流行美语 (Popular American) 247

Larry有两张歌剧的票，邀请李华一起去。李华今天要学两个常用语，primo和glued。

LL: Hey, Li Hua, I've got two primo tickets to the opera. Would you like to come with me?

LH: 歌剧？好啊。不过Larry, 什么是primo ticket ? Primo听起来不太象英语，是外来语吧？

LL: You are right, Li Hua. Primo is an Italian word that means¹ "number one" or "first-class."

LH: 噢，primo是意大利语，意思是最好的，最棒的。

LL: When I said I had primo tickets to the opera, I meant I had very, very good seats.

LH：既然你有最好的票，那我们一定有primo seats, 最好的座位了！

LL: Yes, we do have primo seats. The tickets are for two seats right in front of the center-stage.

LH: 前排最中间，真是太好了，我们一定能看得特别清楚。对了，我们看的是哪一部歌剧啊？

LL: It is Verdi's Aida. Since it is an opera in Italian, I guess it is appropriate² to say it will be a "primo" experience.

LH: 我听说过，威尔第的《阿依达》是一部很有名的意大利歌剧，但是我从来没看过。

LL: Yes, Aida is a very famous opera, and I know you will enjoy it. I've also heard the tenor³ has a primo voice.

LH: Larry, 这两张primo tickets会不会很贵啊。

LL: Actually, no. I got a primo deal on the tickets. My friend bought season tickets to the orchestra⁴, but couldn't make this performance. He sold them to me for half price.

LH: 原来是你朋友买的季票，但是正好不能去，所以半价卖给你。That is a primo deal!

LL: And I was thinking before the opera, we could have dinner. I know a primo little Italian restaurant near the opera house.

LH: 意大利饭，太棒了！我最喜欢吃意大利饭了。

LL: I think you will find the food at this place is primo - Some of the best in New York City.

LH: 现在只有一个问题，Larry. I don't have any primo clothes to wear! 周末先得去买一身正式点儿的衣服。

******

(After the opera)

LL: Wasn't the opera amazing! I was glued to my seat the whole time.

LH: 什么？让我看看，你裤子上没有胶水儿啊，你怎么会一直粘在椅子上呢？

LL: I don't actually have glue on my pants, Li Hua. When I said I was glued to my seat, I meant I was so fascinated⁵ by the opera I didn't want to get up.

LH: 噢，我明白了，你是说歌剧太精彩了，你听得全神贯注。确实没错，特别是那个男高音，唱得简直太棒了。I was glued to my seat, too.

LL: It reminds me of this lecture about China I went to not long ago. The professor who spoke⁶ was very entertaining and charismatic.

LH: 你是说那个教授讲得太吸引人了，大家都坐在椅子上一动不动，听得聚精会神？

LL: Actually, not only was I glued to my seat, I was glued to his every word.

LH: 每个字？能让你这样的学生把他的每个字都听进去，这个教授一定很棒。

LL: He was really good, and he had a lot of interesting things to say about life in China today. What about you, Li Hua? What keeps you glued to your seat?

LH: 我最近正在看一部韩剧《朱蒙》，剧情太吸引人了，我一集接一集地看，根本放不下。I am glued to the TV set for hours.

LL: If you are glued to your television for hours, you have really become an American, Li Hua!

LH: 你为什么这么说呀？

LL: I think statistics⁷ show Americans on average are glued to their television sets for nineteen hours a week.

LH: 我简直不敢相信，美国人每星期要看十九个小时的电视，我可能连九个小时都看不了。跟看电视比起来，我更喜欢看书。

LL: Are you reading anything good right now?

LH: 我最近正在看一本畅销的侦探小说。I have been glued to every page!

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是primo, 意思是最棒的。另一个是glued, 是指被深深吸引，全神贯注的意思。
 

1 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。

2 appropriate   

adj.适当的，合适的；v.拨出，挪用，盗用

参考例句：

• It is appropriate that he should get the post.由他担任这一职务是恰当的。
• We should take appropriate measures to improve our teaching.我们应当采取适当的措施提高教学质量。

3 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

4 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

5 fascinated   

a.被强烈地吸引住，感到着迷的

参考例句：

• China has always fascinated me. 中国一直令我心驰神往。
• The children watched, fascinated, as the picture began to appear. 电影开始以后孩子们入迷地观看着。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 statistics   

n.统计，统计数字，统计学

参考例句：

• We have statistics for the last year.我们有去年的统计资料。
• Statistics is taught in many colleges.许多大学都教授统计学。