輕鬆學英語
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《Feature Article》Working Holiday: Australia
"Some friends even hugged me for my efforts in sending them love and concerns. Each will be given a rainbow card with some words of reminders or motto in life in order to help them breathe in happiness every second." Origin Henna (known as hina, the henna tree, the mignonette tree, and the Egyptian privet) is a flowering plant and the sole species of the Lawsoniagenus. Historically, henna was used for cosmetic purposes in Convivencia-period Iberia and Ancient Egypt, as well as other parts of North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East and South Asia. It was also popular among women in 19th-century Europe. Today, bridal henna nights remain an important tradition in many of these areas. Main Element Whole, unbroken henna leaves will not stain the skin. Henna will not stain skin until the lawsone molecules are made available (released) from the henna leaf. Fresh henna leaves will stain the skin if they are smashed with a mildly acidic liquid. The lawsone will gradually migrate from the henna paste into the outer layer of the skin and bind to the proteins in it, creating a fast stain. Since it is difficult to form intricate patterns from coarse crushed leaves, henna is commonly traded as a powder made by drying, milling and sifting the leaves. The dry powder is mixed with lemon juice, strong tea, or other mildly acidic liquids to make a preparation with toothpaste-like consistency, which can be used to make finely detailed body art. The henna mix must rest for 6 to 24 hours before use, to release the lawsone from the leaf matter. Essential oils with high levels of monoterpene alcohols such as tea tree, eucalyptus, cajeput, or lavender will improve skin stain characteristics. The different words for henna in ancient languages imply that it had more than one point of discovery and origin, as well as different pathways of daily and ceremonial use. Henna has been used to adorn young women's bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since the late Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean. The earliest text mentioning henna in the context of marriage and fertility celebrations comes from the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, which has references to women marking themselves with henna in preparation to meet their husbands, and Anath adorning herself with henna to celebrate a victory over the enemies of Baal. Bridal henna nights are a popular tradition in North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East and South Asia. India In India, the longer the henna stays on the bride's hand the longer it is believed that her in-laws will treat her well. If the henna fades out quickly, it's a sign that she will not be happily married. Saudi Arabia In Saudi Arabia, one of the female relatives of the bride is the one who paints the bride's hands with henna, but the relative has to be happily married or else she will bring bad luck to the bride. Somalia In Somalia, henna is worn by Somali women on their hands, arms, feet and neck during weddings, Eid, Ramadan, and other festive occasions. Somali henna designs are similar to those in the Arabian Peninsula, often featuring flower motifs and triangular shapes. The palm is also frequently decorated with a dot of henna and the fingertips are dipped in the dye. Henna parties are usually held before the wedding takes place. Tunisia In Tunisia, henna celebrations last for seven days. On the 3rd day, the bride wears a traditional dress and has henna painted on her hands and feet. As for the groom, his pinky finger is painted with henna on the 6th day. Turkey In Turkey, henna is sold in convenience stores and markets. Among these are the Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul 『It may be Australia's third-largest city, but for the longest time Brisbane was seen as something of a poor cousin to Sydney and Melbourne: a sleepy country town hiding behind a big city fa?ade. In recent years, however, Brisbane has stirred from its slumber and is casually emerging as one of the most desirable places to live in Australia with an estimated 1000 people packing their bags and moving up here every week. 』
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(Feature Article)Working Holiday:Australia
◎王軒 Traveling is always refreshing and enables us to reflect on ourselves over the paths to take for the future. I perfectly understand why people chose to work in a total different place for exploring themselves through adapting to a whole new environment. Not long after the video clip released on YouTube, Taiwanese applicants became the wild card for receiving the greatest popularity among all, Claire Wang made it to the final phase and impressed all participants for the curious eyes attempting to capture all novel ideas and things beyond her scopes. In 2009, Tourism Queensland promoted the Great Barrier Reef as a global tourism destination with a website encouraging people worldwide to apply for The Best Job In The World, to be a "Caretaker of the Islands" to "house-sit" the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for half a year, based on Hamilton Island. Job benefits included a large salary, free lodging in a multi-million dollar villa, and transportation there and around the islands. The application process required a web video to be submitted, available publicly for consideration for the position. The job duties listed were primarily publicity-related with web videos, blogging, and photo diaries. The submission web site crashed two days following the launch of the