我认为不请自到比根本不露面要强……呃，这可不是一般的社交活动，而是重大的社交事件，重要人物都会出席，都会的。（这里卡罗直接说明了为什么他们急于出席这次葬礼的目的主要是“露面”，而不是为了对大明星的去世表示哀悼。她的话也点出了剧名所包含的内容。）

　　1）if you ask me：in my opinion（见第13条注释）。

　　注意余体词的重读，半个词斜体，就是强调只重读那一半。

　　2）it'd be a lot better to……not to be seen at：it would be much better to……than not to be seen at the funeral.

　　to crash……than not to be seen at……是主语。

　　32.I don't know why the studio couldn't have managed it for us with a little pull.—（The studio should have managed to get us invited if they had used a little of their influence.）我真不明白为什么电影制片厂不努点儿力把事情办妥。

　　pull：（informal）power and influence

　　33.They should realize it's in the best interests of my career to be seen there，and my career means as much to them as it does to me.—（They should realize that my presence at such a social event will greatly enhance/promote my position in Hollywood，and my career and success are as important to them as it is to me.）他们应该认识到在那个场合露面对我的事业非常有利，而我的事业对他们和对我一样重要。

　　注意此句的结构：它由两个并列子句组成，它们本身又都是复合句。第一个子句they should realize……to be seen there带有宾语从句it's in the best interests……to be seen there，其中不定式to be seen there是主语；第二个子句中有一比较从句as it does to me修饰means as much，it代表my career，does代表means.

　　1）in the （best）interest（s）of：对……（极为）有利，为了…… 的最大利益，又如：

　　We expect you to act in the best interests of our country in the talks concerning her entry into the WTO.

　　我们期望你在有关我国加入WTO的谈判中为维护我国最大利益行事。

　　In the best interests of your children，you should keep fit.

　　为了孩子的最大利益，你应该保持身体健康。

　　2）（sth.）means a lot/much/everything/the world to sb.：sth.is very important to sb.对……来说十分/极为重要

　　Her family means a lot to her.

　　家庭对她来说十分重要。

　　Does your job mean much to you？

　　工作对你很重要吗？

　　Their grandchildren mean everything to the old couple.

　　对这老俩口来说孙子孙女就是他们的一切。

　　Human resources management means a lot to a company.

　　对一家公司来说人力资源的管理极为重要。

　　34.Same here.这话对我也适用。 （我的露面对他们和对我的事业一样有