輕鬆學英語
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The Differences between Public Primary Schools in America and Kinmen
When I compare public primary schools in America and Kinmen, I reflect on my experiences teaching first grade in America, my time at Bor-Tsuen Primary School in Kinmen, and anecdotes from fellow English Teaching Assistants about their current schools. Here are a few of my observations. The economic backgrounds of my students certainly play a role in these cultural and educational differences. For example, my public school students in America came from working class families, which means that their guardians often worked in the food industry and in other menial labor businesses. Many of their families spoke Spanish, so there was a language barrier that impeded communication. My students in Kinmen come from nearby farming and fishing villages. Some of them have immigrated from mainland China, aboriginal Taiwan, and Thailand. Their families speak dialects, resulting in a language barrier between school faculty and student populace. There are a few key cultural differences between public primary schools in America and Kinmen that immediately stand out to me. The first is the structure of the buildings themselves. American schools tend to have all their classrooms connected by closed hallways, while on rainy days in Kinmen, I have had to take an umbrella from the office building to the classrooms, from the classrooms to the cafeteria since there are no connecting hallways to keep me dry. American school buildings typically have a heating system installed as well, so wearing a coat inside the classroom along with my students at Bor-Tsuen was a new experience. Another cultural difference is how the American school system views special education students. Cases of abuse are treated separately from students with developmental delays, learning disorders, and physical disabilities. On the other hand, in Kinmen, I was surprised when my student with emotional problems was taken out of the classroom as often as the boy who could not remember how to write his own English name for an entire semester (before I shortened it to four letters). Finally, maintenance for the entire school is typically the responsibility of employees in America. For example, the custodian mops the hallways and the groundskeeper sweeps the campus. In Kinmen, students play a role in the upkeep of school grounds. Another cultural difference is that in America, classes are supposed to start when the bell rings. Students should already be at their desks, waiting for instruction. In Kinmen, the bell signals that students are to come to class. Students who have not finished their beginning-of-the-day chore can continue even after the bell has rung. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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Empowerment through Dance
I have taken some different styles of dance class since I was three years old. Most of my training was in ballet and modern dance, which means I never studied any eastern styles of dance. I was excited to have the opportunity to study two styles of traditional Chinese dance under 董育欣老師 at the community college. I was very concerned about joining the class due to my limited Chinese conversational skills. In spite of this fear, I registered for the class. I joined a traditional Chinese dance class because in order to participate, I did not need to understand every word the teacher said. Many stories are told using dance, and I often feel that certain feelings can be better conveyed through movement than simply through words. Dance is a universal language through which ideas and emotions can be expressed. I was able to develop relationships and communicate with some women in the class through our shared interest in expression through movement. I did some research and found videos online of different examples of Dai dance and Mongolian chopsticks, the two classes in which I enrolled. Both styles are very different from ballet, so I was nervous when I arrived at my first class. My body is conditioned to move certain ways, and I naturally wanted to fall back into those ballet combinations. Most of the differences between Chinese dance and ballet centers on arm positions. In ballet, many positions require the palms of your hands to face inward when your arms are extended in front of or above your body. I found that in Chinese dance, particularly Dai dance, your hands face away from your body in those same arm positions. I also found Dai dance to evoke a more flirtatious feeling overall than most ballet or modern dance pieces. While I find ballet dancers to be exceptionally strong in addition to elegant, some pieces often evoke a sense of frailty that I have not seen in the Dai dances. I love that female strength is shown in Dai dance without losing a sense of coyness, which, to me, demonstrates an understanding of female power that comes without brute strength. I was not expecting to feel a sense of empowerment through studying Chinese dance. I have enjoyed the challenge of learning a new style of dance in a foreign language and also learning more about Chinese culture through the ideas and emotions conveyed through movement. Studying dance was a great way for me to be involved in the community, and I thank everyone from the class for making it such an enriching experience for me. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
上期老師特地整理了多益閱讀考題,讓各位同學習慣出題的模式和抓重點的訣竅,想必大家都如獲至寶吧!要多多複習和接觸不同英文的題材,讓自己對語言更敏銳接受度更高,久了你也會用英文來思考問題和句型結構了。說到這裡很多同學可能都要腦子過熱燒起來了,英文中的My brain is fried就是累到焦頭爛額的狀態,完全虛脫。好的,暑假能不開冷氣的同學就是跟超馬林義傑拼個高下,在家不沖個無限次冷水澡也很難了;而步出家門或公司,就是要口罩(mouth mask)、陽傘(parasol)、袖套(arm sleeve;咖啡杯的杯套是:cup sleeve很可愛吧!)上身,一秒變開喜婆婆的姿態了;請注意,要是帶小朋友到泳池千萬不要忘記擦上防曬乳(sunscreen/sun-proof lotion),燙傷(sunburn)和曬成古銅色(suntan)可是天差地別的,要是leave your children unattended(讓孩子沒人看顧)也是相當危險的事情,在機場如果看到沒人看顧的行李(unattended luggage/possessions)可就是大事了,萬一是爆裂物(explosives)就會釀成一場大混亂(turmoil/chaos)了。 出門就需要來杯涼快的礦泉水才能消暑是嗎?其實除了大家常見的霜淇淋或台灣特產剉冰(shaved ice),也可以多多嘗試台灣好吃又有文化底蘊的小吃。讓你的國外友人也可以好好享受在夏天時期也可以飽餐一頓呢!給我冷氣其餘免談!天氣炎熱而且外國朋友都紛紛到台灣這個美食寶島來大快朵頤了,除了用英文介紹美食來做國民外交也可以讓辛苦的老闆們輕鬆介紹用心美味的商品喔。那麼台灣小吃的英文拼法,大家知道哪幾個呢?讓Brian老師來小小分享一下: 1.仙草冰 Grass Jelly黑糖剉冰Brown Sugar Shaved Ice 2.滷味 Heated Braised Snacks→滷肉飯Braised Pork Rice(braise滷製) 3.大腸蚵仔麵線 Oyster and Pork intestine vermicelli(vermicelli義大利細麵) 4.大腸包小腸 Taiwanese sausage with sticky rice→Chinese sausage臘腸 5.鹽酥雞 Taiwanese Fried Chicken→炸雞排:Fried Chicken Fillet( fillet片;塊) 6.筒仔米糕 Rice tube pudding(沒錯:pudding不見得是甜點而是用口感棉密而得名)→英國餐廳赫赫有名的black pudding=豬血腸,韓國小吃糯米血腸雷同。 7.