欢乐美语:A Woolly Adventure 顾客至上

INTRODUCTION¹ TO ACT I

Today on Tuning² In The U.S.A., we’re with Marilyn Stewart at a New York City boutique. Marilyn works³ as a salesperson⁴ in the shop. Sometime⁵ she makes clothes of her own design. Today a customer comes in looking for a coat. She doesn’t like the coats in the store, but she likes Marilyn’s sweater. It’s hand-made, and it’s perfect, expect for one thing.

Act I

Marilyn: Good afternoon. What can I do for you?

Customer: Are you Rita Mae, the owner?

Marilyn: No, I’m Marilyn Stewart. I work for Rita.

Customer: I see.

Marilyn: Rita will be away until next Monday. Perhaps I can help you.

Customer: A friend of mine told me about this shop. She said the clothes are original designs. And they’re well made.

Marilyn: We like to think so. What are you looking for?

Customer: I’m looking for a coat.

Marilyn: We have just a few coats left. Can I show them to you?

Customer: I’d like that. Thank you.

Marilyn: Here is a zippered⁶ coat. It has a wide belt and two large pockets. Would you like to try it on?

Customer: I don’t think so.

Marilyn: It comes in several colors. In your size, I have a dark blue, a black, and a gray-green.

Customer: No, I’m looking for something different.

Marilyn: I’m sorry. This is all we have until fall.

Customer: You are wearing a very nice sweater.

Marilyn: Thank you. I made it myself.

Customer: It’s beautiful. Could you make me one?

Marilyn: Why, Yes. I could do that. And I could make it long, like a coat.

Customer: That’s a good idea! I’d like that. Is it wool?

Marilyn: No. It’s mix of wool and man-made⁷ materials.

Customer: Hmm. May I make a suggestion?

Marilyn: Certainly. Please do.

Customer: Your design is wonderful. And it’s very well made.

Marilyn: Thank you. I care about my work.

Customer: Everything is terrific⁸, but the material. It’s so ordinary. It should be better. Pure wool. Maybe even hand-spun⁹ wool.

Marilyn: Do you think so?

Customer; Close your eyes and picture it. Go on.

Marilyn: Yes. Maybe you’re right.

Customer: Fine designs deserve¹⁰ fine materials.

Marilyn: Hand-spun-wool. I like that idea!

Customer: I don’t want it to be a bright color.

Marilyn: Hmm. I like your idea. And I can use wooden buttons. They would be nice.

Customer: Perfect!

Marilyn: But may I be honest with you?

Customer: Of course.

Marilyn: I don’t know very much about wool. Maybe you can help me. Where should I look for wool? Do you have suggestions?

Customer: Well, wool has to grow on sheep. And sheep have to grow on farms.

Marilyn: And you know of a sheep farm?

Customer: There’s the Thompson farm in the Catskill Mountains. The Thompsons sell wood.

Marilyn: It sounds like an adventure! I’ll go there.

Introduction to act II

This time on Tuning In The U.S.A., Marilyn Stewart visits a sheep farm in New York State. She is looking for wool spun the old way, by hand. Marilyn wants to use this kind of wool to make a special sweater. So she goes to the best place to find wool, a sheep farm!

Act II

Thompson: [to his dog] All right, Blackie. That’s enough barking.[to Marilyn] Hi. You must be Marilyn Stewart.

Marilyn: Yes, I am.

Th: My wife told me about you. You phoned yesterday.

Ma: That’s right. You are Mr. Thompson?

Th: The one and only.

Ma: How do you do?

Th: Very fine, thanks. You are a clothing designer¹¹?

Ma: Yes. I came to buy some wool.

Th: My wife does all the spinning¹² of the wool. She can show you the different kinds.

Ma: That will be great. This is a nice farm. How many sheep do you have?

Th: A hundred and ten. At last count.

Ma: That’s a lot.

Th: [He points to his dog.] Blackie, here, gives me some help.

[The dog begins to bark.]

Th: [to his dog] That’s enough, now. Really, we’re a small farm. The big sheep farms raise a couple of thousand animals.

Ma: So many! You can probably guess I don’t know much about sheep and the wool business.

Th: New at it, eh?

Ma: Yes.

Th: Do you want to see something really new?

