Sister: Tony, could you please help out with a few things?
Brother: Could I at least finish watching this show?
Sister: No. I think two hours of TV is enough for you!
Brother: Fine. What do you want me to do?
Sister: Could you take out the rubbish, fold the clothes and do the dishes?
Brother: So much?
Sister: Yes, because Mom will be back from shopping any minute now. And she won't be happy if she sees this mess.
Brother: But the house is already pretty clean and tidy!
Sister: Yes, well, it's clean, but it's not "mother clean"!
rubbishfoldmesstidytake out the rubbishdo the dishesfold the clothesany minute now
Could you please...? 请求句型
Could you please help out with a few things?（你能帮忙做几件事吗？）Could you please + 动词原形? 礼貌地请求别人做某事。比 Can you... 更委婉。肯定回答：Yes, sure./Of course. 否定回答：Sorry, I can't.
if 条件句的时态
she won't be happy if she sees this mess.（如果她看到这么乱会不高兴。）if 条件句：主句用一般将来时(won't be)，从句用一般现在时(sees)。
enough 的用法
two hours of TV is enough for you（两小时电视对你来说够了）enough 作形容词放名词前，作副词放形容词/副词后：good enough（够好了）。
Last month, our dog welcomed me when I came home from school. He wanted a walk, but I was too tired. I threw down my bag and went to the living room. The minute I sat down in front of the TV, my mom came over. "Could you please take the dog for a walk?" she asked.
The minute I sat down in front of the TV, my mom came over.（我刚在电视机前坐下，妈妈就过来了。）the minute/moment/second + 句子 = as soon as（一……就……）。
"Could I watch one show first?" I asked. "No!" she replied angrily. "You watch TV all the time and never help out around the house! I can't work all day and do housework all evening." "Well, I work all day at school, too! I'm just as tired as you are!" I shouted back. My mom did not say anything and walked away. For one week, she did not do any housework and neither did I. Finally, I could not find a clean dish or a clean shirt.
neithershirthateall the timehelp outas...as...shout back
neither + 倒装句
she did not do any housework and neither did I.（她不做家务，我也不做。）neither + be/情态动词/助动词 + 主语 表示「…也不…」。相当于 I didn't do housework, either.
as...as 同级比较
I'm just as tired as you are!（我和你一样累！）as + 形容词/副词原级 + as 表示同级比较「和……一样……」。否定：not as/so...as（不如）。
The next day, my mom came home from work to find the house clean and tidy. "What happened?" she asked in surprise. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I finally understand that we need to share the housework to have a clean and comfortable home," I replied.
surprisesharecomfortabletidyin surpriseshare the housework
in surprise 介词短语
she asked in surprise（她惊讶地问）in + 抽象名词 可作副词：in surprise（惊讶地）、in excitement（兴奋地）、in silence（沉默地）。
to find + n. + adj. 宾补结构
came home from work to find the house clean and tidy（下班回家发现房子干净整洁）to find + n. + adj. = 发现……处于……状态。to find 这里表结果，不是目的。
要点摘要
第一段：放学回家很累，拒绝遛狗，妈妈请帮忙。
第二段：母子因家务大吵——「你总看电视不做家务」「我和你一样累」。妈妈罢工一周不做家务，家变乱。
第三段：孩子主动打扫，向妈妈道歉——终于明白要分担家务才有干净舒适的家。
Section B 2b (Reading)
Should Children Do Chores?
孩子应该做家务吗？
Dear Sir,
I do not understand why some parents make their kids help with housework and chores at home. Kids these days already have enough stress from school. They do not have time to study and do housework, too. Housework is a waste of their time. Could we just let them do their job as students? They should spend their time on schoolwork in order to get good grades and get into a good university. Also, when they get older, they will have to do housework so there is no need for them to do it now. It is the parents' job to provide a clean and comfortable environment at home for their children. And anyway, I think doing chores is not so difficult. I do not mind doing them.
Ms. Miller
stresswasteprovideanywaya waste of timein order tospend time onthere is no need for sb. to do
in order to 表目的
They should spend their time on schoolwork in order to get good grades.（他们应把时间花在学业上以便取得好成绩。）in order to do = so as to do（为了），比 to do 更正式强调目的性。
there is no need for sb. to do
there is no need for them to do it now（他们现在没必要做）There is no need for sb. + to do = 某人没必要做某事。同义：It is not necessary for sb. to do.
make sb. do 使役动词
make their kids help with housework（让他们的孩子帮忙做家务）make sb. do sth. 使役动词 make 后接动词原形。被动语态用 be made to do（to 不可省略）。
Dear Sir,
I think it is important for children to learn how to do chores and help their parents with housework. It is not enough to just get good grades at school. Children these days depend on their parents too much. They are always asking, "Could you get this for me?" or "Could you help me with that?" Doing chores helps to develop children's independence and teaches them how to look after themselves. It also helps them to understand the idea of fairness. Since they live in one house with their parents, they should know that everyone should do their part in keeping it clean and tidy. Our neighbors' son got into a good college but during his first year, he had no idea how to take care of himself. As a result, he often fell ill and his grades dropped. The earlier kids learn to be independent, the better it is for their future.
Mr. Smith