Chapter 1 of 17 · 3'25"
Birthday Gifts and Snubs 生日冷落叔叔IMDb ↗
全家没人拿她当回事，只有叔叔会对着她说话
Uncle Frank · 2020
CEFR B2IELTS 6.0Living roomFamily conflict
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My level
The story so far
Everything you need before watchingFourteen-year-old Beth lights up whenever Uncle Frank visits from New York. Unlike everyone else at home, this college professor looks her in the eye, asks what she thinks, and makes her laugh. Then comes Daddy Mac's birthday. Socks are fine. Frank's electric shoe polisher is not. The patriarch mocks the gift in front of the whole family, and nobody defends him. Beth cannot understand why the kindest adult is the one he picks on.
贝
Bethyoung narrator
弗
Uncle Frankvisiting uncle
老
Daddy Macfamily patriarch
基
Kittyrelative
迈
Mikeson
玛
Marshafuture in-law
Chapters
17 parts · AI-cut01Birthday Gifts and Snubs全家没人拿她当回事，只有叔叔会对着她说话B23'25"02Choose Your Own Name离开小镇才看见世界能有多大，他把Betty改成BethB23'05"03Dinner With a Cover饭桌上禁忌一提全场变了B22'10"04Campus Table Small Talk食堂里互报家乡，他对外却说来自格林尼治B11'53"05A Drunken Coming Out醉得站不稳，叔叔才把同居十年说出口B13'14"06Morning-After Family Talk宿醉醒来咖啡已经摆好，他求她别把出柜告诉家里B12'26"07News of a Death噩耗来时该不该带伴侣回去B12'56"08Road Talk After Loss再也见不到麦老爹，车里却要把布鲁斯这个混蛋骂到位B22'11"09He Follows Anyway说好留下的人还是追上来了B11'42"10Nice Always Hides Something别把客气当成没有秘密B13'07"11A Brother's Apology灵堂里弟弟先把父亲讲完整，才承认自己几乎没联系B11'58"12Motel and Reputation电话里还叫她Betty，她顶回去：我叫贝丝，不是一个人住B11'56"13Eulogy and Old Threats颂词里他是慈父，切回去却在把儿子骂进火湖B22'58"14Wake Talk and Secrets守灵席上从纽约口音聊到名人，话锋却要绕开沃利B23'36"15The Will Humiliates Him当着全家人宣读遗嘱，长子分到的只有对他的厌恶C11'53"16Family at the Graveside墓前他说没有家人，沃利顶回来：我就是B14'35"17Introducing Him at Home他把沃利带进老家，弟弟只甩出两个字：没问题B12'59"
00:00 / 03:25
GoldenTeaching
Transcript
00:02
I was always happy when my Uncle Frank came
弗兰克叔叔一来，我总是特别高兴
00:04
for one of his rare visits .
来他那难得的一次做客。
00:05
Sit down .
坐下。
00:07
Nobody else in my family ever seemed interested in me .
家里再没别人真正把我当回事。
00:09
You ever read Madame Bovary?
你读过《包法利夫人》吗？
00:12
No, I haven't.
没有，我没读过。
00:13
But Uncle Frank was different.
可弗兰克叔叔不一样。
00:15
He was a college professor, and he lived in New York City.
他是大学教授，住在纽约。
00:19
He used aftershave.
他用须后水。
00:21
His fingernails were always clipped.
指甲总是修得整整齐齐。
00:23
And he wore a gold chain underneath his shirt.
衬衫里面还戴着一条金链。
00:27
I could listen to him talk all day.
他讲话，我能听上一整天。
00:30
Oof, well, um, supposedly...
噢，这个，嗯，据说……
00:33
He was the only adult that I knew who looked me in the eye ...
他是我认识的唯一会对着我眼睛说话的大人……
00:37
I like... I don't like...
我喜欢……我不喜欢……
00:38
...who was curious about what I had to say...
……会好奇我想说什么……
00:43
...and who liked to make me laugh .
……还喜欢逗我笑。
00:46
And in the summer of 1969, when I was 14...
而在一九六九年夏天，我十四岁那年……
00:50
that was exhilarating.