campaign, from excessive visits and application video uploading. Over 35,000 applications were received from over 200 countries, and whittled down to 16 finalists (including one chosen by an on-line vote). Finalists came from Australia (two), United States (two), United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Taiwan, India, China, Japan, France and South Korea. Ten were male and their ages ranged from 20 to 39. The candidates were interviewed on the island starting 3 May 2009. The United Kingdom finalist Ben Southall, 34, a charity fundraiser and ostrich-rider from Petersfield, Hampshire, UK, was appointed as the new caretaker of the island on 6 May 2009 Are you ready to plunge into a world full of exotic cultures and strange languages? If you've got a positive answer, you are on the go. Remember, WORKING HOLIDAY IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM THE REAL WORLD.Your one-to-two-year plan should require deliberation and self-awareness about what the person you determine to be and any values it might bring to you during this amazing trip. Wish you the best luck. Today's we'll go deeper with the budget plan and a very interesting skill of paining from India: Henna along with the picture of Linda Huang's Work. ( It might not be the best select among them, but it's truly original and innovative thing to you all.) (A)How do we apply for it? On previously mentioned article, we've been introducing the official procedures of form-filling and certain regulations issued by Australian Government and Australian Tourism Bureau. And you've got to be noticing the difference weather condition in an opposite hemisphere. Today's we'll go through some details you should know before applying for this program. Employer obligations People working in Australia on a Working Holiday visa are entitled to the same pay and work conditions as Australian residents and citizens. There are a number of obligations that employers in Australia must be willing and able to meet. Employers must: ●Ensure that the employee is paid the salary specified for the nominated position ●Deduct and make tax payments for the employee while employed by the business ●Make superannuation contributions for the employee while employed by the business ●Comply with all relevant workplace relations laws and any employee workplace agreements ●Ensure that the employee holds any license, registration or membership that is mandatory for the performance of their work ●Comply with responsibilities under Australian immigration laws ●Not employ a person who would be breaking Australian immigration laws by being employed. Note: The employer must be lawfully operating a business that is actually and actively engaged in business activities. Example: A business that exists on paper only (for example, a shelf company) is not acceptable. Working conditions Australian law sets pay rates and conditions of employment which cannot be undercut through informal agreements or unregistered contracts. If you have concerns about your pay and conditions, you can contact Fair Work Online or the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Brian: B Linda: L B: This time, we'll carefully start the "Money Talk" part. How much did you spend on the air fare and the hotel there? L: Honestly speaking, it's quite complicated to elaborate my expenses for this program. Let me just begin with the fare of economical flights may range from NT$ 45, 000 to NT$ 65,000. The earlier you book, the more reasonable price you may receive. Here's a soft reminder: booking the cheaper ticket may take you plenty of time fooling around the terminals for stopover before heading to the designated destination. It shall be a double-edged sword. The rent can be varied from one city to another. Here's the list of individual rent in accordance with different regions for your reference. There are three forms of accommodation: Share House/ Suite/ Home Stay. The Home Stay Family charged one most and the landlord usually knocks your door every week. Don't be surprised, they charge you by WEEK instead of MONTH. (P.S. Rent in this chart stands for the WEEKLY CHARGE based on the experience of the locals and Taiwanese backpackers.) B:Wow…your sharing of life expense is really organized and detailed, which reminds me, staying at hostel will be a great bargain for those newcomers seeking rooms in a low price. When recalling my 9-day trip in London, I only spent NT$ 2500 on accommodation. Really get past of the burden. And do you self-cater a lot? Just purchase some take-outs often? L: You nailed it, Brian. Having meals at the local shop will shrink your balance and is unlikely to be healthy, so to speak. Even though I am not a master chef, I've been learning how to cook for my boyfriend, Berlin, and I. We've reached a consensus to save up more money by cutting back on our entertainment costs and bring lunchboxes to workplaces. Taught by my family, I've learned to deal with some complicated techniques of boning the ducks, making the poached egg, grilled the drumsticks, and also mix some veggies as tasty salad. Remember? You told me to pour coke over the chicken drumsticks which will be caramelized and softened. And it tasted really AWESOME. You must have been a gourmet when studying in Canada, mustn't you? Taking a stroll to the nearest supermarket, I found pleasure in going window shopping and purchasing some groceries, part of me thinking of it as the great chance to reward myself with some delicious ingredients. Because we don't get any vehicles, public transportation has become more accessible and affordable. Sometimes getting lost is fun, you can dig out some unknown