輕鬆學英語
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文化溝通的洞察力
中文的文章 我們最近去了郵局來寄出我們的美國人民缺席選票。這個登記為缺席選票的過程真的很繁複,就算我們是美國人,也都需要花很多時間去了解。只要一個程序沒有做對,這張缺席選票就會作廢。再加我們只會基本、簡單的中文,你就可以猜到我們有多困難了!而這項登記為缺席選票的任務,也變成一場噩夢,充滿了許多挫折和溝通上的困難。就在我們已經完成的時候,也到了郵局要下班的時刻了。這時,有一位經驗豐富的郵局辦事員開玩笑地說 "叮咚" 來表示一個門鈴聲響。他想要知道我們的郵件送到時對方需不需要簽收?還好,我們不需要。 我們到金門已經一段時間了,越來越了解和人溝通並不只是單單的口說和寫作,而是一個包含動作、表情、和聲音的藝術。我們試圖去結合這幾項說話的要點,但我們發現這並不是一條簡單的路。對於從未經歷過美國文化或沉浸在不同語言當中的人來說,可能不是這麼明顯。舉例來說像是道路標誌。我們以為這些路標跟美國的一樣,但當我們在準備機車考試的時候才發現並不是這樣。雖然道路標誌應該通過常識來解釋,但我們發現台灣的路標仍然有特定的文化背景,是我們覺得相當陌生的。 想像一下,如果你住在連一個連路標都看不懂的城市,你該怎麼辦?要怎麼去旅行?對我們來說,答案並不難:就拿我們的語言能力來說,我們僅學會如何用不同的方式來解釋事物。現在回想起來,路上的標識並不難看懂。當我們熟悉一個環境後,一切的標識都會顯而易懂。二段式左轉對我們來說是一個難以理解的規則,但是當我們嘗試許多次後,自然而然就變成了一種習慣,甚至已經成了直覺反應。只有當自己完全沉浸在一種文化中,哪怕是很小的一部分,我們都會潛移默化地接受這種文化的熏陶和洗禮,並更深入的活在當地的文化中。 "叮咚"聲還有道路標誌,這些超出語言的交流方式,都向我們證明了溝通和交流其實就是對於文化的理解和認知。即使我們不會用語言來表達,我們同樣可以溝通。我們剛到金門時,全神貫注地學習中文,事實上,我們更需要去領悟和感激這一個文化和土地所給我們的,並且理解這樣的文化是如何交流。在我們學習好中文以前,我們要試圖了解那些說中文的人,因為文化和不言而喻的習慣才是學習語言的基礎。
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英文原來這樣說 (English Is A Piece of Cake)
每天打開電視收看天氣預報,今日氣溫會驟降要嚴防低溫,又看到外面天氣晴朗無比,此時長輩就會很擔心的說:「I am afraid of the cold」,但這是犯了中式英文的陷阱喔!因為其實所謂的"很怕冷"並不能用英文的afraid,去表達自己「無法忍受」的概念,反而聽起來很像「我聽到寒冷我就嚇得像看到鬼」!如果是外國友人聽到肯定會說"Why are you so AFRAID of the cold?Just put on your coat and turn on the heater indoors."(你為什麼要懼怕寒冷成這樣?穿上外套和把暖器打開不就好了嗎?)正確的說法應該是:「I cannot stand the cold」同學應該不會太意外這樣的表達,畢竟STAND除了站立也有忍受的意思,類似的用法就像: (A)If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.(=shape up or ship out!怕熱,就不要進廚房。其實意思就是沒那個本事就不要進這個職場或擔任這個位置) (B)Please bear with me for a minute, I will be right back.(請稍待一會兒,我馬上回來。) (C)Please hold your horse. This project won't be wrapped until the accounting department approved the initiative.(請別急,這個專案要等到會計部門核准才會通過喔!) (D)I am fed up with my mom nagging all the time so that I decided to move out from my family.(我受夠我媽老在那邊念我,我決定要從家裡搬出去了。) (E)But for Sarah's encouragement, I wouldn't be able to endure all the painstaking moments.(要不是沙拉當時的鼓勵,我就沒有辦法撐過那些痛苦的時刻了。) (F)The school has a zero tolerance of cyber-bullying. Any student who is officially reported to abuse others physically or verbally will be liable to legal punishment and be expelled for good.(校方對校園霸凌這件事情完全沒有妥協空間。任何學校經由舉報有類似肢體上或言語上去欺負其他學生,將會接受法律上的處分和永遠被學校開除的命運!) (G)The staff were totally sick of the supervisor taking all the credits and blaming all his fault on us.(員工真的很受購主管老是把好處通通攬在身上又把自己犯得罪都推給我們推得一乾二淨) (H)My friends refused to pick the slack for me and threaten to unfriend me if I kept procrastinating everything we both promised on.(我朋友拒絕在幫我收爛攤子了,如果我再繼續這樣虛應故事下去,還威脅要刪除我好友!) 各位同學經過以上常見例句的用法,應該都可以感受到老師的用心整理以及希望同學生活慣用句中學習英文的態度和培養出用英文思考生活場景的能力吧!然而,每個同學學習英文都要應該要知道從「聽懂主要訊息(聽力第一次)?完整訊息閱讀(聽力第二次+閱讀原句)?深入體會用字時機(解析結構:找出SVO,找出主要句和條件句關係)?建立輸出能力(內化深刻)?順利回應問題(戰勝口說)和書寫出正式書信(下筆成文)」經常到海外出差的Sandra在跟各國客戶接洽交流或商討生意細節時,都會難免想到自己用的英文是否符合基本文法標準,或是有沒有用對單詞來表達當下的需要讓對方理解的訊息。在書局中只要寫著「道地美語」、「英國俚語」或「道地口音不求人」的說法時候,就會想要一窩蜂地去購買,希望讓自己從嘴裡說出的每一句話都很符合道地的表達,可以在同事間或同學中能夠比較技高一籌的感覺。但其實這類的書籍可以當作輔佐學習的工具書,但不能以「口語化」的表達來當作學習的主軸。為什麼呢?因為所有的語言都應該要從最基礎最完整的表達開始,不需要一味追求簡化句型或太過於口語化的說法,這樣反而會讓聽眾覺得過於輕浮,而無法去重視你的簡報內容,也要避免使YEAH!OUCH! YOU KNOW! 這類的用語,在許多的外商公司使用這類的詞語都會被大大扣分。 在國際航空公司工作將近五年的Amy告訴老師,自己在擔任空服員的過程當中,當客人詢問免稅商品的時候,就會容易脫口而出"We have many souvenirs for sale, like perfume, necklace, fountain pen, wallet, and so on."同學有抓到BUG了嗎?基本上在英文的句子中的舉例,如果使用LIKE會顯得過於不正式,並不夠禮貌。平常在句型舉例中,我們都比較偏向SUCH AS在接著A,B,AND C內容學習中文也會分出平常生活用語和正式場合的表達不是嗎?其實,很多人都會認為自己在學習的過程當中很努力耕耘英文的深度,可是卻無法很流利的說出一口道地的英文。重點是在要把書面英文(written English)和口說英文(spoken English)作出分別,就像"I feel devastated about the victims in an earthquake." 的說法,這是屬於"極度痛心疾首"的狀態來表達自己的哀慟,甚至國家總理或部長都會用來表達自己很沉痛的心情,對於這次地震受害者和受到創傷的國民共體時艱,會跟他們站在一起的意思;相對起剛剛的強烈語意," I am sad for them"就顯得比較輕微而且比較適合在口語裡提到。要是你在一群外國朋友面前用前面那句來說明你的感觸,顯得太過於矯作和不誠懇,畢竟這是發生在他國的事情,即使很有同理心想去協助,也無法像當地人般的感受相同,所以還是要小心的用字遣詞!遇到朋友親友逝世或是生活發生劇變,也不需要說"I AM SORRY",記得,人不是你殺的!這樣道歉是多餘的,應該要說清楚"I AM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS",對於您的逝去親人或遺失的寶貴物品,我深表遺憾。這樣既可以表達你的心情,又不會顯得失禮或太過於虛偽了! 現在各位同學大概都有抓到學習英文的脈絡和方向了吧!那麼最近很多需要考英檢的學生都很苦惱,學了這麼久英文常會腦子轉不過來。為什麼 TO+ VR(原形動詞)的慣例會被打破,有時候要加V-ING的情況很難掌握,還有特殊動詞直接加動名詞或名詞片語,這些都讓大家在考試的時候,感到很挫折;下筆前,都要想個半天才行;開口前,也會擔心自己的文法說錯而被異樣的眼光看待。其實大家不用拘泥在表達的文法上,應該要常用常寫下來自己想表達的話,藉由大量練習和大量的閱讀,就不難修正自己的台式英文。而且語言本來就是一步一腳印,而且要溫故知新。所以每次學生沒準時上課或是因為假日大家都放假也順便把英文放諸腦後,真是令老師很頭痛。一個過年回來,就好像從來沒碰過英文一樣的陌生。保持英文熟悉度複習自己已經學習過的東西,遠比一直想填鴨新的卻不熟悉的東西好多了。想求資訊輸入腦海,再來就是熟悉度增加,之後就是有機會可以在不同社交場合展現出實力,從錯誤中或不足的地方去進步和調整自己的用語,這樣會整體實力增加很快速喔!接下來老師就要替大家整理常見的情況是TO+V-ing/N./Np,可要好好的仔細念過甚至還可以用在考試中來增加自己的句型豐富度,藉此可以訓練表達想法的流暢度喔! 特殊英文TO加上V-ing的常用狀況(英檢特快車之考生加油) (A) Take to + N./N.P./ V-ing=be fond of (對某人事物喜歡) EX.:Sam takes to going hiking with family on weekends, but he also enjoys embracing solitude in meditation.山姆很喜歡周末和家人去健行,他也很享受沉浸在靜坐中的自處。 (B) In addition to+ N./N.P./ V-ing(除此之外還有) EX.: In addition to volunteering in the charities, Fanny also donated a land for building an orphanage in the suburbs.除了在慈善機構當義工,范尼也捐了一塊在郊區的地給孤兒院用。 (C) Contribute to +N./N.P./ V-ing(促成) EX.:The exhaust emission from all forms of vehicles has significantly contributed to polluting the air quality in the city.在各種車輛中排放的廢氣已經很明顯造成都市的空氣汙染。=The exhaust emission from all forms of vehicles has significantly contributed to deterioration of the air quality.各種車輛中排放的廢氣已經很明顯造成都市空氣惡化了! (D) (奉獻三部曲)Be devoted/dedicated/committed to+ N./N.P./ V-ing=devote/dedicate/commit oneself to+ N./N.P./致力於;投入於某事物(活動) EX.:The school teachers have been not only committed to helping intrigue students' interests in learning English but also encouraged them to grow more independent when confronted with obstacles in life.學校老師們不僅僅投入於幫助引起學生學習英文的興趣,而鼓勵她們去面對問題時可以變得更加獨立!) (F) Look forward to +N./N.P./ V-ing(期待期望) EX.:Our general manager has been looking forward to seeing you over the future partnership in the Asia-pacific forum.我們總經理很期待未來在亞太合作論壇在與您相會!) ★《來去特殊動詞》:Come/ Go/ Leave + V-ing?表未來式 (A)Come(前來): Brian is coming on his way to the gym.(We are at the gym. Brian is coming over)布萊恩正往體育館來的路上(說話者就在體育館,所以布萊恩是朝向他們的方向前來) √Come over at my place過來我這裡吧!*Thanks for letting me crash in at your place!謝謝讓我去你家過夜! √Come on in, guys! 大家歡迎光臨 √Come clean, or you'll be doomed.最好交代清楚,不然你就完蛋了! √Come to an end進入尾聲 (B)Go(前往;離開去): Big John is going to Denmark next month and he's busy packing his luggage for the trip.(Big John has planned to visit Denmark. That's why he needs to work on the itineraries and figure out what he should bring to the other country.)約翰大哥下個月要去丹麥,而且他忙著要打包行李要出遊。 (C)Leave:The train is leaving New York in three minutes. Passengers shall get on board as soon as possible.( The train is scheduled to leave soon but hasn't departure yet. And passengers are expected to board the train as soon as possible)火車三分鐘後要駛離紐約,乘客要盡快上火車。(火車預定即將離開,但還沒有駛離。所以乘客趕緊上車!)
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英文原來這樣說 (English Is A Piece of Cake)
學習語言的歷程其實喜悅多於辛苦,快樂多於挫敗。每個人對於語言的吸收度和接受度都不同,這跟先天家庭環境培養出的個性特質和後天在社會每個階段中所接觸待人接物的反省,或生活歷練的酸甜苦辣和種種體會,都有很深遠的關係。而且其實大家在升學體制中,除了辛苦的K書和大小考試接踵而至,以前學校老師毒辣的體罰(現在孩子超級幸福啦!),對於念書就是一個走天堂路的概念,達到老師的目標後還要更好更精進,苦難綿綿無絕期!不過大家也不難發現,怎會才幾年過後,現在回頭看以前怎麼算都算不會的數學還是很冠冕堂皇的作文題目,現在竟然一目了然而且也多了很多感慨想分享,完全沒有當年越算越痛苦,讀書越讀越輸的感覺。因為我們身心靈都慢慢茁壯,而且被大社會洗禮過,多少也會學著做事情要更謹慎更體察入微很多細節。整體做事也更有規劃,思想上也縝密,雖然生活的細節太多無法臻至完美,但至少可以做到不失禮節和完成團體任務。 如果在耕耘英文的路上覺得辛苦,你絕對不孤單,YOU ARE NOT ALONE!因為大家都是這樣熬過去,而且老師更從以前學校時代,有機會代表演講、朗讀;寫作,或參加校外營隊的磨練時刻,通通不放過,而且用力把握每個學習的關鍵時刻。雖然也曾有上台腦中一片空白,明明都是練了好幾周的演講稿怎麼還會忘記呢?比賽完後也會很氣自己,怎麼不夠認真一點,就不用在那邊埋頭苦悶了!其實不用把自己逼得太緊,老師也曾經在全國作文比賽中,看到別人洋洋灑灑寫了將近四大張的A4作文稿,而自己東湊湊西湊湊也才兩頁多,而且內容感受乏善可陳。不管是跟鄰居平常的話家常、去市場購物照著清單列表跟攤販確認內容、工作上與同事間協調交換資訊、朋友間約定時期出遊的細節討論,每項無不需要自己的清楚邏輯能力和簡潔用詞讓對方可以了解你要的目標和結果。 每次只要看到作文老師說:IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIECNE(搞清楚你傳達訊息的對象是誰!)就免不了翻個白眼,想說又在那邊掉書袋,說得這麼簡單,寫作根本就是要集合所有單字片語文化和生活經驗的綜合阿!但就像我剛剛提過的,大家在練習寫作或口語表達的過程當中,確實要「看人說人話、看鬼說鬼話」,學習有技巧的用語,要老嫗能解不是自HIGH就可以交差了事。以前大學繳交作業,老師從都不遲交而且都很喜歡提早給老師批改,可是剛開始都會被老師退回說,你再把你自己的作文看清楚一次。最後發現,是自己的想法太過跳躍型。真正寫作關鍵應該是【審題後,從大眾觀點寫到自身觀點,並把自身觀點濃縮成至少三大點。接著照著自己的三大點在每一段寫出支持論點及實例,然後寫下簡潔有力的結論。英文作文中的每一段都是用一篇作文的方式來處理。】這個訣竅一定要掌握到,可以在同樣的時間,比起很多學生寫出更完整的段落也更有說服力的內容!讓老師來簡單的舉例一下吧。如果今天拿到的題目是Health Is Important(健康是重要的),那麼就可以思考「健康的定義是什麼?」,那麼一般大眾認為"健康的必要條件是什麼呢?"而你自己在審題的過程當中,你有沒有自己獨特的意見呢?一般我們都建議同學,不要立刻寫出自己腦海中跑出的第一個答案,因為很容易和其他考生寫出一模一樣的內容。除非你的用字遣詞特別道地或有豐富的舉例,不然其實很容易掉入低分區,甚至無法讓老師看到你有程度的一面,之前的努力耕耘就很難發揮出來了。所以老師才會跟學生強調:要盡量把自己的想法組織起來之外,把一般人的態度見解和自己的本身的想法論點做出區隔,才會有比較有針砭,才能豐富整篇文章,自然就會顯得很別出心裁,就可以在嚴謹的文章結構中,獲得閱卷老師的青睞。
It's essential that we should do exercises on a daily basis to keep energetic for the whole day at work or for learning knowledge at school. With health, we are likely to accomplish the delegated tasks more efficiently.(每天運動保持精力充沛不管在工作上或學校裡的學習,都是很重要的!) As a matter of fact, I am convinced that there are five primary elements leading to health:(A)Regular exercise , (B) balanced diets, (C) Adequate amount of sleep, (D) Optimistic attitude, and (E) Social connection. We should all bear in mind that a healthy body is the foundation of a healthy life.(事實上,通往健康的路上有五大要素: (A)規律的運動,(B)均衡的飲食,(C) 充足的睡眠,(D)樂觀的態度,和(E)人際交往。我們都應謹記"健康的生活來自於健康的體魄") 以上的例子同學就不難理解,老師所說的作文基本開門見山要寫的內容和邏輯推演,這是很基本的下筆模式,也是最井然有序的思考排列。接下來就是要利用在第一段所說的要點去下手。同學不必被老師列出的五個大點嚇到,並不是要大家寫出一個開頭+五個支持句+一個結尾,這樣結構太過於冗長也沒有時間書寫完整。列出這些要點是給同學參考,也提醒各位讀者在面對生活的議題,可以試著用中文列出自己的看法和評論,然後再試著翻譯成英文,利用短句的方式可以慢慢潤飾自己的表達是否得體,然後在老師修改過後,可以更準達自己的想法和立論重點,引導讀者可以理解作者的初衷和希望傳達的訊息內容,這樣就是篇很有效率又傑出的文章了! 那麼生活中我們要怎麼開始練習呢?邏輯的思考聽起來很難,事實上可以用短句來練習,慢慢加入資料背景後,可以讓整個句子有強烈的因果關係,可以更豐富原本枯燥又陳腔濫調的說法。微調自己的用語表達也可以訓練自己用不同的說法來闡述一件事情,這也是要下不少工夫才可以有的直覺寫作能力。那麼在了解這些要點以後,大家也可以去慢慢觀察自己下筆的用字,甚至可以把相關單字都整理出來,讓自己可以趁這個機會去做分辨的功夫,利用資訊工具找到貼切的例句搭配加深印象,在練習寫作的過程也可以同時反映自己單字句型的缺失,可以找到精進英文能力的方向,這是很需要耐心和整理技巧的一門功夫,所以大家一定要更用心去學習和體會。廢話不多說,直接讓老師帶妳們來看以下的短句示範吧! *原句:The typhoon is forming.(有個颱風正形成中)→(進階句:加入相關字詞) The typhoon is forming and moving towards Taiwan so that all people on the island shall stay alert of its potential damage.(有個颱風正形成中,正往台灣移動當中,所以全島人民應該要警戒可能發生的災害損失。) (A)form(v.)形成【start to take shape or evolve into N】→In most countries, the churches are built in the form of the cross.在許多國家。很多教堂都是建成十字架的外觀。 (B)reform(v.)整頓(n.)改革【uni: put something together + form: shape】→After deliberation, Brian resolved to reform his career from an electrician to a civil servant to maximize his strength in pipelines and blue plan for the infrastructures.在深思熟慮之後,布萊恩下定決心要轉行從電子技工去當一名公務員,為了要去充分發揮自己在公共建設管線布置上的長才。 (C)deform(v.)(變)畸形 【uni: put something together + form: shape】→The house was entirely engulfed in a blaze last month; tragically, Helen's limbs were severely deformed and had to wear the customized suit for regaining the flexibility of muscles.上個月這個房子整個被火舌吞沒了;很慘地,海倫的四肢都嚴重燒傷變形,需要穿特製的衣服來讓肌肉重建彈性。(同學可以特別注意這個單字:DISFIGURE是毀容) (D)uniform(n.)制服【uni: put something together + form: shape】→Most parents are still in favor of the idea that students are required to wear the uniform to school instead of spending time on their appearances only. That will put the cart before the horse.許多父母親還是支持學生要穿制服上課,而不是讓孩子整天在注意自己的外表。不然這樣會本末倒置。 (E)conform(v.) 【uni: put something together + form: shape】→During the orientation, the supervisor clearly specified the importance of team work within the firm. It's also imperative that all employees conform to the guidelines as regulated. In this way, the whole system could be kept orderly and efficiently.在新進人員訓練會中,長官清楚指示公司內部團隊合作的重要性。同樣地,所有的員工都要遵照員工指南來進行動作。如此整體系統運作才能維持著秩序和效率。 所以在專欄當中老師帶大家體會學習英文的心路過程。不管是在寫作上可能遇到的挫折,或是口語上常有詞不達意的部分,這些都是難免。而且都應被視為訓練自己能力的好機會,不要因為一時失敗就退縮,這次寶貴經驗不是失敗而是讓未來自己下一次的表現更好。不管是在公司內部口頭簡報,同學對於專題討論而進行小組報告整體發表,不管順利或中間有點停頓不如預期的表現,都要聽進老師所分享的話語Failure is the mother of Success(失敗為成功之母) -
英文原來這樣說 (English Is A Piece of Cake)
Bonjour to all. Have you had a great time travelling with friends or family? It's time for me to journey somewhere for peace of mind. If not, you are supposed to embark on a trip somewhere you've never been before in poverty or prosperity. New encounters can always enlighten or enrich your life to certain extent. Dear all, can you all believe that? My trip to France is just two months to go. I am terribly panicked now. Why? Most of my friends or students kept discouraging me from visiting there, for there're great numbers of murder cases on the increase and that gang of pickpockets, Gypsies, some desperados will mainly target at tourists, especially visitors whose presentations tend be to Asian or Chinese. Yes, That's so me here. And aside from regular steps of scheming my trip itineraries, I was totally absorbed (or nearly way too paranoid about the details regarding the promenaded stroll along the streets of Paris as well as some biking trailers to some quaint shops where locals can greet your with warm smiles holding their paper bags loaded with fresh dairy products, baguettes in an elegant black dress. Couples of days ago, there're news released via some mainstream media that some Chinese tourists were confronted by some passengers from Czech starting the fight, seemingly provoking them off the train. Those European passengers shoved them on the platform. This deliberate attempt triggered the physical confrontations and unavoidable verbal arguments. They are way too aggressive and hostile anyone could sense it en route to or back from work that day. What's worse, those victims were dragged by the collars while the train was slowly moving away from the train station. That's totally appalling when I learned of the news in Taiwan when it was aired on TV. I could feel the acid liquid surge from my stomach and burn my throat out of great panic. That's really insane when it happened no matter which country this incident might have arisen. I am the person who holds zero tolerance of violence or any irrational behaviors in public.