欢乐美语:Just the Two of us 你我度今宵

　　INTRODUCTION TO ACT I
Today on TUNING¹ IN THE U.S.A., we’re in New York City with Richard and his wife Marilyn. They are in a large music hall waiting for a concert to begin. While the musicians tune² their instruments, Richard and Marilyn feel happy to be together. They hope to have a quiet dinner alone after the concert. But before the concert even begins, their plans have changed.
Act I
Richard: Hmm. Let’s see. Tonight they’ll be playing the Hunt Quarter. Do you remember this piece, Marilyn?
Ma: Of course, Richard. [She hums the melody³.] We heard on one of our first dates together. We went to a concert in Central Park.
Ri: It’s was a beautiful night. But then…do you remember?
Ma: It started to rain before the piece was half over.
Ri: And you wanted to stay and listen in spite⁴ of the weather.
Ma: I put your new jacket over my head to keep the rain off me.
Ri: As I remember, it didn’t keep you very dry!
Ma: [she laughs.] And you could never wear the jacket again!
Ri: [he laughs.] I think that was the day I knew I loved you.
Ma: Really?
Ri: Well, that was the first day I knew I loved you. Now I know it every day.
Ma: Oh, Richard, this is so much fun, going to a concert…and just being with you.
Ri: You mean being just with me. We don’t have enough time to be together-only the two of us.
Ma: I know.
Ri: But tonight is different. So, What shall we do after the concert?
Ma: Well…how about that nice restaurant down by the Brooklyn Bridge? We can sit at a table for two, and look into each other’s eyes…
Ri: Unless Susan and Harry⁵ are there.
Ma: Susan and Harry? What do you mean?
Ri: Well, if Susan and Harry are there, it would be rude for us just to look into each other’s eyes.
Ma: Richard, What are you talking about?
Ri: Look at the couple sitting two rows in front of us.
Ma: Susan and Harry!
Ri: And I thought we were alone.
Susan: [calling] Richard, Marilyn! What are you doing here?
Ri: The same thing you’re doing, I think. Waiting for the music to begin.
Susan: Oh, Richard, I meant that we didn’t know that you were going to be here.
Ma: We just got tickets this morning.
Su: Can you join us after the concert?
Ri: Well…we sort of had some plans.
Susan: Come on, you two. We’re going to a great party.
Ri: Well, I don’t know.
Su: Marilyn, Remember the hat designer I was telling you about? She’ll be there. Come on, say yes.
Ri: Well, Marilyn?
Ma: Sure. Let’s go to the party with Susan and Harry. It’ll be fun. As long as we’re tighter-that’s the important thing.
Susan: Well? Can you come?
Ri: Sure.
Susan: Terrific⁶! We’ll meet you in the lobby⁷ after the concert!
INTRODUCTION TO ACT II
This time on TUNING IN THE U.S.A., Richard and Marilyn are in New York City at a party with Susan and her friend, Harry Bennett. It’s a nice party, but it’s very crowded. And Richard and Marilyn had not very crowded. And Richard and Marilyn had not exactly planned to a large partly on their evening out tighter. They wanted to be alone. But they won’t be alone until the end of the night, as they head home to Riverdale.
Act II
Susan: Judy, Robert, Anne, and Tom, This is my sister-in-law Marilyn. She’s married to my brother Richard. He’s over there by the food table.
Marilyn: Hi. How do you do? Robert, Judy… [She laughs.] I’m sorry. I’ll never remember all your names.
Robert: Oh, that’s all right. Learning⁸ a lot of new names is never easy. It’s nice to meet some of Susan’s family. She talks about you all the time.
Marilyn: Richard and I went to hear a concert. We didn’t know Susan and Harry would be there, too.
Susan: We begged them to come along with us.
Richard: Hi, everybody.
Marilyn: This is my husband, Richard. And this is …
Su: A nice group of my friends. Richard, you’ll have to make your own introductions. I just saw Kathy, and I want Marilyn to meet her.
Marilyn: See you later, Richard.
Susan: [calling] Kathy! Wait a minute!
Robert: Susan tells me you’re a photographer, Richard. I’m the photo editor at an art magazine. Have you seen the exhibit⁹ at the photography center? Oh, by the way, my name is Robert.
[Later that evening, Richard and Marilyn are standing¹⁰ at a bus stop.]
Ri: Is this bus going to Riverdale?
Bus Driver: Yup. I’m headed that way.
Richard: Good. Marilyn? After you.
Marilyn: Hmm. The bus is all empty. Do you want to sit here?
Ri: That’s fine. [He sits down.] Well, I think we escaped.
Ma: “Escaped” is the right word. That party might go on all night! Can you believe it? Susan and Harry wanted us to go dancing! I can hardly stand up. I’m so tired.
Ri: It’s almost midnight.
Ma: Yes, but the dance clubs in the city are just getting started. You didn’t want to go dancing, did you?
Ri: Oh, no. Not really. Remember the concert?
Ma: The concert? That seems like yesterday.
Ri: I know. But remember, at the concert we were talking about our plans for the evening.
Ma: That’s night. Weren’t we planning a quiet evening with just the two of us?
Ri: Something like that.
Ma: It didn’t quite happen like that.
Ri: Not yet.
Bus driver: [calling] George Washington Bridge.
Passenger: Oh! Thank you, driver! I get off here.
Ri: Not until right now. You see, here we are. Just the two of us…riding the midnight bus to Riverdale.
Ma: Isn’t nice to be alone?

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 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。

3 melody   

n.旋律，曲调，悦耳的音乐

参考例句：

• She struck up a folk melody on the piano.她开始用钢琴演奏那首民歌。
• After she wrote the melody,she asked us for criticisms.她做好曲之后，请我们提意见。

4 spite   

n.（用于短语）虽然，不顾，尽管

参考例句：

• He has modern ideas in spite of his great age.尽管他年事很高，但思想观念却很入时。
• In spite of his anger,his remarks were restrained.他尽管生气，说的话还是有节制的。

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 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。

7 lobby   

n.前厅，（剧院的）门廊

参考例句：

• As he walked through the lobby,he skirted a group of ladies.他穿过门厅时，绕过了一群女士。
• The delegates entered the assembly hall by way of the lobby.代表们通过大厅进入会场。

8 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

9 exhibit   

vt.展览，展出，陈列；n.展览品；陈列品

参考例句：

• Next week those goods will exhibit in that shop. 下个星期，这些货物将在那家商店展出。
• The economy continued to exhibit signs of decline in September.9月份，经济继续呈现出衰退的迹象。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。