excitement by the warm-hearted locals. My old neighbor, Tina, loved singing and sitting on the rocking chair on the porch in the afternoon and always greeted me when jogging by her place. Sometimes she even brought her home-made pie to my place and had a great chat about the life full of ups and downs, for which I appreciate with such a lovely friend in Australia. Never had I known such plain but beautiful people and things just walked into my life. (B) How to land a part-time job there? After talking to Linda Huang, I did admire her persistence and perseverance toward arts. She acquired this unique technique and also developed into her own characteristic signature presentation of each customer's traits and his or her state of mind channeling emotions at the very special moment at her stand. People walking by her stand are sometimes hooked up by those intricate painting on various parts of human body; moreover, some others even asked her to paint Henna on their face or finger as the certain token or souvenir for this trip, from which she derived great encouragement and inspiration. To Linda, Henna is more than just a tradition rooted in Indian wedding culture but a gesture of giving blessings to people who come to her. Visitors from all walks of life and all ages are overwhelmed by this mysterious approach to arts, unlike any other performances. 『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)
根據2012年聯合國教科文組織統計,高度發展國家的在學學生至少一周看兩到三本書,而特別北歐國家都積極推廣大量閱讀和關心全球議題,相關講座和知性辯論也定期舉辦。還記得老師到歐洲的時候,在背包客旅社碰到三個年紀才16歲卻遊歷多國挪威高中生,她們認為自己能夠精通三種語言(英文法文挪威文)是很平常的事情,而且對於核能發電和太空宇宙等細節發展都如數家珍;令我驚訝的是,這些看似純真還揮舞著哈利波特專賣店魔仗的朋友,對於台灣在主權紛爭和國際地位處境都給予相當的關注和研讀,真是令我汗顏!甚至在2010年到了牛津大學附近的咖啡廳,一身淺咖啡析裝配著高領米色毛衣的法國人,竟然跟我說起了中文之外,也和我討論軍閥時期的動盪和法國大革命的處境雷同處,當「袁世凱」三個字從他嘴中冒出也讓我瞪大著眼,活像小孩第一次看到摩天輪的震撼和興奮感。事實上我們不只要關心國家大門內的民生新聞也要用更包容的態度來關愛這個繽紛多變的世界,這才是真正的Liberal Global Citizen。 「有沒有重點單字讓我可以快速通過英檢?」「文法動詞三態和一堆假設句外國人真的會說對嗎?」「片語厚厚一本日夜都不離身還是事倍功半…」「出國了,外國人說的HI之外我都聽不懂!崩潰!」這些都是你常聽到或本身學習路上問號一大堆嗎?鎖定Brian老師的英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake),就是幫忙各位同學用心準備各種生活場景常用句和強調「現學現 賣」的精華片段,集許多琳瑯滿目材料的重點供同學來學習,一定要好好努力學習喔!只有最貼近生活的語言才能深植人心和深度賞析喔:P因為大家都愛英文,那That makes two of us(我們真是有默契呢)而且Great minds think alike(英雄所見略同)。 今天老師要特別介紹「字面上容易誤解和難以判讀的表達語」 1.I couldn't stand her tardiness and really felt like giving her a piece of my mind. (我真的受不了他老遲到,真的很想教訓(訓斥)=scold=reprimand她。) 首先同學都跟老師學過,各種忍受的用法(stand, bear with, tolerate, stomach, such it up)還有tardy遲到這個高級形容轉成名詞tardiness。你肯定有類似的經驗,好不容易約好要出遊,就是有些慢郎中拖拖拉拉,讓大家行程瘋狂delay(ed)到;不然就是每次作業都是某某人遲交讓全班被老師罵得臭頭。這時候身為朋友或誠懇的同事就會想告訴你:「我真的超火大的!」因為這件事情已經occupied(佔滿)你的腦中一大部分的思考內容,你就要把這股鳥氣出在他身上,所以give sb a piece of mind可不是要他像畫皮的妖精生吃人心,而是好好領教你的怨氣! 順便比較一下其他類似用法: ●Give sb a break 放過他一馬 ●Give sb a hard time處處刁難他 ●Give sb a hand 伸出援手幫忙他 ●Give sb a finger 對(人)比中指 2. I am really convinced that Susan had it coming for treating her husband like dirt.(我很確 信蘇珊自食惡果,因為她對丈夫非常糟糕) 各位同學可能都發現了:sb has it coming是指"報應來了(It's Karama.)"或是"自作孽不可活"的語義。生活中也不乏這些例子,比如說艾瑞克的數理科很強,同學紛紛都去找他求教,但是都冷眼回絕,只是因為他怕麻煩。等到有天他忘記帶英文課本,班上沒有任何同學想跟他一起看,只能說人生中What goes around comes around(風水輪流轉)。短短的一句話,也讓同學學到很多相關的表達語,是不是非常精采呢! 3. Your bag is a knock-off. Mine is a REAL DEAL. They are apples and oranges. (你包包就是個贗品。我的才是真貨啦!兩個根本就天差地別) 前陣子老師特地去台北Q-Square運動用品選購了排汗性超強的運動上衣,雙臂有網狀個性造型而且呈亮黃色,讓夜晚慢跑成了件安全又時髦的事情。但一回到桃園區類似店家window-shop(櫥窗購物)殺殺時間,卻發現一模一樣的廠牌和材質竟然少了三百多塊,真的氣到跟【唐伯虎點秋香】的壞心師爺一樣大吐血。 當你覺得被坑了,你就可以這樣說: ●I am ripped-off.(rip是指撕裂開物體的動作,好像你錢包被洗劫般。) ●Allen is fleeced.(fleece是綿羊換季被剃毛的動作,這個概念很清楚吧。) ●You are overcharging me. (你算我太貴了吧!) ●I feel like being mugged.(我絕得被當街行搶了。) 你覺得賺到了,你就可以這樣說: ●It's a steal.(根本就跟偷來沒兩樣,超級划算。) ●What a great bargain! (殺價殺得漂亮!) ●You will never get a lower price than that.(不可能更低價了) ●That's one of the kind.(這可是獨一無二呢。) 4.Don't envy him. He is just "Jack of all trades." (不要羨慕他。他只是樣樣學樣樣不精!) 很多唸企業管理(Business Administration)的學生都紛紛跟老師反應,自己本身讀了企業內部運作、人力資源分配、各界成功案例討論、創業概論,還有基本投資概念,但就是無法專精某種領域的專業。其實現代很多父母親都很愛把孩子每天的行程表都塞滿各種才藝課,希冀未來可以贏在起跑點還可以出人頭地,但沒想到最後孩子可能被趕鴨仔上架一點熱情都沒有。曾經交過一名國三的資優女生,老師幫助他考過全民應檢中級後,他只告訴我這輩子想遠離英文,因為語言對於她這小小年紀只有父母親期望的沉重壓力而毫無樂趣和成就感。所以各位同學一定要調整自己的心態,把這門活的學問變成你生活中的調劑品和通往國際化的敲門磚(building block)。 5.We all noticed him always bailing out on us and pretending nothing ever happened. (我們都注意到他老是放我們鴿子外,還假裝沒有任何事發生。) 不管是職場中或是生活交際中,即使你真心誠意對待他人,也會難免有些偽君子(hypocrite)或小人(back-stabber)讓你很搖頭,久了也是會磨光別人對你的信任的!本次句中提到的bail(v.)原來是指『保釋金』或『讓某人重獲自由』,後來bail out on sb就變成了"未在約定時間出現"或"放鴿子",老師也有教過常用的stand sb up也是很常用到喔;但就是不要跟『bait』(誘餌)搞混了!另外一個核心動詞pretend(假裝)也很常見到,而其形容詞變化型pretentious(裝模作樣)也很形容某些特定人士和老是不看場合盛裝出席(over-dressed)的人。 EX.:Your rose-red lipstick is overkill for this party and way too old for your old. (你這烈火紅脣對於這個派對和你的年紀來說都太超過了。) 6. Thanks for asking. I am alive and kicking after serious bankrupt and loss of my pet.(謝謝你的問候。在這慘重的破產和痛失寵物後,我還是能活力四射。) 當別人問起你的近況或身體狀況時,就可以這麼回答I am alive and kicking,我還活繃亂跳呢!來自南非的Phoebe有特別告訴老師,對於女生使用這句表達也隱含『肚中胎兒很健康活動著。』所以當老師說這句話時,還不忘諷刺老師的肚子幾個月了呢!對於失去珍貴的事物都可以說loss of + N(s),聽到客戶或朋友失去親人的時候,也不要想著躲避這種話題或一臉不知所措,只要說:I am terribly sorry for your loss(對於您失去XX真的深表遺憾。)千萬不要翻成我很"對不起"喔! 【商業英文:老闆說的,你聽懂了嗎?】 聽錯了這4個片語,小心老闆不高興 潔西卡上呈老外主管一份行銷建議書,得到以下回覆:You need to make out a case for your suggestions first. 潔西卡心想:「這是全新行銷手法,我上哪去找案例呢?」只得再度請示老外主管。對方才說:No!I just need you to explain more about your suggestions.如果潔西卡知道make out a case for是指「提出做某件事的充分理由」,就不會有誤會。以下是常讓人誤解的用語。看看你是不是也有聽沒有懂。 1、double time (X)兩倍時間 (O)雙倍工資 說明:double time可不是指雙倍時間,而是指付給加班者的雙倍工資。 用法:Who would like to take this job?I will offer double time for it. (誰願接這工作?我提供雙倍工資。) 2、fill the bill (X)填好表格 (O)符合要求 說明:這裡可不是叫人來「填表」,而是在問有誰「正合需要」或「能解決問題」。 用法:There's a job opening here. Do you know anyone who may fill the bill?(我們有一個職缺,你知道誰符合要求嗎?) 3、in black and white (X)黑白分明 (O)白紙黑字 說明:black和white指黑字和白紙,所以in black and white意思是白紙黑字寫下來或印出來的書面形式。 用法:I want you to reach this agreement in black and white as soon as possible. (請盡快達成書面協議。) 4、keep one's eye on the ball (X)看著球 (O)集中精力 說明:keep one's eye on the ball是體育用語,指打球時須雙眼緊盯球,現在則特別用來比喻在工作上專心致志。注意,eye固定都用單數,不加s。 用法:John, your sales record is way down the past quarter. You'd better start keeping your eye on the ball.(約翰,過去一季你的銷售成績一直很差,你最好開始集中注意力在工作上。)
