在火车上，祖父Malcolm 同Elsa女士谈到了各自去纽约市的原因。Elsa是要
去拜访朋友，而Malcolm 则要是搬去和自己的儿孙同住。Malcolm 还没有决定是
不是要永久住下来，他既不喜欢独自一人生活，又不想失去独立性。

    Grandpa ： Do you have family in New York ？

    Elsa： No ， no. But I do have very close friends in New York City.
We like to go to the theater together. You said you have family in New
York. Grandpa ： Yes， indeed. A son and his wife and their three children
- my grandchildren. Elsa： You must be excited. Grandpa ： I can't wait
to see them ！

    Elsa： Are you going to live with them？

    Grandpa ： Yes. Elsa： Permanently？

    Grandpa ： Well …they want me to ， but it's too early to know for
sure. I'm pretty independent. I tried to teach my kids the importance
of independence ， but I'm not sure I want to be alone. Some people don't
mind being alone. I do. Elsa： I understand. But tell me. Why did you
stop working？

    Grandpa ： I retired because…I wanted to be with my family. I didn't
want to be alone anymore！

    「语言点精讲」

    1. But I do have very close friends in New York City. 可我确实有很
亲密的朋友在纽约市。句中的 do 表示强调，说话时要重读。

    2. Yes，indeed. 对，没错。indeed用来强调肯定的语气。

    3. You must be excited. 你现在一定很激动。

    这里情态动词 must 加上be，用来表示一种比较肯定的推测，“想必，一定”，
而不作“必须”讲。

    4. I can't wait to see them ！

    我迫不及待想见到他们。

    "can't wait to do sth." 表示“急于做某事，迫不及待要做某事”，也可
以说"can hardly wait to do sth."

    5. Well …they want me to ， but it's too early to know for sure.
嗯…他们要我这样，但是现在还太早，难以肯定知道。

    "too……to……" 的意思是“太……以至于不能……”

    6. Some people don't mind being alone. I do.有些人不在乎一个人过。

    我不行。

    这里的"mind"表示“介意，不喜欢，讨厌，反对”等意思，后面如接动词，
要用动名词形式。这里的"I do"是"I do mind being alone" 的缩略，表示“我
介意，我讨厌（一个人生活）”

    7. Why did you stop working ？

    你为什么停止工作了？

    "stop doing"表示停止做某事，即不再做下去。