Lesson 74 out of the limelight 笔记

jakke

Lesson 74    out of the limelight

【New words and expressions】

limelight        n. 舞台灯光

precaution       n. 预防措施

fan              n. 狂热者，迷

shady            adj. 遮荫的

sheriff          n. 司法长官

notice           n. 告示

sneer            n. 冷笑

【Text】

An ancient bus stopped by a dry river bed and a party of famous actors and actresses got off. Dressed in dark glasses and old clothes, they had taken special precautions so that no one should recognize them. But as they soon discovered, disguises can sometimes be too perfect.

'This is a wonderful place for a picnic,' said Gloria Gleam.

'It couldn't be better, Gloria,' Brinksley Meers agreed. 'No newspaper men, no film fans! Why don't we come more often?'

Meanwhile, two other actors, Rockwall Slinger and Merlin Greeves, had carried two large food baskets to a shady spot under some trees. When they had all made themselves comfortable, a stranger appeared. He looked very angry. 'Now you get out of here, all of you!' he shouted. 'I'm sheriff here. Do you see that notice? It says "No Camping" -- in case you can't read!'

'Look, sheriff,' said Rockwall, 'don't be too hard on us. I'm Rockwall Slinger and this is Merlin Greeves.'

'Oh, is it?' said the sheriff with a sneer. 'Well, I'm Brinksley Meers, and my other name is Gloria Gleam. Now you get out of here fast!'

参考译文

一辆古旧的汽车停在一条干涸的河床边，一群著名男女演员下了车。他们戴着墨镜，穿着旧衣裳，特别小心以防别人认出他们。但他们很快就发觉，化装的效果有时过分完美了。

“在这个地方野餐简直太妙了，”格格利亚.格利姆说。

“是再好不过的了，格格利亚。”布林克斯利.米尔斯表示同意，“没有记者，没有影迷！我们为什么不经常来这里呢？”

“此时，另外两位演员，罗克沃尔.斯林格和默林.格里夫斯，已经把两个大食品篮子提到了一片树荫下。当他们都已安排舒适时，一个陌生人出现了。他看上去非常气愤。“你们都从这里走开，全都走开！”他大叫着，“我是这里的司法长官。你们看到那个布告牌了吗？上面写着‘禁止野营’－－除非你们不识字！”

“好了，好了，司法官，”罗克沃尔说，“别使我们难堪。我是罗克沃尔.斯林格，这位是默林.格里夫斯。”

“噢，是吗？”那位司法长官冷笑一声说道，“好，我就是布林克斯利.米尔斯。我还有一个名字叫格格利亚.格利姆。现在你们赶快滚吧！”

【课文讲解】

1、Out of the limelight

limelight的原义为舞台照明用的“石灰光”，其引申意义为“众人注目的中心”，这里的 limelight 是指舞台。

  She has been in the limelight since she became an actress.

  Although he is a government official, he tries to keep out of the limelight.

2、An ancient bus stopped by a dry river bed and a party of famous actors and actresses got off.

river bed指河床，名词river作形容词用，类似的还有flower bed（花坛）

party作量词用时表示“一行，一伙，一群”等，如a party of tourists/boys（一群旅游者/男孩）等。

3、Why don't we come more often?

“Why +don’t/doesn’t +主语 +动词？”结构可用来提出建议：

  Why don’t you change a watch?

4、'Now you get out of here, all of you!' he shouted.

get out of here      从这里走开，滚出去，滚开

get fuck out of here     给我从这滚出去

5、'I'm sheriff here. Do you see that notice? It says "No Camping" -- in case you can't read!'

I'm sheriff here. （sheriff 是一种官衔，官衔前面不加冠词）

He is president.     总统（官衔）

Who is monitor?      谁是班长（官衔）

I am a teacher.      teacher 不是官衔，加不定冠词

in case +从句         假使，万一……的话，免得，以防万一（常用于引导条件或目的状语从句，当句子表示将来的时间时，in case后面必须用现在时态或should/might）

in case you can't read      除非你们不识字。

I’m taking a raincoat with me in case I need it.

In case he comes/should come, give him this letter.

6、'don't be too hard on us. I'm Rockwall Slinger and this is Merlin Greeves.'

be hard on…     对……（过分）严厉

  Don’t be too hard on that child.

  He is always hard on his employee.