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Kinmen:A Welcoming Community
The guidebooks do not do Kinmen justice. Before I moved to Kinmen in August, I tried to gather as much information about Kinmen as I could, which turned out to be very little. If Kinmen is mentioned in a guidebook, it is brief and focuses on military historical sites. While I find the military and political history of Kinmen fascinating, it was hard to get a sense of what it would be like to live here. I feared that it would be a barren landscape, ravaged by years of conflict, where residents kept their distance from foreigners. When I arrived in Kinmen to see the beautiful landscape and to feel immediately welcomed into the community by the people, I was pleasantly surprised. The Mid-Autumn Festival allowed me to experience Kinmen culture as a resident instead of as a passing tourist. People welcomed me into their homes for barbeques to enjoy conversation and local food. I also took part in the Kinmen dice game, held in Jincheng on September 15th. I knew nothing of the dice game, but the people at my table were very helpful and I finally understood the rules. In America, we celebrate many holidays with outdoor barbeques, so I felt at home during the Moon Festival barbeques. However, there is no celebration or community activity like the dice game. I loved being a part of the dice game and sharing in the excitement at the possibility of becoming a winner. Although not a grand-prize winner, I did get to take home noodles and peanut candies. I was also lucky enough to meet Magistrate Li and was invited to play at his table during the second round of the game. That was a very memorable experience. Kinmen! Thank you for welcoming this foreigner into your community. The guidebooks should include a section about the generosity and welcoming nature of the people in Kinmen. I am very happy to call Kinmen my new home.
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How to get into College in the U.S.A
As an International student, the American college process can easily be daunting and confusing. Fortunately, there are resources that can make your college application process a bit easier. The College Board's Office of International Education helps International students gain access to their home country's resources, testing information, and application procedures. For more information the website address is http://international.collegeboard.org. Fulbright Taiwan also offers free educational advice as part of EducationUSA, http://www.educationusa.tw. The college application process usually consists of an official high school transcript, a personal essay, standardized test results, and 2-3 letters of recommendations. The personal essay and extracurricular activities are given just as much consideration as transcript grades. Colleges look for intellectually capable, well-rounded students. Be prepared to express what stimulates you outside of the classroom. The personal essay is the perfect opportunity to expand on relevant strengths that were not showcased on the application such as, why you would like to study abroad in the U.S., your personal interests, aspirations, and extra-curricular activities. The personal essay acts as a space for you to communicate what sets you apart from other competing applicants. You will have less control over your letters of recommendation, so make sure the teachers you choose to write your recommendations know you well enough to provide a thorough and flattering description of your academic strengths. These are the basic components of your college application. Standardized testing such as Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), SAT Subject Tests, and Advanced Placement Exams will be required. However, these requirements will differ depending on the institution. Going to each institution's international student section of the main website to find out more about the requirements for international applicants is highly recommended. The TOEFL tests Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The exam is accepted by more than 9,000 institutions in over 130 countries. To learn more about the exam visit http://www.ets.org/toefl. The SAT tests Critical Reading, Writing, and Math. The exam also includes an Essay component. The SAT Subject Tests are about your aptitude for only one subject such as Biology, History, or French. Again, check each institutions main website for SAT testing requirements. The College Board's Annual Survey of Colleges and Universities also provides information regarding the admission requirements for international students. If college fees are an obstacle, then contact the college or visit the website to find out more about Financial Aid for International Students. Funds are often limited so do this very early in the application process. While funds are limited, remember that the final price will only be determined after you apply to the school, apply for aid, and are admitted. So don't be deterred by the initial sticker price. Hopefully with these resources at your disposal, you will be able to navigate the American college process more smoothly. Don't be afraid to contact your target schools with questions. It shows the admission office that you are interested. Good luck!