(Sometimes it's alright to scream or sing at the top of you lung when taking a nice shower in your bathroom. And it's another story when you are in possession of arms used to hurt people or cause the great panic when crowds are converged.) Monthly Anecdotes: Find It Hard to Keep Your Composure with Friends (The routine gathering turned out to be an upset experience.)It's the day right after my Sunday class when the night was still young. Some of my students were supposed to go for a spin in the suburbs and dig in those local delicacies in the nearby night market as one of them proposed one day before. Unexpectedly, they bailed on me by saying that some might feel like staying home rather than hanging out in crowds. And there came an inexcusable excuse that it could have rained that night. Initially, I was trying to shrug off the spoiled plan that truly upset me for ruining the beautiful evening with my students like friends to me. But it's hard to disguise my sorrow and pretend there's nothing going on there. But it really earned my moment of eye rolling over such lame excuse so as to cancel the date and put their businesses over us, or before me taking them way too seriously. That didn't change much between our friendship but I couldn't help it to whine about all I have done to them, asking some favors back this time to make me less miserable. (Shift Your perspectives when things didn't go as planned)When informed of the last-minute schedule change, I decided to hop on my shuttle bus back to H.S.R. near my place and part of me thought about watching a film in the downtown alone as one of my favorite entertainments as well as a nice choice of killing time and having fun. While picturing everything I was about to do on my way to the bus station, I was planning to march around the bookstore to see if there's some nice inviting reading I could have caught up with or simply to grab a book on the shelf helping myself feel better for absorbing great knowledge, taking pleasure in some classic quotes for some successful entrepreneurs, life survivor, or inspirational stories striking a chord in you from deep within. Those encounters should have been intriguing and urging you to think about the life further in a profound way. Perhaps bearing in mind all the details written on the books seemed unlikely in most cases, I still held firm belief we would learn something extraordinary lighting up your way in darkness when you felt so vulnerable to reality. I am not here to promote or endorse any books ever in my reading lists but appreciate some thoughts, words from the writers reminding me that I am not alone in such despair. (The sense of loneliness tend to catch you off guard, especially in the late evening alone in the bed)Many of my friends are really capable of dealing with difficult customers and the lucrative investments full of variables and uncertainty; however, they have had a hard time addressing the sense of loneliness like the blaze engulfing the establishment at. the snap of the fingers. If you don't feel supported or loved, you are never alone. "MY friends ignored my expressed need for affection and walked away from me with others, the total strangers to me. It's just so terribly pathetic if I go groceries shopping at the mall with the shopping cart tilted on the squeaky worn-out wheels, aimlessly pushing it to every aisle alone exactly like an elder man desperately seeking assistance for only getting a bar of soap from the shelf; nightmare has shared something with it in terms of literal definition in the paper dictionary. Dear, you are still loved by many around you have always cherished and recognized by those good work. But somehow your sense of achievement hasn't been validated , tears rolling down your cheeks not having been understood , and those indifferent looks you showed people in the office today not fully well-interpreted to the extent people came to your desk with warm smiles and a pat on the shoulder. But remember we all have our rough days and we are so inclined to put our needy feelings before what others need as well(most of the time), hope the idea ever came across your mind :No one owes you anything , and you should be nicer to other because that's who you are. Treat all living creatures with kindness and forgiveness. (The Strong feelings of being cast away from the crowds even in the hustle of people steps around)Tonight, a couple of sentences suddenly surfaced in my mind: The loneliest moment is whenever there's no one on your phone contact you feel the urge to say Hello to; the greatest joy is to spot a person expecting and instantly hugging you right after you pass the gate of the train station to the concourse. That's the very moment you feel valued and needed. That's one of the ways of validating your relationships with others. Physical intimacy should be meticulously maintained from time to time. Turn the negative voice into the affirmative commitment to the future, and we should be respectful and responsible for our conducts in order to eliminate unnecessary misunderstandings and avoid stereotypes getting in the way of getting to know a new friend better. Yes, I am so aware that I should count my own blessing and stop whining about those low tides most people might have encountered but sometimes you just cannot compare yourself with those refugees fleeing their hometowns or those dying people in African or impoverished countries awaiting some charitable provisions and resource supply. We'll have to deal with some individual issues at hand. Why did loneliness come to me and always appear out of nowhere, especially midnight before bedtime (What? Hold Your Horse and please save all the dramas to yourself, please!) People get really cynical about things if their lives get tougher. To me, it's not commonplace to see a person keep his composure all the time even though it's a sweet life for him. Recently, I did perceive some unusual ambiance simmering in my life. It's not exactly about what really defeated me regarding some unfair demands from my parents, like returning home as early as possible for some horrible leftovers cooked by my sister-in-law (believe it or not, it's a total disaster when it comes to her culinary arts. Sorry, I shouldn't have insulted the term" Culinary Arts" or associate it with her cooking skills more like a child playing in the sandpits getting herself some muddy faces), or negative responses from my rebellious students threatening to ask a refund from my teaching programs if I didn't save them the seats at the front row of the classroom. Doesn't it sound insane to you? Alright, it's the student affairs going on outside my classroom. Why should I bother talking about it. It's because I often get invited to their parties or attempt to initiate some for us on weekday evenings for pleasant talks or blabbering about every single thing in life based on our observations. One guy, named Vic, has been the designated driver whenever and wherever we go, for which he has my heartfelt gratitude. He never tried to complain or ask for some charge for riding his car, or suggesting that we take cabs for the venue where we would dine out often together. He's a hilarious person and always glues his eyes on the variety shows after school. That could be a double-edged sword. Yes, the only thing he can mention repeatedly is all about the contents from the shows he's learned and somewhat the point his confidence has built up when the rest of us laughed over his brain-dead jokes. There's a girl, Dorisa, who aimed at being a flight attendant; however, after several times of failures, she decided to face the music and get down-to-earth for making real money in the first place before pursuing her dream in the sky. (Th Tuning Points in her life: Persistence is the only quality leading one to success. The pursuit of your dream requires persistence and temedous passion before you achieve something in the long run.)Surprisingly, she got the offer in some chain store restaurant which paid her quite well. Yes, given that her gorgeous presentations, many male students felt intrigued by her and felt like getting to know her, including Vic. He ever invited her to watch the night scenery near his place on the top of the hill without even sharing what's going on with us. Hey, we are more than teacher-student relationship but friends, okay? And we can bless them for some nice future and even attend their wedding ceremony. The truth that hurts most of us as his friends(or at least we consider ourselves really genuine to him) detached him from us and he is no longer welcome to our gatherings and what upset me was he's been dating all the female students in my classroom. I confronted him with these unnerving issues. What I've got from him was " It doesn't harm anyone's feelings and I do enjoy and feel entitled to all forms of friendships" Ouch, was he insinuating that we could possibly manipulate or intervene any dates he's looking forward to in private? Right, perhaps the gene of paparazzi is always in our blood but in this case, we sense that he has been simply hanging out with us and has never taken us seriously in the past months. Hello? It's not a shame or some criminal acts that you expect the whole world to stay away from but something sweet going on there. So back to where I just started, that bizarre atmosphere began going on among students. I would never feel comfortable learning of any news regarding some love affairs from students or I might be in some unsolicited hot water which I have a handful of thorny issues caught in my own drama.
After weeks of drifting apart with some people, I did realize that it could be the condescending sense to drive me to do all these unnecessary isolation from them. Do they really take our friendship seriously enough that I could be more committed to maintaining it. Okay, I am not talking about running a business with some partners or cherishing my romance with someone in a grinding period. It's more about " I VALUE ALL RELATIONSHIPS IN LIFE" I don't really thing I've gone overboard in those abovementioned cases. Perhaps people tend to get hurt when they take things too seriously. Let bygones be bygones, you can just walk away from people you might treat with great affection and time investment. That's too juvenile and cool. Take a look at horoscope forecast, you can totally grasp a clear picture how people process those trifles in life. And it's better to adopt moderate measures to handle all people issues. They are pretzel-rooted issues from the cradle to the grave. You cannot just run away from them. You have to pretend holding a sword slaying the problems like the fire-breathing dragon marching toward you. The problem will get smaller when you face it. That sounds really constructive and reasonable but very few people could put it into practice. Here comes my personal advice for you all as references. -
Comfort Food
English Article I am a firm believer that everyone has a "comfort food." However, what does that term "comfort food" mean? "Comfort food" is not just your favorite dish! "Comfort food" is the dish you order when you are sad or you feel the need for a little extra comfort. I will give you an example: in the United States, a very common "comfort food" is macaroni and cheese. This is also my own "comfort food!" That said, on Kinmen, we do not really have the opportunity to eat lots of macaroni and cheese, so I, as well as the other Fulbright teachers, have had to discover new "comfort foods." This article focuses on my friend Cody and my discovery of our own Kinmenese "comfort foods." I have always known that I love to eat beef noodles, but when I came to Kinmen, beef noodles became even more special to me. For one, although I know that beef noodles are Taiwanese, there is an aspect of familiarity to them. My Chinese level is fairly decent, but sometimes I do not feel like ordering complicated or unfamiliar dishes in a restaurant. At these times, I always return to the simpler, homey beef noodle. Second,although this supposedly "simple" dish only has a few ingredients, it has many different types and all of those types are delicious! Beef noodles are truly a year-round food. In the summer heat, I do not want to drink soup, so I tend to order ganmian. Now that the weather is beginning to get colder, I am ordering more and more beef noodles with soup. Of course, the most important thing for me is how beef noodles make me feel. No matter which restaurant I choose, I always know that from ordering to eating the noodles, I will have a relaxing, good experience. Whenever I have had a long day at work, I know that I will meet success when ordering a bowl of beef noodle soup. Furthermore, one of the most satisfactory things in life is a stomach full of warm, delicious noodles. For Fulbright teachers and other foreigners on Kinmen, finding a "comfort food" is of utmost importance because this food allows us to better connect to Kinmen's local culture. It also allows us to find welcome and warm feelings in this new and sometimes foreign place. Every person has a different choice of "comfort food," and my own "comfort food" is very different than that of my friends. Author/Translator: Cody Bijeaux I am an American who has come here to teach English. Spending two years in Asia with long stays in both mainland China and Taiwan, many would say that my choice of "comfort food" differs from other foreigners. I happily agree. Never a day goes by when I do not try to find a delicious restaurant or hot pot. These types of food comfort me. These "comfort foods" help me remember my time in Asia while in college - a period that I still fondly remember. The first time I arrived in Kinmen, I was surprised. I have been to Asia many times, but never before have I been to such a quiet and peaceful place. When I walk the streets of Kinmen, I always see many restaurants around me, and find more and more restaurants that I have never tried. Do not get me wrong, I really enjoy Western cuisine. However, to find comfort I prefer to sit down with a bowl of beef fried rice. Why? On my first day in Taiwan when I was in college, I went out and found a small restaurant to enjoy my first meal. Their cuisine was especially delicious, particularly their beef fried rice. That memory of eating in that small restaurant is etched in my heart. I brought this memory with me to Kinmen, where I spent a great deal of time looking for restaurants that matched my tastes. Fortunately, Jincheng is not short of delicious cuisine. Whenever I feel uneasy or stressed, I go out and eat my favorite beef fried rice to find solace. I do not think I could ever forget all the help and comfort these small meals have given me. This is my first time facing life by myself. I am working hard to learn how to stand on my own two legs. There is still a lot I do not understand and making mistakes is a common occurrence for me. However, whenever I find life's troubles to be unbearable, I am glad that I can escape to my favorite beef fried rice restaurant to find ease and comfort. I hope that I can put more Kinmen cuisine in my heart.