草仔粿herbal cake with sliced radish(sliced radish蘿蔔絲)→享譽國際挑戰性極高的「豬血糕」:pig blood cake with peanut powder(花生粉) 8.水餃 dumpling(dumpling只要皮包餡的食材都可以這樣稱呼。 台灣水餃通常有韭菜"leek"或泡菜"kimchi",外國友人可能會怕怕!要先說明。) 9.蒸餃 steamed dumpling→煎餃Pan-fried sticker(sticker就是包黏起來的食材,可別翻成"貼紙"囉。) 10.肉包 steamed bun with pork(飛機上的小餐包就是bun,注意尾音別閉起嘴說bum,這會變成炸彈啦!英文世界很常開玩笑說別在飛機上跟別人打招呼,特別是名字為傑克的朋友,因為「Hi +Jack=hijack(v.)劫機」,這可是有理說不清的窘境。 最近媲美台灣PTT的美國鄉民發表論壇Reddit提出一個很新奇的想法,我們來看看國外朋友的想法吧!問問自己你的抉擇和背後動機是什麼呢? Red pill makes you fluent in every spoken language. Blue pill makes you a master of every musical instrument in the world. Which do you swallow? (如果吃下紅色的藥丸可以讓你流利講出各國語言,而藍色藥丸可以讓你精通這世上每種樂器。你會選擇哪一個呢?) ●Red pill, travel the world. Listen to music played by people that swallowed the blue pill. It's a win-win situation for me (紅色藥丸,旅行全世界,聽著由那些吞下藍藥丸的演奏家們所表演的音樂。) ●You take one, have a friend take the other, travel together. (你吃一顆,朋友吃另一顆,一起出發吧!)→真是太聰明了吧! &還記得有明確兩者的文法嗎?one….and the other…… ●Chinese people can articulate 'l' and 'r' as separate sounds because their language also has these two sounds. You're thinking of Japanese people when you make this joke, as Japanese people have only one sound for both 'l' and 'r' and have trouble differentiating the two. (華人都可以明顯發清楚'l'和'r'的發音因為本身語言中就有這兩個音。但反觀日本人就無法做出區別了。)→強調互通語言後可以了解彼此的幽默笑點。 ●The language pill, obviously. Imagine all the opportunities. You apply for a job at some place where you know they speak different languages. You claim to speak ALL languages fluently. They took you in for an interview just to test and tease you a little. (當然是語言藥丸,想想這些好機會:你申請的工作地點大家都說著不同語言。但是如果你聲稱你會流利地說「所有」的語言,大概會被找出去面試然後讓他們好好挖苦一翻)→這是反諷美國社會對於種族差異和文化接受度還有很大進步空間。 <閱讀短文時間>:神奇小鎮 請同學仔細閱讀故事並且讀完!請在最後回答這個問題:What do you think that town could be? <相識的緣分> We've never seen Alex for ten years. Alex, Nate, Helen, Jack and I were best friends in high school. Alex was like the leader or the center of us. I mean, he was that kind of guy born to be a CEO, you know. He was too mature to be a high school student like us. His behaviors, his remarks…, everything he did was more like a father. And also, he was mysterious and…weird. He'd never mentioned about himself, his family or his past. He seemed to know nothing about baseball games, TV series, even news. <特殊見解和生活型態> And, he had no cell phone! He said that'd be not convenient. I remember we were all puzzled when hearing that. How could a cell phone be not convenient? Most strange thing was that he never explained to us how he could find those places and how he knew the "rules". Even until now, I still don't know how he could do that. Anyway, he was a nice guy, we respected him and trusted him, without knowing him too much. <舊時探險活動經驗> I doubt if anyone has the same experience as we do. When we were in high school, out of some silly blind bravery, we loved adventures. And Alex was the one who took us to different places for adventures. On a very early Saturday morning, we met up and headed to an unfamiliar direction to a town for, you know, an adventure. Alex said that town was over a tunnel. That reminded me of Silent Hill, a film just released at that time. Less an hour driving in woods, the tunnel was in our sight, Alex asked Jack to stop in front of it. We guessed he was going to tell us the rules. He always told us before really arriving those places. <行前遊戲規則說明> Normally there were just two. But this time, there was one more. Rule no.1: Keep yourself in team. Rule no.2: Don't mess up with those people and anything there. (That means no eye contact, no touching and no answering/talking back, etc.) Rule no. 3, which, is the most important one: Don't think of ghosts! NEVER, EVER! This was definitely hard to Nate. We all knew that and Nate, himself, knew that too. He loved ghost stories, but weird thing was, he was actually not that brave. (sorry to say that.) <旅程開始:未知的隧道> As cars driving in the tunnel, I found it was actually shorter than I expected because the end of it was not very far from us. There were already many cars in the tunnel, and they were oddly all still and empty, their taillights were dimmed, like abandoned for a while. Alex opened the door, got out of the car and said, "Don't worry. The town's just outside. Let's walk there." Nate and Helen got out of the car to join us. It only took us about fifteen minutes to walk out. It was cooler and humid. The town was in old style. I mean, the restaurants, the shops, the houses. People there were in that kind of old fashioned clothes like what your granny or grandpa would wear. It was amazing. 「So… you took us back to the past? I mean, is all this time travel thing?」 Helen asked. 「No.」 Alex answered. Residents there were like those we'd met in other adventures before, they couldn't see us, hear us or feel us. So we had to be really careful anytime, those men, stray dogs or even cars might bump into us. And that would violate rule no.2. <踏入桃花源:時光旅行?> There was a nice house, two children were playing on the front porch, and Jack entered the house successfully without making any noise and we followed him carefully. None of them noticed us. There were a man and a woman chatting happily in the kitchen. I guessed they were the parents of kids outside. Jack went downstairs from second floor and looked bored. When we were in the living room, watching a TV show we'd never seen before, the wife suddenly bumped into Helen. She took few steps backward, intrigued while Helen was stunned with mouth opening. 「We need to leave now.」 Alex said. 哇!這篇精選短文充滿刺激讓同學都快忘了呼吸吧!今天學習到很多道地又活潑的敘述方法,這是很棒的閱讀過程,還可以了解不同文化觀點,校園故事有趣而且也重疊你我的生活經驗!下回有更多精采內容喔。 『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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Biking in the Great Outdoors of Kinmen
