ACT 3-2 你愿意嫁给我吗？

【故事梗概】

Harry鼓足了勇气，说出了求婚的话。Susan同意接受他的求婚，但却提出了三个先决条件。

Harry: Well? Does that mean you’ll marry me?

Susan: Is that a proposal, or are we just playing a game?

Harry: Sit down, Susan. There’s something I have to ask you. [He takes a flower from the table and gets down on one knee.] Susan, will you marry me?

Susan: It’s such an important decision. There’s so many things to talk about. There are three things that have to be done first, Harry.

Harry: Three things?

Susan: First, we have to decide where to live.

Harry: Well, that’s easy. We talked about that earlier. We’ll live in New York.

Susan: All right. Second, we have to talk to Michelle together about being married.

Harry: We’ll do that immediately. What’s the third thing?

Susan: You have to ask for my father’s permission.

Harry: Absolutely! But first things first. We have to go to pick up Michelle.

Susan: Oh, I’m so happy, Harry!

Harry: Not as happy as I am.

【语言点精讲】

1. Susan, will you marry me?

Susan，你愿意嫁给我吗？句中的will是情态动词，表示“意愿，意志”。

2. It’s such an important decision. There’s so many things to talk about. There are three things that have to be done first, Harry.

这是一个非常重要的决定，有许多事情要谈谈。首先有三件事要做，Harry。

There’s so many things …There are three things…: 口语里，在There＋ be的句式中，当在它后面并不马上出现复数名词时，习惯上be动词用单数。如这里的there’s so many things和 there are three things 即可说明。

3. We have to decide where to live.

我们得决定住在哪里。

这句话中decide的宾语由where加不定式to live构成。动词不定式前面加疑问副词后作宾语，其功能相当于宾语从句。

4. Second, we have to talk to Michelle together about being married.

第二件，我们得一起同Michelle谈一下我们要结婚的事。

being married: 我们结婚的事。这个短语表示状态，更准确的说法应该是表示动作，即 getting married。

5. You have to ask for my father’s permission.

你应当征得我父亲的同意。

在美国，女孩子要嫁人需征求父亲的意见是一个传统习惯。然而现在，结婚时，男方要征得女方父亲的同意的情况已不多见。这一句说明苏珊还是比较旧派的女子。

ask for sb’s permission: 征求某人的同意，征得某人的许可。也可以说ask sb. for permission

6. But first things first. We have to go to pick up Michelle.

first things first: 事有先后。

to pick up Michelle: 去接 Michelle。

7. Not as happy as I am.

没有我那么幸福。