新概念英语第二册精讲：lesson 25 Do the English speak English?

英语自学网

　　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 生词与短语
        　　railway n. 铁路
        　　porter n. 搬运工
        　　several quantifier 几个
        　　foreigner n. 外国人
        　　wonder v. 感到奇怪
        　　本文参考译文
        　　我终于到了伦敦。火车站很大，又黑又暗。我不知道去旅馆的路该怎么走，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?
        　　(兼职编辑：张博)