ACT 2-2 他怎么了？

【故事梗概】

Susan在自己的老板John Marchetta的办公室里，鼓足勇气请老板给Grandpa一个工作的机会。另她有些出乎意料的是，John Marchetta先生立即就答应让Grandpa明天来面试。

Marchetta: Now, how’s the Stewart family?

Susan: Fine, thank you, Mr. Marchetta. Except for my grandfather.

Marchetta: What’s wrong, Susan? What’s wrong with him?

Susan: He needs to work. In fact, that is the reason why I’m here to see you. I know you’re building a new factory, and I thought…maybe …my grandfather is so experienced in the construction trade, he could be so valuable.

Marchetta: Tel him to come and see me at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. I have an idea that may solve the problem for him and help a lot of other people.

Susan: Really, Mr. Marchetta? Can I tell him that?

Marchetta: Sure can. Ten o’clock in the morning. Here.

Susan: Oh, thank you!

【语言点精讲】

1. How’s the Stewart family?

Stewart全家人还好吗？这里动词用单数is，因为family是集体名词，表示全家人作为一个整体。

2. Except for my grandfather.

这句话是“Everyone is fine except for my grandfather.”的省略。

except for: 除……之外。指若不计被除掉的这一点，其它方面都符合主句的断言。

3. What’s wrong, Susan? What’s wrong with him?

怎么了，Susan？他怎么了？

向对方表示关怀，询问对方遇到什么麻烦了、有什么困难，可以有多种表达方式。如：

What’s wrong?

What’s the problem?

There is something on your mind.

Something’s bothering you.

What’s the matter?

Is anything/something wrong?

4. In fact, that is the reason why I’m here to see you.

事实上，我就是为这事来见你的。

the reason why … : …的原因，…的理由。也可以说the reason that或者the reason for.

5. My grandfather is so experienced in the construction trade, he could be so valuable.

so experienced in the construction trade: 在建筑行业很有经验。trade除“贸易，交换”以外，还有“行业，手艺”的意思，因此有 the construction trade的说法。

valuable:有价值的，有用的。注意以下几个词的意思: invaluable（无价的；非常贵重的），valueless（无价值的；不值钱的），unvalued（不受重视的）， valued（重要的；宝贵的）。

6. Sure can.

当然可以。是一种非正式用法。