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"Do you mind…"
Trying to ask a favor or to ask for help from another person is delicate. Showing that you are being mindful of the other's time and energy is important. The phrase "do you mind" is a polite way to ask for small favors like borrowing someone's pencil or getting an extra menu at a restaurant. For example, look at this conversation in which Nick asks Daisy to take him to the hospital. Nick:Hi Daisy, how are you doing? Daisy:Hey Nick, I'm doing well. What about you? Nick:Actually, I'm not feeling very well. Do you mind taking me to the hospital? Daisy:Of course! In this situation, Nick is not feeling well, so he wants to go to the hospital. He could have just asked, "can you take me to the hospital," and conveyed the same message. However, he knew that he would inconvenience Daisy. So, he first explained himself and then used the phrase "do you mind" before asking the favor. Using the phrase "do you mind" is a simple way to show that you are courteous; hence you are more likely to get a positive response. The phrase shows that you are aware that you may inconvenience someone and are grateful for the help. Importantly, a softer tone of voice is also key to conveying a polite message. Sentence pattern: Do you mind (-ing verb form) __________? Other examples: Do you mind calling a taxi for me? Do you mind lending me a pencil? Do you mind carrying my bag for me?
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
幸福了,然後呢?你(妳)曾經渴望一場轟轟烈烈的愛情?或是希望在人生中找到一份可以依賴又真實的情感嗎?「想念你的笑、想念你的外套,想念你白色襪子和你身上的味道」一首首的經典情歌或許大家都朗朗上口。有人歌頌愛情的美好,就算有過曖昧(ambiguous relationship)的短暫幸福(transient happiness)也可以回味無窮;不少人感嘆幾米◎向左走向右走◎那平行的邂逅和距離美感;更是心碎者用淚水譜出那段如驚濤駭浪的煎熬時分。但如果能微笑祝福讓自己邁向幸福的彼岸,卻是更重要的人生課題。偶爾瞥見躺在角落的她的梳子和殘留著習慣的香味,很多事物都無意替我們收集那特別又不想回憶的過去。不妨來到世界巡迴特展<失戀博物館>喚起那份失戀博物館由來自克羅埃西亞的歐琳卡維斯媞沙(OlinkaVistica) 和德拉任格魯彼奇(DrazenGrubisic)所創辦,失戀博物館開始在世界巡迴,蒐集了來自各地動人的展出。雖然說,展品通常富有強烈的個人與當地色彩,卻仍然存在著全球相通的內涵,等待被看見,並感受安慰。失戀博物館希望透過這些展出能夠刺激來觀展的人向內心深處找尋破碎所帶來的長遠意義而非只是流連於心碎之中(dwell on the broken relationships in the past) 從一踏進這個博物館就見到許多情侶、好友們,單身訪客到這個充滿情感回憶的展示廳(showcase show),很多人細數著世界各地捐贈的物品,也有調皮的小女孩唸著上頭的英文,然後感動不已的純真表情讓我深覺著,在感情裡其實不論男女老幼都是最單純且交出最坦承的一面。因為不會想到竟然會有分手的那一天!裡頭靜靜躺著的物件都有中英文的文字解說,裡面的陳列的物品從「眼藥水」、「針織毛衣」、「鑰匙串」、「婚禮簽名簿」,「缺手臂的布娃娃」到「照相機」都有。其中令人印象深刻的就是看似普通的「放大鏡」,旁邊的注解字眼是:「在你身邊的時候,我總是感到很渺小,看不到自己的價值和驕傲。」確實Love is blind但也需要互相尊重(mutual respect)和欣賞(appreciation)對方的優點(strengths),而不是放大對方的缺點(drawbacks)再加以羞辱(humiliate);循著牆上亮著「失戀」燈泡織成的字樣,無力的閃爍著那哭斷心腸也不回頭的愛,我留意到桌上有本書,上面寫著"I want you to be THIN."(我要你變瘦)那個來自德州傷心的女孩寫著: 「After our first date, you gave me this book in an encouraging one but with a despising look. You didn't feel satisfied with the way I looked and started picking on the way I dressed. God blessed me for knowing that dumping you was the wake-up call for me to choose my boy-friend wisely instead of changing myself for a jerk like you. I am beautiful no matter what you said. And don't worry, I won't shed a tear for this pathetic parody.」 (第一次約會後,你用激勵的語氣給了我這本書,但卻面臉嫌惡。你壓根就是對我的外型和我的穿著很有意見。