《走遍美国》Family Album U.S.A 第05集
走遍美国是我认为最优秀的口语教材之一，由美国新闻总署赞助，美国麦克米伦公司制作。在数十位英语专家和作者通力合作之下，费了8年（1983-1991）的时间，才制作完成这部划时代的巨作。虽然教材有点久远，但是对于练习口语还是非常的有帮助，大家可以通过以下步骤进行学习。
Somsak: Ah! Miss Stewart! Welcome! How are you?
Susan: Fine, Somsak. And you?
Somsak: Fine, thank you.
Susan: This is my friend Harry Bennett.
Harry: Pleased to meet you.
Somsak: Very nice to meet you. Any friend of Miss Stewart's is welcome at Somsak's. Follow me, please.
Harry: I like it here.
Susan: I do, too. I come here often.
Somsak: A special place for special people.
Susan: Thank you, Somsak.
Harry: Well! Nice restaurant.
Somsak: Would you like something to drink?
Susan: Yes, I'd like a glass of ginger ale with ice. Harry, what would you like?
Harry: Do you have a dry white wine?
Somsak: How about a California chablis?
Harry: Chablis is fine.
Somsak: What would you like to eat?
Susan: I'd like the mee krob. Harry, would you like to see a menu?
Harry: No, it's OK. I'll have the mee krob also. Whatis it?
Susan: Crispy fried noodles. I love them.
Somsak: May I bring you a salad?
Susan: Oh yes. What do you recommend today?
Somsak: I recommend rose-petal salad. Special for newfriends.
Susan: Rose-petal salad?
Harry: Why not?
【语言点精讲】
1. A special place for special people. special people 在这儿的意思是指身分高贵，品味不俗的客人。后文中还有一句"Special for new friends."这里的specia指平常不轻易供应，特别为某人烹调的。嘴这么甜！可见这位泰国老板Somsak还是很会作生意的嘛~~
2. Would you like something to drink?您想喝点什么？用来询问顾客要点什么饮料。
3. I'd like a glass of ginger ale with ice.我想要一杯带冰的姜味汽水。在点菜或饮料时可以说"I'd like..."（我想要..）。另外也可以讲"I'll have..."（我要……）或者"Do you have...?"（有……吗？）ginger ale姜味汽水，是一种用姜汁制成的不含酒精的饮料。
4. How about a California chablis?在向别人推荐某种饮品或菜肴时，可以用"How about...?"（来点……好吗？）chablis是一种干白葡萄酒。
5. What would you like to eat?您想吃点什么？用来询问顾客要点什么菜品。Susan点的"mee krob"，是泰国炒面，它是泰国的一种家常餐点。
6. May I bring you a salad?"May I bring you..."（要不要来点……呢？）是向顾客推荐菜肴的另一种讲法。在美国餐馆里，点菜的顺序一般是这样的：饮料（drinks），汤（soup），色拉（salad），主菜（main dish; main course; entree），甜点（dessert）。
7. What do you recommend?你今天推荐什么？当在饭店里不确定要吃什么的时候，可以这样要求侍者来给一些建议。
Susan: I hope you're hungry.
Harry: What? Oh, yes. Starving. Well, I...
Susan: [at the same time] Well, I...
Harry: What do you do at Universe Toy Company?
Susan: I'm the vice-president of new toy development.
Harry: Terrific!
Susan: I know you're a CPA.
Harry: That's true. Harry Bennett, certified public accountant. I love numbers. I do some work for Smith and Dale, your company's accounting firm.
Susan: And so...
Harry: Here we are.
Susan: Yes.
Harry: I have a daughter.
Susan: I know. How old is she?
Harry: She's nine years old.
Susan: That's a nice age. What's her name?
Harry: Michelle.
Susan: Do you have a picture of her?
Susan: She's very pretty.
【语言点精讲】
1. Well, I...Well在这里是个语气词。有一些人讲一句话的时候，因为可能要想一想才说，所以往往先说一个"Well"。Harry和Susan几乎同时讲话，他们想使气氛变得自然、松驰一些。尤其今天是他们的第一次约会。可能双方都有点紧张吧！
2. I'm the vice-president of new toy development.我是主管新玩具开发的副总裁。Susan在这家Universe Toy Company（宇宙玩具公司）担任重要工作，别人将新玩具的构想交给她进行深入研究。
3. CPA是certified public accountant的缩写，是指有执照的会计师、职业会计师。会计师为公司处理账务报表。要成为一名会计师，须通过政府的考试。
Somsak: Rose-petal salad. And there's a phone call for you, Mr. Bennett.
Harry: Excuse me, Susan.
Susan: I hope nothing is wrong.
Somsak: I'll get the rest of the dinner. Excuse me.
Harry: Please forgive me, Susan, but...I have to leave. I feel terrible, but...
Susan: What's the matter?
Harry: My daughter isn't feeling well.
Susan: Oh no! Is it serious?
Harry: I don't know. The baby-sitter says she has a stomachache, and she's crying. I'll have to go home. Will you forgive me?
Susan: Of course. I'm so sorry for Michelle. And you didn't have a chance to eat.
Harry: Oh, it's OK. Let me take you home first.
Susan: No, no. Please, go ahead.
Harry: It's our first date.
Susan: We'll make another. Please don't worry.
Harry: I'll phone you.
Susan: I hope your daughter is all right. Good-bye.
【语言点精讲】
1. There's a phone call for you.有你的电话。
2. Please forgive me, Susan, but...I have to leave. I feel terrible, but...请原谅我，苏珊，可是...我得走了。我觉得非常抱歉，可是...Please forgive me, but...（对不起，但是...）以及I feel terrible, but...（我感到十分抱歉，但是......）都是用来征求对方原谅时的说法。but后面加的是自己需要征求对方原谅的事情。
3. I'll have to go home. Will you forgive me?我不得不回家去。你能原谅我吗？这里包含着征求对方原谅的另一种说法，即先讲需要征得谅解的事情，然后再说" Will you forgive me?"或者"Will you excuse me?"
4. What's the matter?怎么了？发生了什么事？用来询问对方遇到了什么困难。
5. Oh, it's OK.这是很口语化的讲法。意思是“噢，没关系”，相当于"Oh, it's all right. "
6. Please, go ahead.在这里的意思是“你先走吧。”