Marchetta 先生和Grandpa 講了關(guān)于優(yōu)秀老人協(xié)會(huì)TOPS的事情，Grandpa 很
感興趣，隨即表示要入會(huì)。Marchetta 先生還要帶Grandpa 去建筑工地。Grandpa
的新工作馬上就要開始了。

    Grandpa ： When I came here ， I planned to take a few months off.
Relax with the family and then look for some work. Put my experience on
the line…but ， unfortunately， there isn't any work for a retired person
my age. Marchetta ： Sometimes there is ， and sometimes there isn't.
Well， I'm involved with an organization， and we're trying to resolve
that problem. Grandpa ： What's that？

    Marchetta ： TOPS. T-O-P-S-means Talented Older People's Society.
Grandpa ： I'd like to be a member. How much are the dues ？

    Marchetta ： There are no dues. The organization serves major companies
in this city. Why ？ Because our members are men and women like you. Experienced，
talented， retired. But our members want to go out there and use their
talents. They want to work. Grandpa ： That is fantastic， John ！

    Marchetta ： I've got an idea for you ， Malcolm. Just fill out this
form for me. It'll only take a few minutes. Sit right here， and do it
while I talk to my secretary. When I get back ， we'll talk about my new
factory. My company is a member of TOPS. So I try hard to find opportunities
for people like you ， Malcolm. And when I see an opportunity ， I can
act on it. Well ， I can use your brainpower on the job right now. Have
you got time this morning to go over to the construction site with me ？

    I'd like to have you meet my foreman—— get some background on the
job. Grandpa： I've got plenty of time. Marchetta ： I'll be right back.
We'll go over to the job site together.

    「語言點(diǎn)精講」

    1. When I came here ， I planned to take a few months off.我來這里
以后，計(jì)劃先休息幾個(gè)月。

    plan to do sth. ：計(jì)劃做某事，打算做某事。

    to take a few months off：休息幾個(gè)月。

    2. Put my experience on the line. 這句話的意思相當(dāng)于“to test my experience
by trying something.”（把我的經(jīng)驗(yàn)考驗(yàn)一下�？简�(yàn)我的閱歷。）

    3. Well ， I'm involved with an organization， and we're trying to
resolve that problem. 說起來，我參加了一個(gè)組織，我們這個(gè)組織正在力求解
決這個(gè)問題。

    be involved with：意思是“與……有關(guān)系”，“與……有牽連”。

    resolve ：解決（問題）。

    4. TOPS. T-O-P-S-means Talented Older People's Society. TOPS： Talented
Older People's Society的縮寫，即優(yōu)秀老人協(xié)會(huì)。另外Tops這個(gè)詞本身也有
“最優(yōu)秀”的意思，即“the best”，所以 TOPS 是個(gè)含義豐富的機(jī)構(gòu)名稱。

    5. How much are the dues？

    會(huì)費(fèi)是多少？dues：費(fèi)用，會(huì)費(fèi)。

    6. Just fill out this form for me.請(qǐng)把這張表格填好。

    fill out：意思是“填寫（表格）”，這是美國用法。英國英語用 fill in.

    7. Sit right here ， and do it while I talk to my secretary.請(qǐng)就坐
在這兒，趁我和我的秘書談話的時(shí)間你（填一下這張表）。

    talk to sb. ：和某人談話，對(duì)某人說…。talk to 是從主動(dòng)的立場(chǎng)對(duì)某人
談，有時(shí)是去吐露心里發(fā)愁的事，有時(shí)是去責(zé)備、吩咐或抗議、要求等。

    8. I've got plenty of time. 我時(shí)間多得是。

    plenty of 后面既可帶不可數(shù)名詞，也可以帶可數(shù)名詞。它主要表示量大，
還含有“足夠”或“有余”的意思，等于lots of.

    9. I'll be right back.我馬上回來。