Susan 看Grandpa 并不喜歡這種清閑的退休生活，主動(dòng)提出要幫他找點(diǎn)事情
做。Grandpa 沒有在意，讓她幫助擺餐桌。沒想到Susan 卻是當(dāng)真的。

    Susan ： Grandpa， you have so much energy and so many years of experience.
There are probably a lot of places for you to work. Particularly in the
construction field. Grandpa ： But at my age， I'm not looking for a full-time
job. I'm retired. But I'm bored. Susan： Well ， there must be something.
Maybe I can help. Grandpa ： Let's go into the kitchen， and maybe you
can help me set the table. Susan： Sounds good to me. What are we having？

    Grandpa ： I prepared lamb chops， mashed potatoes， and a tossed
green salad to begin with. Susan： Grandpa， you are a terrific guy ！

    [A little later ， Grandpa and Susan are eating dinner in the kitchen.]
Susan ： You're still thinking about something to do， aren't you ？ A
job of some kind. Grandpa ： That's right. I've been thinking about it
for weeks now. There must be some way to put my mind to good use. Susan
： We'll find a solution. A positive solution to your finding a way to
use that wonderful mind of yours.

    「語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)精講」

    1. But at my age， I'm not looking for a full-time job. I'm retired.
But I'm bored.可是我這把年紀(jì)了，我不想找一個(gè)全職的工作。我是退休了，可
是我膩煩得要命。

    a full-time job ：全職工作，全天工作。

    retired ：退職的，退休的。這種形容詞由動(dòng)詞加-ed 構(gòu)成，類似的詞還有
bored （厭煩的）、interested（感興趣的）等。

    2. Sounds good to me. 這（主意）聽著不錯(cuò)。sound ：意思是“聽來像，
令人覺得”。

    這個(gè)句子省略了主語(yǔ)it. 省略主語(yǔ)在口語(yǔ)里比較常見，例如：“Want something
to drink？”的完整形成為“Do you want something to drink？”。

    3. I prepared lamb chops， mashed potatoes， and a tossed green salad
to begin with.我做了羊肉塊，土豆泥，還有拌蔬菜色拉當(dāng)頭道菜。

    lamb chops：羊肉塊。chop這里指（一塊）排骨，肋條肉。

    mashed potatoes ：土豆泥。

    tossed green salad：蔬菜色拉。

    4. A job of some kind.找個(gè)什么工作之類的。

    some在這里表示“某一種、未知的”，后面帶單數(shù)可數(shù)名詞。

    5. I've been thinking about it for weeks now. 我想了有幾個(gè)星期了。

    have been thinking about：使用了動(dòng)詞的現(xiàn)在完成進(jìn)行式，表示“想”這
個(gè)行為在過去發(fā)生并持續(xù)到現(xiàn)在。

    6. There must be some way to put my mind to good use. 總該有個(gè)辦法
讓我施展我的才能。

    put my mind to good use ：施展我的才能。

    7. We'll find a solution. A positive solution to your finding a way
to use that wonderful mind of yours.我們會(huì)找到一個(gè)解決辦法的。為讓你能
使用你那了不起的頭腦尋找一個(gè)積極的解決辦法。

    find a solution ：找到一個(gè)解決辦法。與后面的find a way同義。

    to use that wonderful mind of yours ：使用你那了不起的頭腦。最后面
的of yours起強(qiáng)調(diào)作用，強(qiáng)調(diào)“你的”，這樣說更有感情色彩。