欢乐美语:Music! Music! Music! 音乐启蒙

　　INTRODUCTION TO ACT I
Today on TUNING¹ IN THE U.S.A., we are in the living room at the Stewart hoe². Mr. Biondi, a piano tuner, is tuning Ellen’s piano. She tells him that she will be playing the piano more often. She may even be teaching⁴ piano again soon. When Philip comes home, he is happy to hear of her plans.
ACT I
Mr. Biondi: [He plays musical notes on the piano.] Mrs. Stewart, next time, don’t wait so long to tune³ your piano.
Ellen: It has been over a year since you were here.
Mr. Biondi: It’s been almost two years. That’s not good for a piano. Hear that?
Ellen: Ooh, it’s flat.
Mr. Biondi: Right. I’ll sharpen⁵ it. Now it’s in tune. [He stops tuning the piano.] Are you teaching piano these days, Mrs. Stewart?
Ellen: No, I haven’t been teaching much recently.
Mr. Biondi: You know, it’s too bad you’re not teaching anymore.
Ellen: What makes you say that?
Mr. Biondi: It’s hard to find a teacher as good as you are, Mrs. Stewart. My daughter Anna learned⁶ a lot from you.
Ellen: Oh, thank you, Mr. Biondi. I enjoyed giving Anna piano lessons.
Mr. Biondi: You have a way of making music lessons fun.
Ellen: Thank you. I think children practice more if they enjoy their lessons.
Mr. Biondi: That’s true. That’s true. Are you planning on giving lessons again? [He starts to tune the piano again.]
Ellen: Well, actually, I am thinking about teaching again.
Mr. Biondi: Now, I call that good news.
Philip: [He enters the house.] Hello, honey. I’m home!
Ellen: And that’s good news for me. My husband’s home. [calling] We’re in the living room, Philip. Mr. Biondi is here.
Philip: [He enters the living room.] Hello, Mr. Biondi. Nice to see you again.
Mr. Biondi: Hi, Dr. Stewart.
Philip: How’s the piano?
Mr. Biondi: Now it’s fine. But this piano was badly in need of tuning.
Philip: Well, Ellen hasn’t been playing much recently.
Mr. Biondi: Yes, she told me. But now one of Riverdale’s best piano teachers has decided⁷ to go back to teaching.
Philip: What’s this?
Ellen: Oh, Philip, I was going to talk to you about it tonight.
Mr. Biondi: I think she deserves⁸ a well-turned piano, don’t you? [He finishes tuning the piano.] All done! Mrs. Stewart, would you care to try it out?
Philip: Go on, Ellen. I think it’s great that you want to teach piano again.
Ellen: I’m glad you think so, Philip. [She begins to play.]
Philip: Could I ask a favor? [Ellen stops playing.]
Ph: Will you play my favorite piano piece for me?
El: [joking] Do I know it?
Ph: Well, I don’t remember the name. But it goes something like this. Let me try. [He plays a simple tune on the piano.]
Mr: There’s your first student, Mrs. Stewart.
El: Philip, I think I know that piece.
Ph: Would you play it for me?
INTRODUCTION TO ACT II
This time on Tuning in the U.S.A., we are at the Stewart home. Ellen is giving a piano lesson to a young girl. Her name is Jane. Ellen teaches her to play with more feeling, and Jane shares a secret with Ellen. When she grows up, she wants to be a musician. Ellen invites Jane to join an after-school music program. The young girl is unsure at first, but she changes her mind.
ACT II
Jane: [She plays a tune at the piano.] How’s that, Mrs. Stewart? Did I do al right?
Ellen: Yes, Jane. You hit all the correct notes.
Jane: I didn’t make a single mistake?
Ellen: No, you didn’t. But let’s try it again.
Jane: OK. [She begins to play the tune again.]
Ellen: Wait a minute. Let’s do it another way.
Jane: Different notes?
Ellen: No, the same notes. But let’s pretend that we have to play very quietly.
Jane: Why do we have to be quiet?
Ellen: Because there is a sleeping baby in the room.
Jane: There is?
Ellen: [She laughs.] We’re only pretending. So play very quietly.
Jane: Ok. [she plays again.]
El: Very nice, Jane.
Ja: You know what, Mrs. Stewart? I think it sounded better that way.
El: It did sound better. You’ve had a good lesson today. I can tell that you practiced this week.
Jane: You can? I must be getting better.
El: You are. Come in the kitchen, Jane. I’ll give you a nice glass of lemonade.
Ja: Thank you, Mrs. Stewart. I’m thirsty. [They go into the kitchen.]
El: There you go, Jane. Is that enough ice?
Ja: Yes, thank you. That’s just right.
El: Do you listen to much music at home?
Ja: Not really. I have four little brothers and sisters. They make noise all the time.
El: Mmm. That’s a lot of brothers and sisters.
Ja: And that’s a lot of noise. [Ellen laughs.]
Ja: Can I tell you a secret, Mrs. Stewart?
El: Of course. You can trust me.
Ja: When I grow up, I’m going to be a musician.
El: Is that so? Jane, do you know about the after-school programs next fall?
Ja: I heard my mom and dad say something about them.
El: Well, there’s going to be a music program. Twice a week.
Jane: There is? After school? Really?
El: Maybe your parents should know about it. I can suggest it to them.
Ja: Well, I don’t know…
El: I thought you wanted to be a musician.
Ja: I do. I really do, but…
El: But what?
Ja: Well, who’s the music teacher in the after-school program? Maybe he won’t like me.
El: Oh, she likes you already.
Ja: she does?
El: Yes, she does. You see, I’m the teacher.
Ja: You are? Oh, that’s great!

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 hoe   

n.锄；v.用锄整(地)，用锄除草

参考例句：

• They hoe the garden to keep down the weeds.他们把花园里的草锄掉，阻止其生长。
• She bought herself a hoe and a sickle.她给自己买了一把锄头和一把镰刀。

3 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

4 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。

5 sharpen   

v.（使）变锐利，削尖

参考例句：

• This exercise will help students sharpen up their reading skills.这个练习将帮助学生提高阅读能力。
• When you sharpen a pencil,you make chips.你削铅笔时，会削下许多碎屑。

6 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 deserves   

v.应受，应得，值得( deserve的第三人称单数 )；应受报答；应得报酬；应得赔偿

参考例句：

• A wilful fault has no excuse and deserves no pardon. 不能宽恕故意犯下的错误。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is the only poet in this country that deserves the name. 他是这个国家唯一的一位名副其实的诗人。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》