While eating in a restaurant, I reprimanded my four-year-old son for speaking with his mouth full . "Mump umn Kmpfhm," was all I heard.

"Drew," I scolded, "no one can understand a word you're saying.

"He says he wants some ketchup," my husband said calmly

A woman sitting nearby leaned over and asked, "How in the world did you understand him?"

"I'm a dentist," my husband explained.

Notes:

(1) reprimand v.申斥

(2) scold v.责备

(3) ketchup n.番茄酱

(4) How in the world did you understand him？你究竟如何明白他的话的呢？句中“ in the world”用来表示强调，加强语气。

Exercises:

根据短文回答下列问题：

① Where did the story take place?

② How old was the son?

③ Why did the mother scold her son?

④ What did the father say the boy want?

⑤ Why could the father understand the son?

102.我懂他的话

在饭店吃饭的时候，我申斥我4岁的儿子，因为他满嘴食物在说话。“喔、呢”，我听到的就是这些。

“祖，”我责备道，“没人明白你在说什么。”

“他说他要一些番茄酱，”我丈夫平静地说。

坐在旁边的一位妇女靠过来问道：“你究竟如何明白他的话的呢？”

“我是牙医。”我丈夫解释道。

练习参考答案：

① In a restaurant.

② He was four years old

③ Because he had spoken with his mouth full.

④ Some ketchup.

⑤ Because he was a dentist.