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﹗