那感觉真让人振奋。
00:54
I'll open this one right here. Get ready.
我就拆这一份。准备好。
00:57
Here we go. Oh!
开始了。哦！
00:59
Thank you, Marsha.
谢谢你，玛莎。
01:00
A man can always use an extra pair of socks .
男人多一双袜子总不嫌多。
01:03
Oh, well, it's from me and Tee Dub.
哦，这是我和蒂达布送的。
01:05
Happy birthday, Daddy Mac. I hope you don't mind me calling you that.
生日快乐，老爹麦克。希望你不介意我这么叫。
01:07
Hey, you gonna be a member of this family, you'd better call me Daddy Mac.
嘿，你要进这个家，就得叫我老爹麦克。
01:13
Open another one! Bullet! Enough, goddamn it !
再拆一个！布雷特！够了，该死的！
01:20
Hey, now.
嘿，得了。
01:22
That's how you handle a rambunctious child.
调皮孩子就该这么治。
01:28
Thanks.
谢谢。
01:30
Well, that one's wrapped up
瞧，那一份包装得
01:32
so nice, it must be from Frank.
这么精致，肯定是弗兰克送的。
01:33
Oh. Must be.
哦。肯定是。
01:41
What is it? [Kitty] Wow!
这是什么？（基蒂）哇！
01:42
An electric shoe polisher.
一台电动擦鞋机。
01:45
You think I'm too old to polish my own shoes,
你觉得我老到连自己的鞋都擦不了，
01:49
need a goddamn machine to do it?
还得靠一台该死的机器来擦？
01:52
Of course not. No, I...
当然不是。不，我……
01:54
It's... I have one.
这……我也有一台。
01:56
It's just faster and easier.
只是更快、更省事。
02:02
Next!
下一个！
02:09
Well, I sure do appreciate your gift, Frank,
弗兰克，你的礼物我还真领情，
02:11
since I'm the one who always ends up
因为到头来总是我
02:13
polishing your daddy's shoes.
在给你爹擦皮鞋。
02:15
Hm. Thank you, darling.
嗯。谢谢你，亲爱的。
02:17
Here you go, Daddy. That's from me and Kitty.
给，爸。这是我和基蒂送的。
02:20
Ooh, look at that.
哦，瞧瞧这个。
02:22
Aw, look.
哎呀，看。
02:24
It's a little, itty-bitty screwdriver.
一把丁点儿大的小螺丝刀。
02:26
It's a glasses repair kit for when you lose a screw from your frames and whatnot .
这是眼镜修理套装，镜框螺丝掉了什么的就能用。
02:30
Yeah, well, I could use these a lot.
嗯，这些我还真用得上。
02:32
I'm always fixing my reading glasses.
我老是在修自己的老花镜。
02:35
Thank you, Mike, Kitty.
谢谢你，迈克，基蒂。
02:36
-[Kitty] And Janis. -[Daddy Mac] Mm-hm.
-（基蒂）还有贾尼斯。-（老爹麦克）嗯哼。
02:38
-And Betty and Bullet. -Yep.
-还有贝蒂和布雷特。-对。
02:39
Happy birthday, Daddy Mac!
生日快乐，老爹麦克！
02:46
I never knew why Daddy Mac was so mean to Uncle Frank
我从来不知道老爹麦克为什么对弗兰克叔叔那么刻薄
02:49
or why nobody else ever said anything about it.
也没人出来对此说上一句。
02:52
[Mike] Well, okay.
（迈克）好吧。
02:55
Can I go to the bathroom?
我能去一下洗手间吗？
02:57
Yeah, if you promise to wash your hands.
可以，但你得保证洗手。
03:00
I might understand if Uncle Frank was selfish
要是弗兰克叔叔自私，我或许还能理解
03:02
or rude or snobby , but he wasn't.
或者粗鲁、势利，可他都不是。
03:06
He was smart and funny and considerate.
他又聪明又有趣，还体贴。
03:09
He was the kind of person I wanted to be.
他就是我想成为的那种人。
03:11
But he was the one Daddy Mac picked on
可老爹麦克专找他下手
03:13
and belittled in front of everybody .