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療癒食物
中文的文章 我堅信每個人都有「療癒食物」。那麼「療癒食物」到底有什麼意思?「療癒食物」並不只是你最喜歡的菜。這道食物是在你難過以及需要安慰的時候,可以讓你覺得比較好的食物。舉例來說:在美國,最普遍的「療癒食物」是乾酪通心麵。這也是我自己的「療癒食物」。可是,在金門,我們沒有機會吃那麼多乾酪通心麵,所以我們得找一個新的「療癒食物」。這篇文章即是在討論我們在金門的「療癒食物」。 我一直以來都知道我非常喜歡吃牛肉麵,可是到金門的時候,牛肉麵變得更特別了。第一,雖然牛肉麵是中式料理,而我以前知道有這道料理。我的中文程度還好,可是有時候我不想點很複雜或是新推出的菜。在這些時候,我總是依靠簡單又熟悉的牛肉麵 。第二,雖然牛肉麵只有使用簡單的食材烹煮,但是卻有很多不一樣的烹調風勢,從乾麵到牛肉湯麵,這些都非常美味!牛肉麵真的是一道四季皆宜的料理。夏天的時候,天氣炎熱,我不想要喝湯,所以我會點乾麵。而現在天氣越來越冷,我會開始點牛肉湯麵來吃。 當然囉,對我來說最重要的是這種食物讓我有什麼樣的感覺。現在,無論我在哪家餐廳,我都覺得從點餐到吃完,我都感到輕鬆自在。即使是在疲憊工作一整天後,我總是可以成功地點好牛肉麵。除此之外,生活中最令人滿意的事情就是肚子裡充滿好吃又溫暖的食物的感覺。對每一個傅爾布萊特老師來說,找到自己的「療癒食物」是極為重要的,因為透過「療癒食物」讓我們可以連接到金門當地的文化。此外,這也讓我們可以在一個新的地方探索人情的溫暖。我介紹我自己的「療癒食物」,因為每一個人都會有不同的食物和不同的經驗來尋找安慰。我的「療癒食物」跟我別的朋友有很大的不同。所以,現在我的朋友,畢杰,要來告訴你們他自己的「療癒食物」。 作者:畢杰 我是來自美國的英語老師,有在亞洲住了兩年,所以我用來尋求慰藉的食物跟其他外國人不一樣。每天不斷尋找好吃的火鍋或者餐廳,吃這個料理帶給我安慰的感覺。讓我回想在中國讀書的時候,有不少美好的回憶。 第一次來金門我就被搞糊塗了,曾經來過亞洲(台灣以及大陸),但是從沒到過那麼幽靜的地方。有時在路上逛街看到不少新的餐廳,到現在我還會有沒嘗試過的餐廳。雖然我喜歡西餐,但是一般會點牛肉炒飯來尋求慰藉。為什麼是牛肉炒飯呢?因為在台灣的第一天我去了一家餐廳,裡面的食物非常好吃,尤其他們的牛肉炒飯,我至今仍然銘記在心。一到金門,我就直接去尋找符合自己口味的餐廳,好在金城有許多美味的食物。在我心裡感到不安時,我就會在餐廳尋求慰藉,這些餐廳就像我的家,我永遠不會忘記他們給予我的安慰。 這是我第一次在外面獨立生活,正在適應靠自己生活,還有很多我不太了解的事情,偶爾會出錯,當我受不了生活中碰到的困難時,我就能去最喜歡的餐廳來得到安慰。我希望有更多的機會來把其他金門菜記在我心上。
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生活英語點滴(DailyEnglishBitbyBit)
最近,日本福島核災輻射食品進口問題鬧得沸沸揚揚,許多縣市自主宣布禁止日本核災食品上架販售。五年前,日本福島發生核災,福島與周遭四個縣市(茨城、櫪木、群馬、千葉)的食品,恐遭受輻射外洩嚴重污染;加上核輻射物質的半衰期長達30年以上。因此,全球有高達20個以上的國家,全面禁止來自福島等核災地區的稻米、牛奶、肉類與水產品等各種食物與食品;而台灣政府,卻以中日友好為藉口,不顧人民反對,擬合法化核災食品進口。所以,本期生活英語點滴,就來談談食品安全問題(food safety issues)。 食品安全問題是台灣長期以來的問題,包括塑化劑、食用油(餿水油)、奶、茶葉及核災食品等等,只要有利可圖的,總是不乏有人造假或是以爛充好、以次充好,罔顧百姓健康,賺取黑心財。 首先,我們就來學一下「塑化劑」的英文怎麼說吧,很多人應該知道「塑膠」的英文叫做 plastic,而塑化劑則叫做 plasticizer ;塑化劑或稱增塑劑、可塑劑,種類多達百餘種,但使用得最普遍的即是一群稱為鄰苯二甲酸酯類的化合物,是一種增加材料的柔軟性或使材料液化的添加劑。其添加對象包含了塑膠、混凝土、乾壁材料、水泥、膠粘劑與石膏等等。 2011年臺灣塑化劑事件,起因於不肖廠商將食品添加物起雲劑(clouding agent(s))其中的棕櫚油成份,改以價格更為低廉,保存期限更長,但卻會對人體造成致癌及生殖系統變異的工業原料塑化劑取代,因此塑化劑有被不肖廠商用來取代任何一種食用油品的可能。 讓我們來造個句子,These drinks might contain a toxic plasticizer called DEHP plasticzer.(這些飲品可能含有一種叫做DEHP的有毒塑化劑)。 通常,我們會把販售偽劣商品的商人成為「黑心商人」。而「黑心」不能直接說成(black-hearted),「黑心商人」比較合適的說法應該是dishonest businessman,honest 是誠實的,而前面加dis代表否定,即不誠實的意思,因為製造、販售偽劣商品本身就是不誠實,意圖欺騙消費者的行為。 同樣的,「黑心食品製造商」則是dishonest food manufacturer。然而,黑心食品/商品的英文卻不可以直接說成dishonest food/products,因為食品或商品本身並不會不誠實,應該說the product made by the dishonest manufacturer (即由黑心製造商所製造的產品),但是,這樣的說法太過冗長,因此,更普遍的用法是fake(假的)或illegal(不合法的)。 例如:fake food and drinks /illegal food or products;也有用tainted food 或 contaminated food。tainted 或 contaminated 都有「受汙染」的意思。甚至,直接用evil (邪惡的)products 表示黑心產品。 The government should make every effort to bring these dishonest vendors/businessmen to justice. (政府應該要盡全力將這些不肖業者/商人繩之以法) The dishonest businessmen made a fortune by selling tainted food. (黑心商人透過販售黑心商品賺了一大筆錢) 但是,對於偷工減料的黑心商品,美國人通常也會用lemon,代表劣質品。例如,lemon car 是指出廠後才發現有瑕疵的車子。 This new car turned out to be a lemon. (這輛新車根本就是一台爛車) 至於食用油(edible oil),edible是「可食用的」意思,也是容易被回收利用、造假或是以爛充好的民生必需品。前兩年,民間自發性的「滅頂」行動,都是由偽劣油品引起。 這些偽劣油品,也包含噁心的地溝油、餿水油。「地溝油」的英文是gutter oil,是指道路旁的排水溝、街溝;而「餿水油」的英文是cooking oil made from recycled restaurant waste,waste讀作[west],當名詞時,指「廢棄物、廢料」。recycled則是「回收的」,所以餿水油是從餐廳或廚房的回收廢棄食物中再重新提用出來的食用油。這些讓人噁心的地溝油及餿水油,也一次次地在台灣及大陸掀起食品安全風暴! (1)這些油品醜聞已經在台灣引發嚴重的食品安全問題。 These oil scandals have caused a serious food safety problem in Taiwan. scandal是「醜聞」,國際媒體一般會用oil scandals來形容我們台灣自稱的所謂「油品食安風暴」。 (2)在這蛋糕配料中,他用地溝油代替黃油。 In this cake mixture, he substitute gutter oil for butter. (3)數百噸的污染食用油已流竄全台,有一些可能已吃下肚。 Hundreds of tons of tainted-cooking-oil were sold widely around Taiwan, and some oil may have been consumed. 此處 have been consumed, 即「已被消費掉、消耗掉」,亦即被吃進肚子裡的意思。 一般情況下,黑心食品/產品一旦被發現,通常會被要求下架處理。架是指貨架,店裡展示貨品的架子最常稱為shelf,複數型態是 shelves,下架即從貨架上移除(remove)。例如: (4)用黑心油製成的食品被要求從賣場裡下架. Food products made with tainted oil are asked to be removed from store shelves. 接著,我們再來學習一些關於日本福島核災(The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster)的輻射食品(radiated food)所引發爭議。 The issue of allowing the import of food products from parts of Japan affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster has triggered a spate of conflicts and quarrels in Taiwan. (摘自Taiwan News) (允許從日本部分受2011年福島核災影響的地區的食品進口,在台灣引發了大量的衝突及爭議。) 其中,trigger 是「觸發、擊發」的意思;a spate of 表示「大量,許多」之意。如:a spate of anger/一陣突然爆發的怒火;a spate of rumor/大量謠言。a spate of influenza/一陣流感.。a spate of English readings/大量英語讀物。 讓我們看幾個簡單例子: (1)他對於政府的食安政策感到驚訝。 He felt surprise at the government's food safety policy. (2)關於此一事件,政府舉辦了一系列的公聽會。 The government organized a serious of public hearings on this matter . (3)有十五位縣市首長發出反對聲音,說他們不同意輻射食物進口。 There are 15 county and city chiefs voiced their opposition and said they did not agree with the import of the radiated food. 近日,國民黨(KMT)也在各地(包含金門)發起連署活動,表達反對日本核災食品進口的立場。並擬推動舉辦全民公投(hold a referendum) 連署的英文是 countersign;連署簽名是counter-signature. (1)我在全民公投時投了反對票。 I vote 'No' in the referendum. (2)舉辦全民公投以禁止日本核食進口。 Hold a referendum on banning the import of Japanese's radiated food products. (3)我們遞交一份請願書給民進黨及立法院。 We presented a petition to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Legislative Yuan. (4)數十萬市民在請願書上簽名,以反對核災食物進口。 Hundreds of thousands of citizens subscribed the petition to against the import of radiated food. (5)為了安全起見及為了後代子孫, 任何核災或黑心食品都應該被嚴格禁止。 For safety reasons and for future generations, any radiated or tainted food product should be strictly prohibited.
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英文原來這樣說(EnglishIsAPieceofCake)
☆每到考試檢定的季節,各位同學不免都會開始神經緊繃抱著考題像無頭蒼蠅來問問題,但其實抱著這些考古題來發問中間,卻是跳躍式做題目無法準確知道到底是哪個環節出錯?或是哪個基礎學習有了斷層?舉例來說,在國際商業英文檢定多益(TOEIC)來說不難發現許多同學對於閱讀測驗都是一個頭兩個頭,光是一題閱讀文法填空題目就包含許多句型結構(如找出主要S+V+O的結構變化型和還有理解個別選項的意思,更重要是先抓到題目要旨所需的詞性或相關表達。那麼我們就來看看在考場的實題內容怎麼測驗吧!以下為常見的題型Q:The _______ of the participants is expected to be higher than the previous year.(今年的___預計比去年還要更多人喔!) (A)attendant (B) attendance (C)attention(D)attendees*在本題中同學不難發現有常見的句型(介係詞+名詞片語"of + the participants"=形容詞,整個拿來修飾主要的主詞。同學要先有主詞多以名詞/動名詞/不定詞來開展整個句子,但也可以理解選項中的" (D)"attendees"跟我們的"participants"完全意義相同為"與會者",所以可以提前除去此選項,而且跟我們主要單數動詞 is 完全不吻合;至於(A)attendant看護與 (C)attention注意力也無法合理解釋此句,因此本題只能選 (B) attendance出席率。所以看似很輕鬆的小題目但卻充滿許多基本概念和分析能力在裡面,千萬不要小看閱讀的基本功夫和快速瀏覽資料的能力培養,這樣才有機會與國際接軌和符合未來夢想的高薪工作條件要求喔! ☆剛才的英文測驗題目如果沒有完全答對,可以試著把老師的解析再看一遍,學習本來就是溫故知新,千萬不要輕言放棄讓自己的潛力有所突破的機會喔!很感謝許多認真閱讀本英文專欄的朋友們,老師也陸續地收到很多同學的來信,也很開心同學會慢慢從學習英文中找到問題和進行學習經驗的資料整理,讓學習深刻的內容更紮實,說出口的英文不僅道地而且很簡單明瞭。有位目前從事國內連鎖餐廳服務生的AMY前來詢問老師,為什麼在餐後一位外國客人要加點REGULAR COFFEE,我就照原來店裡只有提供的拿鐵再裝一杯給他,可是他卻說NO。頓時間,整個人都慌了不知道該怎麼辦,很怕客人以為是自己在整他還是故意不端給他。後來,我提醒她其實客人說的REGULAR COFFEE其實是指"黑咖啡",就是不添加其他的調味品,沒有奶精也沒有糖的BLACK COFFEE(*請同學特別注意黑巧克力是DARK CHOCOLATE)。因為剛好美國文化中很常提到咖啡,大家在看美劇的時候不難理解男主角跑到咖啡廳後從容拿著早餐往公司路上走,一邊喝著他的morning joe讓一整天的工作精神都很抖擻有效率;而同時在便利商店工作的學生也提出問題,咖啡印象中應該就是從:small(小杯)--medium(中杯)--large(大杯),可是藍髮碧眼梳著油頭的外國客人竟說自己要 short ,讓他急著直接拿出店裡所有的杯子尺寸給客人看,才解決危機,但其實剛剛的情況中英文口語 short 就是small(小杯)的同義詞;大家也很常去全球連鎖的咖啡廳星巴克,裏頭使用的術語卻是從 tall(中杯)-- grande(大杯)-- venti(特大杯),可見在不同場合使用並了解不同時機的用語很重要,同時這也是學習語言的樂趣之一,會越來越確定自己要說出口的每個字,也會更謹慎的使用外語來達成完整的溝通活動! ☆另外很常聽到同學說,我之前有背過一些俚語和常用片語,對於外國人來說會不會很像在掉書袋的感覺?可是中文作文都很需要引經據典來增強自己的論點,不是嗎?老師在多年批改大學入學測驗作文及獲邀英檢單位來進行評分中的作文項目中裡,最害怕看到動不動就Like Father, like son"有其父必有其子"、It's no use crying overspilt milk."覆水難收"、The squeaky wheel gets the oil"會哭的孩子才有糖吃",也有過度口語化的說法反而太失禮的"Over my dead body"(絕不可能發生);有一種是老師改作文會想說這個學生的老師肯定是奇葩,竟然在第一段開頭就寫出HOWEVER,這是很打臉的說法,HOWEVER在英文表述中多半是在作者將論點闡述清楚也提供出實例後,有些特殊的案例或不得不說的情況,才會端出HOWEVER這個大魔王。它其實隱含一個很可怕的意思,「本人前述所有內容皆不算數,砍掉重練!」所以真的不要隨便拿來使用! ☆不管學習大小事情或是技能養成都會難免碰到「瓶頸」,學生就會特別想問為什麼有聽過BOTTLENECK的說法,其實作家的瓶頸卻是Writer's Block,雖然知道Block有阻擋的意思,可是如果我使用confinement呢?也可以說得通嗎?這就是大家目前在學習語言常碰到的情況"慣用語"!就像你會常看到各種語言都會有些例外或是特別使用的情況,英文當然也不例外,有自己專屬的搭配詞語。比如,以「空間」而言,廁所隔間是toilet stool;大家在進入電影院前看到的售票亭為ticket booth;周末假日大家一窩蜂跑進去的KTV包廂Karaoking booth;辦公室裏頭每個人都悶著頭在隔間忙著自己的空間,就好像蜂窩裡的工蜂,那個小空間為office cubicle/partition;而大家每天不管藉由手機螢幕或電腦視窗進入的虛擬網絡空間稱作為cyber space。同學看到後就不難理解老師為什麼會這麼苦口婆心的在專欄每次都要整理和推出許多很類似但卻非常容易混淆的說法表達。認真的同學只要看看上面簡單整理說的說法,就不難理解為什麼學習英文需要下苦心了! Please fill in the blanks with correct prepositions: 牛刀小試時間~請填入正確的《介係詞》 1. My elder sister isn't afraid _____ ghosts at all but she just cannot stand the cold at all.我姐姐一點都不怕鬼,但就是受不了寒冷。 2.The interactive and entertaining approaches _____learning English are what most students prefer.大多的學生都喜歡有互動且有趣的方式來學習英文。 3.Please make sure that everything will be put into practice prior _____ the annual seminar in which all representatives from overseas branches are gathered together請再三確認︰在這場所有海外代表都會參加的年度研討會之前,所有的事項都會如實發落下去。 4. Obviously, this is the sole solution _____ the current issues at hand. Otherwise, they might get out _____ your hand.顯而易見地,這是目前唯一可以解決手上問題的方法,不然事情可能會演變的一發不可收拾。 5.During your stay in Europe, our company will find a substitute for your position in charge_____ the responsibilities you used to handle.你在歐洲的這段時間,公司會找人去遞補並處理你原來職位的工作內容。 6. Little did I know that Jane has been at odds_____everyone in the office because she took all the credits and blamed everyone on her own fault. That's totally outrageous.我壓根不知道這件事,珍妮竟然和全辦公室的人都處不來,因為她老是想搶走所有功勞又喜歡把過錯歸咎到所有人身上去。真的是太扯了啦! 7. Smoking cigarettes will be definitely harmful_____ your health.抽煙這件事情對你的健康肯定有害! 8.One of my husband's college friends dropped by our house and arrived holding a suitcase large enough for a month-long cruise, I was totally nervous about that. It went as awfully as anticipated. He put his legs on the couch in the living room , leaving all the mess in the bathroom, and idling around here and there without even a sign of moving out and getting a life for his own. Would I be too inhospitable if confronting him with the problem that he's overstayed his welcomes. And I am so petrified by the idea that he might turn my house _____ his pasture.有一個我老公的大學時期,朋友說要順道來拜訪,而且到的時候手上還有一個超大的行李箱,大概可以去參加一個月的郵輪之旅。我真的是整個人都緊張起來了。事情果然如我想像地慘烈發展。他開始把腳擺在客廳的沙發上、把垃圾丟在浴室裡面、悠晃在我家中無所事事,好像根本沒有要搬出去自己過活的打算。如果我直接跟他說︰「你已經超越我可以款待客人的忍受極限了會很失禮嗎?」可是我真的很怕他會乞丐趕廟公! 9. Why did Asaka intend_____study abroad since she hadn't bothered attending any English courses in Taiwan? That made me scratch my head for a while after learning_____ that news.從以前在台灣她就根本懶得去上英文課,為什麼阿斯卡要計畫去國外唸書呢?我還真是丈二金剛,摸不著頭緒。 10. Have you been avoiding my calls? What got_____ you for being so paranoid about all the details. It's not who you used to be when we met.你最近是不是故意不接我電話?你到底是哪根筋不對,開始對很多小細節都很吹毛求疵?你變得跟我之前認識的你很不一樣了。 11. I am sorry_____getting angry_____you last month. I didn't mean it. Please accept my apology.我真的很抱歉上個月對你發脾氣。希望你可以接受我的道歉。 12. Since it's been raining all the time through this week, you are advised to carry an umbrella whenever you go in case_____ the pouring rain.既然都已經下了一週的雨了,不管你最近去哪都帶著傘以免下雨囉。 13.Doctor, how long will it take before I can be discharged_____ the hospital?醫生,我到底還要多久才可以出院呢? 14.You all trainees shall familiarize yourself _____ the new environment by touring each floor following the orientation.在新進人員說明會後,你們實習生都要去各樓層看看,好讓自己熟悉一下環境。 15.Lack_____ courage can make a person feel rather insecure about what he or she is doing.缺乏勇氣,會讓一個人感到對自己正在做的事情充滿不安感。 Answer Keys: 1. of 2. to 3. to 4. to & of 5. of 6. with 7. for 8. into 9. to 『本專刊內容由王軒老師提供,並與本社編輯部共同策畫製作』
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生活英語點滴(DailyEnglishBitbyBit)
