(New Hampshire State Parks)

每日对话围绕一家人在美国50个州的旅行见闻展开。请来跟随他们一起体验地方风情和历史。这个对话系列适于中级或中级以上英语水平的学生使用。

今天在新罕布什尔州，一家人议论去作一趟远足。

Claudine: There was so much news about the New Hampshire primary during this election year, and now we are here.

Gina: Well, what we’re going to do here is quite different from the primary. We’re going hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

Sam: We’re not hiking the entire New Hampshire section of the trail, are we?

Paul: Of course not. We’re just hiking for a few hours. Then, tomorrow we’ll drive up Mount Washington.

Gina: Let’s make sure we have snacks and water for the hike.

Claudine: Should we bring a compass and a map? What if there’s no service on the trail?

Gina: Good idea. We don’t want to get stranded in the middle of the woods!

让我们复习一些词语：

A primary (or primary election) ：初选，即从多位候选人中选出一位参加最后大选的候选人的选举。美国总统大选前有许多初选。

election year:选举年，即美国每隔四年选举新总统之年。

Appalachian Trail (A.T.) ：阿帕拉契步道。这是美国东部一条全长约3500公里的山林小径，起于佐治亚州（Georgia），终点在缅因州(Maine)。

对话中 “We’re not hiking the entire New Hampshire section of the trail, are we?“ 这句话，是反意疑问句（tag question）的又一个例子。英语中常用这种反意疑问句，也叫附加疑问句的形式来寻求对方的确认或肯定。句式结构是，在肯定性叙述句后加否定疑问句，在否定性叙述句后加肯定疑问句，如 isn’t it?, are we?。

Mount Washington ：华盛顿山，美国东北部最高峰，海拔1917米。

A compass:指南针

在这个对话中, no service的意思是没有手机信号，没有任何通讯服务。

动词 to strand的意思是搁浅，陷入困境，它经常用作被动语态 be stranded。

在这个对话中， “we don’t want to get stranded in the middle of the woods” 所表达的意思是，说话人不愿意在林中迷路，陷入进退无路，也无法跟外界联系的境地。

Everyday conversations: Hiking in New Hampshire [audio]

This series of Everyday Conversations is about a family traveling to each of the 50 states in the U.S. Join the family members as they learn about local pastimes and history. These conversations are for intermediate-level English-language learners or higher.

In this conversation, the family talks about hiking in New Hampshire.

Claudine: There was so much news about the New Hampshire primary during this election year, and now we are here.

Gina: Well, what we’re going to do here is quite different from the primary. We’re going hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

Sam: We’re not hiking the entire New Hampshire section of the trail, are we?

Paul: Of course not. We’re just hiking for a few hours. Then, tomorrow we’ll drive up Mount Washington.

Gina: Let’s make sure we have snacks and water for the hike.

Claudine: Should we bring a compass and a map? What if there’s no service on the trail?

Gina: Good idea. We don’t want to get stranded in the middle of the woods!

Now let’s review the vocabulary.

A primary (or primary election) is a preliminary election that helps decrease the number of candidates, or people running for a political position, before a major election, especially a presidential one.

The term election year usually refers to a year in which a U.S. presidential election takes place. U.S. presidential elections are held every four years.

The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is a hiking trail in the eastern part of the U.S. It goes from the state of Georgia to the state of Maine. The trail is approximately 3,500 kilometers long.

When Sam asks, “We’re not hiking the entire New Hampshire section of the trail, are we?“ he uses a tag question. A tag question is a special construction in English. It is a statement followed by a short question, such as right?, isn’t it?, are we?. People usually use tag questions to ask for confirmation.

Mount Washington is the highest mountain peak in the northeastern U.S. It is 1,917 meters high.

A compass is an instrument used to find direction, with a needle that always points north.

In this context, no service means no cellular service, meaning that cellphones (also called mobile phones) do not work in that area.

The verb to strand is usually used as be stranded. To be stranded means to be in a place without a way of leaving it. In this conversation, “we don’t want to get stranded in the middle of the woods” means that the speakers do not want to lose their way in the woods and then not be able to find their way out or communicate with someone to come get them.