一、课文原文及逐段翻译
Story A 古董碟与猫
第1段原文:A famous art collector was walking through the city when he noticed a dirty cat lapping milk from a saucer in the doorway of a store. He did a double take.
译文:一个著名的艺术品收藏家在穿过城市时看见一只脏猫在一家商店门口舔饮浅碟中的牛奶。他惊讶地又看了一眼。
第2段原文:He noticed that the saucer was an antique and very valuable, so he walked casually into the store and innocently offered to buy the cat for 20 dollars.
译文:收藏家注意到浅碟是件古董,很值钱,于是他漫不经心地走进店里,假装不知情的样子,提出要花20美元买那只猫。
第3段原文:The store owner replied, “I’m sorry, but the cat isn’t for sale.”
译文:店主回答道:“不好意思,这只猫不卖。”
第4段原文:The collector said, “Please, I need a hungry cat with a good appetite around the house to catch mice. I’ll pay you 200 dollars for that cat.”
译文:收藏家说:“拜托了,我正需要一只又饿、胃口又好的猫帮我抓屋里的老鼠呢,我可以出200美元买那只猫。”
第5段原文:The owner said “sold” and handed over the cat.
译文:店主说了声“成交”,就把猫给了他。
第6段原文:The collector continued, “Hey, for the 200 dollars I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat’s used to it and it’ll save me from having to get a dish.”
译文:收藏家接着说:“嘿,200 美元的话能不能把那个破碟子也送给我。毕竟这猫已经习惯了用它,这样也省得我再去买猫食盆了。”
第7段原文:And the owner said, “Sorry my friend, but that’s my lucky saucer. So far this week I’ve sold 68 cats.”
译文:店主说:“对不起,朋友,那可是我的幸运碟。到现在为止,这周我已经卖出去68 只猫了。”
二、重点单词
collector 名词
英文释义 someone who collects things of a particular type as a hobby or for study
课文原句 “A famous art collector was walking through the city...”
点拨:collect + -or 表“做这个动作的人”,同根词 collection(收藏品)、collective(集体的)要一起记。
lap 动词
英文释义 (of an animal) to drink liquid by taking it up with the tongue
课文原句 “...a dirty cat lapping milk from a saucer...”
点拨:本义是“(动物)舔饮”,此处用现在分词 lapping 作宾语补足语。
saucer 名词
英文释义 a small shallow dish that is put under a cup
课文原句 “...lapping milk from a saucer in the doorway of a store.”
点拨:全文最关键的道具,结尾的反转全靠这只碟子。
doorway 名词
英文释义 the space or opening where a door is
课文原句 “...in the doorway of a store.”
antique 名词 / 形容词
英文释义 an old object that is valuable because it is rare or beautiful
课文原句 “He noticed that the saucer was an antique and very valuable...”
点拨:作名词是“古董”,作形容词是“古董的、古老的”,注意重音在第二个音节。
valuable 形容词
英文释义 worth a lot of money
课文原句 “...was an antique and very valuable...”
casually 副词
英文释义 in a relaxed way, without showing that you are trying to hide something
课文原句 “...so he walked casually into the store...”
点拨:这个副词是“装作若无其事”的戏眼,与后面的 innocently 呼应。
innocently 副词
英文释义 in a way that suggests you do not know anything about a situation
课文原句 “...and innocently offered to buy the cat for 20 dollars.”
appetite 名词
英文释义 the desire or physical need for food; a strong desire for something
课文原句 “I need a hungry cat with a good appetite...”
点拨:既可指“食欲”,也可指抽象的“强烈欲望”,如 an appetite for knowledge。
sale 名词
英文释义 the act of selling something; (in for sale) available to be bought
课文原句 “...but the cat isn’t for sale.”
点拨:for sale 是“待售”,on sale 在英式英语里也是“出售”、在美式里常指“打折”,别混。
hand over 短语动词
英文释义 to give something or someone to another person
课文原句 “The owner said ‘sold’ and handed over the cat.”
throw in 短语动词
英文释义 to include something extra without charging more money
课文原句 “I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer.”
点拨:译成“顺带白送”,是收藏家自以为得计的那一句。
dish 名词
英文释义 a container for food or for a pet’s food and water
课文原句 “...it’ll save me from having to get a dish.”
lucky 形容词
英文释义 bringing good luck; having good luck
课文原句 “...but that’s my lucky saucer.”
点拨:店主表面说“幸运”,实际是“招财”,一词双关。
so far 副词短语
英文释义 up to this point in time
课文原句 “So far this week I’ve sold 68 cats.”