立冬,是二十四節氣之一,每年大約在11月6~8日之間,即太陽位於黃經(即黃道,也就是「地球繞太陽公轉的軌道」)225°的位置時。「立」,建始也,表示冬季從此開始。「冬」則是終了的意思,萬物收藏也,意思是說經過秋季農作物全部收曬完畢,收藏入庫,動物也開始躲藏起來準備冬眠。 所以,傳統上,「立冬」是每年冬季的開始。立冬(the Beginning of Winter),也就是「冬天來了」。是我們這一期生活英語點滴(Daily English Bit by Bit)的主題。 立冬節氣,除了有秋收冬藏的含義外,因過去是個農耕社會,勞動了一年的人們,利用立冬這一天休息一下,順便犒賞全家人一年來的辛苦。有句諺語「立冬補冬,補嘴空」就是最好的比喻。 而「進補」的習俗,通常有純粹的「食補」(dietary supplementation),其中,dietary是指「飲食的」,supplementation 是指「補充物」亦即,食補即指經由飲食補充營養來源。 但一般民間都會遵循傳統中藥/醫(Traditional Chinese medicine/medical,簡稱TCM)方式,而採用中醫食補(TCM dietary supplementation)或是中藥補品(herbal tonics)。總之,在立冬或冬天的食補,都通稱為「冬令進補」(Winter dietary supplementation)。 例如: In cold winter days we like to take dietary supplementation or herbal tonics. We are usually cooked with meat, spare ribs, lamb or duck. (在寒冷的冬天,我們喜歡食補或藥補一下,我們通常會煮一些肉、排骨、羊肉及鴨子)。 我們認為吃這些補品食物,可以讓我們變得更健康、更強壯。(These foods can enhance our health and strength.) 在進補的食品中,薑母鴨(ginger duck)也是非常有名及普遍的。 There is a famous ginger duck shop at JinCheng close to Kinmen Senior high school. (金城的金門高中附近有一處非常有名的薑母鴨店) 最近,我愛死薑母鴨了。(Recently, I fell in love with ginger duck.) 由於薑母鴨通常都是燉在湯裡面,所以,一般也會說成ginger duck stew或ginger duck soup,如果用米酒燉的薑母鴨湯就叫ginger duck with rice wine. 薑母鴨料理在寒冷的冬季裡喝起來最過癮,當歸、 黃耆更具有暖身、健康的效果。此外,亦同時 還兼具有整腸、增進食慾、促進消化與吸收、鎮靜 、抗真菌、造血、利尿之效。當然,以上燉法必須結合傳統中醫藥補。一般而言,如果自己在家燉,通常得到中藥鋪買些藥材,如:當歸、黨蔘、川芎、黃耆、枹杞,另外,再加上米酒、薑 母等。 作法如下: (1)將藥膳料用一碗米酒浸泡20分鐘。 (2)去毛,剖去內臟的鴨母,沖洗乾淨,切成小塊狀。 (3)用麻油一匙、鴨肉、薑母,在鍋內炒出香味。 (4)將(1)+(3)+米酒1瓶放入鍋內,加水 淹滿鴨肉,待水煮沸出味後即可。 冬天進補除了薑母鴨外,比較常見的就是羊肉爐(mutton hot pot)了。 其中 mutton 是羊肉或綿羊的意思,hot pot 就是我們俗稱的火鍋,羊肉爐在老外眼中就是以羊肉為主的火鍋。 在台灣常見的羊肉爐多半會添加中藥材,成為藥膳,而是用的藥材,各家都會有自己宣稱的獨門秘方。羊肉爐類與薑母及燒酒雞,都屬於東方的特色美食,薑母鴨火鍋的英文是ginger duck hot pot 或 ginger duck soup with Chinese herb、燒酒雞的英文則是 wine cooked chicken soup 或 Taiwanese fire chicken wine。 讓我們看幾個簡單例子: (1)台灣人喜歡在冬天吃羊肉爐。 Taiwanese like to eat mutton hot pot in the winter. (2)你喜歡羊肉爐的味道嗎? Do you like the taste of mutton hot pot? (3)這家燒酒雞非常有名。 This store's wine cooked chicken soup is very famous. (4)我平時不會吃米酒燉的薑母鴨。 I usually do not eat ginger duck with rice wine. (5)與其吃薑母鴨,我寧願吃麻辣火鍋。 Instead of eating ginger duck, I prefer to eat spicy hot pot. (6)這家羊肉爐店已經經營了10年。 This mutton hot pot shop has been in business for 10 years. 立冬或冬天進補,雖然是普遍習慣,但是,無論是薑母鴨、羊肉爐或燒酒雞,都各有其愛好者,但也並不是每個人都愛吃就是了。尤其,現代人已經普遍營養過剩,女性更注重減肥美容,所以,太補的食物不見得受到青睞。 立冬習俗,南北方不太一樣,北方立冬也有吃餃子(dumpling)的習慣。餃子是由餃子皮(dumpling wrapper)及餃子餡料(filling for dumplings; stuffing)構成;亦即,有肉餃子及素(菜)餃子,dumpling (with meat and vegetable stuffing); 包餃子(make dumplings; making Chinese dumpling); 在大陸北方,甚至各地主要城市,通常都有專門的餃子館(dumpling inn; house of dumpling)或餃子樓(open smile dumpling shop)。甚至,會提供專門的餃子宴(diner of dumplings),形成特殊的飲食文化。 南方冬天,尤其是在冬至日(The Winter Solstice ),多有吃湯圓的習俗。湯圓的英文說法不一,rice dumpling 是一種說法。有趣的是,和餃子一樣,都用到了dumpling 。而 dumpling 則是用來表示東方人麵食外皮加上內餡料的食物,例如水餃、煎餃、鍋貼、餡餅……這類食物,當然也包含湯圓;只不過湯圓是用米(rice)做的。 然而,rice dumpling 更常用來表示粽子。 那湯圓的英文到底應該怎麼說,這可能困擾很多人,因為歐美本來沒有吃湯圓的習慣,中國人,及整個華人圈則都有吃湯圓的習慣;因此,為了避免湯圓和粽子搞混,直接以湯圓的漢語拼音當成英文 tangyuan 成為另一種普遍講法。同樣的,餃子的英文用法,也有直接以漢語發音(jiaozi)當成英文來使用。 常吃的湯圓除了小顆的糯米湯圓之外,還有比較大顆有包餡料的大湯圓,例如,花生湯圓 (peanut tangyuan)、芝麻湯圓 (sesame tangyuan)都算是大眾口味。 你也喜歡吃餃子或湯圓嗎?先來看看湯幾個簡單例子: (1)有時我們去同學家包餃子。 Sometimes we go to classmates ' home to eat dumpling/jiaozi. (2)餃子是很多西方遊客的最愛。 Jiaozi is a favorite of many western visitors. (3)你吃過中國傳統的餃子嗎? Have you tried traditional Chinese dumplings yet? (4)我們做了花生湯圓並分享給我們的鄰居。 We made peanut tangyuan and share to our neighbors. (5)我們必須在冬至吃一碗湯圓,這是我們的傳統習俗。 We have to eat a bowl of tangyuan in the winter solstice, which is our traditional practices. (6)有很多種湯圓料理方式,可以炸或是煮湯。 There are many ways tangyuan dishes, it can be fried or soup. 不管餃子或湯圓的餡料,都需要經過拌及和的過程(stuffing mixing process),譬如,把肉和韭菜(chives)和在一起是一種常見的餡料. 而包餃子前,必須把瘦肉細細剁碎。(need to mince the lean meat finely before making dumplings),以成為基本餡料。 例如,我已經把餃子餡和好了。 (I had already mixed the stuffing for the dumplings .) 我喜歡吃用肉和韭菜做餡的餃子。 (I like eating the dumplings with meat and chives.) 總之,冬令進補的食物種類非常多,因為地域差異,各地的習俗也不盡相同,不過大家對於冬令進補可以養身(regimen;Keeping in good health )的看法則是一致的。 Taking tonics in the Beginning of Winter enables you to be in high spirit all the year round. (立冬進補,可使您一整年精氣十足。)
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
各位同學經常看到許多英文文章裡面,充斥許多人文軼事,當然也有許多重點國際要聞,另外也不難看到很多家庭生活因為柴米油鹽醬醋茶所產生的議題。在幾次的專欄裡面,很多同學應該也很喜歡不同型態的英文專欄呈現,從中英穿插的解說,到生活故事的解說,甚至紅極一時讓亞洲電影可以席捲歐洲的「屍速列車」影評,都在老師之前精心編寫的內容裡頭,不知道同學拿到專欄的時候是否跟老師一樣很開心呢?沒錯,因為從生活的議題中去學習一個外語,是相當的重要的。如果英文學習本身和你我的生活一點干係都沒有,是很難長期記憶或是遇到類似場景而有反饋的效用喔!所以大家在看老師之前呈現的全英文專欄的時候,剛開始或許會有些吃力,但裡頭不乏非常道地的口說表達或有深度的寫作用字。想必認真的讀者在細細咀嚼的同時,一定可以感受到老師編排當中,生活中不失幽默,認真中不失親切,這種能屈能伸的英文表達工夫,就是要慢火精燉,書到用時才可以大展神威,也可以用道地的表達讓人刮目相看喔! 因為其實老師在教學的過程當中,看到非常多的同學因為在讀寫上已經有一定的程度,但礙於只背單字不碰句子,只能有片段的說明內容,而非完整的前因後果,或是有邏輯的推論,讓簡短的題目也可以有充滿深度的表達態度。所以平常好文章廣泛閱讀是很重要的,準備一個小筆記本,把不管在電視影集上雜誌上或零星時間看到的好標語都寫下來,時間久了就是一本很棒的寫作急救站,更是個人的吉光片羽的縮影呢!非常期待各位同學跟老師分享自己的小小葵花寶典喔! 不僅僅是把生活句型熟練,也特別注意表達句中的小細節。大家應該都不陌生,對於某些事情「很有熱情的」應該要說"be enthusiastic about";對某件事情很有興趣可以說 "be interested in ";人事物很吸引著某人就要改寫成" be appealing to";若是讀小說或追知名經典大場面權力遊戲影集,就要說出來 " be absorbed into"的說法。大家在學習英文過程中應該不難理解到,單字是所有句型結構的基礎,但當程度有了進步的時候,應該要轉往「句子練習」為主,利用朗讀訓練口說聽力,也要學著句子中如何使用單詞和相關場景單字。在多益檢定考試中,都應該要有反射性的聯想能力,才能讓英文能力發揮到極致,甚至提早預測到考題,把握得取高分先機。 Questions & Responses: A. What's the most romantic thing you've ever done before?你曾做過最浪漫的事情是什麼呢? (Student) I prepare a meal for my girlfriend before.(我之前有準備餐點給我的女友) *文法提醒:過去時態要記得改成"prepared",時態的部分很容易在英文中寫錯,因為中文本身並沒有動詞上的用法差異,需要靠時間副詞來提醒,所以各位同學在練習翻譯的要檢查主被動(單複數)也要強調時態的正確性喔!老師將上課學生的內容在了解詳細後,幫同學寫成比較清楚而且充滿細節的回答句。不管是口說或是寫作都很實用,也可以把自己的想法表達得活靈活現的喔! (Teacher) It really challenged me in the process of preparing all the ingredients before cooking the meal for my girlfriend. I started everything from scratch with traditional dishes, such as stir-fried cabbage, radish soup with pork chops, tomatoes with scrambled eggs, and steamed rice. (在準備所有食材到煮好給女友吃的過程當中非常的困難,我剛開始先從家常菜開始做起,如:炒高麗菜,排骨蘿蔔湯,番茄炒蛋,或是煮白飯。) B. What's the most relaxing moment for you? Why?你最放鬆的時刻是什麼時候呢? (Student) I feel relax when reading some manga.(我在看漫畫的時候感到挺放鬆的) *文法提醒:人本身感到什麼狀態應該要先將動詞的過去分詞型寫出來,所以應該是RELAXED,剛上一題有異曲同工之妙。同學在口說的題目往往都會忘記要把題目本身想問的「原因」或「背後動機」給詳細說明出來,這如果是在口說測驗中是會被扣分的喔,考生要特別注意得分的關鍵:在有限的時間內給予最詳細的說明和充實的內容。但特別注意到該生有使用到分詞構句的When+V-ing,很值得被嘉獎喔!接下來各位同學就看看老師的說明和示範表達內容吧! (Teacher) After a long day, the most relaxing moment is whenever I grab some Japanese comic books, especially One Piece, from the bookshelf because the story is full of love, ambition, adventures, and dream with solid friendship.(一天的辛勞後,最放鬆的時刻就是在看日本漫畫書,尤其是在架上的海賊王。這是充滿愛,野心,冒險,充滿堅定友誼的夢想故事!) C. Please name three places you usually go in private? And Why?請說出三個你私底下喜歡去的地方?並解釋原因為何? (Student) 1. gym 2. movie theater 3. basketball court(1.體育館2.電影院3.籃球場) *文法解釋:這個題目請同學不要侷限在 in private(私底下)的地點上,可以跟親密的朋友們,家人們或是師長同事們的聚會活動,所以可以盡量書寫自己的想法,再慢慢依照英文的邏輯去做翻譯和運用喔!再者同學用列舉的方式不管是在寫作上或是口語測驗考試上都是很粗淺的表達,應該要用轉承語帶出層次感,並且要著重其中最關鍵的答案讓加深考官的印象而獲得高分。所以和考生聊解細節之後,老師特地把答案中的「籃球場」這個部分用ON TOP OF THAT(最重要地)來把整個回答句特色烘托出來,並且念起來也很有節奏,更能夠在口說上有明顯內涵表現,也是高分獲得的技巧喔! (Teacher) Going get some sweat in the gym with friends is really the highlight of the day. Secondly, visiting the movie theater for an epic film can really make my day. On top of that, it's awesome to play basketball at the court when friends are helping the team mates in the game and creating the chemistry among players in the other team or ours. The friendship is therefore firmly built after all the great memories we've shared.(一天活動中的高潮就是去健身房和朋友運動流點汗;再來,我也會去電影院看場場面浩大的影片,真的是很舒心;我的首選活動場所就是「籃球場」,因為可以在比賽中互相幫助隊友,而且和可以增進默契。也因此我們共享了許多美好的回憶也建立不可取代的友情!) D. What's the most important skill when socializing with others? And Why?與人交際時候,什麼是最重要的技巧呢?那為什麼呢? (Student) I will smile all the time at the party and try to be friendlier when invited to a gathering. Sometimes it's really hard to start the talk with stranger I meet at the first time.(我會在派對裡保持微笑,被邀請到聚會場合的時候也要表現友善的一面。有時候真的很難跟陌生人打開話題。) *文法解釋:其實在英文中的「保持微笑」,我們並不會用KEEP SMILING或是HAVE SMILES的類似表達,而是會用WEAR SMILES或是SMILE AT OTHERS的方法進行。另外我們提到「開啟話題」會使用到「strike up a conversation」、「strike a conversation」的說法較為道地。 (Teacher) When it comes to socializing with others, it's fundamentally important to give a good impression on others with positive attitude and easygoing personality even against your own nature. As a reserved person, it's quite hard to strike a conversation with the strangers I meet by accident at the reunion or all forms of socials.(提到交際這件事情,帶著正面態度和隨和個性來給予別人正面印象是相當的重要,雖然可能違背你的本性。身為一個內斂的人,真的很難在聚會或類似的社交場合破冰或者和陌生人開始交談!) E. What's your New Year's Resolution in 2017? And how will you realize it?明年2017年的新年夢想為何呢?你要怎麼去實現夢想呢? (Student) It's been a long time for me to think about the future and I hope I can change a job and learn more about Statistics and perhaps I can apply what I've learned from training courses to workplace.(對於未來我已經思考好一陣子了,我希望我可以換個新工作,而且可以學習更多統計學的知識,或許我可以運用從訓練課程的知識到職場上。) *文法解釋:同學很努力榨乾腦汁來寫這個題目,畢竟要說新年新希望並不是簡單的事情,但老師還是希望同學好好思考對於新的一年規劃行程,這樣努力學習會更有意義!可惜同學回答時犯了很典型的錯誤:本末倒置。應該要先回答究竟夢想為何,而且提供努力的方法和方向來補述自己的計畫案,不過同學忘記如何落實夢想的細節說出來,有點可惜喔!不過別擔心,老師把細節的部分都按照同學的想法補足,給大家更多資訊來把口說內容補強完整。 (Teacher) Even though there're still couples of months to go before the new year, I've been considering jumping the ship as well as preparing a plan to enroll in some on-line courses of Statistics and target at " Big Data Analysis" as the current trend for collecting relevant information through the use of social network among modern people, from which you can deduce those multitude of knowledge to some details of human shopping behaviors, general health state, the desire for new purchases, or the inclination to make a change in lifestyles, even the prediction of the outbreak of epidemic diseases throughout the world.(雖然離新年還有幾個月,我在思考要跳槽而且有在準備要參加線上統計學課程,特別是目前的大熱門「大數據分析」。這個學問是藉由社交網絡系統去蒐集使用中的大量資訊,而去判讀出來人們購物模式、整體健康樣態、購買新產品意願、改變生活型態的趨勢,或是預測未來可能流行全世界的疾病。)
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蛋餅"阿姨"
作者:Emily Schell and Cody Bijeaux 信步在金城的街道上, 沒有任何想法,我們只知道要找早餐。我們經過了幾家常見的饅頭店、手搖飲料店和咖啡館,終於在一家火雞餐館的旁邊找到了一家蛋餅店。這家店快要變成我們最愛的餐廳了。跟其他的傅爾布萊特英文老師一樣,我們都喜歡吃這個好吃又實在的美食。 不過,蛋餅並不只是簡單的食物。對我們來說,蛋餅是我們第一次自己點菜、第一次沒收到任何人的幫助。我們都親切地稱呼她為「蛋餅阿姨」,她的親切讓我們覺得很放鬆。她也鼓勵我們多說中文,並耐心指導我們的錯誤。從那一刻起, 點蛋餅變成了一個週末的例行公事、也變成了一種期待。現在,她的店對我們來說是一個舒適和熟悉的地方,而不只是一個美味的挑戰。 這真是奇怪的-從這些細小、平凡的事情上找到安逸。當然,只有一家熟悉的店並不能讓整個金城成為我們的家。在地食物象徵著每一個地方的文化,所以讓食物作為立足點來了解和融入金門的文化是不可或缺的。蛋餅是金門的地方小吃之一。為了買到這個小吃,我們不得不走出我們的舒適圈、說我們不熟悉的語言、和了解我們不知道的多面向文化。事實上,這樣一個簡單的買早餐動作,讓我們看出自己在不同國家的脆弱。然而,我們一直很驚喜,因為沒想到金門當地人總是以熱心和鼓勵來回應我們笨拙的努力。 找到「蛋餅阿姨」最值得的部分就是告訴所有我們的傅爾布萊特朋友。當有一個人說「我們應該吃什麼?」的時候,我們每一次回答:「蛋餅阿姨」我們迫不及待地想介紹其他傅爾布萊特老師,這位阿姨的好意和她美味的食物。我們有一位朋友超級喜歡「蛋餅阿姨」的食物,他甚至每天去吃。 這些片刻讓我們認為「蛋餅阿姨」的餐廳是我們在金門第一個「家」。雖然我們在很多別的地方,不論是從金門到台北,都有碰到一樣的熱心和親切的人,但我們還是記得這家最舒適的餐廳。在我們不熟悉的地方,我們繼續尋找舒適的地點。在我們越來越習慣金門的生活的過程中,我們會找更多的新家,然而,對我們來說,「蛋餅阿姨」還是最珍貴的餐廳。
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"Danbing Lady"
English Article Written By Alice Chen and Jackie Leong Winding through the alleys of Jincheng, we sought out our first solo food-ordering experience with nothing in mind, except that we needed breakfast. We passed by the usual fare-bakery buns, milk tea, local coffee shops-and found, tucked next to a turkey restaurant, the place we would soon find ourselves frequenting almost daily. Along with most of the other ETAs on Kinmen, we found, and kept, danbing as both a trusty staple and a go-to favorite. Danbing, however, is more than food. For both of us, it was our first meal without guidance, and our first experience ordering on our own in Kinmen. The person to whom we now affectionately refer as "Danbing Lady" made it a good one: she put us at ease, encouraging us to speak more, treating our mistakes with patience. From then on, a trip to Danbing Lady's was both a weekend ritual and a treat. A few weeks in, and going to her shop became a point of comfort and familiarity, rather than merely a delicious challenge. It seems strange, finding such ease in things both small and mundane. One familiar spot in Jincheng, by larger standards, cannot automatically make an entire city home. And yet, food is so incredibly indicative of our own cultures and our cultural experiences that it was probably impossible for us not to use it as a small foothold as we struggled to understand and integrate into Kinmen's local culture. Danbing itself is a more local find, and to order it, we had to stretch outside our comfort zones, use a language we were unfamiliar with, and interact with aspects of a culture we did not know. It was terrifying that such a simple act of ordering breakfast required for us to be so vulnerable. And yet, we were pleasantly surprised when our stumbling efforts were met with only kindness and encouragement. The most rewarding part of finding Danbing Lady's place has been sharing it with our friends. When asked, "Where do you want to go to breakfast?" or even just, "Anyone hungry?", we responded from then on with "Danbing Lady!" every time. We could not wait to introduce other Fulbrighters to her kindness and of course, her wonderful food. One particular friend of ours who came with us only once now makes it a point to go every day after school for his after school snack. Those small moments are what made us call Danbing Lady's place one of our first "homes" on Kinmen. Though we have since been met with equal warmth and sincerity elsewhere, and beyond the reach of Jincheng to other cities and townships, we still remember our original spots of comfort as places to which we return again and again, as we seek out that feeling of being accepted in a place yet still unfamiliar to us. As we acclimate to Kinmen life, we find ourselves becoming attached to other spots-places and people that we find similarly safe and reassuring, but for us, Danbing Lady will always hold the first, and most important, spot in our lives.
