DIALOGUE 56

1--Dad was really bad-tempered last night. And it's
   not like him. He used to like meeting my friends.
2--Well, I'm afraid you've come at rather a bad time.
1--What do you mean?
2--Well, I wasn't going to tell you...He hasn't been
   feeling very well lately.
1--Has he seen the doctor?
2--Yes, he had a check-up last month. The doctor
   says he may have to go into hospital.
1--Oh no! What is it, exactly?
2--They're not sure. But they think it may be his
   heart.
1--Oh, perhaps I ought to stay here, then. The others
   can go without me.
2--No, there's no point in that. It probably isn't serious
   at all. And please, Jane, don't say anything to
   your Dad about this...

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注释：

1）be bad-tempered：心情、情绪很不好。temper作
“情绪”“脾气”解。bad-tempered是形容词+名词
+ed构成的表语形容词。类似的短语还有be warm-hearted,
be absent-minded，be short-sighted等。
2）used to用以表示过去经常的情况。注意be used
to(doing)的区别。
3）There's no point in that：point作“意义”；“目的”
解。这句话也可改为There is no point in doing so.

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译文：

1--爸昨晚情绪很不好。以前可不是这样。他过去很
乐意见我的朋友。
2--嗨，恐怕你来的不是时候。
1--这话什么意思？
2--哦，我本来不想告诉你......。他近来感觉身体不太好。
1--他去看过医生吗？
2--看过，上个月他做过一次体检。医生说他也许得住院治疗。
1--真的呀！到底得了什么病？
2--他们没有确诊，但是，说可能是心脏有问题。
1--噢，那我也许该留在这儿。让他们自己走吧。
2--不，这没有必要。或许病情根本就不严重。简，你
可什么也别对你爸说......