PETS－2语法讲解 (135)

I've got two tickets for the premiere.
　　对话
　　Melanie: You're looking very pleased with yourself? How come?
　　Jim: Look what I've got - two tickets for the premiere of the latest Tom Cruise movie and the reception afterwards.
　　Melanie: Wow! How did you get them?
　　Jim: I got them through my friend. His brother's in the movie distribution business.
　　Melanie: Are they good seats?
　　Jim: I'll say. They're in the front row of the balcony, right in the middle.
　　梅勒妮：你看来很高兴，为什么？
　　吉姆：看这是什么－汤姆．克鲁斯最新电影首映入场券两张，之后还有酒会。
　　梅勒妮：哇！你是怎么弄到手的？
　　吉姆：靠朋友。他弟弟从事电影发行工作。
　　梅勒妮：那两个座位，是好座位吗？
　　吉姆：很好，是楼厅第一行居中的座位。
　　How come? 是Why?或‘为什么?’的通俗说法。 但Why带出的子句(clause),须用倒装法(inversion),即动词置于主词(subject)之前; How come带出的子句, 却不用倒装, 例如:How come he isn't at work today?(= Why isn't he at work today? 他今天为什么没有上班?) 。
　　Why的另一通俗说法,是What for? 两字之间可插一子句,例如:What are you looking so pleased for?(=Why are you looking so pleased? 你为什么一副高兴的样子?)Why 的古典说法则是wherefore, 例如《罗密欧与朱丽叶》就有这样一句: Wherefore art thou Romeo? (=Why are you Romeo?你为什么是罗密欧?) 这个字今天极其少用, 但仍见于成语the whys and wherefores (事情的原因), 例如:I should like to know the whys and wherefores of your being here (我要知道你在这里的原因) 。
　　吉姆高兴,是由于有两张电影首映的入场券。电影首映或戏剧等首次上演, 英文叫premiere。 这个字明显和政坛的premier (首相, 即prime minister)同出一源。 全球首映, 叫world premiere ;欧洲等首映, 则可叫 European premiere 等, 例如:The entire cast of the film attended its European premiere(电影全体演员出席其欧洲首映礼) 。Cast是集合名词(collective noun) , 指戏剧或电影的所有演员。
　　Premiere今天还往往用作动词,例如:The movie premieres tomorrow. (这部电影明天首映) 。