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英文原來這樣說(EnglishIsAPieceofCake)
(接續上期) ☆The footsteps on the sand might be fading away but those memories will remain fresh. When feeling really defeated by reality, we might stroll along the beach with breeze blowing over our faces, taking in every cool breath to clear our minds to figure out some efficient approaches to resolving those issues in hand. As a student, you might get worried sick of your academic performance whether to live up to parents' expectations; as a co-worker, he shall deal with all delegated tasks wholeheartedly, but eventually he worked overtime but got underpaid; as a government official, whatever policy you've put into practice will always incur vicious comments from critics who leech on your faux pas or gaffe and made a great story on the evening talk show; as a teacher, your beloved students will intentionally record your careless jokes and some misconducts in class and make a fuss about it before releasing it on YouTube, getting you hundreds of clicks on social media at the cost of your privacy and yes your very JOB. There're countless examples. You might shrug shoulders and whisper " C'est la vie" in a low voice or march into the nature and imagine yourself plunging into the dark green lake deep down. Not for a good swim but a place for " breath of relief" My dear friends, you are likely to wander on the boulevard where sunlight is going through layers of tree leaves when you are at a crossroads by shouting at the top of your lung, " Why I have to make such tough call for my life and suddenly everything comes crash my shoulders? Why I just cannot fine-tune my vulnerabilities to a better state which at least can weather all criticism and frustration? Why have I become terribly hesitant when the opportunity knocks the door? Could someone hold my hand and embrace all my faults like the Mother Nature without judgment or cynical reprimand?" Yes, humans tend to seek the forgiveness after all what we've done wrong or thought of as right at the first place. But there's a thing that you all shall bear in mind that you never change the way you act or talk as you used to be or feel reluctant to move on and walk the talk. As an old saying goes, " Old habit dies hard," you can stop feeling desperate and get out of your comfort zone with some changes you should have already done years ago. Once determined to make it, you have no excuses to stop the drum from playing anymore. You might find it hard to notify people of what surrounded you, but we somehow felt rather defeated by some unexpected sarcasm or judgment. After all, it's never easy to develop the immunity to harsh criticism or harsh comments on you and your life. Needlessly to say, I did put a big question mark on human nature and so-called integrity most might feel obligated to adhere to since the commencement of education. There're numerous phases, for sure, in the entire life, but if we tend to lose track of the main point or the thing that really matters to maintain a healthy life without too many upset obstacles that we shouldn't have gone through there. One of my beloved students has been preparing her career life since junior year in university and she enrolled in the training courses of Cabin Crew Training. After two-year training programs, she has been morphing into a mature individual and developed humility, elegance, ambition, and adaptability throughout the past years. Unfortunately, she didn't make it to the last part of the interview despite the fact she's a total eye-catcher and really impressed most interviewers with her professional presentations. One day, she talked to me in private about her concerns for the future career path. She's also at a crossroads and felt like a deer in front of the headlight without knowing what to do after the input of long-year effort. Some students also watching her growing mature, confident, and charming came to us and tried to cheer her up by saying" Flight attendant is truly a job most people would like to kill for but you know the odds of getting into the industry is very small. You've got all qualities it requires, it's just a matter of time, that's all. They'll regret if you don't have you on board. Let's try out some other airlines which really value your talent and see your talent like the diamond in the rough." She nodded with tears welling in her eyes and after eye-witnessing everything she's done to equip herself for this position it really killed me to see her feel so helpless while helping her read the announcements in English and Chinese, giving her some advice and the way she shall correct the postures so as to bring the best out of her. & Sometimes life doesn't work out like the way you've planned! Lisa, later, switched her focus on the position as a waitress in the restaurant whose branches are scattered all around the world and re-wrote her resume reiterating her passion for the service industry. Her enthusiasm truly sparked Lisa's ambition going upward the streams and that's how her mother inspired her to work so diligently in the barber shop from which Lisa's mother collected the hard-earned pennies which went to bring her up from the childhood to adulthood. Needlessly to say, her mother has her heartfelt gratitude without a doubt. Truth to be told, Lisa has been rather stubborn in a wrong way which very few could talk her out of the idea we might collectively disapprove of. Anyway, she finally got the offer and started her "torment-like" probation in the past years. I thought she'd been doing great and climbing up the corporate ladder, making her way to the squad leader of such enormous organization within the international firm. Same theories applied here, most people might be content with the great achievements by far. However, little did I realize, Lisa decided to submit her resignation by the end of this year not because of the dead-end job or the stressful workload imposed her, but the lover in Australia. Yes, I do share the feeling with readers like you guys now. That dropped my jaws when she told me everything like this and I did really have attempted to make out when she got to hatch the idea. But now, she's undergoing lots of problems and viewed it as a tough call to secure her position for the current job, depositing money for the rainy day, or to apply for the vacancy for the assistant Philippines in which she spent nearly three months enrolling in a wide variety of courses featuring individualized speaking trainings and got acquainted with friends from all around the world. And I did manage to boil down to the essence of her primary concerns which targeted at " the valentine" she met in the study tour now traveling as well as working in Australia. It's obviously that she literally complicated her life with so many choices on her to-do lists and she's got a bigger fish to fry: Her Enraged Mother. Yes, it's rather common that her families are all kept in darkness about the whole thing of her planning to re-visit Philippines as a teaching assistant or engage into the working holiday program in Australia after accumulating some amount of savings for her travel expenses. Life is not always a bed of roses so that we cannot help but attempt to perfect everything, get everyone satisfied with our decisions. If you always go for that "perfect plan", your life is totally doomed without your own opinions and genuine pleasure from deep within. As a matter of fact, you are just a puppet attacked to the invisible strings manipulated by anyone in your life. Yes, everyone can get under your skin regarding every aspect of your life, your emotions, and your path for the better life. When someone turns to you for help, you might put the professional glasses on the bridge of your nose and sit comfortably on the chair in the therapy room while one friend of yours finally came out of the closet or allowed his/her feelings to overflow with all the stories hidden for long and right at the moment you felt slightly confused why the person chose to tell you so much of his private affairs or emotional ups-and-downs. Easy, you are trustworthy or you can be widely recognized as Mr. " Keep-your-lip-sealed" person who only listened to all worries from health issues, domestic quarrels, the imminent reorganization within the firm possibly jeopardizing your job sooner or later. Being a listener is better than being an advisor under most circumstances!
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
: Train To Busan, A Horrifying Film Echoing Mentality in Mobs Whenever picking a good film for a laid-back weekend, I tend to check some on-line reviews or comments on sources, like IMDB or words of mouths from someone close. There's no doubt that some commercials circulating on the Internet or social networks can do some tricks to me. Following the long-year production of Zombie-related films mushrooming in the States, across all big continents, directors or audience from Asia seemed to rarely bring up or appear intrigued by such themes in the films or be introduced on the stages because they were all considered copycats inspired by Walking Dead, the U.S. TV series about those survivors in the outbreak of Zombie-transforming virus nation-wide encountering their predicaments being besieged by hoards of "Walkers" and ganging up against other "liaisons composed of the living" slaughtering all the immortal creatures after getting infected. Sounds familiar to you when it comes to the plot in " Train to Busan". Honestly, I wasn't quite impressed by the storyline or some zombie-chasing scenes but I did derive quite some enlightenment from the panicked passengers struggling for staying alive; meanwhile, there're some features going on in the train ride and the director adopting an unconventional approach to dealing with some subtle issues. ☆The Day of Apocalypse Serves a Wake-Up Call: The workaholic father traded almost everything for soliciting more funds from clients by all means at the cost of his dear family which he was supposed to give everything to protect from falling apart. Unfortunately, he wasn't fully aware of that until they boarded on the zombie-infested, blood-drenched train heading to Busan. If you did pay attention to the plot, it's plain to see that the broker's daughter happened to spend her birthday on the day when most people had been infected with viruses like rabies spreading all over the nation, completely vulnerable to where they stood helplessly when the rest of them in sight were engulfed by the mobs of blood-craving mutants transformed from someone we loved. To each character in this movie, he or she was forced to make a choice of living alone, consequently surviving all the way on the ride to other cities for military protection or sometimes shoving other passengers off the train, leaving them unattended crying for remedies which could be the remaining sympathy left in our minds. ☆A Hidden but Incredibly Obvious Metaphor in the whole escape from the attack Notorious for leeching on the wealth of those innocent investors who held high expectations for the forthcoming profits rolling bigger and bigger as the time went by, those broker managers simply took away their money to make some investments or schemed the portfolios particularly for their own interest. "It happens when you get all the hard-earned money to the drain .The higher profits your investment generates in the long run, the higher stakes your investment logically involves. You got no one to blame but yourself. We've been working our butts for your input of capital. Mercy us," reluctantly explained they with their eyes moist like they could understand how your life had been ruined since everything you used to own went up in smoke. Yes,they triumphantly celebrated your bankruptcy while clicking the champagne glasses for putting all money stained with blood and tears into their very own pockets. That's what I meant to address here: He, the broke manager, ran all the way with his white short tattooed with scarred blood stains on him while the rest struggled for survival around him weren't. The director was entirely a genius who guided us to explore a battlefield of life and death and also clearly conveyed a message: Some living ones live like the dead walkers already. That gave me chills when seated in rows at the cinema. I can assure you that there's nothing to do with the air-conditioning in there. ☆The Test on Human Nature and Mob Mentality on the enclosed room While the three survivors blocked all the zombie attack from the train station they just disembarked for help from the military force already consumed by the outbreak of the virus, the rest just made all attempted to get back onto the train and urged the conductor to fuel the coaches and depart as soon as possible, leaving others unattended for survival. We might understand what coerced them to execute such cruel task, but the bus station director did all the push to sacrifice others' lives shamelessly and relentlessly drove those people away from where they stayed with great concerns over the idea that some passengers elbowed their way to the coach safeguarded by those remaining alive. The chemistry of mob mentality then spread everywhere in this scene where the pregnant man, the elderly woman, the little child used to be treated as the under-privileged, but under such circumstances any careless decision could lead to dire consequences. Clearly, any innocent offering to the zombie wouldn't solicit any sympathy from those mad crowds hoping for survival. Yes, people are born with the willpower for fighting or fleeing when the danger looms over from the cradle to the grave. One of those survivors, the elderly lady, was an elder sister to the one on the coach full of cynical, enraged crowds. She was tired of all the fighting, chasing, feel frightened by those transformed creatures and gave up herself to the zombies. By witnessing everything in person, her sister on the coach just saw how ugly human nature turned out to be simply for one's life without considering others' chance for living. It's not the world she's been looking forward to after go through all the pains and tears in life. To everyone's astonishment, she opened the door and unleashed those infected zombies to tear apart most of the remaining passengers on the train. To me, it's not hopelessly cruel but simply a reflection of an individual fed up with all dark sides of human nature turning a cold shoulder to others in desperate situations. Take a good look at people around and sometimes my heart sank when seeking those pedestrians walk past the moaning beggars or vagabonds carrying the worn-out bags in their skinny figures, and that's the very moment I couldn't help but run my fingers through my pockets and bags for some changes for them. Those changes might be insignificant to you or some people loaded with great wealth living in the skyscrapers but a big deal and a matter of life and death to them loitering on the street. When spreading the good news that Taiwanese government has long upheld the Big Issue Sale for those barely supporting their lives. A small random act of kindness can drastically alter their patterns of living, earning themselves the sense of dignity. That good-will-induced policy will help a majority of people get back on their feet and contribute more labor forces to the society or workplace in all fields. Unexpectedly, teased by my students, they told me that I was supposed to donate money to a REAL CHARITIES instead of people with sound bodies lying on the ground like an eyesore to passers-by as well as a disgrace on the overall image of the city we're residing in. I was really startled at the first place considering I figured my students should have been sympathetic about others' mishap since I've been sharing a lot with them regarding some unsound heroes collecting some wastes traded for money which went to the funds of building a local library for the disadvantaged families in the community or some philanthropists have taken vows to jump in and help out those people deprived of privileges from health causes or occupational injuries, even establishing some hospitals for improve the local hygiene and medial advancement to save lives in time. You don't have to be a billionaire to donate money or a celebrity wearing the T-shirt printed with slogans in the road race. You can just simply walk to those people dying for food and drink and offer them what they need most. Love can make the world go around and there's no beauty in your life without showing the world your compassion and affection. That you've rolled up sleeves to help others in the car accidents could likely be the chance you saved your own family under the wheel of the car wreckages. Impossible? Check some TV news and CNN documentaries in the archive. Karma has it and hold the belief that giving is always better than receiving. If everyone turns selfishly callous, those in great despair might find it hard to process those emotions and start venting their fury to crowds like the man carrying out his " Grand Plan" of murdering dozens of passengers on MRT. Why? It's simple to decipher his demeanors. His family and friends cannot care less about his suffering or painful memories in the past. If someone could reach out to help him out in time, we could have put an end to the tragedy before it went really wrong at the very first place. Agree?(未完待續) -
生活英語點滴(DailyEnglishBitbyBit)
漫長的暑假結束,新的學期開始,各大小朋友都收起玩心,迎接另一段嶄新的校園生活。「開學了」是我們這一期生活英語點滴(Daily English Bit by Bit)的主題。 和中文一樣,英文對於同一個意思也可以有許多不同的表達方式。例如:快要開學了用(the new semester is coming soon)來表達,其中semester是指「學期」,本意是新學期就要來了,但也意味著就要開學了。明天要開學了(school starts tomorrow/ school opens tomorrow)start/open表示開始(上課)。通常開學的第一天(the first day of school)就是開學日(open day),會舉行開學典禮(opening ceremony),典禮上,也許免不了校長的高談闊論(talk in a lofty strain)。 開學的第一天,許多小孩經常找不到教室或者跑錯教室;為了幫助孩子們找到他們的教室,老師們想出了一個簡便易行的方案。 On the first day of school we teachers came up with a foolproof paln to help the younger children find their correct classroom. 其中came up with(想出),foolproof paln(防呆方案),即指簡便的方法。 讓我們看幾個簡單例子: (1)下星期二將要開學。School will begin next Tuesday. (2)那所新校開學了嗎?Is the new school open yet? (3)新學期開學前,我一直無所事事。He's just kicking his heels until the beginning of the new term. (4)我們感到驚奇的是開學第一天他就乖乖地上學去了。 He surprised us all on his first day of school by going off like a lamb. (5)開學以來兩個星期已經過去了。Two weeks has passed since the new term began . (6)那天是開學典禮,是校長高談闊論的日子。It was the commencement day and the head master would talk in a lofty strain . (7)剛開學時,湯姆沉迷於電腦遊戲。At the beginning of his school days, Tom was indulged in computer games . 無所事事(kicks one's heels),踹著、踢著腳後跟,不曉得該幹些什麼,是一個很形象的比喻。like a lamb(像羊羔一樣),表示柔順乖巧。indulged in(沉溺於)。 在金門(台灣也一樣),每一個學校都分成不同的年級,每個年級可能有幾個班級;同時學校有校長,班級則設置有導師,同時有班長、學藝股長、康樂股長等。那麼學校的班級導師以及各個班級的幹部的英文怎麼說呢? 首先,必須瞭解美國和台灣學校的制度有差別;美國大多數的學校從小時候到12年級(依不同的州有不同的分法。 有1-5年級,就像小學。 6-9 (四年) 類似國中。 10-12則像高中。 不過也有 1-6;7-9;10-12的分法。)多屬於跑班制,不太像台灣的學生是在同一間教室,同一群學生。 總之,台灣國中國小,甚至至高中大學,每個班級都有班導師,學生基本上都待在同一間教室,由任課老師到該教室來授課;而在美國的國小國中,則以老師為主體,老師不移動,由學生移動到該科教室。因此,他們每堂課都會有一些不同的學生。說到自己所在班級,則往往直接說是某某老師的班級。 也因為台灣的班級制度,所以設置有許多不同的班級幹部(class officer; class leadership),作為班級的服務團隊。例如: 班導師:homeroom teacher; class tutor 班長:class leader 副班長:vice class leader 學藝股長:class secretary 服務股長:service crew leader 總務股長:class treasurer 衛生股長:cleaning crew leader 康樂股長:activities coordinator 各幹部設置主要是依據責任區分,如總務股長一般主要管理班級的錢,因此使用treasurer(出納員、財務員);服務股長及衛生股長都用到了crew(指一群、一幫工作人員),因為從事服務或衛生工作,不可能叫股長一個人去幹,肯定由他帶領一幫同學一起來做。康樂股長(activities coordinator)即是辦活動的協調者。 至於,班導師的用法揪比較特殊。在國外,所謂的homeroom是小中學生每天上課時要去報到的地方,停留的時間約5到20分鐘,學生在那裡聽廣播(很像我們朝會時校長在臺上宣佈事情),homeroom teacher會點名,宣佈或收集一些有的沒有的。有的homeroom teacher會另外安排些活動,或是讓學生讀書,做功課等等。 如果要探聽某位學生的背景,一般會說問問他的班導師(ask his homeroom teacher)從管理上以及對學生的了解程度,homeroom teacher和我們的導師很類似,但不是完全相同,其實在中文上的導師一詞,也比較偏向「第三人稱」上的稱謂,比如媽媽問兒子「你們這學期的導師是誰」,學生之間平常交談則不會直接說某某導師。 相對而言,台灣的補習班體系已經發展到幾乎和普通學校一樣,所以可以採用一般學校的說法。在功能上homeroom teacher比較接近,head teacher(單獨使用時)在英國以及其他地區幾乎是(或者直接就是校長的別稱);倒是補習班的班導師更像是homeroom teacher。補習班的班導師本身不上課,只在上課前出現,公佈些事情,也許再處罰前一天考試成績比較差的人,倘若有人沒去補習的話,他也會打電話去關切一下。 從授業解惑的角度看,Class Tutor則更像我們傳統認知上的班導師。 In a school in Kinmen each class is a unit of student body. Each class is led by its homeroom teacher.(在金門的學校,每一個班級就是一個由學生組成的單位,每一個班級由班導師所領導) (1)我們班導師對我們很嚴厲。Our homeroom teacher is very strict with us. (2)華森導師將要離開學校到工業界去工作。 Class tutor Watson will leave the school to take a job in industry. 再說說校長,中文裡不論什麼學校的「長」,都叫「校長」;而英文裡的「校長」一詞卻有不同含義。在中小學(school)的校長,美國英語通常稱為principal,英國英語現在通常稱為head teacher,過去一般則稱為headmaster;大學校長則稱president或chancellor.不過英國大學的chancellor是一個虛的頭銜,可以譯成「名譽校長」,真正的校長是用Vice-chancellor. 而大學校長,應當譯成university president. (短文) We often hear university presidents say, "I treat my students as if they were my own children," their voices full of fatherly love. And indeed they act just like strict but loving parents, telling the students that they aren't allowed to walk around campus in slippers, that they shouldn't come late to class, that they shouldn't speak with food in their mouths, that they can't wear shorts in the classroom during the summer, that they have to sit up straight and be serious at weekly meetings, that they should get at least eight hours of sleep, that they have to finish using the showers and bathrooms before the lights are turned off in the dormitory, that everyone must get up for morning exercises at six a.m., that going to the cinema too often will interfere with their studies, that watching too much television will ruin their eyesight, that they should wash their hands before meals, and so on and so forth. (翻譯)經常會聽到一些大學校長說「我把學生當自己的兒女看待」,一派慈祥。他也真做得像個嚴父慈母,規定學生不許穿拖鞋在校內行走,上課不許遲到,周會時要正襟危坐,睡眠要足8小時,熄燈前要洗澡入廁,清晨6點必須起床做操,講話時不許口含食物,夏天不可穿短褲上課,看電影有害學業,看電視有傷眼睛,吃飯之前要洗手,等等等。 (解析) (1)我們經常會聽到(We often hear……)。中文的主語常可以省略,而英語句子一般須有主語。 (2)對待(treat……as if……),按字面意思譯成regard……as……也可以,意即視為的意思。 (3)their voices full of……即語氣中充滿著……的意思。英語似乎缺乏一個與「慈祥」完全對應的詞,比較接近的有motherly/fatherly, loving, benevolent.等「一派慈祥」可以譯成their voices full of fatherly love或How benevolent! (4)表現得像(act just like)。 (5)嚴父慈母,可以理解為「嚴格而又慈祥的父母」(strict but loving parents)。 (6)用telling比stipulating好。tell本身就有命令、規定的意思,stipulate則顯得過於正式。 (7)不被允許(aren't allowed),但形式上卻沒有任何被動標記。中文裡這種情況很多。 (8)在校內:不能一看見「在……內」就用in.這裡的「校」指「校園」(campus),而campus並不跟in搭配。這裡最好用around campus(在校園四處)。 (9)上課不許遲到:這裡的「不許」似乎重點不在於重申一項規定,而是勸說學生「不要」,因此宜譯成shouldn't come late to class. (10)周會時……做操:這幾句話由於是肯定句,翻譯時不妨跟後面的兩個否定句對調,這樣就把表示禁止句子連在了一起。把表示要求、規勸、建議的句子連在一起,讀起來更順一些。 (11)周會(weekly meetings)。 (12)正襟危坐,意思就是「身子坐直,態度嚴肅」(sit up straight and be serious)。 (13)睡眠要足8小時(should get at least eight/eight full hours of sleep)。 (14)熄燈前,是指「在宿舍熄燈前」(before the lights are turned off in the dormitory)。 (15)洗澡入廁則是指「淋浴完畢,上完廁所」(finish using the showers and bathrooms)。 (16)起床做操:中文是並列結構,英文也可以譯成並列結構get up and do morning exercises,但不如將「做操」譯成狀語for morning exercises簡練。 (17)講話時不許口含食物,也就是「不要在嘴裡有食物時說話」(shouldn't speak with food in their mouths/with their mouths full)。 (18)在教室裡穿短褲(wear shorts in the classroom)。 (19)看電影有害學業,意思應當是「看電影過多會影響學習」(going to the cinema/movies too often will interfere with their studies)。 (20)看電視有害眼睛,也是指「看電視過多會損害視力」(watching too much television will ruin their eyesight)。 (21)飯前(before meals)。 (22)等等等:and so on and so forth或etc., etc..
