BOOKING A ROOM
A: Can I help you?
B: Yes, I'd like a room, please.
A: Single or double?
B: Single.
A: For one night?
B: No, two nights.
A: With a bath or shower?
B: With a bath please. How much is the room?
A: $ 68 a night, including breakfast.
B: Can I pay by credit card?
A: Yes, of course. Could you register, please?
B: Oh, yes.
A: Your room number is 403. Have a good stay.
B: Thank you.
订房间
A:能为您效劳吗?
B:是的,麻烦你,我要订个房间。
A:要单人间还是双人间?
B:单人间。
A:住一个晚上吗?
B:不,两个晚上。
A:要带浴盆的,还是淋浴的?
B:要带浴盆的。房价是多少?
A:一个晚上68美元,包括早餐。
B:能用信用卡付款吗?
A:当然可以。您登一下记好吗?
B:噢,好的。
A:您的房间号是403。祝您入住愉快。
B:谢谢你。
NOTES TO THE TEXT
Life at Gateshead Hall
标题中的Gateshead Hall是Jane Eyre的姨母Reed夫人家住宅的名称。19世纪英国中产人家的住宅通常有个名字,比如Emilly写的小说Wuthering Heights中的Wuthering Heights —— 呼啸山庄以及画眉山庄就是一个例子。
It was a cold winter day. The wind had brought dark clouds and heavy rain, so it was impossible to take a walk.
这两句既描写了天气也为故事阴寒压抑的氛围定下了一个基调。
Eliza, John and Georgiana were gathered round their mother in the sitting-room.
这句中的Eliza, John和Georgiana都是Mrs. Reed的孩子,也就是Jane的cousins(表兄妹)。John是男孩,其他两个是女孩的名字。
gathered在这里是过去分词转化为形容词作表语的用法。
She lay on a sofa by the fireside, looking perfectly happy with her darlings about her.
looking perfectly happy是现在分词短语,在这里作伴随状语;with引导的介词短语也作伴随情况;about是介词,意思相当于round。
这个句子惟妙惟肖地描绘了一幅典型的英国中产阶级家庭对于脉脉温情地一种自我满足和陶醉的画面,而这种脉脉温情又显得矫蹂造作。句中perfectly 这个词读起来让人觉得有几分嘲讽的味道。
But she told me not to come near them because I was not a good child.
这句话使我们感受到这是以一个小女孩的口吻来说的,这种叙述的妙处在于含而不露,在这里我们不难体会到那位姨母的势利本性,以及主人公幼小的心灵中对于寄人篱下的滋味的体验。
I went to a small room next to the drawing-room.
这句中的next to意思是“紧靠在……旁边、贴近……”。例如:
His room is next to mine. 他的房间在我隔壁。
I sat next to her. 我就坐在她旁边。
next to还有“居于……之后、次于……”的意思,例如:
Next to your mother, who do you love most? 除了你母亲之外,你最喜欢谁?