Marchetta 先生和Grandpa 講了關于優(yōu)秀老人協(xié)會TOPS的事情，Grandpa 很
感興趣，隨即表示要入會。Marchetta 先生還要帶Grandpa 去建筑工地。Grandpa
的新工作馬上就要開始了。

    Grandpa ： When I came here ， I planned to take a few months off.
Relax with the family and then look for some work. Put my experience on
the line…but ， unfortunately， there isn't any work for a retired person
my age. Marchetta ： Sometimes there is ， and sometimes there isn't.
Well， I'm involved with an organization， and we're trying to resolve
that problem. Grandpa ： What's that？

    Marchetta ： TOPS. T-O-P-S-means Talented Older People's Society.
Grandpa ： I'd like to be a member. How much are the dues ？

    Marchetta ： There are no dues. The organization serves major companies
in this city. Why ？ Because our members are men and women like you. Experienced，
talented， retired. But our members want to go out there and use their
talents. They want to work. Grandpa ： That is fantastic， John ！

    Marchetta ： I've got an idea for you ， Malcolm. Just fill out this
form for me. It'll only take a few minutes. Sit right here， and do it
while I talk to my secretary. When I get back ， we'll talk about my new
factory. My company is a member of TOPS. So I try hard to find opportunities
for people like you ， Malcolm. And when I see an opportunity ， I can
act on it. Well ， I can use your brainpower on the job right now. Have
you got time this morning to go over to the construction site with me ？

    I'd like to have you meet my foreman—— get some background on the
job. Grandpa： I've got plenty of time. Marchetta ： I'll be right back.
We'll go over to the job site together.

    「語言點精講」

    1. When I came here ， I planned to take a few months off.我來這里
以后，計劃先休息幾個月。

    plan to do sth. ：計劃做某事，打算做某事。

    to take a few months off：休息幾個月。

    2. Put my experience on the line. 這句話的意思相當于“to test my experience
by trying something.”（把我的經驗考驗一下。考驗我的閱歷。）

    3. Well ， I'm involved with an organization， and we're trying to
resolve that problem. 說起來，我參加了一個組織，我們這個組織正在力求解
決這個問題。

    be involved with：意思是“與……有關系”，“與……有牽連”。

    resolve ：解決（問題）。

    4. TOPS. T-O-P-S-means Talented Older People's Society. TOPS： Talented
Older People's Society的縮寫，即優(yōu)秀老人協(xié)會。另外Tops這個詞本身也有
“最優(yōu)秀”的意思，即“the best”，所以 TOPS 是個含義豐富的機構名稱。

    5. How much are the dues？

    會費是多少？dues：費用，會費。

    6. Just fill out this form for me.請把這張表格填好。

    fill out：意思是“填寫（表格）”，這是美國用法。英國英語用 fill in.

    7. Sit right here ， and do it while I talk to my secretary.請就坐
在這兒，趁我和我的秘書談話的時間你（填一下這張表）。

    talk to sb. ：和某人談話，對某人說…。talk to 是從主動的立場對某人
談，有時是去吐露心里發(fā)愁的事，有時是去責備、吩咐或抗議、要求等。

    8. I've got plenty of time. 我時間多得是。

    plenty of 后面既可帶不可數名詞，也可以帶可數名詞。它主要表示量大，
還含有“足夠”或“有余”的意思，等于lots of.

    9. I'll be right back.我馬上回來。