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英文原來這樣說(EnglishIsAPieceofCake)
☆『Life sometimes doesn't work out the way you expected!』Paces sped up when it's time to return home on Sunday evening, and the crowds swarmed into the underpass or the stairs leading to the train station. All I wanted to do was go straight home and collapse in my bed covered with stacks of books, a dictionary-thick notebook, and of course piles of laundry about to reek of some molds. No place is like our homes, right? Caught off guard by a ragged, sloppy man lying on the ground with tangled beards stained by dust or some muds left by some pedestrians in those past rainy days, I was really startled to see him murmuring with some unknown phrases as if he were chanting some sutras or having a nightmare in the middle of his sleep. His vacant stares really alarmingly shocked me. It was not his filthy dress or coal-colored skin from head to toe but the scenario of me being abandoned by off -springs all alone there with no concern from the world, desperately and hopelessly. A total candle kept flickering in a gust of wind. It really struck me that those fears deep down my mind stemmed from the sense of security about the future full of variables. Again, the trust on the friendships seemed really unstable when we stepped into a different phase of our own families. ☆【Money-Strapped Young Adults are Struggling with petty pay!】As the proverb goes," Money talks and it really talks much louder under all circumstances. "Considering the stagnant wage growth in Taiwanese society has plagued many young adults and middle-aged workers who happen to be the sole bread-winners for their families, vulnerable to bill shocks as well as burdened with financial duties for children's school education charges and the medical cost for parents living in the care home which take most of their monthly hard-earned money. It's a cruel reality we are forced to endure and get used to. No matter how hard you work, the only thing you might handle is scrape by without the desire of achieving higher goals. ☆【We're better off if we go our own ways!】After resolving those people issues, I did realize how complicated everything could wind up beyond your expectations. Sometimes, it cannot maybe relate to your position, financial status, family condition, or some past traumas you've experienced before. For instance, one of my students sharing her logs in the chat room with the other student teased me over some hilarious behaviors in class or even called me names. One day, I was on my way to another language center in a vicious summertime and THAT STUDENT proposed the idea of accompanying me to the school and attended my courses in other branch. In the middle of our trips back and from there, I took the initiative to bring forth some interesting anecdotes about my life during schooldays full of academic pressure, frightened by those countless tests, exams, and avalanche-like homework on me. There were also some testing strategies I'd love to assist him with some tips I've learned from the hard way since he's a freshman in college. Unfortunately, those encouraging words from our conversations turned out to be an insult against me. " He did all the talk on the bus ride!", " How come I became such an exceptional student as he did!"," It's easy for him to say all these and he's growing out of that age, you know!" with the girl student also in my class on social network. ☆【Backstabbing is commonplace?】The sense of betrayal really shocked me to death and took a great toll on our trust. Anyone in my position would never mend the relationship anymore. Teachers are also men of blood and flesh. We definitely feel hurt by those careless words or deliberate comments on us after all the input of year-long effort and considerable amount of time and youth.(Yes, I started my teaching career right after attending university in Canada) If you were in my position, I would say there're two options you could go for: First, you should reconcile the reality and appear super friendly with students and your co-workers who reached out to help you out in hot water, always reminding you of having tea time together after work or last minute for groupurchasing. Too hypocritical for you? Let's quit the idea for that. What about making a long face with sternest attitude toward everything at work and stick to the principle of "Business comes first; Business is Business, Nothing personal!" ☆【Human Nature tends to be sheep? Jumping on the bandwagon is a trend?】The social experiment unveiled the human behaviors significantly affected by the surroundings and the subconscious loyalty to the group they intentionally participate into or by accident. The lady in the purple T-shirt randomly grabbed a magazine from the shelf at the corner and waited for her name to be called by the nurse in the waiting room for medical consultation and couldn't help but notice those patients beside or aligned with her row of seats suddenly getting out of their own seats, periodically repeating the same action like the religious rituals practiced in some primitive cultures or by religious followers. You might suspect that the lady shall find it odd to be part of the experiment and will definitely figure out how the whole project is being conducted by some psychologists or some crew for the reality show. Flabbergasted as you might imagine before, I eye-witnessed her gradually fidgeting on her seat and her sense of insecurity was overflowing right there and then. She, as the innocent lab rate in this experiment (to me, a total mean scam), feels really restless for a couple of minutes before she surrendered to practice the repetitive bouncing off the seat as well as slowly keeping her composure back to the seat like someone was brainwashed in a cult.( No offense, but the collective hypnosis is really emotionally disturbing and always creeps me out.) Yes, she SURRENDERED like most of us. Eventually she lost her discretion about the whole situation and lost her control of willpower to the peer pressure, even there're no one around her. She kept doing the same thing and started getting to affect others joining her leagues of waiting for the calls. Very few people dare to make a change in life and make attempts to be different from others in crowds. They are too intimidated by the idea of being labeled as "FREAK" or "WEIRDO" in social groups. That means you don't fit in and you're not welcome anywhere and anytime. That's why the party invitation always matters no matter how old you've grown. To those sheep in the society (ha, me included sometimes) There're way too many variables in every single way ahead and one new initiative for the company could be a great success or a downright flop. That will surely take a toll on your past achievement, long-held reputations, and your very precious people networks that we cannot afford to lose. There're millions of examples to elaborate the reason people become sheep and forsake their own thinking. But please note that it will feel really safe if you do as everyone does. Thanks to our education and traditional values, everyone tends to be mild-tempered and obedient compare to westerners, I guess. You might choose the road people have taken but it's nothing right or wrong to try a new track for new scenery. But it's great to stay out of the comfort zone for once. You only live ONCE. 1.亨利在學校的田徑賽跑中弄傷了腳踝。 (動詞上的轉換,準確用字) (原句)Henry hurt his ankles in the school race contest. (修正)Henry injured his ankles in the school race contest. 2.父母有時會在公共場合大聲斥責不守規矩的小孩(動詞片語的活用和細膩度,可以達到不錯的寫作和口說效果) (原句)Parents might yell at their children who acted inappropriately in public venues. (修正) Parents might lash out on their children who acted inappropriately in public venues. 3.在現今的社會中,我們通常在處理人際關係上都會特別留意。(利用慣用語來當點出主題PEOPLE ISSUES,富有成熟英文底子的同學可以學習的!) (原句) In the modern society, we tend to be more careful in dealing with people issues. (修正) In the modern society, we tend to be more tactful when it comes to people issues. 4.(超夯時事題:社會案件篇) 由於最近層出不窮的縱慾型殺人案,父母不禁對孩子的安危感到相當憂心。 (原句)Because of the recent spree killing cases, parents couldn't help but get anxious about safety of their children. (修正) Because of the recent spree killing cases ,children's safety has significantly concerned parents. 5.亞洲學生被迫要面對學業壓力。 (原句) Students in Asia are forced to face the academic pressure. (修正) Asian students appear vulnerable to great stress from the countless exams. 6. 喬治和莎莉之間的鬧劇是其來有自的! (原句)The unexpected divorce between George and Sally didn't happen at the snap of fingers. (修正)The unexpected divorce between George and Sally stemmed from some causes ( stem cell幹細胞) 7.壓倒我們關係的最後一根稻草(在推特上封鎖他的原因)是即使我已經釋出善意,對方還是充滿敵意。 (原句)The final reason for me to unfriend him on Twitter was his hostiltiy against everything I did though I had showed him nice gestures. (修正)The last straw for me to unfriend him on Twitter was his hostiltiy against everything I did though I had showed him nice gestures. 8. 不要只因為別人做錯一件事,就讓對方變成萬古罪人的機會。 (原句)Don't label a person just because he or she made a mistake. We all deserve a second chance.( label帶有刻板印象而對某人事物有的定論) (修正)Don't stigmatize a person only by his or her one-time wrongdoing. single out a person刻意孤立某人( stigma本為"污點"的涵意)
:組合組語實力秒增時間 現在老師要示範是一般在做英文筆記時,最常見也最有用的方法,那就是把相關用語整理起來:運動類、飲食類、情緒表達、衣著鞋服,機場過境時等常見的場景用語。隨時可以活用,輕鬆愉快還能隨時補充新學習到的內容,或是分享筆記和讀書會的朋友定期討論自己的學習內容有哪裡要訂正和加強的,進步肯定十分神速也多了和朋友的話題,何樂而不為呢? 1.延伸課程Extensive Course EX.: After exposing myself to(接觸) the basic level of French lessons, I found it really intriguing(有趣的) and profound(深奧的) in not only its culture but also the elegant languages. And my advisor suggested that I take some extensive courses, such as speaking training sessions, and cultural understanding classes available at the center. I cannot wait to learn and see more about this beautiful, unique culture. 2.密集課程Intensive Course EX.: It's really common for Asian students to swarm into the cram schools for the big exams for College Entrance and they will receive intensive course for several subjects and be tested repeatedly, which will familiarize themselves with some key points the test places a great emphasis on. &臨時抱佛腳:cram for + N/ NP. 3.速成課程班Crash Course EX.: When it comes to crash course, it seemed quite stressful (充滿壓力的) and unlikely to achieve. Very few people(極少數人) would take crash course out of no reason: Some diplomats are required to take Spanish or other foreign language courses for future negotiations or talk on social occasions in order to show our concern and manners as guests, others could feel urged to(感到急迫性的) learn how to cook for family before moving to a new place or living under the same roof with their " Hard-to-pleased" parents-in-law after the marriage , and still others would spend only two weeks in a row during the summer break to learn some skills which normally take nearly half a year. Signing up for crash courses sounds quite time-saving.(省時的)fuel-efficient省能源的 4.主要菜餚Main Dish EX.: As a well-educated diner, you are supposed to inquire if there's any particular dish the waiter might serve in season to cater to your need instead of giving him a hard time by being fussy during the whole meal. 5.順其自然 Nature will take its own course. EX.: When Susan failed to reach her son for the whole night, her worries grew to be anxiety and she had kept walking back and forth in the door and looking over the window to check whether his park was on the driveway it should have been. " Nature will take its own course," said I as one of her best friends. There sometimes are things you cannot rush, right? He's a grown-up, and you should stop getting so panicked as a helicopter parent. You are smothering him with love.(妳的愛會讓他窒息!) 每當聽到盪氣迴腸(MIND-BLOWING)交響樂作品,偶然讀到牽動思緒的鄉愁詩,或在閒聊時光時深入人心的話語,讓聽者能有心靈舒緩和精神得到久違的支持感!這時後可不能只是用老掉牙的NO PAIN, NO GAIN打發對方。 -
英文原來這樣說(EnglishIsAPieceofCake)