我太感謝老天爺了!讓我知道甩掉像你這樣的人,讓我可以清醒過來,未來可以聰明地選個對的人,而不是為了你這種爛人來改變我自己。不論你說什麼我就是最棒的我。還有別擔心,我絕對不會為了這場荒謬的鬧劇而落一滴淚。) ●Despise(v.)嫌惡或看不起=look down on sth/sb跟"despite"(雖然)可是不同喔! ●Dump(v.)(原指)丟棄(垃圾)這邊是指情感中「甩掉」或「提出分手」的動作。 Dumpling是指水餃(或是有包餡的食物)喔!在電影<超殺聯盟2 Kick-Ass 2>裡面Hit Girl(超殺女)原本想放棄那些殺戮的生活而轉為投入高中正常生活,但沒想到被學校的Queen B(校園女王)給設計了,所以第一次的約會就被甩了,英文就叫做『Date Ditched』而被丟在樹林裡。英文中的ditch原指下水溝或是保齡球的洗溝,也很常用被放鴿子的用法,老師也有交過stand sb up有相同意思。 ●Wake-up call當頭棒喝(使某人清醒的事件) ●Instead of而不是(若單用instead反而有肯定的意思) ●Jerk(n.)混蛋(尤指很糟糕的男生) ●Pathetic(a.)可悲的 這可是跟miserable(可憐的)不太相同,通常都帶著諷刺語氣看著現世報。 那老師就來舉例給大家好好的學學「報應英文」吧! EX.:Gina used to make fun of the impoverished and the homeless. It's pathetic that her family went bankrupt and she needed to beg by the sidewalk like those she maliciously teased. Karma just came in time. (吉娜以前都會嘲笑那些窮困和無窮可歸的人。現在她的家族破產,這也逼著她像當初被嘲笑的那些人一樣在路邊乞討了。真可悲!俗話說的好:「不是不報,只是時候未到阿!」) ●Parody(n.)鬧劇 V.S. Tragedy (n.)悲劇V.S. Comedy(n.)喜劇 【Brian英文如是說】:Shape?造型?好身材?想到快爆炸了! 1.This office is taking shape. 天啊!老師為什麼辦公室也有好身材了?哈!同學們千萬不要慌張。我們常去別人相落成的大樓或是精心莊潢好的房子,千萬不要脫口說" Oh, your house is beautiful. I love it."完全Kindergarten English(幼稚園英文)就尷尬出場了!要記得運用老師介紹的:Your office is taking shape./ The way you've decorated the room is truly meticulously gorgeous. ●meticulous(a.)精心(照料;準備;設計)的 Those exotic flowers, which was imported from Indonesia, required adequate sunshine and meticulous care. (這些引進印尼的異國花種需要足夠的日曬和細心呵護。) ●gorgeous(a.)棒極了! 這個單字給他「八顆星」的好用等級!不管是外貌姣好、風和日麗、絕妙點子、亮麗穿著,天大喜事到心情開闊!都可以用Gorgeous!步出電影院就可以大喊Gorgeous!真是無敵好看呢!英國人也很喜歡用"brilliant"來表達聽到的好消息或是好心情呢! 2.You are out of shape today. 許多同學看到都會認為是「你身材走樣了」。但其實這句話真正的意思是「你今天看起來狀況不太好耶!」相近的表達語還有: ●You are feeling well today. ●It seems you are under the weather. ●Your face is quite pale. I think you need some rest. ●You don't behave the way you are. 3.Lisa is trying to keep herself in shape. 很多女生朋友都很努力節食讓自己維持最好的體態。所以這句話就是「麗莎很努力的讓自己保持身材」。但如果自己身邊朋友變胖了你可別明說You are fat.這肯定是很沒禮貌的!更不用說obese(病態肥胖)等表達了!要小心用法而不是囫圇吞棗,那你可以這樣說: ●You are gaining weight, aren't you? ●You will look more gorgeous if losing a few pounds. ●That dress totally looks great on you but we need a larger size. 4.Shape up or ship out. 其實這是很多同學都知道的「如果怕熱,就不要進廚房」的另一種說法。你要不就遵守公司內部規定,不然你就收拾吃自己囉! =If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. =Rule is rule. Never expect to bend the rule. 台灣同學喜歡說:He is my friend.這句話看似沒有問題,但外國朋友會誤認「你只有一個朋友」,所以你應該說:He is one of my friends, John.會更完整喔! 有一個有趣的反例,一個美籍老師告訴我,直到他學了中文,才恍然大悟,為什麼他的學生經常講類似這樣的句子: Every morning I go to work. …. 這句子也沒有錯,但老外多半把every morning放在句尾。老外學過中文後,才知道這話並不是強調「每天」,只是直譯中文:每天我去上班。 想要輕而易舉就達成,不太容易,但掌握這幾項原則,母語干擾會越來越低: 1. 搞清楚到底誰是主詞? 英文的主詞處在關鍵位置。中文說價格很貴,但英文不說"the price is expensive" 。而說"it's expensive"。因為price只會high,而不會expensive。把以下每一句的主詞劃出來,開始會有些感覺,老美是怎麼想事情的輕重。 (X) His arms were painful, which made it difficult for him to operate the machine. (O) The pain in his arms made it difficult for him to operate the machine. 他的手痛所以很難操作機器。 痛才是重點,因為痛才無法進行操作,手不是重點,用pain當主詞。 2. 不要上了動詞的當! 英語和中文結構很像,多半以「主詞+動詞」為主軸。有些時候會出現不同的組織方式。