还当着所有人的面贬低他。
03:16
Uncle Frank was good at hiding how much it hurt him,
弗兰克叔叔很会掩饰自己有多受伤，
03:20
but I could see it.
可我看得出来。
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoCollocationA2↩ 00:04
rare visits
rare visits
很少来一次的做客
for one of his rare visits .
来他那难得的一次做客。
Pronunciation↩ 00:05
Sit down
Sit down 的 t 常打成近似 d
Sit down .
坐下。
CollocationA2↩ 00:07
interested in someone
interested in someone
对某人感兴趣、在意
Nobody else in my family ever seemed interested in me .
家里再没别人真正把我当回事。
CollocationB1↩ 00:33
look someone in the eye
look someone in the eye
正眼看人、认真对待
He was the only adult that I knew who looked me in the eye ...
他是我认识的唯一会对着我眼睛说话的大人……
GrammarB1↩ 00:33
who looked me in the eye
定语从句：who 修饰 adult，补上「正眼看我」这个关键动作。
He was the only adult that I knew who looked me in the eye ...
他是我认识的唯一会对着我眼睛说话的大人……
Pronunciation↩ 00:33
looked me in
looked me 连成 lookt-me，d 轻轻带过
He was the only adult that I knew who looked me in the eye ...
他是我认识的唯一会对着我眼睛说话的大人……
CollocationA2↩ 00:38
curious about something
curious about something
对某事感到好奇
...who was curious about what I had to say...
……会好奇我想说什么……
CollocationA2↩ 00:43
make someone laugh
make someone laugh
逗某人笑
...and who liked to make me laugh .
……还喜欢逗我笑。
CollocationB1↩ 01:00
can always use something
can always use something
某物总用得上、不嫌多
A man can always use an extra pair of socks .
男人多一双袜子总不嫌多。
CollocationA2↩ 01:00
an extra pair of something
an extra pair of something
多一双备用的
A man can always use an extra pair of socks .
男人多一双袜子总不嫌多。
CollocationB1↩ 01:07
had better do something
had better do something
最好去做某事（带告诫）
Hey, you gonna be a member of this family, you'd better call me Daddy Mac.
嘿，你要进这个家，就得叫我老爹麦克。
Pronunciation↩ 01:07
you gonna be
going to 吞成 gonna，听成一个词
Hey, you gonna be a member of this family, you'd better call me Daddy Mac.
嘿，你要进这个家，就得叫我老爹麦克。
Pronunciation↩ 01:07
you'd better call
you'd 弱读 /jəd/，重音落在 better
Hey, you gonna be a member of this family, you'd better call me Daddy Mac.
嘿，你要进这个家，就得叫我老爹麦克。
Pronunciation↩ 01:13
goddamn it
重音砸在 goddamn，it 短促收住
Open another one! Bullet! Enough, goddamn it !
再拆一个！布雷特！够了，该死的！
SlangB2↩ 01:13
goddamn it
该死的、爆粗——发火时骂人，正式场合别用
Open another one! Bullet! Enough, goddamn it !
再拆一个！布雷特！够了，该死的！
CollocationA2↩ 01:30
wrap something up
wrap something up
把东西包起来
Well, that one's wrapped up
瞧，那一份包装得
CollocationB1↩ 01:45
too adjective to do something
too adjective to do something
太……以至于不能做
You think I'm too old to polish my own shoes,
你觉得我老到连自己的鞋都擦不了，
SlangB2↩ 01:49
goddamn
该死的（骂人）——加强怒气的脏话，课堂慎用
need a goddamn machine to do it?
还得靠一台该死的机器来擦？
CollocationB1↩ 02:11
end up doing something
end up doing something
到头来落到去做某事
since I'm the one who always ends up
因为到头来总是我
GrammarB1↩ 02:11
who always ends up
定语从句：the one who... 强调「擦鞋的人就是我」。
since I'm the one who always ends up
因为到头来总是我
SlangB1↩ 02:24
itty-bitty
丁点儿小的——口语卖萌或略带轻视，正式少用
It's a little, itty-bitty screwdriver.