{ A SHORT TRIP CAN EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS AND BROADEN YOUR MIND THAN YOU'VE EXPECTED!} On the bus ride home, I was half asleep on the bumpy roads while some youngsters bragging their great harvest of capturing Pok?晹mon, the great sensation among all people for adults and children alike. In the middle of their conversations, they mentioned making a long trip from their places to the nearest parks, temples, stadium, or even to the largest shopping mall accessible by transportations for such great fun. An idea caught me off guard like a man struck by the thunder on his routine paths to work and kept asking myself, "Why have I been getting up so early for morning classes and scurrying from one school to another each day for making the hard-earned pennies for?" "Have I already achieved the life in my scenario years ago or just simply rolling myself forward without a pause for pondering on what exactly I am long for at this very moment?" No, I am just proud of being busy as a workaholic obsessed with monthly pay remitted into my banking account whose balance can afford some daily expenses or all forms of entertainments like most do in leisure time without financial burdens on shoulders or being crashed by a tall list of debts/loans stacked up on the desk or torturing bills from your medications. Yes, I have long considered myself fortunate enough to get employed for my passion and my supervisor won't always call me into his office to give me a piece of his mind, wearing dull attire strangling me to oxygen-deprivation. But an expendable job at my workplace forced me to wonder what I could do for myself to get my vigor recharged, my innovation stimulated, and my professionalism sharpen. Yes, a trip to my dream city, Paris, is the absolute answer to such questions some are at wars with themselves. But the thought was just budding before I figured the whole thing was a beginning of self-torment. There're times during class my head was spinning due to a heavy cold or heat stroke, but there' no excuse for my discomfort or any complaints over that. The truth is that I will never call in sick at the last time, which will be a great imposition on the language school which is unlikely to find a substitute for my class in such emergency. To me, punctuality and the sense of responsibility for work are the two major qualities leading one to success. Travelling itself didn't require much efforts but the process of preparing all itineraries can be rather exhausting, especially for my trip to Europe whose cities there are currently under the threat of the terrorist attack. But people in every corner on the globe still move on with their lives under all circumstances even if they've been struggling a lot like us from time to time. Resilience under heavy pressure is not popping out of nowhere but the long-lasting cultivation in oneself after experiencing ups-and-downs in life. All encounters could be tough or joyful and they will therefore nurture your soul, thus broadening your mind to all things exotic in contrast with your own culture/custom/belief. Before making a booking for my stay in France, I did hesitate for a while and keep wondering whether it is worthwhile to visit such romantic but unstable nation for the time being. Its history of abundance in full blossom is intertwined with significant events colliding with each other, the rise of glory flickering when the throne taken away from the former pride. Time changed, so did most dynasties or cultural revolutions overthrowing their regimes then for a better society, a better place conceiving civilization impacted by dissents, rebels, or some intellectuals sparking some flame for great awareness for individual obligations regardless of all bloodbath and wars with innocent civilians wailing behind. When strolling along the alleys, you needn't rush yourself like there's no watch around the wrist, letting time tick away, pacing yourself on the boulevard. Your sensual experience will shape your perception of the ambience you're immersing yourself into a restaurant on the corner of the street some pedestrians might run into, a candy shop down the street in the downtown where those hustle-and-bustle converged, or a breakfast station where some could order local dishes at the moment. "C'est la vie" isn't solely a slogan circulating among people but the sweet moment taking things not too personal or leaving all worries behind while savoring all in person. That will give you wonders by wonders. Look forward to more surprises from my upcoming trip? Stay in tune, and I'm going to explore the new places with my eyes and ears. Cannot wait to take your by surprise, hope in a good way though. 假期轉眼間就要結束(draw near to an end)了,希望大家可以脫離以往的思考模式,並且讓自己更加地活躍在不同的社交活動和增加不同興趣技能培養,不僅僅可以拓展自己的視野、增加話題豐富性、發展新事業的可能,更可以讓自己在未來可以有更多的選擇。不管在學習英文的過程當中碰到怎樣的困難,要告訴自己是很棒的經驗,以後可以幫助其他學習英文的朋友們,多了很多學習上甘苦談和同理心,也認識很多志同道合的朋友們一起為了學習而努力。在老師的文章中也有提到要出國漫遊放鬆的事情,是否在大家心中激起一陣想出國的火花呢?提到Brace yourself(嚴陣以待)這個生活用語,大家應該還記得小說改編的
納尼亞傳奇中,由預言中勇士們對邪惡冰雪女王發動攻擊時,為討回光明溫暖國度而組成的動物軍隊,一聽到Brace yourself,便立即拉滿弓,準備給敵方致命一擊(blow);而Brace這個單字除了「蓄勢待發」之外,還有其他涵義,別和(擁抱embrace)混淆了,書信裡會在信尾標上XOXO,代表 !在飯店發現房間裡的廁所無法順利沖水,就可以打電話到櫃檯(Front Desk多益聽力第三大題熱門單詞,可判斷說話者的談話地點)說:【The toilet won't flush, and please send someone up here for a checkup, please!】大家現在手機不離身、奪命連環傳簡訊,跟國外的好友們LINE訊息,也偶而來個XOXO,表達很關心對方。所以下次你可以跟朋友說"Please bring me some chocolate from Switzerland, XOXO"(拜託妳幫我帶瑞士巧克力囉,親一個喔!) 有些朋友因為希望自己"門面"(presentation)可以留給別人良好印象(good impression),所以決心忍痛去綁上Braces(牙套),通常都會感覺到牙齦很酸軟外,前一週大多進食上都會挺不舒服,也避免容易沾黏(sticky)或深色食材,像:咖哩(curry)、麻糬(glutinous rice cake)、咖啡、茶或著名綜藝節目女主持人就是經歷這樣的辛苦的矯正後,才能每每展現閃亮皓齒,說的老師自己都心動了,不過朋友常說自己的『牙縫』(Gap between teeth)過大,在中國人傳統理容易漏財或是花錢比較過於衝動( spend money on impulse),看來每件事都要有個動機(motivation, drive)才有可能更下定決心去執行吧! 生活小單字: 1.reboot(v.)重新開機 EX.:If you find it difficult to operate your computer, you are advised to reboot it for running the program as well as scanning the potential threats on the software.(如果使用電腦過程有些障礙,建議你可以重開機,然後把系統重新跑過一遍,也可以把軟體的潛在威脅掃描抓出來!)也要記得BACKUP(備份),不然資料不見真的會欲哭無淚!下次重新開機就要說Reboot,而不是turn on the computer again喔! 2.default(n.)原設定狀態 EX.:Your system will resume the default mode once requested, but those documents you used to save might be erased and irreversible.(一旦輸入指示,你的系統會回復至初始設定狀態,但那些原本儲存檔案有可能被刪除和無法回復之可能。)?這個單字常在電腦非正常關機狀態下,重新開啟就會有相關字樣出現,可別一興奮就按下去,之前花的苦心就不翼而飛。) 3.buffer(v.)緩衝 EX.:While downloading some applications, your electronic device requires some minutes of buffering before they are fully installed for use.(當下載一些應用程式時,所使用的電子裝置設備需要一些時間緩衝,才能完全安裝成功以供使用。) 4.frozen(a.)當機的EX.: I cannot believe John spilled his Apple Cider on my desktop which was later frozen and crashed.(約翰竟然把蘋果汁灑在我的桌電上頭,最後弄得當機又完全開不了機了,我整個傻眼了!) 5.Virus-ed(a.)(電腦)中毒的(virus病毒+ed)EX.: You can regularly scan the hard drive in your laptop, for some hackers taking advantage of the cyberspace got your device virus-ed, invaded your Cloud Information Database and stole your private information.(你可以經常掃描筆電中的硬碟,因為有些趁"網"而入的駭客會入侵雲端資料庫,而且還竊取你的私人資料內容。)→The video clip went viral with millions of clicks and became a sensation.(這份影音在網路爆紅,一夕間成了數百萬點擊的熱門話題。)→若要說人體感染到病毒,可以說get infected with +(disease) ;最近很多朋友都會詢問,我有點不舒服,但可能只是沒睡好或是著涼,但沒嚴重到要看醫生,要怎麼和外國老闆說,其實很簡單喔!可以說:1)I feel under the weather=2)I come down with something.都是很道地的表達用句呢! <美國影集:紙牌屋經典用語>Quotes from" House of Cards" 很明顯的這裡指的:HOUSE就是白官(WHITE HOUSE),裡頭政客的唇槍舌戰,可不輸當年諸葛亮舌戰群儒的激烈場面呢!讓我們一起來學習裡頭媒體和高高在上的掌權者之間的互動和用字巧妙之處,搞不好哪天你也會派上用場喔! 1. You just don't want to mingle with peasants.<你就是不想跟我這種粗人交往> 主角法蘭克發佈不參選總統後,卻又反悔要推出美國就業計畫(AMERICAN JOB),挪用龐大經費的前提下,也引起兩院強烈反彈,甚至剛好遇到颶風重擊國土,而不得不把這項曠日廢時又涉及權力鬥爭的美好願景喊停,也讓當權者臉上蒙上一層灰。於是有記者媒體發現,最近美國總統為了要提升自我形象,私底下接洽了熱門暢銷作家來進行這項美國就業計畫的測寫,讓國民可以從這本書的旋風來進行洗腦和提升接受度,進而讓這項能夠奠定代表性政績的機會勝券在握。但是這名作家三緘其口,就是不肯透露其中的內容和相關的細節,就被這名記者酸" You just don't want to mingle with peasants.(你就是不屑看待我這種粗人) 其實在美國的俗諺,老拿辛苦的農民當諷刺的對象,畢竟要種好農作物要花費的力氣、時間、金錢和動用的物資人力都相當驚人,更別提現在提倡休耕和輪作等等更進階的永續發展技術。所以,老師在這邊也要向辛苦從事農業的朋友們致敬,一日之所需,百工斯為備,每當在餐桌上大快朵頤的時候,看看碗中飽滿結實的米粒,就要想到這群揮著汗、頂著風雨的偉大無名英雄,不忘初衷、竭盡心力,來用心耕耘出偉大的台灣奇蹟。 2.Were you raised in the barn?<你可真沒水準> (這裡可不是禮貌問候您是打從穀倉來嗎?而是諷刺出身低下或教育水準不高的說法!通常都是指在內戰前的南方的黑人勞工,確實有歷史的背景存在而產生的歧視說法,所以千萬不要隨便脫口而出,可是相當失禮的!) 3. I wasn't born yesterday.<我不是三歲小孩> 4. I hate to sound like a broken record.<我也很討厭說話一直跳針。> 美妙佳句: "Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." 我們聽聞多半都是片段的評論,而非事實本身; 我們所接觸的往往為個人觀點,並非真相。 『本專刊內容由王軒老師提供,並與本社編輯部共同策畫製作』 -
英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
Have you ever felt patronized by others responding to your questions reluctantly or with a That-Really-Turned-Me-Off look? That really hurts your feeling when you really try to strike up a conversation in order to bridge a friendly relationship with others whom you met the first time or more than that. Here comes a puzzle that has been haunting me: It seems unlikely for a person to be level with you in all respects. People might feel safer when hiding something deep within, such as family issues, health condition, individual occupation, or financial status and so on. I can totally understand the feeling of being labeled by others with certain identity from which people can judge you to certain extent and predict what exactly person you are, how you are gonna behavior, or the depth of your conversation riveting at " entertainments" or " philosophy of life". Again, it's quite a challenge for pretty much every single person honest with you or with your questions. We must hide something really private from friends, family, or the significant others. Well, if you have to lie in my face about your preference, that might get me to scratch my head and such interaction could help me deduce that you could be a habitual liar or the deceiver to anyone around whether you are aware of or not. I didn't mean to intensify the whole relationships with others but simply take everyone really seriously thought they don't feel the way as I do. One of my students in class, Lee as a programmer for a backpacking website, has been carrying his "favorite" strawberry doughnut to my class all the time except the days he's absent from those. There's a day I couldn't help but confront him with the question, " Do you have a sweet tooth for strawberry?" " No, that's the last one left on the shelf at the convenience store. I was running later for your class right after my work in Taipei. Just grab one for my growling stomach." "That explains a lot!" But wait, the same excuse has been used nearly twenty times in his carrying strawberry-bread-case which really intrigued our interest afterwards. Some students even accused him of being overly-protective about his addiction to strawberry, for which we are all fine with that and we love the way he is. But did he just confess his great affection for that particular taste for bread? Not At All! I am sorry to fail you in this case but the prejudice of this modern society really prevented males from revealing their feelings for something romantic or colorful that will be instantly connected to girlish attitude and emasculating images you might notice from some movies children had been traumatized simply due to their sexual orientation or hobbies different from general expectations rooted in our culture. If a guy told me that he would like to join some yoga classes, I might appear startled right then because there's no male in my school willing to practice yoga or aerobics for passion. Education can be the only way out helping us get to know more choices from different people who are entitled to equal opportunities for what they like in life. But still the reason that people are being really insincere is because they have been afraid of making mistakes since childhood, especially in Asian countries. Teachers at school don't take " I have a different idea" or " Could it be possible that the textbook knowledge can be false?" for answers. You will soon be regarded as a rebel in class by your professor and the rest of the peer. It didn't take long before you realized you had been marginalized because you were trying to tell a truth only. You might intend to laugh over all these anecdotes after you've grown out of that age then. Apparently, we couldn't avoid dealing with all the things more or less. That shall be a lifelong learning chance for us to evolve into a mature person who could either perceive or relate to others' comments or acts without being too judgmental or hypercritical. Daily Expressions: 1.After learning of the demise of my grandparent, it's too much for me to take. 2.It's widely known that you never prepare too much for the exam. 3.We can notice that fishing for sympathy is rather common among us, considered part of human nature. 4.Why did you draw so many inspirations for your novel? 5.I prefer living in the city rather than the countryside because of its convenient transportations, a wide variety of entertainments, and hustle-and-bustle. 6.It's simmering summer so that we find it really sticky to exercise or go window shopping outdoors. 7.Thank you for your hospitality and your house is really cozy with sweet family and lovely decorations. 8.Let me level with you regarding this plan this month of going picnicking with our co-workers. The incentive trip is a must for all salesperperson. 國際化是什麼?夠把精品店品牌如數家珍?戴起一只價值連城的鑽石?還是優閒地走在路上,手中拿著連鎖咖啡廳的飲品?如果是如此,可能就是盲目罷了!所謂的國際化,也要多注意全球化帶來的商業商品流通和本國自身人口遷徙現象變動,這可不是穿上來自各國品牌服飾或拿起價值數千萬的珠寶可以扛起的概念,是多了"異文化的同理心和尊重"。大家口說常說族群融合和尊重多元發展和價值,但很明顯地,在各地大眾運輸上(Public Transportation),每每聽到操著不同口音(accent)的英文或華語,多半都是竊竊私語(whisper),不然就是小聲地批評(criticize +N/Np./V-ing+ in small volume)。有回從台北車站下課,剛好遇到多年前班上的學生,於是我們用英文分享最近生活小確幸;此時,對面座位的高中生們,使著疑惑又不是很友善(unfriendly)的眼神,用中文說著:「會英文了不起喔!?」但自己手中卻拿著英文單字書,這不是很諷刺(ironic)嗎?語言是打開彼此文化大門,一窺不同風情的生活內涵與不同生活圈的精神,並沒有驕傲或自滿的概念!反倒是,學了一種外語後,我們要利用這樣的能力去獲取新知,增進自己的能力和拓展世界;最最重要,就是幫助我們台灣朋友、亞洲朋友,甚至不熟稔英語的朋友,來解決生活大小事情。因為這也是到世界各地都奉行的簡單想法。語言沒有高低,只有用心觀察和找對方法,存有太多成見,是很難接受其他新的概念和知識的!所以,想把語言真正融入自己的生活、深入體驗,需要更謙卑的心態和開闊的胸襟,讓自己不只是在背誦一個接著一個生硬的字眼,而是想著在怎樣特定的情況,可以表達出自己的想法和需求,最後順利完成溝通這件美妙又快樂的事情。即是老師常提醒各位同學:立足台灣,放眼國際。 你有想過有多少華僑在國外奮鬥嗎?客家電視台的<作客他鄉>節目,不管是在法國南部小鎮生活的台灣媳婦,或是在寮國開拓個人事業的夫妻檔,這些台灣的鄉親都非常努力地在自己的生活上耕耘努力,辛苦的汗水、淚水,也在認識新文化中慢慢地落地生根,近而愛上這塊異國的土地。不僅入境隨俗地(When in Rome, do as Romans do)凌晨五點鐘起來準備零食及米飯給僧侶,也努力學習當地語言,活絡彼此的想法和溝通生活上的大小事情;更甚者,有許多新移民會主動去改善當地教育水準,興建起學堂和定期與跨國際醫療團為當地的孩子就診。每每看到這一幕就會讓我相當的感佩,也會想起在遠渡重洋來到台灣的外籍朋友們,在台灣的新生活用心地在這塊土地貢獻,進而成為我們社會富強的基礎和希望。更重要地,當深入異國文化時,會以更謙卑又寬容的心態去欣賞許多新環境的美好和驚喜。 許多電視節目上都紛紛介紹台灣新移民的生活分享,非常興奮地介紹家鄉的拿手菜,不管是顏色鮮豔可口,抑或是口感酸甜苦辣,彷彿都是這些辛苦又努力融入台灣新生活的寫照。從以前就注意到台灣許多節目紛紛邀請從歐洲、東南亞、大陸地區、香港及澳門地區,以及遠從非洲來到台灣依親,或從工作、相戀,最後以台灣配偶身分成為我們台灣社會的一分子。我國國人跨國(境) 不但與國人共同生活,並兼負家庭照顧及社會服務等重要角色,但由於語言、文化之差異,仍有生活適應等問題,政府必須負起照顧輔導之責任。 很多文化衝擊(Cultural Shock)早在申請移民時就開始了,許多的書面資料審核、曠日廢時的書件往返和面談機制、語言能力標準審核、財力證明與身體健康檢查,甚至還有規定在原國內無犯罪紀錄,到了移入國還會遭遇許多語言上或是社會中的歧見對待。有時不禁讓我們思考:所謂的國際化只是所謂迎合『主流文化』?還是鼓勵歧視(discriminate)與自身不同的人事物呢?這一刻就會了解法國人為什麼捍衛母語和其彌足珍貴的文化內涵,那並不單純是一種自傲神態,更是世代所肩負的使命和責任感。珍惜每個交流的機會和分享彼此價值觀的初衷,會學到很有趣的故事呢!在國外總會被問起:『去台灣可以從事哪些有趣的活動呢?哪裡一定要好好瞧瞧?哪些食物要好好品嘗呢?如果我只有五天可以逛逛這個寶島,搭火車是最好的嗎?』當不認識自己文化時,是最可惜的!要把台灣介紹到世界的舞台,就要從認識台灣開始,不是嗎?希望大家可以讚嘆更多美好的古蹟、歌頌歷久彌堅的傳統、聆聽長輩細數的歷史過往,共享這份洗淨鉛華又刻劃你我生命源頭的回憶,那是心靈歸屬最踏實的部分,就在人們交會中傳遞著、流動著,無形地撐起我們的天地和從未遠離的深深情懷。 其實有印象同學除了很愛誤用save money(節省或財務規劃)當作make deposits存款外,老師也很常聽到學生說:『這個遊戲好fashion喔!』那麼這就是說明在「詞性錯置」和平時口說表達的結構過於鬆散,腦中翻譯句子也忽略了最基本的細節概念。在國外每次只要看到APPETIZER(開胃菜),價錢也不輸主菜,但總怕點到地雷,偏偏一樣的價位,同學拿到大如碗公的沙拉雞絲總匯,送上桌前的只有很像菜鳥廚師做壞的菜(rookie是來自於球隊稱呼對方"菜鳥",!另外,也可以用apprentice描述剛開始學習技巧或進入新團隊的成員,"學徒"的意思;同時也是美國當紅電視實境秀商業大亨川普先生(Mr. Trump)選接班人的挑戰賽The Apprentice"誰是接班人")。遇到朋友要準備出門用餐或是有機會服務客人,就可以親切地用法文" Bon Appetit"(這是有連音的喔!發音近似Bo-Na-Pe-Ti,碰那朋踢),稍微輕柔地念出,下次在餐桌上令人刮目相看(偷偷告訴同學:其實往往選訂餐廳後,老師都會先乖乖在家裡做功課爬討論區看看REVIEW,確認自己要點的菜是人人按讚而且也有其他隱藏菜單,只有行家才會知道的,都會讓這場聚會有不同的驚喜和值回票價,也別忘了給優秀的店家一個肯定的微笑喔!)