Before I came to Kinmen, I disliked being outdoors for extended periods of time. I could enjoy my favorite pastimes - reading, listening to music, and playing video games - indoors, while avoiding unpredictable weather and insects. However, my views on the outdoors have changed since I first arrived here. In the U.S., I went to the gym about four times a week. Although, I had intended to go to the gym regularly in Kinmen, my schedule and the distance to the gym made it difficult. Since I wanted to exercise regularly, I decided to rent a bike. Unfortunately, my dislike of the outdoors resulted in me only biking about once a month for my first six months in Kinmen. At the beginning of the spring school semester, I started to bike to and from school once a week. It was about 6.5 kilometers both ways and a hilly commute, which was challenging for a beginner biker. Although I was tired and sore after the first few rides, it was worth it because I noticed a lot of new things in the environment that I had never seen before. Even though I now occasionally arrive to school soaked in sweat or drenched by the rain, I have come to enjoy biking and seeing the natural surroundings of Kinmen. It is more beautiful when I see it up close rather than out of a bus window. Also, since I do not have a scooter, biking has allowed me to explore new areas in Kinmen that I would not have otherwise discovered. For example, one of my favorite biking adventures was when I biked from Shanwai to the top of Mt. Wuhu. From there I could enjoy the beautiful view of some of the villages in Jinsha. During the spring semester, I have biked over 500 kilometers. The recent opening of the new gym in Shanwai has allowed me to exercise on days the weather is not as conducive to biking. However, I have found that more often than not, I prefer biking over going to the gym. Although I would not say that I love being outside now, I do like it a great deal more than I ever thought I would. After biking so often here, I have decided to continue this hobby once I return to the U.S. However, in suburban Maryland, where I live, places are far apart and most people rely on driving to get around. Dealing with the traffic will make biking long distances quite difficult. However, I plan to bike occasionally in nearby neighborhoods and on forest trails. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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Parades
In early May, Kinmen celebrated the return of the City God to Kinmen. Confetti and spinning sedan chairs filled the narrow streets of Jincheng. Children dressed in elaborate costumes rode decorated carts through the streets while their parents beat drums and played trumpets. It's an event unique to Kinmen, but it was a parade similar to many around the world. Many cultures seem to share a love of processions and parades, and Taiwan and the U.S. are no different. Here is a rundown of a few influential parades that happen in America every year. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade On Thanksgiving Day, while families are frantically preparing a huge meal and welcoming their families, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marches through New York City. As part of the tradition of New York, this parade is most famous for giant balloon floats, usually in the shapes of cartoon characters, making their way down the wide skyscraper corridors of the city. The Rose Parade The Rose Parade, in Pasadena, California, is held on New Year's Day. It serves as an introduction to the Rose Bowl, a huge American football game. The winter weather in California is very mild, so the parade floats are all covered in flowers, especially roses. Another feature is the teams of trained horses from all over the U.S., which are ridden with great skill and panache down Colorado Boulevard. Mardi Gras Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" in French and is the celebration that happens right before a six-week period of fasting in accordance to Christian tradition. The parade is part of a city-wide social whirl that includes feasts, masquerades, and endless parties. People wear elaborate costumes and masks. Everything is colored green, yellow, and purple, which are the colors of Mardi Gras. Well-maintained vintage floats are manned by Carnival Krewes, and dancers come from all over the world to participate. St. Patrick's Day St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in different towns and cities all over the U.S., only with different scale. St. Patrick's Day celebrates Irish-American culture, with celebrations of all things Irish and all things green (the main color of the holiday). Most major cities have a St. Patrick's Day parade on or around March 17th. The most famous parade happens in Boston. During this holiday, people enjoy the sounds of bagpipes, and watch as fountains (and beer) are dyed a fluorescent green. Each of these parades happens in a culturally distinct part of the U.S., and each has its own characteristics. Parades--whether in Kinmen or the U.S.--all have the same things in common--music, large gatherings of people, and an event worth celebrating. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
Please refrain from smoking in public!!請不要在公共場所抽菸),為什麼老師不用常見的prevent/stop/keep/ forbid A from B句型呢?其實同學在學習英文都會忽略「適切性」,其實真正的國際場合都會使用refrain….from….來勸誡對方不要進行某動作,這跟大家所知道的decline(拒絕)會比reject/turn down來得有水準多了!所以不只要學流利實用英文,還要學有『層次與各種語氣場合』的高檔次英文。常在捷運上看著從早到晚有空就拿起單字書猛K的高中生或社會人士,大家似乎都活在英文證照的壓力裡,嘴巴念念有詞地朗讀句子增加印象或是聽著mp3裡的廣播內容並凝視著遠方,時而皺眉時而有獲得新知的喜悅。老師在這十多年的教學生活中,往往都會看到努力的學生告訴我:「我單字量很足可是放進閱讀測驗我就是速度變很慢,看過就忘,到底要怎麼抓到文章的主旨呢?」老師聽到你們的困惑了,也提醒各位準備英檢或單純想加快閱讀速度的同學一定要「泛讀各類題材extensive approaches to various topics」,讓自己可以觸類旁通而且練習眼球橫向運動eyeball horizontal movements,這樣都是有利於加快作答速度,而且即使有不熟悉的單字也不要習慣先查再看,這樣是非常事倍功半,要學會看上下文context來推斷該單字的意思即可。畢竟英文的世界每天都有推陳出新的單字,不可能有背完的一天,抓出字詞常搭配的場合和相關詞彙,就可以大幅度的提升自己對英文的敏感度。 今天不僅要推出全新單元內容之外還要複習之前學過的內容,曾經錯過老師專欄或是之前內容有點生疏的同學,今天可是很有眼福喔!千萬別讓你的英文rusty(物體生鏽或技巧生疏的)老師就要用國際職場英文能力測驗TOEIC(多益)的題型來給同學找到方法、理解方法後,能夠在平常自己的大量閱讀中(multitude of readings)找到樂趣也可以在考試中節省時間並獲得高分。多益閱讀相關內容以國際學村出版系列用書的排版及閱讀內容技巧單元等等都有非常值得練習和增進自己能力的題目,文法的部份也是按照多益重點每年來做修編和更新內容,確實很推薦同學去參考。今天老師也特地編製整理一些經典題目讓同學練習,也歡迎同學挑選適合自己等級的書籍好好在職場英文有長足的進步喔!首先我想先請問同學對於同義互換字有沒有概念呢?不管等級再高的英文測驗中,聽力和閱讀測驗都會利用『意義相近』和『字詞替換結構調整』來讓考生進行判讀和選擇。 今天的專欄分為二大部分: (A)字詞替換練習學習法(B)閱讀短文並找出主旨 準備好你的筆來好好應戰了嗎?Let's get the ball rolling! ●字詞替換練習學習法: Part One:請選擇出可替換的說法 1.Requests for grant proposals申請補助金方案=_________ A. consult B. remind C. comprehend D. ask 2.Mr. and Mrs. Jones will be the potential customers for this apartment. =_________瓊斯夫婦可能成為這間公寓的購買客戶。 (A) addictive (B) prospective (C) possible (D) generous 3.This trip serves as the great encouragement for all employees. =_________ 這趟旅行是用來鼓勵所有的員工。 (A) frustration (B) advertisement (C) incentive (D) initiative 4.the follow-up information for my shipment. =_________關於我的貨物追蹤資料(A)vehicle (B)shipping (C) delivered goods (D) courier 5.This mail is attached with a letter of reference for college admission. =_________ 這封郵件附上大學申請入學推薦函。 (A) Dear John's letter (B) advise (C) resignation letter (D) recommendation letter 6.A sophisticated cell phone equipped with a stylish case and various applications. =_________這精密的手機上配備有型機殼和各種應用程式。 (A) experienced (B) intricate (C) jewelry (D) well-mannered 7.If I retain the receipts, my travel expenses will be reimbursed 如果我保留這些收據,我的旅遊支出就可以報公帳了。 (A) proof of purchase (B) cook book (C) photocopier (D) invoice 8. As the leader, you are supposed to know how to assign the tasks to each member. 