走遍美国

Making a Difference ACT I
I don't believe it!
What's wrong?
Carter Boswell!
Who's Carter Boswell?
He's running for the school board.
The election's next month.
What's wrong with wanting to be on the school board?
Nothing.
But he wants to cut the school budget!
Maybe it needs cutting.
Cutting the budget is fine,
but he wants to do it
by cutting all the cultural programs.
No music, no dance,
no concert, no stage presentations.
Why does he want to do that?
He says it's to save the taxpayers' money,
and I think he believes
that the taxpayers will vote for him
if he spends less on the cultural programs.
He's probably right.
Lots of people want their taxes
used for new books
and a new paint job in the schoolrooms.
Maybe some of us would like to pay a little bit more
and keep the cultural programs for our kids.
Well, I'm not sure. Ellen.
I hear it from my patients.
Lots of people are tired of higher taxes.
I know,
but if Boswell wins
he'll be an important decision-maker
on the school board,
and he doesn't know anything
about our children's education.
Who's running against him?
Nobody. That's the problem.
Well, it sounds to me like Carter Boswell
is going to win this seat on the board.
Oh, not if I can stop him!
And how are you going to stop him?
I don't know.
Maybe I'll run against him.
Well, you've got my vote.
I'm serious, Philip.
Why shouldn't I run?
Why shouldn't you run for what, Mom?
Your mother is thinking of
running for the school board.
Hey, that's terrific, Mom!
Against Carter Boswell?
Great!
Well, if I run for office,
the voters will have a clear choice.
I stand for everything Boswell doesn't.
I think a lot of people will vote for you
against Boswell, Ellen.
I'll vote for you.
Will you help me if I do run?
Absolutely.
The trouble is
it takes a little bit of money to run a campaign.
I think you can make a difference, Ellen.
And in a short campaign
you wouldn't need as much money.
You know something, Ellen?
Why not give the people of Riverdale a clear choice?
I'm with you.
You can make a difference.
Come in.
Mr. Maxwell?
Yes, Charles Maxwell.
My name is Ellen Stewart.
Hello.
Please, sit down.
You asked to see me.
What would you like to see me about?
I'd like your help.
Well,
I'm editor of the most influential newspaper in Riverdale.
Actually, it's the only newspaper.
A lot of people would like my help.
Do you have a story?
I'm planning to run for the school board.
Against Carter Boswell?
Yes.
Well, that is news.
Will you announce that I'm running?
But I need some information.
Of course.
Why will the voters vote for you against Boswell,
Mrs. Stewart?
Because I care.
Not a bad slogan.
But what do you care about?
Well, I care about the children of our town.
I don't want them to grow up
without cultural programs in our school.
Do you have a plan?
I want our children to learn
more than reading, writing, and arithmetic.
I want to keep the after-school programs--
the music, the concerts.
It's not a bad plan.
But who's going to pay for all of this?
We are.
The citizens of Riverdale, of course.
I plan to get help
from the businessmen and the corporations of Riverdale.
That's fair enough.
Exactly what do you want from me, Mrs. Stewart?
You don't know me.
I can't expect you to take my side against Boswell.
But I do need some publicity
so that the people of our town
know that I'm running for office
and that I care about our children.
Fair enough.
I certainly can print the news.
And you are now making news.

【语言点精讲】

put up：张贴（布告，通知，口号等）。
sign：a short phrase expressing a message. 海报，布告。
school board：a group of people who make important decision about local schools.（地方政府的）联合校董会；教育委员会。
run：to be a candidate in order to win an election.竞选，角逐。
election：the choosing of representatives to fill a position by vote. 选举。
budget：an amount of money used for a specific reason. 预算。
It needs cutting. =It needs to be cut.（预算可能）需要削减。
presentation：the act or action of presenting something. 表演，演出
It's to save… =It is in order to…这是为了省（钱等）。
taxpayer：people who pay taxes.纳税人。
Lots of people are tired of higher taxes. = Lots of people are annoyed by having to pay more tax money.很多人厌倦交纳更多的税款。
set the table：摆设餐桌准备吃晚饭。
decision-maker：a person who makes decision.决策者。
Who's running against him？谁与他竞选？
seat：position.职位。 A member of a school board has a seat on the board.每位校董事在校董会里都有一个席位。
Not if I can stop him! If I can prevent him, he won't win the seat. 我要尽力阻止他，不让他赢得这一席位。
Why shouldn't I run?为什么我不该参加竞选？
office：an elected position, a job that someone gets after winning an election.公职，职务。
voter：a person who is voting.投票人，选民。
a clear choice：the act of choosing from different candidates. 明确的选择。
stand for：to believe in; represent.代表，支持。
It takes a little bit of money. It costs some money. 要花些钱。
run：to manage; organize.进行（竞选），推动。
campaign：竞选活动。 Campaign activities might include making public speeches, placing advertisements in newspapers，meeting with voters, and appearing on television.竞选活动可包括公开演讲，在报纸上做广告、访问选民，以及在电视上露面。
You can make a difference.你会产生影响的。
Why not（give）…? 为何不……？ Why not + 动词原形，用来提建议，例如：Why not go and talk to him? 为何不找他谈谈呢？
I'm with you. =I support you.我支持你。
influential：able to change people's opinions.有影响力的。
That is news. 这可是条新闻。句中的is重读了，强调是条新闻。
pad：a number of sheets of paper fastened together, along one edge, used for writing letters, drawing pictures etc. 拍纸簿。
I care. = I am concerned about. 我关心；我认真于……。
slogan：a short phrase that represents a candidate's ideas. 标语，口号。
That's fair enough. 这倒很公平。
to take my side：to support me; to stand on my side 支持我。
publicity：the business of bring someone or something to（favorable）public notice. 宣传。
print：to write it down and put in the newspaper.刊登在报纸上。

Making a Difference /当仁不让

ACT1

【语言点精讲】

共5题

评论

走遍美国英语下载

热门应用