欢乐美语:A Picinc Indoors 室内野餐

　　INTRODUCTION¹ TO ACT I
Today on TUNING² IN THE U.S.A., Robbie Stewart is in the kitchen with Alexandra Pappas. She is teaching³ him to make stuffed⁴ grape leaves, a traditional Greek⁵ dish. They are getting ready to go on a picnic with some friends, and they are planning to take the food and share it. While the grape leaves are cooking, Alexandra teaches Robbie a Greek dance. They hope to teach the dance to their friends. It looks as if the picnic will be a great success, but there’s just one problem.
ACT I
Robbie: OK, Alexandra. Here you go. Two cups of finely chopped⁶ onions. That means⁷ very small pieces… like this.
Alexandra: Oh, Robbie. You did a nice job.
Ro: Of course. This is my first time cooking stuffed grape leaves, but it’s not my first time in the kitchen.
Al: I know. You’re a great cook. Now mix everything together and roll up the grape leaves.
Ro: This is the fun part.
Al: I do hope everyone will like these.
Ro: Believe me, after riding their bikes all the way to the lake, the kids will eat anything.
Al: Anything? That’s not very nice to say.
Ro: Oh, Alexandra, I didn’t mean it that way. They’ll love them! And they’ll be really hungry.
Al: Stuffed grape leaves are a traditional Greek food. I think they’re delicious.
Ro: I know they’re delicious. See? I’m tasting them right now.
Al: Don’t do that! The rice isn’t cooked.
Ro: Mmm. Delicious.
Al: [joking] I hope you break a tooth. You really think they’ll like them?
Ro: Alexandra, I know everyone is bringing some food, but these will be everybody’s favorite. C’mon, Let’s put them in the oven⁸. What temperature?
Al: Low heat. They will need at least an hour and a half.
Ro: Great! I set the timer. Now let’s go listen to some tapes.
Al: All right. I brought a surprise for you.
Ro: A surprise! What is it?
Al: Some music to go with the grape leaves. [later]
Al: I know you like Greek music. Do you want me to teach you Greek dancing?
Ro: Sure!
Al: Ok. You go like this. One, two, three, four.
Ro: Forward, side, back, side. How am I doing?
Al: You’re great! You’re great!
Ro: Hey, let’s take this tape to the picnic. We can teach all the kids Greek dancing.
[The alarm on the timer sounds.]
Al: There’s the timer. The grape leaves are ready.
Ro: Watch me. I’ll dance my way to the kitchen. I’ll be right back.
Al: [calling] Robbie, this is going to be a great picnic.
Ro: [calling back] Of course. With Greek music and Greek food, what could be better? One, two, three, four.
[Thunder sounds]
Ro: Uh-oh. Thunder! Alexandra! That means rain.
Al: Oh no! Robbie, our picnic!
Introduction To Act II
This time on Tuning in the U.S.A., we are with Robbie and Alexandra at the Stewart home. They have cooked some stuffed grape leaves to take on a picnic with a group of their friends. Suddenly the weather changed, and it started to rain. Now it is raining hard. When Marilyn comes home, she is soaking⁹ wet. They won’t be going out to a picnic today. So the three of them decide to have their own picnic right there at home.
Act II
[The thunder sounds again. Robbie groans¹⁰.]
Alexandra: Robbie, are you all right?
Robbie: I’m all right, Alexandra. But look outside the window.
Al: Oh no! Look, it’s raining. What are we going to do about the picnic?
Ro: What are we going to do about all these grape leaves?
Marilyn: [She enters.] Phew! It’s pouring out there! It’s raining cats and dogs.
Ro: Hi, Marilyn.
Ma: Hi, Robbie. Hi, Alexandra. Uh! I’ll be surprised if I don’t catch a bad cold. I’m soaking wet. Hey, something smells good in here. What is it?
Ro: That’s the smell of stuffed grape leaves.
Al: Traditional Greek food. Robbie and I made them.
Ma: [She takes off her jacket.] Mmm. Smells yummy
Ro: You look like you went swimming.
Ma: In my favorite silk blouse? Why didn’t I listen to the weather report this morning! Ohhh, look at my shoes. They’re all wet! They’re ruined!
Ro: We were planning to go on a picnic. We made the grape leaves to take along and share with the other kids.
Ma: Well, they sure smell good.
Al: They do! Only the best for our friends.
Ma: What’s inside them?
Al: Lamb, rice, onions, and herbs¹¹. We mixed them together and wrapped¹² them up in grape leaves.
Ma: May I try just one?
Ro: Well, if it’s Ok with Alexandra, it’s Ok with me.
Al: Sure. Go ahead, Marilyn. I don’t think there will be any picnic today.
Marilyn: Ahhh, That’s too bad.
Ro: We’ve been looking forward to this picnic for weeks.
Al: I really wanted my friends to try this food. Most of the kids have never eaten stuffed grape leaves. I wanted to introduce them to a new food from my home.
Ro: That’s really important to Alexandra.
Ma: Well, I have never tasted them.
Al: You haven’t? Well, here, Marilyn. Let me get you a plate.
Ro: Hey, why not get her a paper plate? Let’s pretend¹³ we’re on a picnic.
Al: Right here at the kitchen table?
Ro: Why not? Who says picnics have to be outside?
Al: Robbie, you’re a genius!
Ro: Come on, Marilyn. Pull up a chair and join our picnic. Would anyone like something to drink? [He looks inside the refrigerator.] We have cola, milk, orange juice, and [laughing] water!
Marilyn: Oh, no water for me! I’ve had enough water for today. [They all laugh.]

