ACT 2-2 他怎么了？
【故事梗概】
Susan在自己的老板John Marchetta的办公室里，鼓足勇气请老板给Grandpa一个工作的机会。另她有些出乎意料的是，John Marchetta先生立即就答应让Grandpa明天来面试。
Marchetta: Now, how’s the Stewart family?
Susan: Fine, thank you, Mr. Marchetta. Except for my grandfather.
Marchetta: What’s wrong, Susan? What’s wrong with him?
Susan: He needs to work. In fact, that is the reason why I’m here to see you. I know you’re building a new factory, and I thought…maybe …my grandfather is so experienced in the construction trade, he could be so valuable.
Marchetta: Tel him to come and see me at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. I have an idea that may solve the problem for him and help a lot of other people.
Susan: Really, Mr. Marchetta? Can I tell him that?
Marchetta: Sure can. Ten o’clock in the morning. Here.
Susan: Oh, thank you!
【语言点精讲】
1. How’s the Stewart family?
Stewart全家人还好吗？这里动词用单数is，因为family是集体名词，表示全家人作为一个整体。
2. Except for my grandfather.
这句话是“Everyone is fine except for my grandfather.”的省略。
except for: 除……之外。指若不计被除掉的这一点，其它方面都符合主句的断言。
3. What’s wrong, Susan? What’s wrong with him?
怎么了，Susan？他怎么了？
向对方表示关怀，询问对方遇到什么麻烦了、有什么困难，可以有多种表达方式。如：
What’s wrong?
What’s the problem?
There is something on your mind.
Something’s bothering you.
What’s the matter?
Is anything/something wrong?
4. In fact, that is the reason why I’m here to see you.
事实上，我就是为这事来见你的。
the reason why … : …的原因，…的理由。也可以说the reason that或者the reason for.
5. My grandfather is so experienced in the construction trade, he could be so valuable.
so experienced in the construction trade: 在建筑行业很有经验。trade除“贸易，交换”以外，还有“行业，手艺”的意思，因此有 the construction trade的说法。
valuable:有价值的，有用的。注意以下几个词的意思: invaluable（无价的；非常贵重的），valueless（无价值的；不值钱的），unvalued（不受重视的）， valued（重要的；宝贵的）。
6. Sure can.
当然可以。是一种非正式用法。