身為一個領導者,你應該要知道怎麼分派工作給每個成員。 (A) designate (B) disappoint (C) design (D) delegate 9.Success depends on the participation of members.成功取決於職員們的參與度 (A) inconsistencies (B) proposals (C) engagement (D) caution 10.After the careful evaluation over your work performance, you will be entitled to a promotion to the Marketing manager. 在很謹慎評估你的工作表現後,你將獲得晉升到行銷部經理的職位。 (A) deliberate (B) temperature (C) review (D) judgment Part Two:渾淆字中翻英迷宮單元 1.出席者=A. attendant B. attendee C. anticipation 2.值得的(經驗)=A. colorful B. worthless C. rewarding 3.面試者=A. application B. candidate C. listener 4.新聞報導=A. coverage B. closure C. analysis 5.違反規則= A. infringement B.violent C.destruction 6.額外(較少)收益A. extra dividend B. additional bonuses C.marginal profit 7.解雇A. lay down B. kick-out C. lay-off 8.負債戶頭=A. outstanding account B. due report C. delayed payment 9.代表人員=A. receptionist (B) representative (C) concierge 10.某種說法= A. saying B. tale C. interpretation Answer Key: Part One: 1.D 2.B 3.C 4.C 5.D 6.B 7.A 8.D 9.C 10.C Part Two:1.B 2.C=fruitful 3.B=applicant 4. A=report 5.A 6.C 7.C 8.A 9.B 10.C 你答對多少呢?好好把錯的題目練習並且把相關單字用語查清楚喔! ●閱讀短文並找出主旨: 1. FortunateX Bank recently discovered that some clients who signed up for our special banking service have been paying an additional ATM fee. The second ATM fee will be reimbursed to our clients' accounts next week. A.Customers of the bank will no longer pay an ATM fees. B.The bank will pay clients through their bank accounts. 2. Protect-It zipper-lock plastic bags are effective at protecting anything from the elements. Ordinary plastic bags cannot keep water out, but Protect-It bags have a patented closure and material design that prevents moisture from entering the bag. A.Protect-It bangs can hold large amounts of water. B.Protect-It bags are made of weather-resistant material. 3. The Top two car companies are planning to trim production as the increasing cost of gasoline has caused a prolonged slump in sales of trucks and cars. Faced with an inventory pile-up, Diesel Motors and Townsend Cars will be cutting production by twenty over the next three quarters. A.Poor sales are causing top automobile manufacturers to cut production B.Reduced production can offset increasing gas prices. 4. Star Alliance, Inc. is looking for a degreed accountant or a CPA. The ideal candidate should have three to five years auditing and accounting experience. A.Knowledge of the newest accounting principles is required. B.A university diploma is a requirement for the job. 5. Roger Device in Seoul is in the process of acquiring US-Based Flexpoint, a multi-media technology company for mobile phones. Roger Device wants to be the dominant supplier for the mobile industry by using Flexpoint's technologies. A.Two companies have signed an agreement to produce mobile phones. B.Roger Device is buying out Flexpoint to gain control of the market. 6. To make your stay at the Paradise Beach Resort a pleasant one, please pay strict attention to our rules on cleanliness. Because it is costly and difficult to remove debris and spoiled liquids, guests who leave their huts dirty will forfeit the $ 100 key deposit for use of a hut. A.Customers will have to put down a deposit in case of damage to the room. B.The deposit will not be refunded if the hut is not left clean. 7. Management has noted some opposition to the proposal for the company's reorganization. To address your concerns, we will be issuing a memorandum that will provide answers to your questions. We hope that this memo will lay your worries to rest. A.A conference is being scheduled for management and employees. B.There is an existing plan to restructure the company. 『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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Teaching and Learning at the Vocational High School
Why study English? According to students at Kinmen's Vocational High School, there are a host of reasons.“English is an international language; it will be very helpful in my life.”said one junior. A senior added,“English is important to everyone. Also, it can help me find work, help me travel abroad, and help me make friends.” As an ETA, I currently have the opportunity to travel, make friends, and connect with another community. I must agree with the students; some of my best memories from this past year have resulted from my attempts to put myself out there and speak Chinese with neighbors and co-workers. This past year has been shaped by a give-and-take relationship between Chinese and English experiences. I try to speak Chinese in order to be able to connect more deeply with new friends. However, I also want to provide others with the opportunity to practice English with a native speaker. Since I spend my weeks teaching elementary school students, I wanted to experience working with older students as well. Thus, last semester, with the help of Fulbright Taiwan and the Vocational High School, I and two other ETAs began teaching a weekly English Club there. Our goal has been to help students practice English in an enjoyable, no-pressure setting. My favorite session (and the students' favorite as well!) was, of course, about food! The ETAs presented a cookie recipe and introduced the necessary ingredients. Then, students had to divide into teams to figure out how to bake according to the given recipe. Both sets of cookies were delicious; there was not a clear winner, which resulted in a tie between teams. However, the students weren't as satisfied as the judges. After a communal gasp and spirited applause at the presentation of the cookies, the students' faces crumbled slightly at the first bite the cookies were“too sweet!” One team stood out and perhaps won based on resourcefulness. The recipe required only egg whites, but one student took it upon herself to cook the leftover yolks into a delicious snack for everyone to enjoy (perhaps to wash down the sweetness)! Other lessons from this past semester included“How to Buy Milk Tea”“High School in the U.S. vs. Taiwan”“Taiwanese and American Fashions”and an English scavenger hunt. I sincerely hope that we have been able to enhance our students' English learning. What have I learned from the students? Most likely more than what we have taught them! I am inspired by our students' sense of initiative. This club was not required or forced upon any of the students. They show up each week because they have a clear goal to practice and improve their English. They remind me to identify and seek out opportunities and experiences that fit in with my own growth and goals.