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 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

4 stuffed   

adj.充满的；饱的v.塞住( stuff的过去式和过去分词 )；把…装进；把…装满；（使）吃撑

参考例句：

• stuffed animals in glass cases 玻璃柜里的动物标本
• I was stuffed to the gills with chocolate cake. 我嘴里塞满了巧克力蛋糕。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 Greek   

adj.希腊(人)的，希腊语的；n.希腊人；希腊语

参考例句：

• The Greek seaman went to the hospital five times.这位希腊海员到该医院去过五次。
• Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet.δ是希腊字母中的第四个字母。

6 chopped   

[医]剁碎的

参考例句：

• He chopped some wood for the fire. 他劈了些柴烧火。
• Finish by sprinkling some chopped almonds over the cake. 最后在蛋糕上撒些剁碎的杏仁。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

8 oven   

n.烤炉；烤箱

参考例句：

• You put food inside an oven to cook it.你把食物放进烤箱里热一下。
• She baked bread in an oven.她用烤炉烤面包。

9 soaking   

v.浸，浸湿(soak的现在分词)；吸收，吸入adj.湿透的；浸透的n.浸湿，浸透adv.湿透地

参考例句：

• That coat is soaking—take it off. 上衣湿透了—脱下来吧。
• I tried to squeeze the water out of my soaking skirt. 我用力拧掉我那件湿透了的裙子上的水。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 groans   

n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• There were loud groans when he started to sing. 他刚开始歌唱时有人发出了很大的嘘声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was a weird old house, full of creaks and groans. 这是所神秘而可怕的旧宅，到处嘎吱嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 herbs   

草本植物( herb的名词复数 )； 药草，香草

参考例句：

• the curative properties of herbs 药草治病的功效
• the therapeutic properties of herbs 草药的医疗效用

12 wrapped   

adj.有包装的，预先包装的v.包( wrap的过去式和过去分词 )；覆盖；用…包裹（或包扎、覆盖等）；卷起

参考例句：

• The chocolates are individually wrapped in gold foil. 巧克力用金箔纸一颗颗独立包装。
• Would you like the chocolates gift-wrapped? 你要把巧克力糖打成礼品包吗？

13 pretend   

vt.假装，假托，装扮；vi.假装，装作

参考例句：

• So you don't need to pretend,do you?所以你不必装假了，对吧？
• Many people pretend that they understand modern art.许多人装着自己懂得现代艺术。