一把丁点儿大的小螺丝刀。
SlangB1↩ 02:26
whatnot
诸如此类——口语收尾，列举说不清的东西
It's a glasses repair kit for when you lose a screw from your frames and whatnot .
这是眼镜修理套装，镜框螺丝掉了什么的就能用。
CollocationA2↩ 02:46
mean to someone
mean to someone
对某人刻薄
I never knew why Daddy Mac was so mean to Uncle Frank
我从来不知道老爹麦克为什么对弗兰克叔叔那么刻薄
GrammarB1↩ 03:00
if Uncle Frank was selfish
条件句：if 引出虚拟理由：假如他真自私，受气还说得通。
I might understand if Uncle Frank was selfish
要是弗兰克叔叔自私，我或许还能理解
SlangB1↩ 03:02
snobby
势利、摆谱的——贬义，说人瞧不起人
or rude or snobby , but he wasn't.
或者粗鲁、势利，可他都不是。
CollocationA2↩ 03:09
the kind of person
the kind of person
那种人、那一类人
He was the kind of person I wanted to be.
他就是我想成为的那种人。
GrammarB1↩ 03:09
the kind of person I wanted to be
省略关系词：person 后省掉 that/who，I wanted to be 直接修饰。
He was the kind of person I wanted to be.
他就是我想成为的那种人。
Pronunciation↩ 03:09
kind of person
kind of 连成 kinda，of 几乎听不见
He was the kind of person I wanted to be.
他就是我想成为的那种人。
CollocationB1↩ 03:11
pick on someone
pick on someone
专挑某人欺负
But he was the one Daddy Mac picked on
可老爹麦克专找他下手
GrammarB1↩ 03:11
the one Daddy Mac picked on
省略关系词：the one 后省 who，picked on 的对象就是弗兰克。
But he was the one Daddy Mac picked on
可老爹麦克专找他下手
CollocationA2↩ 03:13
in front of somebody
in front of somebody
当着某人的面
and belittled in front of everybody .
还当着所有人的面贬低他。
Pronunciation↩ 03:13
in front of
front of 的 t 打成轻弹，别咬死
and belittled in front of everybody .
还当着所有人的面贬低他。
CollocationA2↩ 03:16
good at doing something
good at doing something
擅长做某事
Uncle Frank was good at hiding how much it hurt him,
弗兰克叔叔很会掩饰自己有多受伤，
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level
auto-pauses
IdiomB1↩ 00:33
look someone in the eye
正眼看人、平等相待
In the scene贝丝旁白：弗兰克是唯一正眼看她、把她当平等对话者的大人。
If you want trust, meet your teammate's eyes when you apologize.想要信任，道歉时要正眼看着队友。
In daily life
深夜谈心Meet my eyes and tell me you locked the door.看着我的眼睛，告诉我你锁门了。
auto-pauses
Phrasal verbB1↩ 03:11
pick on
专挑某人欺负
In the scene贝丝点出：全家面前，老爹麦克专找弗兰克叔叔下手。
Stop picking on the intern for every tiny typo.别专拿实习生每一个小错开刀。
In daily life
家庭饭桌Don't pick on your brother just because he is quieter.别因为弟弟更安静就专找他麻烦。
above my level
VocabularyB2↩ 03:13
belittle
贬低、看轻别人
In the scene生日会上当众贬低弗兰克，让礼物和他本人都显得可笑。
Do not belittle her proposal in the Monday meeting.周一会上别把她的方案说得一文不值。
In daily life
项目讨论He belittled the design in front of the whole team.他当着全组把设计贬得一无是处。
auto-pauses
Phrasal verbB1↩ 02:11
end up
到头来落到去做
In the scene有人接话：擦皮鞋的活最后总落到自己头上，所以领情。
We always end up doing the dishes after the party.聚会结束后，洗碗的活最后总落到我们头上。
In daily life
周末加班I end up staying late whenever the report slips.报告一拖，我到头来总是留到很晚。
above my level
IronyB2↩ 01:45
too old to
把好意听成羞辱
In the scene老爹麦克把贴心礼物听成羞辱，反问自己是不是老到擦不了鞋。
A standing desk? You think I cannot sit through a meeting?站立桌？你觉得我连会都坐不住？
In daily life
收礼物A blender? You think I never cook for myself?搅拌机？你觉得我从不自己做饭？
above my level
SwearingB2↩ 01:13
goddamn it
该死的、骂人话
In the scene拆礼物时对孩子爆粗，后又用 goddamn machine 骂擦鞋机。
That ridiculous gadget is not going to run my kitchen.那破玩意儿才管不了我的厨房。
In daily life
堵车发火This damn traffic is eating the whole morning.这该死的堵车把一上午都耗没了。
above my level
VocabularyB2↩ 01:22
rambunctious
好动、坐不住的
In the scene老爹麦克打完孩子，自夸这才是对付好动小孩的办法。
The rambunctious toddler knocked over every display.那个好动的幼儿把货架全撞倒了。
In daily life
亲友聚会Keep the rambunctious kids away from the cake table.让那些坐不住的孩子离蛋糕桌远点。
Golden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“He was the kind of person I wanted to be.”