Ma: What is it?

Th: Two lambs born just this morning.

Ma: May I see them? I’d love that!

Th: Follow me. [to the dog] Go on. Lead the way, Blackie!

[They walk to the barnyard.]

Th: Here’s a nice little lamb. [to Marilyn] Why don’t you hold him?

Ma: Ohhh…his wool is so soft.

Th: First-year wool is always like that.

Ma: Do you sell it?

Th: I sure do. There’s a real interest in natural things right now. My wife’s business is growing. My wife’s business is growing. Oh, here she comes now.

Marge: Hi, there! Did you phone yesterday?

Marilyn: Yes. I’m Marilyn Stewart.

Marge: I’m Marge Thompson. Nice to meet you.

Th: I can take that little lamb from you.

Marilyn: Here you are. Oh, I hate to give him up.

Thompson: I’ll tell you what, Marilyn. Go with my wife. She can show you the different types of wool.

Marge: We have several kinds of sheep. Each one gives a particular kind of wool.

Marilyn: I didn’t know that. This is my first time working with hand-spun wool.

Thompson: Mrs. Thompson can teach you everything about it.

Marilyn: There’s a lot for me to learn.

Th: You finish your business with Mrs. Thompson and then come back here to the barn¹³.

Marilyn: All right.

Thompson: I like to be fair to my lambs. And that other newborn, see him?

Marilyn: Ohhh.

Th: He wants you to hold him, too.

Marilyn: Tell him not to worry. I’ll be back.

1 introduction   

n.(to)介绍；传入，引进；导言，导论，绪论

参考例句：

• The introduction tells you how to use the book.引言告诉你怎样使用这本书。
• A letter of introduction will ensure you an interview.凭一封介绍信准保会接待你。

2 tuning   

n.调谐，调整，调音v.调音( tune的现在分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• They are tuning up a plane on the flight line. 他们正在机场的飞机跑道上调试一架飞机。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The orchestra are tuning up. 管弦乐队在定弦。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

4 salesperson   

n.售货员，营业员，店员

参考例句：

• A salesperson works in a shop.售货员在商店工作。
• Vanessa is a salesperson in a woman's wear department.凡妮莎是女装部的售货员。

5 sometime   

adv.将来某一时候；改天

参考例句：

• He came sometime last month.上个月某个时候他曾经来过。
• It will happen sometime and somewhere.有朝一日这总会在什么地方发生的。

6 zippered   

v.拉上拉链( zipper的过去式和过去分词 )；用拉链扣上

参考例句：

• Freeze grapes and put them into a zippered plastic bag. 还可以把葡萄冷冻，然后放在有拉链的塑料袋里。 来自互联网
• Packaging is a VZB( Vinyl Zippered Bag packaging), with a color insert. 包装：有拉链的塑料袋，放一张彩卡。 来自互联网

7 man-made   

adj.人造的，合成的，人为的

参考例句：

• Nylon is a man-made fibre.尼龙是一种人造纤维。
• Many countries have sent up man-made satellites to circle the earth.许多国家已经发射人造卫星围绕地球运转。

8 terrific   

adj.可怕的，极好的，非常的

参考例句：

• The game was terrific.那场比赛棒极了。
• Darren drove at a terrific speed.达伦以惊人的速度驾车。

9 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

10 deserve   

vt.应受，值得；vi. 应受报答，值得受赏

参考例句：

• You really deserve a good beating,you naughty boy.你这个调皮孩子真该打。
• I do not deserve all the praises bestowed upon me.我不配得到这些赞扬。

11 designer   

n.设计者，制图者

参考例句：

• Carolyne is a fashion designer.卡罗琳是一名时装设计师。
• He was a set designer.他是一个布景设计者。

12 spinning   

n.纺纱v.使…旋转( spin的现在分词 )；纺（线）；杜撰；（使）急转身

参考例句：

• The plane was spinning out of control. 飞机失去控制，不停地旋转。
• The carriage was spinning along at a good speed. 马车以高速飞跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 barn   

n.谷仓，饲料仓，牲口棚

参考例句：

• That big building is a barn for keeping the grain.那幢大房子是存放粮食的谷仓。
• The cows were driven into the barn.牛被赶进了牲口棚。