PETS－2语法讲解(92)

A light supper wouldn't do us any harm.
　　对话
　　Robbie: It's some time since we've eaten. I'm quite hungry, what about you?
　　Gayle: I'm a bit peckish too, but it's quite late and we don't want anything too heavy before we go to bed.
　　Robbie: What do you suggest?
　　Gayle: Well a little light supper wouldn't do us any harm?
　　Robbie: Such as?
　　Gayle: I could make a cheese and potato salad.
　　Robbie: That'll do nicely.
　　罗比：我们有一段时间没吃东西了，我肚子有点饿，你呢？
　　盖尔：我也有点饿了，但现在已经很晚，睡前我们也不要吃得太饱。
　　罗比：你有什么建议？
　　盖尔：嗯，吃一点消夜，不会有什么害处吧？
　　罗比：例如？
　　盖尔：我可以弄个吉士马铃薯色拉。
　　罗比：那很不错。
　　罗比说：It's some time since we've eaten。盖尔回答：A little light supper wouldn't do us any harm?这两句话可以谈谈。一天吃的几餐，英文除了‘早餐’一律称为breakfast，其余几餐叫法没有一定。Breakfast由break、fast二字合成。Break当然是‘打破’，fast却不是一般‘快’的意思，而是指‘禁食’，例如：(1) He only drank water during his three-day fast（他在禁食三天期间，只喝水）。(2) He fasted in protest（他绝食*）。早餐是‘打破一夜的禁食’，叫breakfast实在合情合理。午餐一般叫lunch，但假如一天的主餐是午餐，则叫dinner，晚餐叫supper或(high) tea。而假如主餐是晚餐，则多叫dinner，消夜叫supper。当然，早、午、晚餐和消夜都可以叫做meal（餐）。动词breakfast、lunch、dine，是指‘吃早餐’、‘吃午餐’、‘吃正餐’，例如：(1) We breakfasted at seven everyday（我们每天七点钟吃早餐）。(2) He lunched with his colleagues（他和同事一起吃午餐）。(3) I am dining out（我外出吃晚饭）。Supper的动词是sup，例如：Would you like to sup with me tonight?（今晚和我吃饭好吗？）不过，sup的这个用法，今天已不通行，改说to have supper会好一点。至于It's some time since we've eaten一语，It is some time可改为It has been some time，而since we have eaten也可改为since we ate。所以，听见人说It has been two months since I last saw you（我有两个月没见过你了），可不要以为文法错了。