点拨:与现在完成时连用的高频信号词,也是本篇反转的时态支点。
三、一词多义和熟词生义
lap 常见义是名词“大腿;(跑道的)一圈”,课文中是动词“(动物)舔饮”。原句 “a dirty cat lapping milk from a saucer”。
saucer 常见义是“茶杯托碟”,课文中被当成喂猫的浅碟,且是古董,词义没变但身份变了,正是笑点所在。
antique 常见作形容词“古老的、过时的”,课文中作可数名词“古董”。原句 “the saucer was an antique”。
appetite 常见义是“胃口、食欲”,也可引申为“对……的强烈渴望”。原句 “a hungry cat with a good appetite”。
casually 常见义是“随意地、休闲地”(casual clothes),课文中是“故作漫不经心地”,带表演意味。
innocently 常见义是“无辜地、无罪地”,课文中是“装作毫不知情地”。原句 “innocently offered to buy the cat”。
sold 常见义是 sell 的过去分词“被卖掉”,课文中是交易口语里独立成句的“成交”。原句 “The owner said ‘sold’”。
throw in 常见义是“把……扔进去”,课文中是“免费附带、白送”。原句 “throw in that old saucer”。
used to 常见搭配 used to do 是“过去常常做”,课文中是 be used to sth“习惯于某物”。原句 “The cat’s used to it”。这是本篇最值得单列的易混点。
lucky 常见义是“运气好的”,课文中修饰物件,指“带来好运的、招财的”。原句 “my lucky saucer”。
四、重点词块
动词 + 名词 / 介词搭配
walk through the city(穿过城市)
lap milk from a saucer(从浅碟里舔牛奶)
do a double take(惊讶地又看一眼)
offer to buy sth for 20 dollars(出价20美元买某物)
pay 200 dollars for sth(为某物付200美元)
catch mice(抓老鼠)
hand over the cat(把猫递过去)
throw in that old saucer(把那只旧碟子白送)
get a dish(买个食盆)
sell 68 cats(卖掉68只猫)。
形容词 / 介词固定搭配
be an antique(是件古董)
be very valuable(很值钱)
be for sale(待售)
have a good appetite(胃口好)
be used to sth(习惯于某物)
save sb from having to do sth(省得某人不得不做某事)
be sorry, but...(抱歉,不过……:委婉拒绝的固定开头)。
语篇衔接 / 口语标记
He noticed that...(他注意到……:推进情节)
so(于是:引出行动)
And the owner said...(店主接着说:引出反转)
So far this week...(到本周为止:收束时间、亮出底牌)
I wonder if you could...(不知你能否……:委婉请求)。
五、长难句拆解
【原句】A famous art collector was walking through the city when he noticed a dirty cat lapping milk from a saucer in the doorway of a store.
【主干】A famous art collector was walking through the city.
【分层】when he noticed... 是时间状语从句;lapping milk from a saucer 是现在分词短语作宾语补足语,补充说明 a dirty cat 正在做的动作;in the doorway of a store 是地点状语。
【翻译】一个著名的艺术品收藏家正穿过城市,这时他看见一只脏猫在一家商店门口舔饮浅碟中的牛奶。
【考点】was doing... when... 表示“正在做某事,这时突然……”;notice sb/sth doing sth 结构,doing 强调动作正在进行。这是记叙文开篇的黄金句式。
【原句】He noticed that the saucer was an antique and very valuable, so he walked casually into the store and innocently offered to buy the cat for 20 dollars.
【主干】He noticed that..., so he walked... and offered...
【分层】that 引导宾语从句,从句内 an antique 与 very valuable 并列作表语;so 连接两个并列分句,表结果;into the store 方向状语;to buy the cat 不定式作 offered 的宾语;for 20 dollars 价格状语。
【翻译】他注意到那只浅碟是件古董、很值钱,于是故作随意地走进店里,装作不知情地提出花20美元买那只猫。
【考点】notice + that 宾从;so 作并列连词(不是状语从句);offer to do sth;价格用 for + 金额。
【原句】Please, I need a hungry cat with a good appetite around the house to catch mice.
【主干】I need a hungry cat.
【分层】with a good appetite 介词短语作后置定语修饰 cat;around the house 地点状语;to catch mice 不定式作目的状语。
【翻译】拜托了,我正需要一只胃口好的饿猫在家里抓老鼠。
【考点】with 短语作后置定语;不定式表目的。注意这里的“理由”是编出来的,读懂这层才算读懂故事。
【原句】Hey, for the 200 dollars I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat’s used to it and it’ll save me from having to get a dish.
【主干】I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. / The cat’s used to it and it’ll save me...
