老张喜欢英文写作，所以我在想，如果把这本书从头到尾背下来，我的英文写作水平将会达到何等的境界（这本书很适合背诵！）。

今天又读了几页，正好看到男主角Garrett和女主角Theresa在海滩散步时的对话，这也是他们认识后第一次正式约会。里面的英语对话非常实用，老张摘录一些和大家分享(不含场景描述)：

G: So, how long are you staying in Wilmington?

那么，你要在威尔明顿待多久？

T: Until Sunday. I have to go back to work on Monday.

一直到星期天。星期一我必须回去工作。

G: Do you know anyone else in town?

镇上你还认识其他人吗？

T: No. I came down here on my own.

没有。我是自己来这儿的。

G: Why?

为什么？

T: I just wanted to visit. I'd heard some good things about the place, and I wanted to see it for myself.

我只是想来看看。这儿的口碑不错，所以想亲眼来看看。

G: Do you usually take vacations alone?

你通常都是一个人度假吗？

T: Actually, this is my first time.

这其实是我第一次。

G: Can I ask you a personal question?

我可以问你一个私人问题吗？

T: It depends on the question.

那得看是什么问题了。

G: Are you seeing anyone up in Boston?

你在波士顿有约会对象吗？

T: No.

没有。

G: Why not? A woman like you should have your pick of men.

为什么呢？像你这样的女人应该有很多挑选余地。

T: Thanks, that's nice of you to say. But it's not that easy, especially when you have a son. There are a lot of things I have to consider when I meet someone. But what about you? Are you seeing anyone right now?

谢谢，你这么说我很开心。但是这很不容易，特别是当你有一个儿子的时候。在我去跟别人约会的时候，有很多事情不得不考虑。那么你呢？你怎么样？你现在有约会吗？

G: No.

没有。

T: Then it's my turn to ask—why not?

那么轮到我问了，为什么没有？

G: I guess I haven't met anyone I'd really like to see on a regular basis.

我想，应该是我还没有碰见任何我真正想长期约会的人。

T: Is that all?

这就是全部原因吗？

G: No, that's not all. It's more of an excuse than anything. To be honest, I haven't even tried to find someone. There was something I didn't tell you last night.

不，这并不是全部原因。更主要的，它是一个借口。老实说，我还没有想找个什么人。昨天晚上有件事情我没有告诉你。

T: Oh?

噢？

G: I was married once, too. But she passed away.

我也结过婚，但是她已不在人世。

T: I'm sorry.

对不起。

G: It happened three years ago. Ever since then, I haven't been interested in dating, or even looking.

这件事发生在三年前。自那以后，我对约会毫无兴趣，甚至对见见面都不感兴趣。

T: It must get lonely sometimes.

那肯定有时会很孤独。

G: It does, but I try not to think about that too much. I keep busy at the shop—there's always something to do there—and it helps the days go by. Before I know it, it's time for me to go to bed and I start the whole thing over the next day.

是的，不过我努力不去想这件事。我使自己在商店里忙个不停，在那儿永远有许多事情要做，这帮助我打发掉一个个白天。在我还没有意识到的时候，已经到了该上床睡觉的时候，第二天我又重复前一天的工作。

T: What was she like?

她长什么样子？

G: Do you really want to know?

你真的想知道？

T: Yeah, I do.

是的，我想知道。

G: She was everything I ever wanted. She was beautiful and charming, with a quick sense of humor, and she supported me in everything I did. I'd known her practically my whole life—we went to school together. We got married a year after I graduated from UNC. We were married for six years before the accident, and they were the best six years I ever had...I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have told you about her. Or so much about me.

她具有我想要的一切特质。她十分漂亮迷人，也很幽默，他在所有事情上都支持我。实际上我已经和她相知了一生，我们上小学的时候就在一起。在我从北卡罗来纳大学毕业一年后，我们结了婚。在那次以外发生以前，我们度过了六年的婚姻生活，那段时光是我人生中最美好的六年。我很抱歉。我不该向你讲起她的事情。也不该把我自己的事情讲了那么多。

T: It’s okay, Garret. I wanted to know. I asked you about her, remember? You lost a wife—something that most people our age don't know anything about. Your feelings say a lot about you. You're the kind of person who loves someone forever...that's nothing to be ashamed of.

这没什么，葛兰特。是我想要知道的。你记得吗，是我向你问起她的。你失去妻子的悲痛是大多数我们这个年龄的人都不能理解的。你的感情充分说明了你的为人。你是那种爱一个人就要爱到永远的人……这无可厚非。

G: I know. It's just that it's been three years...

我知道。只不过这事都过了三年了......

T: Someday you'll find someone special again. People who've been in love once usually do. It's in their nature.

总有一天你会再次找到一个与众不同的人的。曾经爱过一次的人们通常都是这样，这是出于他们的天性。

G: I hope you're right.

我希望你是对的。

T: I am. I know these things. I'm a mother, remember?

我是对的。我知道这些事情。别忘了我是一个母亲。

G: I remember. And you're probably a good one...(long pause)

我没忘。而且你还是一个好母亲。（长时间沉默）

T: What are you thinking?

你在想什么？

G: I was thinking that if you don't have plans tonight, I'd like to have you over for supper.

我刚才在想，如果你今晚没有什么计划，我希望你能过来一起吃晚饭。

T: I was hoping you'd say that.

我刚才正希望你这么说。

虽然是纯英文版原著，但这本小说读起来极为通俗易懂，完全适合初中级英语水平的人去阅读。小说中的语言风格完全符合老张常说的“平易英语”的特点，既“用最简单的单词，最简单的句子结构，来表达最完整最地道的英语意思。”这也是老张对这本小说爱不释手的原因。

我不但喜欢看这本小说，还喜欢不停地去欣赏该小说的同名电影，这样又同时起到了练习英语听力的效果。感兴趣的朋友可以到土豆网上去搜一下这部电影。不过提醒一下大家，看完书后再看电影你可能会对电影感到失望。