原文如下:
I arrived in London at last. The railway station was big, black and dark. I did not know the way to my hotel, so I asked a porter. I not only spoke English very carefully, but very clearly as well. The porter, however, could not understand me.
我终于到了伦敦。火车站很大,又黑又暗。我不知道去饭店的路该怎么走,于是向一个搬运工打听。我的英语讲得不但非常认真,而且咬字也非常清楚。然而搬运工却不明白我的话。我把问话重复了很多遍。他终于听懂了。
I repeated my question several times and at last he understood. he answered me, but he spoke neither slowly nor clearly. 'I am a foreigner,' I said. Then he spoke slowly, but I could not understand him. My teacher never spoke English like that!
他回答了,但他讲得既不慢也不清楚。“我是个外国人,”我说。于是他说得慢了,可我还是听不懂。我的老师从来不那样讲英语!我和搬运工相视一笑。接着,他说了点什么,这回我听懂了。“您会很快学会英语的!”他说。
The porter and I looked at each other and smiled. Then he said something and I understood it. 'You'll soon learn English!' he said. I wonder. In England, each person speaks a different language. The English understand each other, but I don't understand them! Do they speak English?
我感到奇怪。在英国,人们各自说着一种不同的语言。英国人之间相互听得懂,可我却不懂他们的话!他们说的是英语吗?
此文出自新概念第二册25课
新概念第二册第25课的课后习题答案:
创作背景:
新概念英语第二册《实践与进步》(Practice and Progress)是新概念英语系列的其中之一。同时也是《新概念英语青少版》4级、5级的蓝本。
特点是:
1、不重传授抽象知识,而重培养实际运用英语的技能;
2、分为许多分量适中的单元,循序小步前进,学习起来困难小,用力省,收效显著;
3、听、说、读、写四会并重,全面训练;
4、兼顾趣味和实用,课文短小精悍,语言自然地道,内容生动有趣;练习精当。