Lesson 25

　　Do the English speak English？

　　英国人讲的是英语吗？

　　First listen and then answer the question.听录音，然后回答以下问题。

　　Why does the writer not understand the porter？

　　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. I not only spoke English very carefully， but very clearly as well. The porter， however， could not understand me. I repeated my question several times and at last he understood. he answered me， but he spoke neither slowly nor clearly. 'I am a foreigner，' I said. Then he spoke slowly， but I could not understand him. 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. '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？

　　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

　　参考译文

　　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。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。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。“我是个外国人，”我说。于是他说得慢了，可我还是听不懂。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。“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？

 
(责任编辑：泰雅)