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Sailing through Summer
I can still remember the pastel pink and yellow flowers of the spring day when my Dad bought our sail boat. I was eight years old and had mixed feelings about the boat. On the one hand, it was awe inspiring to sit in its hull while my dad drove us through town with the sailboat perched upon a rickety trailer. On the other hand, it seemed to be a rather superfluous expense. I did not learn about my father's history with sailboats until many years later. It turns out that he used to work in Boston's shipyard furnishing yachts for the wealthy. He designed, carved, and polished the wood with his bare hands, yet never owned one himself. The 32 foot sailboat that was now a part of our family was not just a frivolous purchase. For him, it represented the end of serving others and the beginning of living life for himself. The boat was old and not well taken care of, but he fixed it up and even let me help with the painting. When we finally got it out on the lake where my aunt and uncle lived, I was excited. The sails were billowing beautifully in the wind, like clouds in the sky. The sun was shining, and I now wanted to learn how to sail. I let go of my doubts and whole heartedly hopped on board. I ended up having a fairly debilitating fear of sailing for the first few years that we had the boat due to a traumatic experience being caught in a thunderstorm. However, I eventually overcame my aquatic anxiety. Sailing then became a family bonding experience. The sailboat serves to remind me of a time when I would take turns reading Harry Potter aloud with my mother, or anchor the boat and swim in the lake. I recently learned that my father sold our sailboat. The news brought back a myriad of memories of summers past. I always remember the smell of smoke in the air as my uncle barbequed, or the soft grass under my feet in the yard by the dock. Mostly, though, I remember how we made a small home out on the water every summer.
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Wind Lion Hunting
After hearing about all of the Wind Lions on Big Kinmen for several months, I talked with my co-teacher Charlotte Hung and 2nd grade teacher Avia Chao at my school 上岐. They told me that there used to be some sort of prize for people who visited all of the Wind Lions on the island. I had read a little about the "competition" on the Internet back in July 2013, but no one on Kinmen ever mentioned it. I figured that the competition either stopped or the website was wrong. Now, it turns about that people still explore Kinmen trying to find all of the Wind Lions as a hobby. It sounded fun and a nice way to see new parts of the island, so I decided to start "hunting" for as many Wind Lions as possible before I left in July. On weekends, with my map in hand, I'd hop on my scooter and try to locate as many statues as time or patience would allow. I found all of the Wind Lions in Jincheng and Jinning rather quickly in just one weekend. However, I was warned that the hard part was in Shamei because a large percentage of the Wind Lions were located in that township due to the northeast wind. I did not know that Shamei was the windiest part of the island, and, therefore, it needed the most protection. My first outing in Shamei proved to be the most frustrating because several of the statues are located in people's yards, inside walls, or even on rooftops. I only expected them to be placed in weird positions-I did not think that some would be miniscule in size or so deteriorated from erosion that they are barely noticeable. I didn't give up. With the help of locals and my limited Chinese-"風獅爺在哪裡?"-I located some of the more difficult ones to find in the small villages. The most difficult one to locate turned out to be an embarrassing example of lack of attention on my part. I drove by the statue several times, but never turned my head in the right direction. After 45 minutes of searching, I found it waiting for me out in the open. After a couple of weeks of "hunting" Wind Lions, my co-teacher Charlotte Hung told me that the map and book I used as a reference were outdated and that there were really over 100 statues, not 70-something. My heart dropped because I knew that I wouldn't have enough time to find them all-how could I find a statue that was not on a map? I did not give up because this newfound hobby showed me new parts of Kinmen. I began to understand the layout of villages and where the statues would most likely be found within one. I'll never get to see them all, but the journey is definitely worth taking.
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My Cross-Cultural Karate Family
When I first moved to Kinmen as a foreign English teacher, my primary concern was learning how to teach. After a month in the classroom, I grew increasingly confident in my teaching abilities, and my new concern became how to live outside of school. Working with elementary school students can be mentally and emotionally exhausting in a way that left me wondering who I was besides "Teacher Sky." The answer to that came when I decided to become a student again. In October, I started to attend karate classes taught by two American brothers who are also foreign English teachers. Samuel and Ethan Bavido are both black belts trained by the American Bushido-Kai Karate Association (ABKA). The Bavidos share their martial arts expertise by holding classes twice a week for free as a form of Christian ministry. Students are of all ability levels and range in age from sixth graders to college students to working professionals. I began as a white belt at about the same time as two other students - a foreign exchange student from France and a National Quemoy University student in the English Department. The three of us became close friends, and after four months of training, we all passed our yellow belt tests. Our friendship began as we learned the Japanese names for stances and the proper technique for a front kick. We now get dinner together after class and hang out on weekends. I first joined karate class because I thought it would be good exercise. It has been. I had never tried a contact sport before and was surprised by how quickly I took to it. Karate is more about fighting defensively than offensively, but in order to practice good muscle memory, there is a certain amount of hand-to-hand contact required. At the beginning, the idea of exchanging blows with a fellow student felt strange. Now, months later, I enjoy when we spar because it gives students of all ranges a chance to exercise their skills in an un-choreographed manner. This particular karate class is more than practice and routine. It is also definitely more than sparring and light exercise. ABKA is a cross-cultural community that I am proud to be a part of. It's the people involved who have made this class a consistent highlight of each week. White belt (beginner) ABKA classes are offered at 18:30, Monday and Thursday at the Jincheng Junior High School gym. Upper belt class (intermediate-advanced) are directly after, beginning at 19:30.
