情景英语:实用美语会话(五十二)
Ellen: I don't believe it!
Philip: What's wrong?
Ellen: Carter Boswell!
Philip: Who's Carter Boswell?
Ellen: He's running for the school board. The election's next month.
Philip: What's wrong with wanting to be on the school board?
Ellen: Nothing. But he wants to cut the school budget!
Philip: Maybe it needs cutting.
Ellen: Cutting the budget is fine, but he wants to do it by cutting all the cultural programs. No music, no dance, no concert, no stage presentations.
Philip: Why does he want to do that?
Ellen: He says it's to save the taxpayers' money, and I think he believes that the taxpayers' will vote for him if he spends less on the cultural programs.
Philip: He's probably right. Lots of people want their taxes used for new books and a new paint job in the schoolrooms.
Ellen: Maybe some of us would like to pay a little bit more and keep the cultural programs for our kids.
Philip: Well, I'm not sure, Ellen. I hear it from my patients. Lots of people are tired of higher taxes.
Ellen: I know, but if Boswell wins he'll be an important decision maker on the school board, and he doesn't know anything about our children's education.
Philip: Who's running against him?
Ellen: Nobody. That's the problem.
Philip: Well, it sounds to me like Carter Boswell is going to win this seat on the board.
Ellen: Oh, not if I can stop him!
Philip: And how are you going to stop him?
Ellen: I don't know. Maybe I'll run against him.
Philip: Well, You've got my vote.
Ellen: I'm serious, Philip. Why shouldn't I run?
Robbie: Why shouldn't you run for what, Mom?
Philip: Your mother is thinking of running for the school board.
Robbie: Hey, that's terrific, Mom!
Richard: Against Carter Boswell? Great!
Ellen: Well, if I run for office, the voters will have a clear choice. I stand for everything Boswell doesn't.
Marilyn: I think a lot of people will vote for you against Boswell, Ellen. I'll vote for you.
Ellen: Will you help me if I do run?
Marilyn: Absolutely.
Ellen: The trouble is it takes a little bit of money to run a campaign.
Philip: I think you can make a difference, Ellen. And in a short campaign you wouldn't need as much money. You know something, Ellen? Why not give the people of Riverdale a clear choice? I'm with you. You can make a difference.
Maxwell: Come in.
Ellen: Mr. Maxwell?
Maxwell: Yes, Charles Maxwell.
Ellen: My name is Ellen Stewart.
Maxwell: Hello. Please, sit down. You asked to see me. What would you like to see me about?
Ellen: I'd like your help.
Maxwell: Well, I'm editor of the most influential newpaper in Riverdale. Actually, it's the only newspaper. A lot of people would like my help. Do you have a story?
Ellen: I'm planning to run for the school board.
Maxwell: Against Carter Boswell?
Ellen: Yes.
Maxwell: Well, that is news.
Ellen: Will you announce that I'm running?
Maxwell: Sure. But I need some information.
Ellen: Of course.
Maxwell: Why will the voters vote for you against Boswell, Mrs.Stewart?
Ellen: Because I care.
Maxwell: "Vote for Ellen Stewart.She cares." Not a bad slogan. But what do you care about?
Ellen: Well, I care about the children of our town. I don't want hem to grow up without cultural programs in our school.
Maxwell: Do you have a plan?
Ellen: I want our children to learn more than reading, writing, and airthmetic. I want to keep the after-school programs-the music, the concerts.
Maxwell: It's not a bad plan. But who's going to pay for all of this?
Ellen: We are. The citizens of Riverdale, of course. I plan to get help from the businessmen and the corporations of Riverdale.
Maxwell: That's fair enough. Exactly what do you want from me, Mrs.Stewart?
Ellen: You don't know me. I can't expect you to take my side a against Boswell. But I do nee some publicity so that the people of our town know that I'm running for office and that I car about our children.
Maxwell: Fair enough. I certainly can print the news. And you are now making news.