英語中有些字是「令某人或某事如何」,如: astonish 使驚訝;confuse 使困惑;convince 使信服; fertilize 使肥沃; involve 使捲入;terrify 使驚恐;impress 使獲得深刻印象;grieve 使悲傷等。 這和我們習慣的表達不同。中文思維一見到「使……」、「讓……」,馬上想到make或let兩字,導致它們使用氾濫,比較這幾個句子: (X) My answer to the question made him feel disappointed. (O) My answer to the question disappointed him. 我對問題的回答讓他失望。 3. 竹節句 vs. 流水句 有人比較中英文句子,說英語句子是「竹節句」,一節接一節,比較緊湊。中文句子喻為「流水句」,少用連接詞行文仍然流暢。中文人口受中文結構的影響,寫出的英文句子單調,缺失韻味和節奏感等。以下是把兩句併一句: (X) I have worked for the company for many years. I'd like to change my job. (O) With so many years working for the company, I feel it's time for a career move. 我已經在這家公司服務多年,該是轉換跑道的時候了。 4. 比喻轉換避免尷尬 比喻的說法常是經文化長期醞釀而成,不同的文化自然形成不同的比喻,例如: 雞皮疙瘩 → goose bumps;雞變成了鵝 害群之馬 → black sheep;馬變成了羊 殺雞取卵 → kill the goose that lays the golden eggs;雞變成了鵝。 『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)
各位同學,你們適應開學後規律又緊湊的生活(lead a tense lifestyle)了嗎?,許多大學新鮮人對未來充滿許多憧憬,背著筆記型電腦和拿著原文書漫步校園(stroll on campus),但現實是蓬頭垢面(shabby)趕早課,慌亂找各大樓上課教室,最後發現還穿著睡衣(pajamas)!其實同學常在生活中犯了【中文直譯】的問題。舉例來說,筆記型電腦並不是『notebook』而是『laptop』,因為"lap"是指從膝蓋以上的大腿處,而大部分筆電都會放在"top"(上面)使用,在國外如果想要有超大折扣可以選在聖誕節前夕的Boxing Day甚至下殺到二折的夢幻價位;前者可是指「紙本的筆記本」,可別讓店員傻眼喔!除此之外,上下班使用的機車其實多半被誤用成"motorcycle"(重型機車),但其實是"scooter"(速可達,scoot快速移動之意。);另外,經過座位需要對方讓才方便通行,就可以說:"Please scoot over."在用餐完畢,請服務生把帳單給你,千萬不要說"Bill, please!"忘了捲舌音,人家還以為你要追加一手啤酒(a dozen of pints)。這種直譯英文沒有"Check, please!"來得道地和簡潔。常聽到朋友說:【剛剛去了Costco買了好多日用品和飲料呢!】但鮮少人能夠正確發出:Costco(音近:卡絲扣)而不是大家常說的「摳斯摳」,你可能沒想到主管可以經由這麼簡單的句子,來判斷考生的英文程度和發音標準與否。積非成是的英文並不是勉強接受就好,可是要不斷確認自己每個字的正確發音,將來被英文母語人士稱讚,可非難事喔!還有,別再conform行程表了,是"confirm",捲捲舌頭訓練肌肉反應,這樣才能徹底說的一口好英文。一起來欣賞本次專欄的精采內容吧! 【請你跟我這麼說】:老外也愛你篇 1. What are friends for?這就是好朋友該做的! 有時候在自己很失意的時候,一通關懷的電話和臉書上跳出的問候訊息,都會突然覺得自己變得很重要。甚至身邊的朋友會遠從外地來跟你碰面和包容你的很多小缺點,也會義不容辭在脆弱的時候成為你的心靈避風港。這種好朋友可遇不可求,真是一生的福氣,當你伸出援手去幫忙朋友時,如果他因為不好意思想拒絕,你就可以說:What are friends for?好朋友就是該挺彼此,不是嗎? 2.Do you happen to know where the post office is? 這邊的『happen to』是指"'剛好"的意思,跟"HAPPEN發生"的原意無關。所以這句話在說:你該不會也剛好知道郵局在哪裡吧?在加拿大唸書的時候,老師很常聽到朋友在說:Can't our final happen to be toughest this time?(我們的期末考不會剛好比較難吧?) 3.I really splurge on my son's five-year-old party! "splurge"是否讓你感受到了"surge"這個中文有【指數或海浪急速上升】,所以它的意思是"揮霍或是灑出"的意象。這句話是在說:「在五歲兒子生日派對我砸了一堆錢。」另外相關的單字plunge就有跳入水中或是浸淫在某種狀態中,比如說" I plunged into the world of Numerology."(我一頭栽進命理學的世界) 4.I find the color scheme rather exquisite and stylish. 這裡的color scheme指的就是色彩運用、明暗對比、房屋材質比對、建築概念延伸和許多細節的色彩複雜搭配學問。這句話在說:「我發現這個配色概念相當精細和自成一格。」&注意:這邊的find常用來當作"覺得"而不是"找到"喔! 5.Pass me the remote. 請幫我把遙控器拿來 "Pass + sb + -sth"…遞給某人某物,比如說在餐廳希望對方遞胡椒粉給你,就可以說" Pass me the pepper."請家人傳報紙給你" Pass me the paper"幫我把馬鈴薯泥拿過來"Pass me the mashed potato"是不是非常常用到的句型阿! 6.Let me foot the bill for it. 這裡的"Foot"變成動詞跑腿的意思。中國人一向以客為尊,都希望自己可以當個好主人,也是抓緊報恩的時候,急著把帳單拿去櫃檯付錢,但難免還是得拉扯一番,真的有點難看。所以這裡是指『讓我去付帳就好』聽到也是挺開心的吧! 7. What seems to be the problem? 當我們想要理解目前狀況的時候,或是身體不適看醫生,都會很常聽到:What seems to be the problem?(請問有怎樣的困擾嗎?)這可是非常中性且禮貌的問法。而台灣朋友常聽到What's wrong with you?(你是怎麼了?)就會顯得有責備語氣;更不用說,What's got into you?(你神經有問題嗎?)勸大家要少用 ●bad/poor appetite(n.)胃口很差 ●itchy(a.)癢 ●sore throat/ muscle喉嚨痛/肌肉酸痛 ●stuffy /runny nose鼻塞/流鼻水 ●vomit(v.)嘔吐 ●nauseous(a.)