ACT 2-2  “不盡然。”

【故事梗概】

Ellen問起了Marilyn是否決定回去工作的事情。Marilyn問起了Ellen當時是如何在工作和照顧孩子之間進行選擇的。

Ellen: Speaking of being a mother, I've been meaning to ask you what you were thinking about regarding going back to work. I know Rita Mae called I can imagine what is going through your head.Marilyn: I'm sure you can, Ellen.Ellen: There are so many things to consider. One thing that makes it easier for you is that you have us. Max will always have a family member to watch over him while you're at work. I didn't have that when Richard and Susan were born.Marilyn: What did you do?Ellen: I chose to continue with my career as a music teacher. We hired a woman to watch Richard and then Susan, and I continued with my career.Marilyn: Do you think you made the right decision?Ellen: I think I did. But when Robbie was born, I decided to give full-time attention to raising Robbie. I felt differently at that time.Marilyn: And you gave up your career as a music teacher?Ellen: Not exactly. I continued to teach piano lessons at home.

【語言點精講】

1. Speaking of being a mother, I've been meaning to ask you what you were thinking about regarding going back to work.至于說做母親嘛，我一直想問問你，關于回去工作的問題你是怎樣考慮的？speaking of: 說到，談到，至于。用于引出一個與前面提到的事有聯系的新話題。I've been meaning to ask you…: 動詞的完成進行時態，強調從某時起一直延續到說話時的動作。這是比較生動，富有感情色彩的時態。mean to do sth.: 欲想，打算。to ask you what you were thinking about…: 在從疑問句轉變過來的名詞從句里，要用陳述句語序，因此what were you…變為what you were… 了。regarding: 關于。

2. I know Rita Mae called I can imagine what is going through your head.我知道Rita Mae來過電話了，我能猜想出你都想了些什么。go through: 經過。

3. Max will always have a family member to watch over him while you're at work. 在你工作的時候，Max總能有家里人在照看他。watch over: 照看，照顧。at work: 上班，工作。

4. We hired a woman to watch Richard and then Susan, and I continued with my career.我們請了個保姆來照看Richard，后來是照看Susan，我繼續從事我的事業。We hired a woman to…: 這里指的是雇用全天工作的保姆，而不是短時間的baby-sitter。continue with sth.: 繼續。相當于keep doing。

5. But when Robbie was born, I decided to give full-time attention to raising Robbie. I felt differently at that time.可是Robbie出生時，我決定把全部時間和注意力都用來撫育Robbie。那時候我的心情已經變了。give full-time attention to doing sth.: 集中注意力做某事。raise: 養育，撫養。也可以用 bring up。

6. Not exactly.不盡然。不盡是這樣。