【分层】for the 200 dollars 介词短语作“按这个价”的条件状语;if 引导宾语从句,could 是委婉语气而非过去时;be used to sth 中 to 是介词;save sb from doing sth 中 from 后接动名词。
【翻译】嘿,看在200美元的份上,能不能把那只旧碟子也送给我。猫已经习惯用它了,也省得我再买食盆。
【考点】I wonder if you could... 委婉请求句型;be used to sth 与 used to do 的辨析;save sb from doing sth。
【原句】Sorry my friend, but that’s my lucky saucer. So far this week I’ve sold 68 cats.
【主干】that’s my lucky saucer. / I’ve sold 68 cats.
【分层】Sorry... but... 是英语中道歉式拒绝的固定框架;So far this week 时间状语提前,与现在完成时呼应。
【翻译】抱歉,朋友,那可是我的幸运碟。到这周为止,我已经靠它卖出去68只猫了。
【考点】现在完成时 + so far 表示“截至现在的结果”;数字 68 是全文反转的落点:真正被反复出售的是猫,碟子从不卖。
六、语法点清单(叙事时态与从句)
过去进行时 + when 时间状语从句:was walking... when he noticed...,用于“背景动作被突发动作打断”,记叙文开头高频。
宾语从句:He noticed that the saucer was...;I wonder if you could...。that 可省,if 表“是否”不可换 that。
现在分词作宾语补足语:noticed a dirty cat lapping milk,属于 notice / see / watch / hear + 宾语 + doing 家族。
不定式:offered to buy(作宾语)、to catch mice(作目的状语)、having to get(动名词完成式作 from 的宾语)。
并列连词 so / and:so 表结果,and 表顺承,全文靠这两个词把七个回合串成一条线。
现在完成时:So far this week I’ve sold 68 cats,与 so far、this week、already、yet 等信号词连用。
易混结构:be used to sth(习惯于)/used to do(过去常常)/be used to do(被用来做),三个形式务必分清楚。
归拢后可以看出:一般过去时叙事链 + 现在分词作宾补 + 宾语从句是这篇课文的三大语法主线,精读时集中攻这三类即可。
七、逻辑链
铺垫(第1段):收藏家路过,看见脏猫用浅碟舔奶,did a double take——他先看见了“猫”,其实眼睛已经落在“碟”上。一个 double take 就是后面所有算计的起点。
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确认价值(第2段):He noticed that the saucer was an antique and very valuable。信息差由此建立:收藏家知道碟子值钱,店主(看起来)不知道。于是 casually、innocently 两个副词上场,他开始演戏。
↓
第一轮试探(第3–4段):先出20美元,被店主一句 “the cat isn’t for sale” 挡回;再编出 “抓老鼠” 的理由,把价码抬到200美元。注意他始终只谈猫,绝口不提碟子。
↓
成交(第5段):The owner said “sold” and handed over the cat。一个词、一个动作,节奏极快,读者和收藏家都以为计谋得逞。
↓
露怯(第6段):I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer。收藏家终于提到碟子,还补了两条理由(猫习惯了、省得买盆)——越是解释,越暴露真实目的。用 throw in、that old saucer 轻描淡写,是典型的欲盖弥彰。
↓
反转(第7段):that’s my lucky saucer... I’ve sold 68 cats。店主一句点破:碟子从不卖,它是招揽生意的道具,猫才是被反复卖掉的商品。信息差瞬间倒置——真正被算计的一直是收藏家。
整篇的幽默机制是“信息差的两次反转”:读者先以为收藏家占便宜,再发现店主才是设局人。读这类幽默短文,结尾最后一句必须回扣开头的所有细节(double take、saucer、20→200 dollars),这也是读后续写里常用的“伏笔—回收”手法。
八、写作迁移(仿写与输出)
模板一:Sb was doing sth when...(叙事开篇)
课文句:A famous art collector was walking through the city when he noticed a dirty cat lapping milk from a saucer.
仿写:I was hurrying to the classroom when I noticed a wallet lying under the bench.(我正赶去教室,忽然看见长椅下有个钱包。)——可用于读后续写的场景切入,比 I saw... 更有画面感。
模板二:I wonder if you could...(委婉请求)
课文句:I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer.
仿写:I wonder if you could spare me a few minutes to look over my draft.(不知你能否抽几分钟帮我看看草稿。)——建议信、求助信的高分句式,could 比 can 更客气。
模板三:save sb from having to do sth(陈述理由)
课文句:It’ll save me from having to get a dish.
仿写:Taking notes in class saves you from having to cram the night before the exam.(课堂记笔记能省得你考前熬夜突击。)——用于建议类、说明类作文,from 后必须接动名词。
模板四:So far this week I’ve...(完成时收束 / 亮底牌)
课文句:So far this week I’ve sold 68 cats.
仿写:So far this term I’ve finished three English novels and kept a weekly reading log.(这学期到现在我已读完三本英文小说,并坚持写周记。)——用于总结、汇报,也可像课文一样放在结尾制造反转。
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