An unusual day

听录音，然后回答问题。What is Mr. Sawyer doing tonight?
索耶先生今晚正在做什么？

It is eight o'clock. The children go to school by car every day, but today, they are going to school on foot.
It is ten o'clock. Mrs Sawyer usually stays at home in the morning, but this morning, she is going to the shops.
It is four o’clock. In the afternoon, Mrs Sawyer usually drinks tea in the living-room¹, but this afternoon, she is drinking tea in the garden.
It is six o’clock. In the evening, the children usually do their homework, but this evening, they are not doing their homework. At the moment, they are playing in the garden.
It is nine o’clock, Mr. Sawyer usually reads his newspaper at night, but he is not reading his newspaper tonight. At the moment, he is reading an interesting book.
New Word and expressions 生词和短语
o'clock
adv. 点钟
shop
n. 商店
moment
n. 片刻，瞬间
参考译文
现在是8点钟。孩子们每天都乘小汽车去上学，而今天，他们正步行上学。
现在是10点钟。上午，索耶夫人通常是呆在家里的，但今天上午，她正去商店买东西。
现在是4点钟，下午，索耶夫人通常是在客厅里喝茶，但今天下午，她正在花园里喝茶。
现在是6点钟。晚上，孩子们通常是做作业，而今天晚上，他们没做作业。此刻，他们正在花园里玩。
现在是9点钟。索耶先生通常是在晚上看报，但今天晚上他没看报。此刻，他正在看一本有趣的书。

自学导读
1．by car, 乘汽车。
by（乘坐）表示"乘坐（某种交通工具）"，但它必须与动词连用。表交通工具的名词前不加冠词：
by boat 乘船
by bus 乘公共汽车
by plane 乘飞机
by sea 乘船
2．on foot, 步行。
语法 Grammar in use
一般现在时与现在进行时
一般现在时表示一般的动作或不断重复发生的动作；现在进行时表示说话时正在发生的动作，动作还没有完成。简单图示如下：
一般现在时表示永久的情况；进行时表示暂时的情况。
进行时只用于表示动作或偶尔发生的事件（We are eating, it is raining等等）。有些动词（如 like, want, know等）不是动作动词，因此不能用进行时态，如不能说 I am knowing或We are liking²，而只能说 I know或 We like。
一般现在时表达某个习惯性动作，通常与时间频度副词连用，如 usually, always, often, sometimes, never等；现在进行时表示此时此刻正在进行的动作，一般与 now, at the moment, today, this afternoon, this evening, tonight等连用。
We usually watch television at night. But we are listening to the stereo³ tonight.
我们通常晚上看电视。但是今晚我们正在听立体声节目。