. Yes. We’ll meet tomorrow morning, right here. Nat: 明天。对，我们明天早晨会面，就在这儿。

Robbie: Can we help? I’d really like to. Robbie: 我们可以帮忙吗？我真的希望帮忙。

Nat: Sure. We might need you to come through with your friends, Robbie. Not just to go around the neighborhood asking for furniture, but to help with the paint job. That’s backbreaking work and may be too much for us. Nat: 当然。我们也许需要你们多邀朋友来帮忙，Robbie。不仅在这社区募家具，还要帮忙粉刷。这可是累人的工作，我们可能负荷不了。

Robbie: I’ll do it. I’ll talk to them. And tomorrow morning we’ll all meet here to discuss the plan? Robbie: 我来做，我去跟他们谈一谈。是不是明天早晨我们都聚到这里来讨论整修计划？

Nat: Tomorrow morning it is. Nat: 确定是明天早晨。

（社区会议）

Grandpa: Come in, come in. Please, come in. I’d like you to meet my friend Malcolm Stewart. Malcolm, this is Joanne Thompson. 爷爷: 请进，请进。请进来。我来为你介绍我的朋友Malcolm Stewart。Malcolm，这是Joanne Thompson。

Joanne: Hello, Joanne. Nice to meet you. Joanne: 你好，Joanne。很高兴见到你。

Grandpa: My pleasure, Malcolm. 爷爷: 我也很荣幸，Malcolm。

Grandpa: And this is Abe Lucas. You must remember Abe. He ran the drugstore and used to play drums with the jazz band on weekends. 爷爷: 这是Abe Lucas。你一定记得Abe。他经营药房，周末还经常在爵士乐队中打鼓。

Grandpa: Oh, sure I do. Hi, Abe. 爷爷: 噢，我当然记得。嗨，Abe。

Abe: Hello, Mr. Stewart. Abe: 哈罗，Stewart先生。

Grandpa: Malcolm, please. 爷爷: 请叫我Malcolm吧。

Joanne: I understand you used to be in the construction business, Malcolm. I wonder if you would take a look at the old library and make sure that it is in good condition so that we don’t have to worry about any structural problems. Joanne: 听说你过去从事营造业，Malcolm。我不知道你是否可以看一看旧图书馆，确定它状况良好，我们就可以不用担心任何结构上的问题。

Grandpa: When can I do that? I’d be happy to. 爷爷: 我什么时候可以去看？我很乐意做这项工作。

Nat: We’ve got permission to go inside the old building during the week — Tuesday or Wednesday. Nat: 我们已获准进入那栋老建筑物，在本周内——星期二或者星期三。

Grandpa: That’s fine with me. I can do it either day. 爷爷: 对我来说时间很适合。两天中哪一天我都可以。

Joanne: I think the building just needs a good cleaning. And a good paint job. Then we have to furnish it. Joanne: 我想那座建筑只需要好好地打扫一下。还需要好好的粉刷。然后我们还得装潢摆设。

Joanne: As I said, mostly the building just needs a good cleaning. This place can be developed with one real intergenerational program. That’s an idea I like. A community center with the kinds of programs that fit everyone. And programs that don’t leave anyone out. Joanne: 就像我先前所说的，这栋建筑物大部份仅需要好好打扫一下。我们可以拓展这个地方用一套真正跨辈份的活动。我喜欢这样的主意。一个社区中心，拥有适合任何人的各式活动。而且是些不排拒任何人的活动。

（Robbie和Alexandra带着报社编辑出现）

Robbie: Hi, everyone. Sorry I’m late. But Alexandra and I have been busy at work this morning on the community-center project. And we brought someone along who can help. You remember Charles Maxwell, Grandpa? He’s the editor of the Riverdale paper. He wrote some nice articles on Mom when she was running for the school board.

Robbie: 嗨，各位好。很抱歉我迟到了。但Alexandra和我一早上都在忙着为社区中心的事。而且我们带来了能帮助我们的人。你记得Charles Maxwell吗，爷爷？他是Riverdale报的编辑。他写了一些介绍妈妈的好文章，在妈妈竞选联合校董会席次时。

Grandpa: Yes, I remember. You were a great help. 爷爷: 是的，我记得。你帮了个大忙。

Charles: Hi, Mr. Stewart. Hope to be a bigger help on the new community-center project. From what Robbie and Alexandra have told me, you people are making one big story. Charles: 嗨，Stewart先生。希望能在新社区中心这件事上提供更大的帮助。从Robbie和Alexandra告诉我的情况看来，你们正在制造一件大新闻。

（Charles Maxwell开始采访）

Charles: OK. Now, I have… first… a couple of questions here. Have you talked to the community council? And have you had an engineer come in to do an inspection? OK, what do you need most of all? Charles: 好，现在，我有……第一……几个问题。你们跟社区的议会谈过了吗？你们可有一个工程师来做过检查吗？好，你们最需要的是什么？

Nat: People power. Men and women, young and old, to give us their time. Nat: 人力。不管男女老幼，请他们贡献时间。

Charles: To do what? Charles: 做什么呢？

Nat: To help scrub the building interior clean. So that we can repaint it. Nat: 帮忙把建筑的内部擦洗干净。好让我们可以重新粉刷。