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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
旅館英文第二篇到囉!當旅行計畫在腦海醞釀時,很自然都會想到「住宿」問題和早就盼望已久必逛景點或美食,但如果沒有選擇適合的住處可是會讓這趟精心策劃的假期大打折扣了。有鑒於此,我也開始從沙發客網站接待許多國外的朋友和各地的老朋友到家裡體驗台灣生活,你只要準備convertible sofa就可以在不佔空間又可以和老友暢快的聊到深夜了! A convertible sofa has a mattress underneath that can be pulled out at night to sleep on. 所謂的convertible sofa就是伸縮沙發(床),平時是在客廳看電視的軟鬆座椅,晚上客人就可以睡在這裡很寬敞也不影響主人的作息或去擠主臥房(master room),記得復活節(Easter)時到朋友家過節就是睡在convertible sofa上一夜到天明,到現在都還很感謝他們如此體貼又好客的招待;而常攜帶收納方便的摺疊傘就是convertible umbrella(=reflective umbrella)喔,但是好像無法承受(withstand 103年指考單字)太大風雨的襲擊呢!! 老師也非常喜歡到生活風格店去採購許多讓家裡空間更溫馨和舒適的小物,像是cushion,原指緩衝外力的物體,後來也有沙發上的靠墊意思,每次都會選購很可愛的動物造型或上頭有調皮水果表情,讓回家變成非常安心又充滿創意的園地喔!那能夠舉一反三的同學應該立刻會舉手問老師:「那車輛上的安全氣囊可以緩衝車禍的撞擊,也可以這樣使用嗎?」這樣的聯想受到老師的高度肯定而且很必要的,學習語言如果無法觸類旁通是會很混亂所以溫故知新是很重要的。好!那老師就來解答同學的疑惑:所謂的安全氣囊是airbag,千萬不要跟拿來放食物保鮮的真空袋airtight bag搞混了,在醫院如果聽到醫生說" Bag the patient now!"就是快點擠壓氧氣補給立即供應患者大腦氧氣,這些都是非常實用的表達喔!!另外分享一個生活小常識:當緊急情況公共場所有人需要用自動體外心臟去顫器(AED:Automated External Defibrillator) 是一種可以攜帶的醫療設備,它可以診斷特定的心律不正,並且給予去顫電擊,專門為急救瀕臨猝死病患的儀器。 這時候相關人員準備電擊前大喊:Clear!退後或不要靠近!,你可別誤聽為「清楚了嗎?」甚至你聽到警方說:Freeze!也千萬不要輕舉妄動,在國外體制中警察有當場擊斃任何有攻擊意圖的嫌疑犯,所以不管在機場或路上都要聽懂這救命的指示! EX:The airbags serve as the cushion against the impact caused by the car collision so as to significantly reduce the degree of the injury and the casualties. (安全氣囊可以在車輛相撞時緩衝外力,有效降低傷亡程度。) The name for the large pillows on a sofa is a cushion. 很多同學讀完上期的飯店住宿英文才發現學問很多吧?也了解原來surname=family name=last name都是指華人的「姓」,這可是在機場櫃台報到、護照查驗台和飯店入住的基本英文,萬一行李轉盤裡看不到自己的luggage就要立刻通知在場的櫃檯人員,而你的資料也需要last name來做快速的搜尋;也知道千萬不要悶著頭不理Housekeeping,到時後就別怪飯店人員以為房客離開而闖進來清潔了。當然,到了各國都有付小費(Tip)的國際禮儀,老師建議可以準備一塊美金放在床頭櫃上給辛苦的房務員,在澳洲打工度假的學生還在飯店裡收到客人留下的精美甜點犒賞她的付出,這真是非常大的鼓勵呢!最近泰國的國際飯店也推出eco-friendly policy(環保政策)在毛巾上放上標語" I will still use the towel as the first step of protecting our earth"(我會繼續使用同條毛巾,這是保護我們地球的第一步。),可以有效率地減少用水量和洗潔劑使用,讓整體環境都可以有機會修復和永續發展,掛上一個充滿環保意識(environment-aware)的牌子讓這趟住宿更有意義。想必上次的內容同學感到非常喜愛想要多學一點,那就讓老師分享更多實用的飯店旅遊英文吧! 3.早餐篇:Bonjour, Time for Breakfast! Concierge:A;Guest:B(櫃臺接待人員:A;房客:B) A: Morning sir, this is your wake-up call at 7 a.m.. And our housekeeping service will start from 8 to 11 a.m.. and our breakfast will be available from 7-9. 先生您早,這是您七點的提醒起床電話。我們的房間打掃服務會從早上八點到十一點開始進行,而我們的早餐於七點到九點供房客用餐。 B:Thanks for your calling and does the accommodate rate include the breakfast? And I don't need any housekeeping with all my stuff scattered all over the floor, could you inform them of that? 謝謝,請問住宿費有包含早餐嗎?還有我的個人用品滿地都是還不需要房間打掃,你可以替我報備嗎? A:First, the complimentary breakfast is included in your payment and we can certainly save you some sandwiches and bread if you miss it. Second, if the housekeeping is not needed, please hang the sign " No Disturbance" on the door knob. 首先,您的房價已經包含免費的早餐,如果您會錯過這個時間,我們會替您留些三明治和麵包。再者,如果不需要房務清潔,請在門把上掛著「請勿打擾」就可以了! B:Got it! That's very kind of you 那我了解了,您費心了! &Scatter(v.)散落;散佈 EX.:The sky is scattered with stars bright and so far-fetched. 天空佈滿星辰如此明亮而遙不可及。 由流行鄉村歌手Lady Antebellum(懷舊女郎)所演唱的" Need You Now" 歌詞裡面就提到: "Picture perfect memories, scattered all around the floor. Reaching for the phone call, I can't fight it anymore, and I wonder if I ever cross your mind." 過去美好的畫面,都散落在每個角落。我再也無法抵抗想打給你的衝動,而且我也想知道是否你也想起了我。 是不是非常美的歌詞,也表達在感情中的折騰和心情起伏呢!當你想念一個人你會用怎樣的文字去表達呢?I can't live with you just like I cannot live without oxygen. 口語秒殺表達句: ●Got it! 我懂了!/拿到了!= I understand.=I get your point.= The message is clear. ●Got you! 我逮到你了= You are screwed!= You are a dead meat! ●That beats me! 真考倒我了!=I am so clueless.= It's beyond my knowledge. ●Please keep me posted!有任何隨時通知我 ●I'd like to make a long-distance call.我想撥打長途電話 ●I'll take it as a compliment!我當你在誇獎我囉! →compliment (v.)(n.)誇獎恭維;complimentary=free of charge免費 同學要把supplement(n.)營養補給品和complement(n.)補充物做區別。 (有時候不清楚對方是在諷刺tease或是真心誇獎praise時,這句話就可以拿來救急了。) ●Socks on the doorknob襪子在門把?