Mary: OK, I guess. 31 Jane: Couldn’t be better.
答案:(B) And you?
Mary 回答完自己的近況後,反問對方「那你呢?」,Jane 接著回應「再好不過了」(回答關於自己的狀況),And you? 符合這種互相問候後的反問語氣;其他選項在這個寒暄階段都答非所問。
本題大考中心未公布逐題答對率,以下不談數據,只談觀念。
四個選項都是日常對話裡常聽到的短句,單獨看每一句都說得通,所以很容易憑「哪一句最順口」隨手挑。對話題不能只看空格那一格,要看輪到誰說話、以及下一句對方回了什麼。
這一格是 Mary 說的。先往前看:Jane 開口問 How are you?(你好嗎?),Mary 答 OK, I guess.(還可以吧。)——她已經把自己的近況交代完了,所以空格不會還在講自己。再往後看,這一步才是決定性的:下一句 Jane 說 Couldn’t be better.(再好不過了。)這是在回答「你好嗎」。Jane 之所以會回答這個問題,只可能是因為空格裡 Mary 把問題丟回去了,而能把問題丟回去的只有 And you?(那你呢?)。這一招是這整篇的通用解法:答案幾乎都寫在下一句裡,先往後讀一句,再回頭選。順便把這組寒暄的節奏記起來:How are you? — OK, I guess. And you? — Couldn’t be better.另外,Jane 這句 Couldn’t be better. 正是「表面否定、實為最高級」的說法(再……不過了),101 年第 28 題整整考了一格,這裡活生生出現在對話裡,可以對照著記。
It’s a small world.(世界真小):用在意外碰到熟人、或發現彼此有共同認識的人,而這裡兩人是老朋友碰面寒暄,沒有巧合可言。Thanks a lot.(多謝):Jane 沒有幫上什麼忙,無從謝起;而且道謝之後對方不會接一句「再好不過了」。Where are you going?(你要去哪裡?):問的是行程,Jane 下一句答的卻是自己的狀態,對不上。
It’s been a while.(好久不見)、And you?(那你呢)、Couldn’t be better.(再好不過了)、It’s a small world.(世界真小)、by the way(順帶一提)、stay with sb(借住在某人家)。
Jane: Hi, Mary. It's been a while. How are you? Mary: OK, I guess. 31
Jane: Couldn't be better. By the way, is your house guest still staying with you?
Mary: No. After three weeks, she finally left. 32
Jane: So, how did you get rid of her? Mary: 33 I told her my parents were coming for a visit and I needed the room. I felt bad about it, though. 34
Jane: Oh, I'd have told her to leave after one week. That reminds me. My father-in-law is coming to visit us next week. Can I move in with you for a few days? Mary: 35
Jane: Please!