纽约英语口语网新版
NCE英语-2
Lesson 25 Do the English speak English?
英国人讲的是英语吗?

I arrived in London at last. The railway station was big, black and dark. I did not know the way to my hotel, so I asked a porter. 我终于到了伦敦。火车站很大,又黑又暗。我不知道去饭店的路该怎么走,于是向一个搬运工打听。

I not only spoke English very carefully, but very clearly as well. The porter, however, could not understand me. 我的英语讲得不但非常认真,而且咬字也非常清楚。然而搬运工却不明白我的话。

I repeated my question several times and at last he understood. he answered me, but he spoke neither slowly nor clearly. 我把问话重复了很多遍。他终于听懂了。他回答了,但他讲得既不慢也不清楚。

'I am a foreigner,' I said. Then he spoke slowly, but I could not understand him. “我是个外国人,”我说。于是他说得慢了,可我还是听不懂。

My teacher never spoke English like that! The porter and I looked at each other and smiled. Then he said something and I understood it. 我的老师从来不那样讲英语!我和搬运工相视一笑。接着,他说了点什么,这回我听懂了。

'You'll soon learn English!' he said. I wonder. In England, each person speaks a different language. The English understand each other, but I don't understand them! Do they speak English? “您会很快学会英语的!”他说。我感到奇怪。在英国,人们各自说着一种不同的语言。英国人之间相互听得懂,可我却不懂他们的话!他们说的是英语吗?


New words and expressions 生词和短语

railway n. 铁路

porter n. 搬运工

several quantifier 几个

foreigner n. 外国人

wonder v. 感到奇怪