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
Today's Special: Brian's Mailbox (Questions regarding life issues) Please try to answers those questions as the following. Question One: Do you consider yourself a confident person?Why or why not? Yes, I do. Because I had failed in things several times from childhood to adulthood. Since then, I have been practicing a lot for almost everything, including my work and some professional techniques over and over again. Therefore,I've improved my relationships with others and embraced my life as well as moments for solitude. I am now leading a confident life. What about you? Question Two: What's the most efficient approaches to making friends with strangers? Under the circumstances of socializing with a bunch of strangers, I might withdraw from the crowds and therefore cringe at the corner for observing people who might be attracted to me or admiring my thoughts. Perhaps I could be acquainted with friends who share a lot in common with me and we should hit it off then. We can strike up a conversation regarding fashion, work, and the campus life. Question Three: Have you identified your passion yet in life? Is it possible to realize your dream at the early stage of your career? Most people are pursuing richer lives full of luxury enjoyments and parties as if they were the centers of the world crowning them as the King or Queen entitled to privileges. In my case, I'd rather do whatever at will; However, I haven't found one for my ideal job or dream by far, but I am firmly convinced that there'll be one in the future. Question Four: Why did you plan on raising children instead of remaining single with more freedom in hand? People born with the ability of loving others and expecting to be loved in return are showering others with great affection, such innate ability ingrained in human nature and solidified in further education. For instance, I've been learning how to be a mother and re-experiencing a brand-new childhood as an adult. It's simply pure and lovely to feel loved and give it at the same time. And all of a sudden, you've found reasons fighting for your life and his/hers. It's a miracle from the above, a grand scheme of things beyond our scopes. Familiarity breeds contempt. Whenever having quarrels with my baby daughter, I felt torn for hurting her feelings. I wish I could protect her as long as humanly possible. Questions Five: What's the longest hours have you waited for someone? What's the occasion? Last month, on my way home around the dusk, I felt really exhausted that day after meeting up my friends at a tea house so that I phoned my family to pick me up at the station. Little did I know why my mother who answered the call and promised to give me a ride didn't show up as scheduled, I had thought she was supposed to be there for me, but there's no soul as I could spot. After having been stood up for half an hour, I gave up the idea of being treated as a fool in public. Yes, I went home on foot and felt terribly betrayed or abandoned like a stray dog unleashed by my owner who never returned to fetch me at the community park. Question Six: What kind of people do you feel repulsive about? Why? I really dislike the smell of cigarettes because the passive smoke can not only be tickle my throat, pollute the whole living environments but also killed people around you, especially your family. Question: Seven: What have I learned from the trip to New Zealand? ( A boy student went on a study tour by himself for the first time traveling abroad) I have learned to travel alone and deal with all problems in the process of taking my flight from Taipei to New Zealand via Wellington. It was my first time with no one familiar to me starting the trip so desperately and nervously. Before I arrived there, I was helped by a great number of strangers and that made feel so eager to learn English well as soon as possible. I did grow more independent on my way home after the whole program. It was truly rewarding but appalling to me. Let's book myself on the next flight to somewhere. I will do much better than the first time. < Being Self-Conscious is Not my Fault but a Downfall!> You might hear the similar things from your beloved ones, coworkers, or family quite repetitively like "How come do I get so vulnerable to get myself stressed out and ride on the roller-coaster of the mood swings in just a day?" "All encounters shall be wonderfully rewarding and positively sweet, but NOT in my case." The truth is that we might consider walking on the street with our chins-up, but somehow the glimpses or unexpected eye-contact can be really offensive as if those pedestrians or bus drivers behind the windows could possibly see through my souls, leaving me totally naked in their brains and studying me like the physicians checking the patients' limbs or doing the knee's reaction test. Being ''paranoid'' is an understatement. You might wonder why I took so many information or ''seemingly existing criticism'' so seriously that I am shackled to it so vulnerably. Let me walk you through the whole thing from the very start. We were all born in a society full of CONTRAST. Which category do you fall into, top performers or underachievers whose criteria mainly depend on subjective observation or collective awareness of an individual? You parents always appeared so dissatisfied with your academic performance at school no matter how much you've progressed. It's another nightmare when all the relatives were gathered together during Chinese New Year in Chinese culture or the Christmas time family members have your neighbors or whoever is able to make it to the celebrations. When a gang of strangers barged into your premise, they started to point their fingers at every single thing in sight, trying all means of degrading your achievements after long-year efforts and putting you into a difficult position when compared with your siblings, cousins, or someone you've never heard of. They just knew how to belittle you in the bone. Perhaps they can put'' Mentally Abuse others'' on the resume which might be a selling point during a job interview. Human nature simply works like that and you just cannot run away from them. Recently, one of my best friends, Emily, was in a total dilemma with her fianc?, a mild-tempered and caring person willing to clean the whole house without any complaint. Everything seemed perfect in the process of dating each other. Something went wrong that she started being invited to his fianc?晹's family reunion every weekend. That's terribly annoying! Any Citizen Digital Certificate IC card holder can apply for「Entry/Exit Dates Certificate」online As long as aged 18 or above and holding a chip-embedded Alien Resident Certificate card issued by MOI, an alien can apply for 「Alien Citizen Digital Certificate」.(hereafter referred to as 「Alien Certificate」) National Immigration Agency, MOI announced that the service of 「Alien Certificate」officially kicks off on Apr. 25 and the applicant can visit any service center of NIA for application. Once obtaining the「Alien Certificate」, the foreigner living in Taiwan can enjoy the e-government services through the internet and appreciate the convenience and friendliness in Taiwan even more. National Immigration Agency was quoted as saying: "For a long time, the foreigners based in Taiwan usually have had to visit government offices in person and could've done the business after their identities having been verified. It was an extremely onerous and time-consuming ordeal for them. However, from now on, thanks to the service of 「Alien Certificate」which can verify the identity of its owner through the internet, the foreigners can cut back a lot of their time going through the procedures and will be entertained with the convenience, swiftness and high security provided by the infrastructure of Taiwan government." It is estimated that NIA's service centers around Taiwan will launch the service of application for「Alien Certificate」since Apr. 25, 2016. Any alien aged 18 or above can apply at any service center of NIA with his/her chip-embedded Alien Resident Certificate card. The holder of 「Alien Certificate」 IC card can utilize the 「Certificate of Entry/ Exit Dates Online Application」service at NIA's website. The application procedures of 「Alien Certificate」are as follow: 1.Apply in person: The applicant must bring his/her Alien Resident Certificate card. 2.Pay online: The applicant must go to the "Alien Customized Page" at MOICA's website and make the payment(IC card fee NTD250 +postage NTD25) with credit card within 15 days of application. 3.Activate IC card: The Alien Citizen Digital Certificate IC card will be mailed to the applicant's address. Once receiving the IC card, the applicant shall go to the "Alien Customized Page" at MOICA's website to activate the IC card online. The validity of「Alien Certificate」is 5 years. The IC card will show the name of its holder and expiration date and can be used as ID on the internet. It will take 10 working days to mail the IC card on Taiwan mainland and take another 2-3 working days to offshore islands.(only domestic mail is available) If an alien acquires citizenship and still needs the Citizen Digital Certificate, he/she must go to Household Registration Office personally to apply for the certificate all over again as Taiwan citizen. For more information, please go to MOICA's website(http://moica.nat.gov.tw) for reference. Customer service hotline: 0800-080-117; business hours: 07:00~23:00. 平日走到街上,感覺地面都在冒煙,真的是有幾分夏天氣息。要是太久沒有補充水分,身體狂sweating(正在流汗的)就很快dehydrated(身體缺水或幾近脫水的狀態),這可是很危險的!Heat這個單字大家都常看到,但同學卻很少學習相關的用法!開頭就要跟大家來好好分享:「HEAT」! 1. It's heating hot out there and you could scorch an egg on the hood. 外頭快熱暈人了,根本就可以在車蓋上把蛋給烤焦了! 2. Turn off the heater, or it might cost you an arm and a leg. 把暖氣關了,不然總費用可是所費不貲。 3. If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.(人生劇場警語) 待不下這麼熱烘烘的廚房,就別來這邊工作了!(意指:一個人要是沒有能耐,就提早離開職場吧!)請同學務必背起來這個五星級超好用佳句! A:You never know how my supervisor has been treating me with such heavy workload and demand that no one in the office be allowed to leave earlier if work done. What a world!(我那個上司老是丟給我繁重工作,還命令每個人工作完成也不能先離開辦公室!太扯了!) B:To level with you, it's how the society works. If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. Talent shouldn't be confined with such humble compensations, right?(平心而論,這個社會不就是這樣嗎?如果你真的受不了這種狀況,就辭職好啦!像妳這樣優秀的人才真是被虧待了,對吧?) 4. Please heat the baguette and the chicken roll for me, thanks.(想加熱剛剛點的法式麵包和雞肉捲,謝謝!) 5. The recent studies indicated that the heat wave in Europe had claimed at least dozens of people in the past years; what's worse, approximately five hundred locals in Pakistan succumbed to(屈服於…) the heat wave this year. 最近研究指出:歐洲過去幾年的熱浪至少奪去二十多人性命;更嚴重地,在巴基斯坦最近有五百多人死於今年的這場熱浪中。 6.The heating debate over the development project in one of Taipei's nature reserve.關於台北自然保育區改建案引起極大的爭議。 &以上同學可以看到HEAT本身有不同的搭配詞語並且也可以用很活潑的語氣用在不同交談場合和時機。 <文法測驗題目>請找出句中不符合文法的句子喔!別急著看答案 1. The modern (A)skyscrapers, though (B)visually pleasing, (C)they have been heating and cooling systems that required closed windows and additional cost of maintenance and (D)consequently waste money. 現今高樓大廈雖然看起來挺壯觀,緊閉窗戶額外定期維修的費用,來配合暖氣及冷氣設備運作,這筆花費會相當的驚人。 2. Most commuters in Europe tend to go to work by undergrounds. 大多在歐洲的通勤族都會搭地鐵上下班。 3. The prestigious university that founded in 1971 with few resources have been advocating equal right for education and liberty. 在1971年創立知名校院起初資源短缺,不遺餘力倡導教育平權及自由平等。 4. This program will offer you with great opportunities of operating multi-media learning materials. 這個課程會提供實際操作多媒體教材機會。 5. Among all candidates, Cathy overshadowed others with her witty talks and exhibition of professional skills. 在眾多面試者中,凱西憑著慧黠言談和專業技能技壓群雄。 6. This typhoon had left many residents to be homeless and desperately starved.這次颱風讓許多居民無家可歸且飢寒交迫。 7. This restaurant has a good reputation for hospitability service and intricate cuisines which my colleagues highly recommended.' 這家餐廳令人感到賓至如歸和提供精緻菜餚,同事大推! 8. You might consider Harvard University as the best school for advanced educations. <文法測驗題目Answers> 1.(C)→have been 2.undergrounds →underground 3. founded →was founded 4. with →X (offer sb. sth.) 5. Among →Of 6. to be →X 7. hospitability →hospitable 8. as →X
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
Monthly Talk﹕
Shifting one's career is never an easy task. Considering my observation upon friends around randomly enrolling in some departments in universities or colleges uninteresting or less self-driven to them due to the overall scores they'd earned at the exams, they again landed jobs as most did with monotone shifts boring them to the bones. How many of you have given up the long-held dreams and ambitions during stressful academics, the multitude of studies almost crashing your back all coming to you at once. This year, there's an English writing test guiding students to pen down their thoughts regarding a tough call for a graduate school student to be a waste collector (or in a better term as a "Hygiene Inspector")after earning the diploma. It might seem insane after investing considerable amount time and money into his studies and future supposedly on the path of landing a decent job with high-paying job entailed with greater responsibilities and higher social status. But to me, there's nothing wrong or right about this choice. Every job has its own underlying significance and functions we could hardly grasp. It's easy to judge others without looking at our own issues on the plate. What I felt appalled when people sneezed at this important and challenging task of cleaning the streets and collecting leftovers, wastes from many households was our ungrateful and condescending attitude. You think you are better than any of us﹖ Yes, you may be in possession of abundant wealth which gets some jealous but it doesn't entitle you to despise anyone you've met or are about to encounter. Who disposed of your gross dumps on a daily basis﹖ Who drove the plane when you were laidback watching the great in-flight films﹖ Who educated you to use forks and knives politely in order when dining at the restaurants﹖ Who remained patience with your muddy shoes stained the floor a janitor spent hour-long cleaning, mopping and waxing﹖ Who prepared your take-outs for meals when you are in a rush for grabbing food for meals so as to resume your work for returning home earlier for a good rest﹖ You needn't please them but respect them with conscience and consideration. What you have enjoyed in a day didn't come from nowhere but hands of those sweating so hard to provide those services. No contempt to any occupations which always worth my sincerest salutation and a pat on the shoulder for such amazing jobs they've collaborated with to create tons of miracles for a great society. You are proud in whatever you choose to do and I can fully love the idea to have your back. You might like some others out there always seeking methods of entertaining, pleasing others for the whole life. As a student, you might try all means of scoring high at the tests and win the smiles from your parents, teachers, and admiration from your peer. But while being showered with all the glorious moments, you felt genuinely happy deep within there and so sure of your life﹖ Years after, you'll be stuck in the idea of seeking employment in some successful enterprises or organizations which can reflect the higher social status and handsome salary, measuring up to the picture your family have long expected you to be. Aren't you tired of the game like so﹖ Perhaps you already fell victim to those vicious cycles for long and started to get used to it without any more struggles which might ambush and then catch you off guard at numerous sleep tights you thought to yourself," Is this what my life is all about﹖ Shouldn't I deserve a better life﹖" Don't be hard on yourself, please﹗ Even if you get to the top of the class during schooldays, get accepted by some global firms well-known in your industry, or settle down in the beautiful residence of your neighborhood. Are you currently satisfied with your life and planning to pursue higher goals there﹖ Don't be silly, I was there and then. Having a quick flashback on my life, I sometimes dwell on the past where I took a great fall and how I got on my feet again. The answer was ridiculously simple and almost dropped my jaws. When you want it the most, there's no easy way out, right﹖ You can totally apply this theory to all situations there. Sometimes you might get fatigued about marching on your own and really need some assurance from your pals or some authorities. But here is the thing you need to note that you are the only person responsible for the consequences of those decisions made at the very first place and you cannot expect to live someone's life forever all the time. I always told myself and beloved friends still active and responsive on social networks or in regular contacts, we all have done a whole lot of things in life and sometimes stumbled for foolish acts before getting to know the knack of being a happy individual with peace of mind. Chin up and always take extra interest in things around. You won't regret doing what I've just said. Still glue your face to the screen of the smartphone like a drug addict to this cocaine﹖ Take a stroll at the park and heave your head up for the shimmering moonlight and you'll get really surprised how long you haven't laid eyes on such beautiful wonders surrounding us. 1.貴店最晚幾點關門呢﹖ A. When will your shop be closed﹖ B. How late are you open﹖ 2. 本周我們合約就會到期了。 A. Our contract will expire this month. B. Our contract will finish this month. 3. 我的筆記型電腦當機了。 A. My computer didn't move at all. B. My laptop freezes. 4. 這份薪水不算高。 This is not a good salary. This is not a high salary. 5. 這個工作內容有哪些﹖ A. What does this job entail﹖ B. What does this work include﹖ 6. 我從來沒有來過這裡。 A. I have never been here before. B. I had been to this place before. 7. 恭喜您榮陞。 A. Congratulations on your promotion﹗ B. Congratulations for your promotion﹗ 8. 他的工作獲得全體長官的肯定。 A. His work was highly agreed by all supervisors. B.His work has gained the recognition of all supervisors. 9. Don't get me involved in this case. A. 不要把我拖下水﹗ B. 這真是一件不小的挑戰啊﹗ 10. She was really cross with me yesterday. A .昨天她很真心地祝福我。 B. 昨天她對我真的很火大。 1.貴店最晚幾點關門呢﹖ (B) 正確答案為B.How late are you open﹖最晚會營業到哪個時候呢﹖因為A.When will your shop be closed﹖的CLOSE意思"營業結束或歇業了"﹐這樣可是會引起不小的誤會喔﹗所以仔細用字還是很重要的。 2.本周我們合約就會到期了。(A) 正確答案為﹕A. Our contract will expire this month.大家都答對了嗎﹖各位同學不妨把自己的信用卡或護照拿出來﹐上頭的有效期限和發證日期﹐大家都有認真地看過是怎樣表達嗎﹖其實這是很簡單的。因為在英文裡只要是"核發"相關的商業用字就是ISSUE﹐沒錯就是我們常見到的議題﹐還記得老師苦口婆心提醒大家﹐其實英語世界裡很少直接把PROBLEM掛在嘴上﹐反而用ISSUE來表達目前有件"需要處理的議題"在進行當中。 3.我的筆記型電腦當機了。(B) 正確答案就是B. My laptop freezes.就好像整個螢幕放進冰箱﹐一動也不動﹐是否很生動的形容方法呢﹖而不是大家看到的A. My computer didn't move at all.(我的電腦動彈不得)﹐聽起來真的很搞笑。同學也特別在課堂上會反映﹐老師我的電腦壞掉了﹐如果用My computer is broken可以表達我的意思嗎﹖但其實這句的意思是﹕我的電腦支離破碎。老師更常聽到的是"I want to open the computer."(我要把電腦大卸八塊)﹐聽起來挺像無敵破壞王的行為。 4.這份薪水不算高。(A) 正確答案為A.This is not a good salary.也可以說成"This is a big salary."如果要加強說明這份工作是很高薪的﹐可以完整地用"This is a high-paying job."來表達﹐所以B句也可以如上述這樣來做修改就可以使用了。 5. 這個工作內容有哪些﹖(A) 正確答案就是A.What does this job entail﹖這句可以說是職場英文經典名句喔﹗這可是在工作面談前﹐自己就要先做的功課﹗可別等主管面試當場confront(直接質詢)受試者﹐才在一問三不知就糗大了喔﹗另外﹐在多益聽力第二大題問答題型和第三大題對話也是出現的熱門考點﹐或許聰明的你已經發現本句中的TAIL有'尾巴'的意思﹐通常用來介紹工作職稱的延伸職責內容(比如﹕需要短期出差和不定期加班等要求)。另外﹐大家對於英文單字的字源常接觸後﹐也不難發現英文裡的動詞多有EN-作為字首, 或字綴--EN來做'加強'或'使變為', EX.﹕ strengthEN(使增強"系統能力"), ENhance(讓提升"能力"), frightEN(使"誰"驚嚇)﹐ENdorse(讓"名人"代言商品), eye-widENing(讓眼睛瞪大驚人事情)﹐ ENvision(能夠猜想預想)等等。而B.What does this work include﹖會讓雇主認為是偏向工作福利(benefit package﹕ 員工旅遊incentive trip, 年終獎金annual bonus, 特休annual leave, 紅利分配dividend, a raise, 醫療保障medical coverage)部分去詢問。 6. 我從來沒有來過這裡。(B) 正確答案為B. I had been to this place before.意思為"我之前就來過這裡了"﹐但老師要特別提醒學生在翻譯的時候有文法had been過去完成式的時候﹐必須要配合一個"簡單過去式"來表示過去發生的後續事情﹐不如就來帶大家看看例句﹕Fiona went to Macau after she had paid a visit to Denmark.(費歐娜參訪丹麥後﹐後來又去了澳門。) 7. 恭喜您榮陞。(A) 正確答案為A. Congratulations on your promotion﹗其實在各項英檢選擇題都常會有"挑戰習慣用語"的題型﹐講到"要為一件事情負責任"的時候﹐考生都會直接反應出be responsible for +N/NP(多半為負責固定或某件事務)﹐而碰到be responsible to work under sb(工作在誰的團隊裡)這類的表達﹐就會非常錯愕甚至感覺陌生。其實這都是來自於平時的閱讀量過小﹐面對介係詞的定義太過於模糊。老師再舉個例子給大家練習﹕ The chandelier is ____ the ceiling.(水晶燈掛在天花板下方。)這時候同學都會被中文語意直接影響甚多﹐而忘了其實介係詞"ON"的定義是"在物體的表面之上"﹐所以這題的答案還是ON而不是第一時間反應出來的UNDER。 8. 他的工作獲得全體長官的肯定。(B) 正確答案為B. His work has gained the recognition of all supervisors.說到被某人認同確實是件很辛苦的事情﹐因為起初只有自己努力不懈和堅持前進﹐結果也不見得如期發生﹐但就是要有信心去達成﹐而且也要從自己建立信心﹐進而說服身邊的人﹐才能嚐到甜美的果實呢﹗ &各種『同意』表示﹐程度不同﹐時機也相當固定喔﹗ A.approval﹕(supervisor subordinates)上司對下屬批准動作, approval of personal leaves。同學最近也很常提到﹐「我最近在放假(沒上班)」到底要怎麼表達呢﹖I am on vacation是正在度假中﹐時間上性質上都很廣泛﹐所以不適合。最正式的說法應該為I am taking leaves.可以完整的表達這句話﹗ B. admission﹕獲得進入某場所的資格﹐比如admission ticket入場﹖be admitted to + school入學許可﹔be admitted to the hospital(by a doctor) 正式獲准入院 C.permit﹕ 官方許可證legal authorization fishing/ work/study/hunting + permit(捕漁/工作/就學/打獵許可證) D.permission﹕口頭上許可 Why did you fumble through my stuffs without my permission﹖ (為什麼可以不經過我的允許﹐這樣亂翻我的東西﹖) That's so-called "theft", you know﹖ (這是偷竊你不知道嗎﹖) E. agreement﹕ 兩方協議 (TOEIC Standardized Test) The Fox Engineering and Construction Corp. has some issues with the terms of the contract(契約內容細目) F.consensus﹕ 經過磋商(negotiation)或妥協(reconciliation)後﹐兩造獲得共識reach a consensus 9. Don't get me involved in this case. (A) 正確答案為A.不要把我拖下水﹗ 10. She was really cross with me yesterday. (B) 正確答案為B.昨天她對我真的很火大。這是非常可愛的說法﹐而且是氣到把對方老放在心上﹐好像在折磨自己又一邊想著對方﹗