欢乐美语:The Spirit of the West 西部风情

　　INTRODUCTION TO ACT I
Today on TUNING¹ IN THE U.S.A., we’re in Denver, Colorado near the great Rocky Mountains. Robbie and Grandpa have come to join Richard for a few days. Tonight, Richard will sleep at a campground, but Robbie and Grandpa are going to say in a motel². Robbie isn’t too happy about that, but then he looks out the window and feels the spirit of the Old West.
ACT I
Richard: Here we are. Room two oh two.
Grandpa: Well, this isn’t too bad. A motel room for twenty-five dollars. Good enough for a couple of cowboys just off the jet³. Right, Robbie?
Ro: Sure. I guess.
Ri: Hey, what’s the matter?
Ro: Well, you know, I came out West, and I was expecting, well, I don’t know- more adventure. Not a motel with a swimming pool.
Ri: Hey, don’t worry about it, little brother. Tomorrow we’ll have an adventure. We’ll go for a drive in the mountains.
Ro: Now, that sounds exciting.
Ri: Listen, I’ve got to get back to the campground.
Gr: Are you sure you can’t stay here with us in the motel?
Ri： I’d like to, but I want to get some pictures of the mountains.
Ro: Ok.
Ri: See you tomorrow. [He leaves.]
Grandpa: No, sir. We can’t complain about this room. We’ve got a window with a view of the mountains. We even have a radio. [He turns on the radio.]
Ro: At least the music is western.
Gr: It smells like the West, too. [He sniffs⁴.] I think I smell cows.
Ro: Hey, look out there! On the other side of the highway!
Gr: Open the window.
Ro: [He Opens the window.] Look at all the cows over there!
Gr: [He sniffs deeply.] Ah! [He laughs.] The cowboys probably smelled that same smell a hundred years ago.
Ro: Those must be the Denver stockyards. Cattlemen bring cattle from all over the state to sell there.
Gr: So now it looks like the Old West, smells like the Old West, sounds like the Old West-
Ro: Hey, Grandpa, can you see that sign outside? It says, “Cattle auction⁵ Saturday. Open to the public.”
Gr: Great! Ha! If you want to see the West, a cattle auction’s a perfect place. All those animals for sale: cows and horses. And there are cowboys, pickup⁶ trucks…
Ro: I don’t know exactly why [closing the window], but all of a sudden I have a real hunger for a big, thick, beefsteak.
Gr: [He laughs.] In that case, how about a big, thick steak for dinner?
Ro: With a little barbecue sauce?
Gr: With barbecue sauce and corn bread on the side. Wha-hoo! Now it even tastes like the Old West! Come on, cowboy. Let’s eat!
INTRODUCTION TO ACT II
This time on Tuning in the U.S.A., we join Robbie and Grandpa at a cattle auction in Denver, Colorado. Ranchers’ from all over the state are buying and selling farm animals. The Stewarts meet Marianne, a young farmer. She hopes to sell her cow. At the auction, Richard, Robbie, and Grandpa talk about buying the girl’s cow. But are they serious or only joking?
Act II
Grandpa: Excuse me, young lady. When does the cattle auction begin?
Marianne: It should start in about fifteen minutes.
Gr: Thank you.
Ro: Well, Grandpa, I’d say there are too many cows, and there’s too little time.
Grandpa: [He laughs.] I think you’re right, Robbie. We’re not going to find the most beautiful cow in just fifteen minutes.
Mr: Pardon me. I can show you my cow.
Ro: You have your very own cow?
Ma: Sure. My name is Marianne. I belong to the Young Farmers’ Club at my high shool. All the members raise farm animals to sell. My cow won the club prize.
Gr: That’s wonderful. Is that her right there?
Ma: Yup. Her name is Rosebud⁷. [joking] Hey, Rosebud, say “hi” to these people. [The cow moos.]
Gr: That sure is fine animal.
Ma: I hope a nice family buys her.
An: [She speaks into a microphone⁸.] Cattle lot number, please proceed⁹ to the main gate.
Ma: They’re calling me. I’ve got to get to the main gate. It was nice talking to you.
Gr: It was nice talking to you, too. And that you for introducing us to Rosebud.
Ma: You’re welcome. Wish me luck.
Gr: Good luck! [She leaves.]
Ro: [joking] Hey, Grandpa, we’re a nice family. Maybe we should buy Rosebud.
Grandpa: [He laughs.] And take her back to Riverdale? Maybe we should go find Richard and find our seats. [They find Richard.]
Ro: Richard, what’s going on? I can’t understand that man. What is he saying? It doesn’t even sound like English.
Ri: Oh, it’s English all right. But all auctioneers speak that way. [He points to someone.] There! See? That man over there just bought that bull¹⁰.
Ro: But I didn’t hear him say anything.
Gr: [He laughs.] He doesn’t have to say a word. He just raises his hand, and the auctioneer sees him. Now watch the man with the sunglasses. Watch carefully as he tries to buy the cow.
Ro: Oh, I see it now. He lifts his arm just a little bit. Like this. [He lifts his arm.]
Ri: Hey, be careful, Robbie! Put your arm down! You almost bought that cow!
Ro: That’s Rosebud!
Ri: Rosebud? Who’s Rosebud?
Ro: That’s Marianne’s cow. Grandpa and I joked about buying her.
Ri: [He laughs.] It’s good that you didn’t. I don’t think Mom would like a cow for a souvenir of your trip out West! [They all laugh]

1 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》

2 motel   

n.汽车游客旅馆

参考例句：

• Late that night he landed at a motel.那晚他到了一家汽车旅馆。
• The motel manager showed the guests to their room.汽车旅馆经理把旅客领到他们房间。

3 jet   

n.喷气发动机，喷气式飞机；v.喷出，喷射

参考例句：

• Put a match to the jet to light the gas.将火柴放在煤气喷嘴上点燃煤气。
• I don't see the jet of your plan.我不明白你的计划的要点。

4 sniffs   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的第三人称单数 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When a dog smells food, he usually sniffs. 狗闻到食物时常吸鼻子。 来自辞典例句
• I-It's a difficult time [ Sniffs ] with my husband. 最近[哭泣]和我丈夫出了点问题。 来自电影对白

5 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

6 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

7 rosebud   

n.蔷薇花蕾，妙龄少女

参考例句：

• At West Ham he was thought of as the rosebud that never properly flowered.在西汉姆他被认为是一个尚未开放的花蕾。
• Unlike the Rosebud salve,this stuff is actually worth the money.跟玫瑰花蕾膏不一样，这个更值的买。

8 microphone   

n.扩音器，麦克风，话筒

参考例句：

• He gave a tap at the microphone before speaking.他在讲话前先轻叩了一下扩音器。
• She behaved naturally before the microphone.她在话筒前表现自然。

9 proceed   

vi.着手，继续进行；前进，行进

参考例句：

• Wrong opinions often proceed from lack of information.错误的看法往往产生于不了解情况。
• Let's proceed with our work.我们接着干吧。

10 bull   

n.公牛，买进证券投机图利者，看涨的人

参考例句：

• It's only a hair off a bull's back to them.这对他们来说，不过九牛一毛。
• Many dogs closed around the bull.很多狗渐渐地把那只牛围了起来。