ACT III

Good morning. 早安。
What a wonderful morning! 多么美好的早晨！
Don't the flowers smell wonderful? 花儿闻起来好香，不是吗？
Good morning, Ellen. 早安，Ellen。
Yes, they do. 是的，花儿好香。
That's why I'm reading my paper and having my coffee 这就是今天早上为什么我看报纸喝咖啡
on the patio this morning. 要在院子里。
Ah, it does smell sweet. 噢，它们确实很香。
How was your school-board meeting last night? 昨天晚上你们的联合校董事会会议开得怎么样？
You must've come home very late. 你一定很晚才回家。
Did you find the sandwich I made for you? 你找到我为你做的三明治了？
Thanks, dear. 谢谢，亲爱的。
I was so tired 我太累了。
I didn't even finish it. 没有能吃完它。
Philip, I've been working on this special project    Philip，我一直在研拟一项特别计划
with the school board, 和联合校董事会一起，
and I'd like your opinion about it. 我需要你的意见。
What is it? 是个什么样的计划？
I've been trying to find 我一直在寻求
a way to encourage reading. 鼓励阅读的办法。
Good luck! 祝你好运！
Well, I think I may have found a way to do it. 噢，我想我也许已找到一种办法。
Tell me about it. 说给我听吧。
I work with families every day, Ellen. 我每天的工作就是接触一些家庭，Ellen。
I see how people spend their leisure time-- 我看到人们怎样利用空闲时间---
young and old. 不管是年轻的还是年老的。
Mostly watching television. 大部分是看电视。
Well, that would be OK 那倒没有什么关系。
if, and I repeat, 只要，我重复一遍，
if people took the time to read. 只要人们肯花时间去阅读。
I couldn't agree with you more. 我彻底同意你的看法。
The question is, 问题是，
how do we get them to read more? 我们怎样才能使他们多阅读？
I think 我想
you're going to give me the answer to that question. 是要给我这个问题一个答案。
You have that look in your eye. 你的眼睛显示出你已有了答案。
I do have an answer, Philip. 我确实有一个答案，Philip。
Or at least I think I do. 至少我想我有了答案。
Well, tell me about it. 那么，告诉我吧。
The plan is a simple one. 计划很简单。
Involve the entire family in a reading project. 让整个家庭都参与阅读计划。
In the home? 在家中？
Yes, in the home. 是的，在家中。
But first in the school-rooms. 但首先是在教室里。
Hmm, interesting. 嗯，有意思。
But how do you plan to do that? 但你预备怎么做呢？
By arranging with the public schools 首先从公立学校开始
to schedule one hour a week--to start with. 安排一星期一个小时。
During that time 在那一小时
parents are invited to attend-- 家长被邀请来参加---
and to read along with the children--their children. 和孩子们---他们的孩子们一起阅读。
It can go beyond the school system, Ellen. 这可以推广到学校体制以外，Ellen。
Really? 真的？
I guarantee you it would go very well in the hospitals. 我保证在医院这种计划会推行得很好。
My patients--mostly kids-- 我的病人---大多数是孩子---
would love to read and be read to. 会喜欢阅读并且喜欢别人读给他们听。
You think so? 你想会是这样吗？
I know so. 我确定知道是这样。
Maybe we can experiment with your patients 也许我们可以在你的病人中试一试。
and see how the plan works. 看看这项计划实施得如何。
I love the idea. 我喜欢这个主意。
Would you work with me on it? 你愿意和我一起来做吗？
I would love to, Philip. 我当然愿意，Philip。
And that way, 而且那样的话，
we'll spend more time together, Ellen. 我们会有更多的时间在一起，Ellen。
We just don't see each other anymore. 我们彼此差不多见不到面了。
You and I are very busy these days. 这些天来我们俩都很忙。
This is true. 这倒是事实。
We need to find time to be together more, 我们确实需要多找时间相聚一块，
to do things together more--you and I. 也需要多在一起工作。
This would be a wonderful way to accomplish that. 这倒是达到这个目的的绝佳办法。
I have a question. 我有一个问题。
Yes? 是吗？
What do we read? 我们读些什么呢？
To the patients in the ward? 读给病房里的病人？
Yes. 是的。
Well, 好，
let you

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