通常美國大學生活中很常見的表達語,代表事先通知宿舍室友自己有訪客前來,可能會有些打擾了,也會體貼在對方桌上放著旅館費用,讓室友委屈一晚了。 ●The room smells moldy and reeks of cigarettes. You need to spray some air freshener.這房間有霉味還充斥著菸臭味,真該噴點空氣清香劑。 4. 詢問篇:Where to go? A. How far is it from the hotel to downtown? (請問飯店這裡到市區有多遠?) B. Are there any brochures available about your city? (請問還有介紹這座城市的手冊嗎?) C. Should I sign up for the Stonehenge tour here? (巨石群之形需要在這裡報名嗎?) D.The local travel agency can arrange one-day cruise for tourists? (這裡的旅行社可以替旅客安排一日遊輪行嗎? E. Do you take traveler's check? (你們收旅遊支票嗎?→請特別注意信用卡和旅遊支票都要用中文簽名,萬一遺失才不會馬上被盜用喔!) 5. 退房篇:Check-out / Getting to the airport Concierge: A;Guest:B(櫃臺接待人員:A;房客:B) A:Did you enjoy your stay with us? 在本飯店休息都還滿意嗎? B:Actually, PASSABLE. But, I now need to get to the airport. I have a flight that leaves in about three hours, so what is the quickest way to get there? 還行啦!但我現在必須就要到機場了,我班機三個小時內就要飛了,現在怎麼去是最快的方法? A:We do have a free airport shuttle service/courtesy bus service. 我們有免費的機場接駁車 B:That sounds great, but will it get me to the airport on time? 聽起來不錯呢!但我這樣還能準時趕到機場嗎? A:Yes, it should be. The next shuttle leaves in 15 minutes, and it takes almost 40 minutes to get to the airport. 應該可以的。下班街駁車15分鐘內就要開了,但要花40分鐘才會到機場喔! B:That's a great relief. I'll just wait in the lounge area. Will you please let me know when it will be leaving? 真讓我鬆口氣了,那我就在休息區等等好了。你可以讓我知道他哪時候要開走嗎? A:Of course, sir. Before you depart would you be able to settle the mini-bar bill? 先生當然沒問題!但您可能要在離開前,先結算在酒吧消費喔! B:Sure thing. How much will that be? 這是應該的。那總共多少錢呢? A:Let's see. The bill comes to $80 with tips included. How would you like to pay for that? 好的我看看,總共是八十塊美金含小費,您付款的方式為? B:I'll pay by my Master Card, thanks. But I'll need a receipt as the proof my expenses so that it will be fully reimbursed in the accounting department. 謝謝,我用萬事達卡付費。但我需要收據以玆證明付費證明,之後才能回公司跟會計部人員報賬。 A:Absolutely. Here we are sir. If you like you can leave your luggage with the porter and he can load them onto the shuttle for you when it arrives. 好的。這樣就可以了先生。如果可以就把您的行李留給搬運人員等車來了就可以搬運上接駁車。 B:That would be great thank you. 那真是太好了,感謝。 A:Would you like to have some feedback on the hotel guestbook too while you wait? B:Sure, I had a really good stay here and I'll recommend your hotel to others to come here.『特別提醒:住院可別用live in the hospital(居住或生活在醫院)→stay at the hospital(短期停留在醫院)才對』 的確,我這幾天的確很享受在這裡的住宿,而且會推薦貴飯店給朋友來入住。 A:That's good to hear. Thank you again for staying at Paradise Resort Hotel. 那可真是太好了,感謝您再次入住天堂渡假村飯店。 『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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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
「或許在三十歲前去國外打工度假是不錯的計畫?」、「趁大學開學前我來背包行腳感受世界的生活型態吧!」、「爸媽!我想知道自己的英文程度是否可以應付實際生活的考驗,所以我想去英國唸語言學校好嗎?」、「老師,出國很危險對不對?要是不懂英文產生誤會或是被坑了就糟糕了!」。每年只要暑假前就會接到很多親朋好友家長學生電話詢問,其實不論是出國旅遊或是背包打工等行程都是非常好實現夢想和體會外國生活的方法呢!在本專欄開刊的時候,老師就以英國背包的生活經驗和習慣用語分享給大家,但是其實家人最擔心的就是你的「落腳處」。特別是歐美的大雪季,就算有錢也不見得有地方住,所以事前訂房就變得十分重要了!還記得老師第一次去英國背包要去超過十個城市,其實在倫敦慢活將近十天之久,擔心之餘書信往返我還非常雞婆熬夜到半夜打去當地確認。其實,根本不用這麼麻煩,今天有幸翻到老師的專欄就要告訴你許多旅遊訂房的小撇步喔! 另外還有加碼內容由正在國際大飯店工作的Hugo Chen親自來信提問遇到的問題和如何應變客人的要求等等,想必同學也能獲益良多喔!那就準備開始今天的精采內容,好好保存就是你的出國寶典了。 【如何選擇價格實在又安全的住處呢?】 提醒:一個城市最少要安排兩天一夜的行程,才能從容應對非預期的行程變更。 那就請來參加國際比價網:http://www.funtime.com.tw/ovehotel/ 裡面的實用資訊包羅萬象從國際機票、國內外民宿飯店、租車訊息和匯率比價通通都有,可以讓你好好精打細算又可以安心規劃旅程,真是一舉數得。 首先設定好國家及入住(check-in)和退房(check-out)日期,就可以輕鬆找到理想的價錢和位置,但同學千萬不要只是看了價錢偏高都不考慮,可以注意搜尋出的資訊旁有個「地理位置」,打開地圖確認後,如果離車站步行20分鐘內或離景點不遠其實可以認真考慮,不然人生地不熟有時候火車又delay,到當地又是黑漆漆一片,那才是叫天天不應的無助感呢!當然這個網站最棒的地方就是「中文講解」和「住宿心得」,住宿環境品質都一目暸然囉!也不需要害怕英文不夠好而浪費時間查單字又不得其門而入了!這下子出國的動力是否更大了呢?有了舒適的住處才能讓旅程在獲得充足休息後更加順利。 &飯店網站常見的重要單字介紹:多益閱讀測驗必考單字 1.contact information聯絡資訊(電話或電子郵件地址) 2.location & transportation(地點及抵達交通方式) 3.accommodation rate(住宿費用:rate表示隨匯率有所變動的費用) 4.room size (房間尺寸) 5.prospective guest(即將入住的房客) 6.booking record(訂房紀錄) 7.deposit w/ credit, refundable(限用信用卡付訂金,可退還) 8.non-smoking floor禁煙樓層 9.electronic key(E-card) /sensor key電子鑰匙 10.Gourmet (美食館用餐訊息) 11.Facilities(相關服務設施) 12.laundry service(洗衣服務) 13.Travel Guide(旅行導覽) ※實境英文訓練及狀況應對:飯店篇 1.