Captain J.J. Jones: Yours is a story with a happy ending, Mrs. Collins. People love happy endings. We better get a move on, the train's pulling in. Back, boys. Back. Thanks. Thanks, boys, thanks! I'll have a statement for you in a few minutes, but the important thing right now is to reunite this little lady with her son, so if you'll excuse us.
Guard: Stay right there. Come on, don't rush. Easy, easy.
Captain J.J. Jones: Mrs. Collins, I'd like to introduce you to James E. Davis, Chief of Police.
Mrs. Collins: Nice to meet you.
James E. Davis: We don't get a lot of positive attention from the boys in the press these days, so it's good to be here with a positive story, don't you think?
Mrs. Collins: Yes, sir.
James E. Davis: I take it you've been treated well by my boys in the department?
Mrs. Collins: I couldn't file a report for 24 hours, and I thought that maybe that was a...
James E. Davis: Technicalities aside.
Mrs. Collins: It was wonderful.
James E. Davis: Well, good. Then you won't have any trouble telling that to the press, and the fact that the LAPD...
Captain J.J. Jones: Women. Hold on a second. Back, boys, back. Keep them back. Well, aren't you... Aren't you gonna...
Captain J.J. Jones: Well, he's been through five terrible long months. He's lost weight, he's changed.
Mrs. Collins: I would know my own son.
Captain J.J. Jones: All I'm saying is you're in shock and he's changed. What's your name? Can you tell me your name?
The boy: Walter Collins.
Mrs. Collins: It's a common name.
Captain J.J. Jones: Where do you live, Walter? You know your home address?
The boy: I live at 210 Avenue 23, Los Angeles, California. And that's my mommy!
Captain J.J. Jones: Mrs. Collins, listen to me. I understand. You're feeling a little uncertain right now, and that's to be expected. A boy this age, he changes so fast. We've compensated for that in our investigation. And there's no question that this is your son.
Mrs. Collins: That is not Walter.
Captain J.J. Jones: It's not Walter as you remember him. And that's why it's important for you to take him home on a trial basis.
Mrs. Collins: A trial basis?
Captain J.J. Jones: Yes, yes. Once he's around his familiar surroundings, and you've given yourself time to recover from the shock of his changed condition, you will see that this is your Walter. Now, I promise you, I swear to you, I give you my word. This is your son. Now, if you have any problems, any problems at all, you come and you talk to me. I'll take care of it. I give you my word. Trust me. Mrs. Collins, he has nowhere else to go. Please.
妙語佳句,活學(xué)活用:
1. press: 媒體。Mrs. Collins趕到現(xiàn)場時,發(fā)現(xiàn)已經(jīng)有很多媒體在那里等候了。平時我們常用the press來表示新聞工作者;新聞界,例如:The press was/were not allowed to attend the trial.(庭審謝絕新聞采訪),而press conference則是指“新聞發(fā)布會,記者招待會”。
2. happy ending:A happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which almost everything turns out for the best for the hero or heroine, their sidekicks, and almost everyone except the villains.(圓滿的結(jié)局,大團(tuán)圓的結(jié)局。)
3. get a move on:趕快。Jones警官在催促Mrs. Collins趕緊走,get a move on就是“趕快,趕緊”的意思,例如:"Get a move on, " said Mor,"we haven't got all day."“快點兒”,莫爾說,“我們沒有多少時間了?!?/font>
4. pull in: 進(jìn)站。在這里,Jones警官的意思是,the train's pulling in(火車要進(jìn)站了),所以我們得get a move on(趕快)。
5. Hold on a second:等會兒,相當(dāng)于hold on a moment. 例如:Can you hold on? I'll see if he's here.(等一下行嗎?我去看看他在不在。)在接電話時,我們常會說hold on a second來表示“先別掛”。
6. in shock: 處在震驚之中。 Jones警官認(rèn)為Mrs. Collins還處于震驚之中,所以認(rèn)不出自己的兒子。我們還常用in shock來表示in a coma(處于休克、昏迷狀態(tài)),而culture shock(文化休克)則是指在異國生活時的一種困惑不安的感覺)。
7. to be expected: to be likely to happen; to be quite normal(在預(yù)料之中的,相當(dāng)正常的),例如:A little tiredness after taking these drugs is to be expected.(服用這些藥后有點倦意是正常的)。
8. no question: no doubt(毫無疑問)。Jones警官認(rèn)定這個男孩就是Mrs. Collins的兒子,其實是想逃避找錯孩子的責(zé)任,他認(rèn)為 There is no question about it.(這是毫無疑問的,he makes no question of it.(對此他毫不懷疑)。但out of the question則是指“不可能,沒門兒),例如:Another trip abroad this year is out of the question.(今年再度出國是絕無可能的)。
9. on a trial basis:試著, 試驗性地。Jones警官想先讓Mrs. Collins“試著”把男孩兒帶回去,以避免在媒體面前承認(rèn)找錯孩子的尷尬。On a trial basis還可以用于“試用期、試行”等等,例如:He is hired for a three months period on a trial basis.(他受雇試用三個月);The regulations have been put into practice on a trial basis.(這些規(guī)定已開始試行)。
10. give one's word: 保證,答應(yīng)。I give you my word that I will return.(我向你保證我會回來的)。而give the word則是指“說出通行口令”,例如:When I give the word, start writing.(我一下令,你們就開始寫)。