Charles: And you also need bodies to do repainting? Charles: 你们也需要人手来重新粉刷吗？

Nat: That’s right. And we’ll also need some ladders and some brushes and some paint. Nat: 是的。而且我们还需要一些梯子、刷子和油漆。

Charles: When do you need the volunteers, and where do they report? Charles: 你们什么时候需要义工？他们去哪儿报到？

Nat: I’ve got the council to agree to open the building for us on the next four weekends. Nat: 我已说服议会同意在往后四个周末开放那座建筑。

Charles: How about furnishings? Are there any special requirements that I should list in the paper? Charles: 家具、摆设怎么办？有什么特别的需求要我列在报纸上的？

Nat: Yes. Here is a copy of all the things we need to start with. Nat: 是的。这是我们一开始就需要的所有东西的清单。

（Charles的社论刊登后）

Charles Maxwell lived up to his word. “At the Stewart family home on Linden Street yesterday, a group of caring Riverdale citizens gathered to plan the refurbishing of the old library to transform it into a new community center. The original plan by the council was tabled because of lack of funds. The new plan needs you. You could call it a community unity plan. It needs your time, and it needs your energy. And it needs your contributions of furniture, paint, brushes, ladders, lamps, et cetera. A list of these items and a volunteer form can be picked up at the Riverdale Press offices. By working together, this community can do anything to benefit its citizens, and we know you will all work together towards refurbishing the old library and making it a new community center. — Charles Maxwell, Editor.”

Charles Maxwell兑现了他的诺言。 “昨天在Linden街Stewart的家中，一群热心公益的Riverdale居民聚集在一起计划重新整修老图书馆，将它转变成一个新的社区中心。议会原有的计划因为缺乏经费被无限期地搁置。这项新计划需要你的协助。你可以称它为社区团结计划。它需要你的时间，需要你的力气。而且也需要你捐献家具、油漆、刷子、梯子、灯等等。这些物品的清单和义工申请表格可以到Riverdale Press各办事处索取。透过共同工作，这个社区可做任何造福居民的事情，我们相信各位会共同出力去重新整修老图书馆，使它成为一个新的社区中心。——编辑，Charles Maxwell。”

重难点分析

  1. “get a handle on it”

    • 非常地道的习语，意为"掌握、理解、搞定"
    • 相当于"understand"或"master"，但更口语化
    • 例：I can’t get a handle on this math problem.

  2. “roll their sleeves up”

    • 字面意思是"卷起袖子"，引申为"准备努力工作"
    • 非常生动的表达，暗示要干体力活或认真工作

  3. “lived up to his word”

    • “live up to"意为"不辜负、履行（诺言）”
    • “live up to one’s word” = 履行诺言
    • 类似表达：keep one’s promise

  4. “was tabled”

    • 注意英美差异：美语中"table"作动词意为"搁置（议案）"
    • 而在英式英语中，“table"意为"提出（议案）”
    • 根据上下文判断：这里是"被搁置"的意思

  5. “people power”

    • 简洁有力的表达，“人力”、“人的力量”
    • 强调人的参与比金钱更重要

核心词汇

英文 中文 说明
editorial 社论 报纸上表达编辑观点的文章
vacant 空的，闲置的 a vacant building 空置的建筑
community center 社区中心 为社区居民服务的活动场所
senior citizens 老年人 对老年人的礼貌称呼
postpone 推迟，延期 postpone indefinitely 无限期推迟
refurbish 整修，翻新 重新装修使焕然一新
supervise 监督，管理 负责指导和管理工作
backbreaking 累死人的，极其辛苦的 backbreaking work 非常辛苦的工作
intergenerational 跨代际的 涉及不同年龄层的
volunteer 志愿者，义工 自愿提供服务的人

口语中的应用

  1. “Is that serious a problem?”

    • 口语中常用结构：“Is that + 形容词 + a/an + 名词？”
    • 相当于"Is that such a serious problem?"

  2. “I can’t get a handle on it.”

    • 表示"搞不定"、“弄不明白”
    • 非常地道，比"I don’t understand"更生动

  3. “Roll up your sleeves.”

    • 表示"准备开始努力工作"
    • 也可用于鼓励别人开始行动

  4. “Live up to one’s word”

    • 表示"履行诺言"
    • 类似：keep one’s word / be as good as one’s word

  5. “It’s asking a lot.”

    • 表示"要求很高"、“很不容易”
    • 用于评价某项任务的难度

核心练习句型

  1. “be supposed to” 表示"本应该、原计划"

    • The old library was supposed to be made into a community center.
    • 练习：我们本应该昨天到的。→ We were supposed to arrive yesterday.

  2. “due to” 表示"由于"

    • Due to lack of funds, the plans have been postponed.
    • 练习：由于天气不好，比赛取消了。→ Due to bad weather, the game was canceled.

  3. “need + 人 + to do” 需要某人做某事

    • We need volunteers to help scrub the building.
    • 练习：我需要你帮我做这个。→ I need you to help me with this.

  4. “There’s no way + (that) + 从句” 表示"不可能"

    • There’s no way we can complete this project.
    • 练习：我不可能按时完成。→ There’s no way I can finish on time.

  5. “by + doing” 表示"通过做某事"

    • By working together, this community can do anything.
    • 练习：通过努力学习，你可以通过考试。→ By studying hard, you can pass the exam.