入住篇:Check-in Concierge: A ;Guest: B(櫃臺接待人員:A ;房客:B) A: Welcome to Paradise Resort Hotel, may I help you? 飯店人員:歡迎光臨天堂渡假飯店 B: Oh, yes! I'd like to check in for my five-day stay in your hotel. 房客:喔,是的!我想要入住你們飯店五天。 A: Sure, what's the name under the reservation? 飯店人員:沒問題,請問是登記在誰的名下呢? B: Excuse me? You meant my full name? 房客:不好意思,你是指我的全名嗎? A: Just your surname please. 飯店人員:麻煩只要你的姓就好。 B: My surname name is Wang, W-A-N-G. 房客:我的姓是「王」,英文拼音是W-A-N-G.。 A: Alright, I do have your booking information for a business suite. Here's your room key and here's a reminder that all the refreshments in your room will be clearly priced if you feel like having some and just make the payment when you return the electronic key. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy your stay! 飯店人員:好的,我確實有你所預定的商務套房資訊。這是你的房間鑰匙還有提醒您所有在房間的點心都有明確標上價錢,如果您想享用可以在退房那天連同電子鑰匙一起付清費用即可。如果您有任何問題請放心詢問,希望您入住愉快。 旅遊小筆記: 其實在世界各地有不同類型的住宿環境,你知道幾種呢? ●Inn原意為客棧但其實都是該地區的有相當規模飯店,光是老師學校附近的Canada Inn就有十五層樓高,還以為是卡通獵人裡的天空競技場呢! ●Motel靠近高速公路旁替長途趕路的旅人而建立的並聯式房間,通常電影裡都會看到上頭招牌有大大的" Vacant Rooms有空房"或是" All Occupied房間全滿" ●Villa Resort很明顯Villa別墅通常靠近海岸邊享受海風吹拂,遠離都會區享受非常愜意的生活,除了大家所熟知的觀光景點,其實只要搭小船都可以抵達島上的Villa Resort享受貴賓般的待遇也不會有人擠人的煩躁了! ●Youth Hotel青年旅社其實是開放給國際學生或預算較少的朋友們去居住!環境很簡單也有很多機會和各國背包客交流資訊和一起出遊呢!下次有機會還可以到對方國家去參訪,等於住宿和遊覽地陪都一次擁有喔! ●Hostel Travel lodge ●Log Cabin小木屋完全是童話故事中被濃密森林所覆蓋住的小矮人住家,不管是醒著或入睡都在大自然的環境中確實很心曠神怡。也由於現在很多觀光區也開放旅客進駐並且有觀光行程遊覽,讓這些名勝風光都有機會讓外地遊客一睹風采。但真的要小心用火和烹煮的動作,以免小木屋變成營火晚會了,這可要留下來洗盤子還債。大家出遊還是要謹慎些呢! ●Squat Apartment如果拜讀過連美恩所書寫的沙發客紀實,就會了解在歐洲國家特別是荷蘭,只要房子超過一年都沒有接水電的情況下,入住的客人就可以暫時待著甚至還可以成為房子的合法繼承人喔,這種行為就叫做Squat,原意是「蹲下」延伸的意思就是「佔據房子」的意思,應該很好理解喔! 【20-bedded room? 20個房間嗎?】各位同學看到別害怕,這裡的意思是指一個大房間中有20個旅客共同居住,如果身上有貴重物品也要特別注意喔!也會採取上下舖(bunk bed)的睡法,若是無法忍受別人的打呼聲或是淺眠者(因為通常有房客需要凌晨離開趕火車,所以行李收放都會產生不小的聲響喔! 2. 抱怨篇:What happened to my room? Concierge: A ;Guest: B(櫃臺接待人員:A;房客:B) A: This is front desk, what could I do for you? 櫃檯您好,請問有任何需要服務的地方嗎? B: Yes, plenty of. First, my toilet is flooding all over the floor after using and my water heater is obviously not working so that I may catch a cold for such poor service. 是的,非常多。首先我的廁所使用後淹水淹到整個地板都是而且我的熱水器也沒反應,這麼糟糕的設備讓我都快感冒了。 A: I feel terribly sorry for all you have experienced, and I will immediately call the plumber and the technician up to your room for prompt check and repairs. Again, we'll be fully responsible for your stay and comfort. Since you still have four days before check-out, we'll arrange to the room next to yours for well-equipped facilities and a bottle of premium red wine as the token of our apology. 對於您所經歷的這些狀況我深感抱歉,我會立刻派水電工和技師到您的房間去做立即的檢測和修理。再者,我們會負起全責讓您入住舒適。既然您還有四天才退房,我們將安排您到隔壁設備良好的房間進行盥洗,也附上高級紅酒當做我們陪罪的一點心意。 飯店必學句(中文) 英文翻譯 我的廁所塞住了 My toilet is clogged. 我找不到吹風機 There's no way I can find the hairdryer. 窗簾怎會卡住了 Why is the curtain stuck there? 床單上怎會有污漬 How could the bed sheet get stained? 請再給我兩條毛巾 Please bring me another two towels! 有提供免費早餐嗎? Do you offer any complimentary breakfast? 有飯店到機場的接駁車嗎? Are there any shuttle buses from the hotel to the airport? 注意courtesy bus才是免費的通車服務喔! ※腦力激盪問題:請問房客遇到哪些問題呢? A: Fine, that sounds reasonable. ●通常業界禮貌稱呼所有的接待人員都是receptionist,比如婚禮的接待人員wedding receptionist來替新人雙方家庭款待客人並引導入場;在飯店裡頭就複雜多了,行李服務員是bellhop,而櫃檯負責安排入住退房的是concierge/ front desk,而早上都會敲門詢問是否要客房清潔的是housekeeper/maid,餐廳裡頭的服務員是waiter喔!可別弄錯。另外如果早上不希望被打擾或希望保持現況,可以在門口掛上" No Housekeeping",或是對方詢問時可以說:「Please come back in the afternoon.」可以讓你好好享受早上的悠閒時光而不會被吸塵器弄得心情很BLUE了,萬一都不回話客房清潔人員可是會拿著萬能鑰匙Master Key進來喔,到時候可尷尬到極點了! ●房間的種類選擇有哪些呢? A. Presidential Suite 總統套房B. Business Suite 商務套房C. King -Size Bed 特大床(由三張雙人床所組成)D. Queen -Size Bed大床(由兩張雙人床所組成) E. Double Room 雙人床(兩張床合在一起)F. Twin Room 雙人床(兩張分開的床)G. Single Room 單人房 H. Bunk Bed上下舖(軍舖) I. Attic樓中樓(屋頂很近) 『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』