狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第18章Part 16
Mr Toots — than whom there were few better fellows in the world, though there may have been one or two brighter spirits — had laboriously invented this long burst of discourse with the view of relieving the feelings both of Florence and himself. But finding that he had run through his property, as it were, in an injudicious manner, by squandering the whole before taking a chair, or before Florence had uttered a word, or before he had well got in at the door, he deemed it advisable to begin again.
'How d'ye do, Miss Dombey?' said Mr Toots. 'I'm very well, I thank you; how are you?'
“您好嗎，董貝小姐？”圖茨先生說道，“我很好，謝謝您。您身體好嗎？”Florence gave him her hand, and said she was very well.
弗洛倫斯向他伸出手去，說她很好。
'I'm very well indeed,' said Mr Toots, taking a chair. 'Very well indeed, I am. I don't remember,' said Mr Toots, after reflecting a little, 'that I was ever better, thank you.'
“我確實很好，”圖茨先生在椅子上坐下來，說道，“確實是這樣。我不記得，”圖茨先生想了一會兒，說，“曾經還有比現在更好的時候，謝謝您。”'It's very kind of you to come,' said Florence, taking up her work, 'I am very glad to see you.'
“您真客氣，還來看我，”弗洛倫斯拿起針線活，說，“我很高興見到您。”Mr Toots responded with a chuckle. Thinking that might be too lively, he corrected it with a sigh. Thinking that might be too melancholy, he corrected it with a chuckle. Not thoroughly pleasing himself with either mode of reply, he breathed hard.
圖茨先生吃吃地笑了一下，作爲回答。考慮到這可能顯得太快活了，他就用一聲嘆息來糾正；考慮到這可能又顯得太憂愁了，他又吃吃笑了一下，進行糾正。這兩個回答方式哪一個也不能使他完全稱心滿意，他就呼呼地直喘氣。'You were very kind to my dear brother,' said Florence, obeying her own natural impulse to relieve him by saying so. 'He often talked to me about you.'
“您待我親愛的弟弟很好，”弗洛倫斯說。她自然而然，不由自主地希望用這些話把他從困境中救出。“他時常跟我談到您。”'Oh it's of no consequence,' said Mr Toots hastily. 'Warm, ain't it?'
“啊，那無關緊要，”圖茨先生急忙說道，“今天挺溫暖，是不是？”'It is beautiful weather,' replied Florence.
“美好的天氣，”弗洛倫斯回答。'It agrees with me!' said Mr Toots. 'I don't think I ever was so well as I find myself at present, I'm obliged to you.
“這種天氣對我很合適！”圖茨先生說，“我覺得我身體從來沒有像現在這樣好過。謝謝您。”After stating this curious and unexpected fact, Mr Toots fell into a deep well of silence.
圖茨先生敘述了這個奇妙的、意想不到的事實之後，掉進了沉默的深井中。一nt：vt.發明, 捏造
【詞義辨析】
create, compose, design, invent, make, produce
這些動詞均有“創造”，“製作”之意。
create側重創造出來的東西以前並不存在，或者指獨具特色的創作。
compose多指音樂或詩歌、畫的創作。
design主要指在藝術或技術領域的創作設計，強調構思多於實際製造。
invent主要用於科技領域，指通過思考、研究或實驗製造出新的前所未有、極爲有用的東西。
make最普通用詞，指任何東西的創作或製造。
produce指產品的生產，或作品創作的完成。
【例句用法】
Can you tell me who invented the telephone?
你能告訴我是誰發明了電話？
We must invent an excuse for our absence.
我們必須爲缺席編造一個藉口。
二ent：n.禮物, 現在 adj.出席的, 現在的, 當前的, 存在的 v.提出, 贈送, 呈現
【語法用法】
at present，for the present都屬於固定搭配格式，不能修改成at the present，in present等其他格式。前者指“現在”，後者指“暫時”；
at present同presently意思不同，但前者常用於現在時，表示“目前”，後者則常用於將來時，表示“一會兒”；
present和gift的比較：present指“禮物”，但gift可以不是“禮物”。Birthday/Christmas gift中，gift屬於禮物。在別人需要而將東西送給他時，如一本舊書或是把書捐給圖書館，都屬於gift，但不算送“禮”；
表示“把…送給（某人)”的幾種說法：{He presented a book to her.
He presented her with a book.
He made her a present of a book.
He made a present of a book to her.
值得注意的是，present 作動詞時，很少有雙賓語。}
present作形容詞時，常用於名詞後，指“出席的”。
There are other people present.
還有其他人出席。
【錯句舉例與錯句分析】
錯句: Go to the post office and wait there; I will come at present.
訂正: Go to the post office and wait there; I will presently.
翻譯: 你到郵局那等會，我一會就來。
分析: 表示“一會兒”，用presently，at present常用現在時，表“現在”。
【詞義辨析】
modern, contemporary, current, recent, present, up-to-date
這些形容詞均有“現代的、當代的”之意。
modern指現代或近代，時期可長可短；也可指新穎、時髦的。
contemporary僅指當今這個時代，不涉及任何過去的時代，但可表示不同的人或物存在於同一時代。
current指目前存在和發生的。
recent表示新近的，最近的，時間的長短依據所修飾的人或物而定。
present是這些詞中語氣最強的一個。指現在正發生、起作用的。
up-to-date一般用於非正式場合，指很時新、能反映當前的最新發展。
offer, present, propose, volunteer
這些動詞均含“提出、提供”之意。
offer最普通用詞，多指主動提出或提供意見或東西等，但是否接受由對方自行決定。
present既可指提出意見、建議等，又可指拿出某物供人欣賞或贈送。
propose指直接而主動地提出問題或建議等，也指在討論或爭辨中提出具體意見或建議。
volunteer與offer同義，側重出於自願，而不是奉命做某事。
【例句用法】
Falling interest rates present the firm with a new problem.
利息一下降給公司帶來了一個新的問題。
He would not be elected on present form.
鑑於他的現時表現，他不可能當選。
