Lesson 25 Do the English speak English? 英国人讲的是英语吗？

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. 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! 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?

参考译文

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。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。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？

New words and expressions

• railway n. 铁路
  • timetable
  • rail n. 铁轨；扶手；横杆；围栏
    • light rail 轻轨
• porter n. 搬运工
  • a hotel porter
• several a. 几个（不多）
  • more than three but fewer than many
  • some + 可数 / 不可数（用于肯定句）
  • several + 可数 （肯定句、否定句都可以）
• foreigner /'fɔrənɚ/ n. 外国人
• wonder v. 吃惊
  • wonderful = very good
  • be surprised at
  • wonder at
  • n. 惊奇，惊叹(主要指人创造的奇迹)
    • Seven wonders of the world. 古代世界七大奇观
    • work wonders 创造奇迹

注释

• the way to
  • the answer to the question
  • the key to
• not only ... but also（不仅...而且）
  • 连接对等成分
  • She likes not only music but also she likes sport.
  • We go there not only in winter, but also in summer.
  • 就近原则
  • also 通常可以省略，或者换成 too, as well
• at last = in the end = finally
• neither ... nor 既不 ... 也不
  • 就近原则
• like v. 喜欢；p. 像
• the + 特殊形容词
  • the English 英国人
  • the + 老弱病残（一类人）
    • the old （are）老人们
    • the sick
    • the rich
    • the young
    • the disabled