[8分40秒] 理智与情感英语听力精讲：理解真实语境中的表达

学习英语不仅要掌握语法和词汇，更重要的是能在真实场景中自然运用。然而，课本上的句子往往过于正式，与实际生活中的表达相差甚远。想要说出一口地道、自然的英语，就需要接触真实语境中的对话。在这里，我们精选日常高频使用的英语表达，涵盖社交、工作、旅行等场景，帮你摆脱“教科书式英语”，学会老外真正在用的说法。下面是本期《第二期 第17集 理智与情感》的内容，坚持积累，让你的英语更贴近生活！

Mrs. John Dashwood now installed herself mistress of Noland, and her mother and sisters in law were degraded to the condition of visitors. As such, however, they were treated by her with quiet civility, and by her husband, with as much kindness as he could feel toward anybody beyond himself, his wife and their child. He really pressed them to consider Noland as their home. No plan appeared so eligible to Mrs. Dashwood as remaining there till she could accommodate herself with a house in the neighbourhood.

Mrs. John Dashwood did not approve of what her husband intended to do for his sisters. To take £3,000 from the fortune of their dear little boy, would be impoverishing him to the most dreadful degree. She begged him to think again on the subject. How could he answer to himself to rob his child and his only child too, so large a sum? And what possible claim could the Mrs. Dashwood, who were related to him only by half-blood, which he considered as no relationship at all, have on his generosity to so large an amount?

It was very well known that no affection was ever supposed to exist between the children of any man by different marriages. And why would he to ruin himself and their poor little Harry by giving away all his money to his half-system? “It was my father's last request to me,” replied her husband, “that I should assist his widow and daughters.” “He did not know what he was talking of, I dare say, ten to one, but he was lightheaded at the time.” “Had he been in his right senses, he could not have thought of such a thing as begging you to give away half your fortune from our own child.”

“He did not stipulate any sum, my dear Fanny, he only requested me in general terms to assist them and make their situation more comfortable than it was in his power to do. As he required the promise, I could not do less than give it, at least I could so at the time. But something must be done for them whenever they leave New Orleans and settle in a new home.” “Well, then let something be done for them, but that something may not be three thousand pounds. When the money is once parted with it never can return. Your sisters will marry and it will be gone forever.”

“If indeed it could ever be restored to a poor little boy. Why, to be sure,” said her husband very gravely, “that would make a great difference. The time may yet come when Harry will regret the soon larger sum was parted with. If he should have a numerous family, it would be a very convenient addition. Perhaps then it would be better for all parties if the sum were diminished one half. Five hundred pounds would be a pretty decent increase to their fortunes.”

“Oh, beyond anything great, what brother on earth would do half so much for his sisters, even if really his sisters, and as it is only half blood, but you have such a generous spirit.” “Oh, I would not wish to do anything mean. No one can think I have not done enough for them, even themselves.” “There is no knowing what they may expect,” said the lady, “but we are not to think of their expectations. The question is, what can you afford to do?” “Certainly. And I think I can afford to give them five hundred pounds a piece.”

“As it is, without any addition of mine, they will each have above three thousand pounds on their mother's death. A very comfortable fortune for any young woman.” “To be sure it is, indeed it strikes me that they can want no additional at all. They may hold this very comfortably together on the interest of ten thousand pounds.” “That is very true. Therefore, I do not know whether on the whole it would not be more advisable to do something for their mother while she lives rather than for them, something of the annuity kind I mean. My sisters would feel the good effects of it as well as herself. A hundred a year would make them all perfectly comfortable.”

His wife hesitated a little in giving her consent to this plan. “To be sure,” said she, “it is better than parting with fifteen hundred pounds at once, but then if Mrs. Dashwood should live fifteen years, we should be completely taken in.” “Fifteen years! But your steady, her life cannot be worth half that purchase.” “Certainly not. But if you observe, people always live forever when there is an annuity to be paid them.” “She is very stout and healthy and hardly forty, and an annuity is a very serious business. It comes over and over every year and there is no getting rid of it.”

“I am sure I would not pin myself down to the payment of an annuity for all the world.” “It is certainly an unpleasant thing,” replied Mr. Dashwood, “to have those kind of yearly drains on one's income. One's fortune, as your mother says, is not one's own.” “Undoubtedly and after all you have no thanks for it. If I were you, whatever I did should be done with my own discretion entirely. I would not bind myself to allowing them anything yearly, it may be very inconvenient some years to spare a hundred or even fifty pounds from our own expenses.”

“I believe you are right, my love. It will be better that there should be no annuity. Whatever I may give them will be of far greater assistance than a yearly allowance, because they would only enlarge their style of living if they cultured or of a larger income. The present of fifty pounds now and then will prevent their ever being distressed for money, and will I think be amply discharging my promise to my father.”

“To be sure it will. Indeed, to say the truth, I am convinced within myself that your father had no idea of your giving them any money. The assistance he thought of, I dare say, was only such as might be reasonably expected of you. This was just looking out for a comfortable small house for them, helping them to move their things and sending them presents of a shingame and so forth whenever they are in season.”

“Do but consider, my dear Mr. Dashwood, how exceedingly comfortable your mother-in-law and her daughters may live on the interest of seven thousand pounds. Besides a thousand pounds belong to each of the girls, which brings them in fifty pounds a piece, and of course they will pay their mother for their board out of it. They will have five hundred a year amongst them and what on earth can four women want for more than that? They will live so cheap. They will have no carriage, no horses and hardly any servants. They will keep no company and can have no expenses of any kind. Five hundred a year, I am sure I cannot imagine how they will spend half of it. And as you are giving them more, it is quite absurd to think of it. They will be much more able to give you something.”

“Upon my word,” said Mr. Dashwood, “I believe you are perfectly right. My father certainly could mean nothing more by his request to me than what you say. When my mother removes to another house, my services shall be readily given to accommodate her as far as I can. A little present of furniture too, may be acceptable then.”

“Certainly, Mr. Dashwood, but one thing must be considered, when your father and stepmother moved to New Orleans, all the China, plate and linen were saved and is now left to your stepmother, her house will therefore be almost completely fitted up as soon as she takes it.” “That is a material consideration, a valuable legacy indeed. And yet some of the plate would have been a very pleasant addition to our own stock, you are.” “Yes, and the breakfast China is twice as handsome as what belongs to this house. Great deal too handsome, in my opinion, for any place they can afford to live in. But however, there it is.”

“And I must say this, your father thought only of them. You owe no particular gratitude to them, nor attention to his wishes. For we very well know that if he could, he would have left almost everything in the world to them.” This argument was irresistible. He finally resolved that it would be absolutely unnecessary, if not highly indecorous, to do more for the widow and children of his father than such kind of naively act that his own wife pointed out.

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