Craig刚搬来纽约，第一天到新公司上班，却迷路了，只好向别人问路。

Professor: That's right, Winnie. In this first part, Craig stops to ask a policeman for help.

Craig: Excuse me, I'm looking for number 250 on East 97th Street. Can you tell me how to get there?

Policeman: Ninety-seventh street? Wow, that's pretty far away. I hope you're not in a hurry.

Craig: Actually, I'm late for my first day of work. What's the fastest way to get there?

Policeman: Do you have a car or are you taking public transportation?

Craig: I'm on foot.

第一天上班就可能迟到，Craig肯定急死了，可警察告诉他，到公司还有很远的路呢！

Professor: That's why the policeman hoped Craig was not "in a hurry". If you're late for something, you can also say that you're "in a rush". It means the same thing.

哦，in a hurry和in a rush都是"来不及"、"赶着做什么事"的意思。Professor, "public transportation"是指公车、地铁这样的公交系统么？

Professor: That's right.

可是Craig既没有开车、也不坐公车、地铁，而是on foot - 走着去。我真担心他会迟到！

Policeman: Well if you're walking, the fastest way to get there is to go through Central Park.

Craig: Central Park? How do I get there?

Policeman: Follow this road straight for three blocks until you see 97st street. Then take a left.

Craig: OK, I'll go straight on this street and take the third left. Then what?

Policeman: Follow 97th street until you get to the other side of Central Park. Number 250 will be four blocks ahead on your left.

Craig: Great! Thanks for your help.

Professor: So Winnie, what does the policeman tell Craig to do?

Winnie: 警察说，沿着这条街走三个街区，看到97街后左转。

Professor: Exactly. And then what does he have to do?

Winnie: 然后，他要一直沿着97街走，直到穿过整个中央公园为止。然后，再走四个街区，公司就在路的左边。

Professor: Exactly. In this next section, one hour has passed and Craig has come back to talk to the policeman again.

Winnie: 啊？一个小时之后Craig又回来向这个警察问路，那一定是迷路了！

Craig: Officer, I followed the directions you gave me, but I didn't find the address! I think you gave me the wrong directions.

Officer: What? That's impossible. I told you the right way to get to 250 West 97th street.

Craig: West 97th street? No, I told you East 97th street! You mean I walked all the way there for nothing?

Officer: You're going to East 97th Street? Oh no, I must have told you how to get to West 97th street! East 97th street is just around the corner. You can get there in five minutes.

原来是这么回事! Craig要去东97街，可是警察听成了西97街，难怪Craig走了大半天，还是找不到公司！

Professor: Yes, Craig is having some bad luck this morning. But at least his destination is only five minutes away now.

对，好在警察说，东97街is just around the corner，就在附近，一拐弯就到。

Craig: Alright officer, can you please tell me how to get to 250 EAST 97th street?

Policeman: Of course. Just go back to 97th street, and instead of turning left, turn right. The building will be on your left-hand side.

Craig: Ok. Is that the fastest route? I'm really late now.

Policeman: There is a short cut, but since you don't know the city well, it's probably best to take the easiest route so you don't get lost.

原来，问题就出在左拐还是右拐上。如果到了97街后右转，马上就能到公司！Craig为了赶时间，问警察有没有shortcut--近路，可警察怕他走丢，让他还是走最好走的路线。

Professor: That's right, Winnie. Do you think Craig's new boss will be mad at him for being late?

我们下次节目就知道啦!

这次的美语三级跳就播送到这里。

• policeman [pə´li:smən]   n.警察   (初中英语单词)
• actually [´æktʃuəli]   ad.事实上；实际上   (初中英语单词)
• destination [,desti´neiʃən]   n.目标地   (高中英语单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ]   a.迷人的 n.捕获物   (英语六级单词)