VOA慢速英语:For Young Offenders, a Sentence of Shakespeare's Sentences

1.They have less than two weeks to go before they must perform the play for the Shakespeare in the Courts program.

to go在这里的意思是剩下的，未完成的。before they must是时间状语从句，意思是还有不到两周他们就要演出了。

2.You know, plays, kinda, you know, I'd rather not. But it's a lot easier than picking up trash, you know, and doing that, so, you know, I gave it a try.

would rather宁愿, 宁可

例句：I would rather have the small one than the big one.
      我宁愿要小的, 不要大的。

      I would rather go out tonight, if you don't mind.
      如果你不介意的话, 我宁愿今晚出去。

pick up拾起, 捡起; 抬起

例句：He picked up the child and put her on his shoulders.
      他抱起孩子, 让她骑在自己的肩膀上。

      I picked up your book by mistake.
      我拿错了你的书。

3.So will they get into trouble after they've done this program?

get into trouble(给…)找麻烦, (使)陷入困境; 被警察传讯

例句：My son's always getting into trouble with the police.
      我儿子总是被警察传讯。

      If you do that, you might get her into trouble.
      如果你那样做, 你就会使她陷入困境。

4.Paul Perachi left the court last year at seventy, the age when judges in Massachusetts must retire.

the age when，这里的when引导定语从句。

when，where，why属于关系副词，都在其引导的定语从句中充当状语，其具体用法如下：

　　1)关系副词 when引导定语从句（包括限定性定语从句和非限定性定语从句）修饰表示时间的先行词，在定语从句中充当时间状语。例如：
       I still remember the day when I first met Jennifer.我仍然记得第一次见到詹妮弗的那一天。
       Next month, when you’ll spend your summer holidays in your hometown，is approaching. 下个月即将来临，届时你们将在家乡度暑假。

　　2)关系副词where引导定语从句（包括限定性定语从句和非限定性定语从句）修饰表示地点的先行词，在定语从句中充当地点状语。例如：
       This is the office where he worked. 这就是他工作过的办公室。
       She is going to live in Macao, where she has some close friends. 她要到澳门去定居， 在那里她有几个密友。

　　3)关系副词why引导限定性定语从句修饰先行词reason，在定语从句中充当原因状语。例如：
       I don’t know the reason why he came so late. 我不知道他来得那么晚的原因。
       That is the reason why I don’t want to go. 那就是我不想去的理由。
       He didn’t tell me the reason why he was so upset.他没有告诉我他为什么那样心烦意乱。