他就是我想成为的那种人。
Why it's great
短句把仰慕说满，也把后文的当众冷落衬得更疼。
Pattern
the kind of person I want to be
When to use
夸榜样、说自己的志向，想把敬意说得干净时用。
Similar
He is the sort of person I look up to. ／ That is who I want to become.
Register
literary
Shadowing tip
kind 和 wanted 加重，句尾轻轻收住。
Use it yourself
夸老师She is the kind of coach I hope to become.她就是我希望成为的那种教练。
“Uncle Frank was good at hiding how much it hurt him,”
弗兰克叔叔很会掩饰自己有多受伤，
Why it's great
good at hiding 把痛感压在礼貌下面，旁白却把伤口点破。
Pattern
be good at hiding how much...
When to use
说某人表面镇定、其实很难受时用。
Similar
He was good at covering the pain. ／ She hid how much it stung.
Register
neutral
Shadowing tip
hiding 拉长，hurt him 放低放慢。
Use it yourself
安慰同事He is good at hiding how much the layoff shook him.裁员有多打击他，他很会藏。
“He was the only adult that I knew who looked me in the eye...”
他是我认识的唯一会对着我眼睛说话的大人……
Why it's great
looked me in the eye 把尊重写进一个动作里，小孩听得懂。
Pattern
the only person who looks me in the eye
When to use
说有人真正把你当回事、正眼相对时用。
Similar
She actually met my eyes. ／ He treated me like an equal.
Register
informal
Shadowing tip
only 和 eye 加重，句尾省略号处留气口。
Use it yourself
面试回忆She was the only interviewer who met my eyes the whole time.她是唯一全程正眼看我的面试官。
Monologue
One character carrying the scene — shadow the whole passage❝ 贝丝看穿冷落
I might understand if Uncle Frank was selfish or rude or snobby, but he wasn't. He was smart and funny and considerate. He was the kind of person I wanted to be. But he was the one Daddy Mac picked on and belittled in front of everybody. Uncle Frank was good at hiding how much it hurt him, but I could see it.
要是弗兰克叔叔自私，我或许还能理解 或者粗鲁、势利，可他都不是。 他又聪明又有趣，还体贴。 他就是我想成为的那种人。 可老爹麦克专找他下手 还当着所有人的面贬低他。 弗兰克叔叔很会掩饰自己有多受伤， 可我看得出来。
先否定他该被骂的理由，再点出当众贬低，克制却疼。
Takeaways
What you walk away with- Use pick on for targeting someone unfairly
- Hear belittle as a public put-down
- Catch irony when a gift is mocked
- Use look someone in the eye for respect
People also search
Questions, then the linesWhat does picked on mean in Uncle Frank?
It means targeting someone again and again to mock or bully them.
How do you translate belittled here?
Daddy Mac puts Frank down in public, making him and the gift look small.
Does look me in the eye mean staring?
No. Here it means treating someone as an equal, not talking down.
Why does Daddy Mac mock the electric shoe polisher?
He treats a thoughtful gift as an insult, as if it called him old.
Is rambunctious child an insult?
No. It means a noisy, restless kid who will not sit still.