作嘔的 ●run a high fever發高燒 ●light-headed(a.)突然暈頭轉向的 ●drowsy(a.)想睡覺的 ●powerless (a.)無力感的 ●fatigued(a.)極度疲憊的 ●diarrhea(n.)腹瀉=I have the runs. ●hemorrhage (n.)出血 ●gastric ulcer胃腸潰瘍 8.You are in the pink. 你整個人變粉紅色的?學生馬上告訴我是「人逢喜事精神爽」,事實上非常接近了就是指「身體健康」而呈現出的紅潤好臉色。下次見面朋友就可以用,還可以說I am alive and kicking.代表自己身體非常硬朗和健康喔! 而在職場裡面用到了"Be given a pink slip"可不是件好事,因為通常解聘單都是粉紅色的,所以代表你要去喝西北風了! 【R.I.P.小單元】我們懷念全民醫師林杰樑 大家都知道R.I.P.=Rest In Peace安息,那我們還有其他的說法來表達心中的遺憾和傷感嗎? 1.My condolences.(致上哀悼之意) 2.I am at a loss for words.(我真的不知道該說什麼) 3.I can't put my feelings into words.(我的情緒難以表述) 4.I am deeply saddened by the loss we've all shared.(我深深的哀慟) 5.I was saddened to hear about Dr. Lin's demise. I hope and pray that his family will have strength during this time of loss.(聽到林醫師的噩耗,我內心祈禱著他的家人可以有勇氣渡過這個難關) 6.I am so sorry about Hazel, a respectable dancer.(對於海姿這樣令人景仰的舞者,我深表遺憾)_ 【看新聞學英文】:劍橋小王子誕生,全球同慶! 記得老師國中的時候,英文老師便問班上同學,如果要問孕婦肚子裡的孩子性別,應該要怎樣問呢?想到了嗎?當時我的老師提供了:What is it?的說法。但其實不明確也有些許不周到,應該可以直接依照對方期待的性別,然後來說:Are you expecting a boy?(你預計要生的是男孩嗎?)也可以間接知道對方的期待和準備心情。但最辛苦的還是有害喜"morning sickness"的問題,老師的母親可是選afternoon! 在全世界的高度矚目與祝福之下,凱特王妃終於在7月23日生下一名男嬰。女王伊莉莎白二世是第一個得到消息的人;整個英國上下都歡天喜地迎接這個王室寶寶(Royal Baby)的降臨。威廉王子的父親查爾斯王子與其妻卡蜜拉也升格為阿公阿嬤。威廉王子的生母─那紅顏薄命的黛安娜,若是天堂有知,也應該為這動人的一刻,感到喜悅。 白金漢宮(Buckingham Palace)(依慣例在前院豎起牌子,昭告英國上下關於王室寶寶誕生的消息。英國王位第一順位繼承人-查爾斯王子,與其妻卡蜜拉立刻發表聲明(statement)。該聲明只有三句話,他說了什麼呢? 第一句話他說:「我與妻子卡蜜拉對於我們第一個孫子的到來都感到欣喜萬分。」 Both my wife and I are overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild. 此句堪稱簡易。對你而言,唯一字彙可能是overjoyed。但是你如果知道joy是「高興、歡愉」,而字首「over-」有「超過、過度」之意的話,你應該不難猜出overjoy是比高興更超出的「狂喜、欣喜萬分」。"arrival"是arrive的名詞,詞類變化要在平常閱讀的時候即稍加注意。 第二句話他說:「對威廉與凱特而言,這是一個極為特別的時刻,而我們都為他們生下的男嬰而非常高興。」 It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy. 句中的incredibly是林書豪爆紅時代的Linsanity與Lincredible兩字之一incredible的副詞,它原本是「難以置信地」,但衍申為「極為、非常、很」。「thrill」是動詞的「興奮、激動」。值得一提的是,thrill也可以指激動到「緊張、毛骨悚然」,而常看到的thriller是指「恐怖電影(小說)」或是刺激到毛孔收縮的「驚險小說、電影」。 第三句話他說:「就像最近幾個月無數和藹可親的人所告訴我的,升格為祖父母對任何人而言,都是獨特的;所以我非常高興且驕傲的第一次做爺爺,而我們熱切期望在最快的未來看到寶寶。」 Grandparenthood is a unique moment in anyone's life, as countless kind people have told me in recent months, so I am enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future. 這雖是一個長句,但它只不過是由三個連接詞as、so、and連接四個短句的長句: 【療癒系英文之讚美是最powerful的英文】 不管你的英文流不流利、發音好不好聽,只要是讚美人的英文,肯定會讓人很愛聽! I admire you!(我佩服你!) I'm impressed!(我被打動了!) You're awesome! (你真了不起!) You're incredible! (真令人難以置信!) You did a great job!(幹得好!) You're looking sharp!(你看起來真棒!) You're really talented!(你真有天份!) You're very professional!(你好專業!) I like the way you handled that! (我喜歡你的做法!) I'm very pleased with your work! (我對你的成果非常滿意!) 『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)
Gosh! Where's my Smart phone? Did you see that?大家有曾經忘了帶手機出門,而顯得非常焦躁不安(panic)嗎?還記得老師在英國背包旅行專欄的精采對話內容外,同學大概不知道背包那段時間,每天口袋都感覺到手機震動,問題是我根本沒帶手機!所以在丹麥神經專科研究團隊針對現代人使用智慧型手機,創造了『Phantom Syndrome』(幽靈手機症候群),也強調出了資訊依賴性(reliance)和商機的無限可能。可見手機其實在生活中帶來便利也有很多文明病。隨著網路發達,許多英文潮流字一起誕生,手機當然也有喔!另外也請注意公共廣播英文: ●Please switch your cell phones into vibration or silence mode. 請把手機調成震動或關機。 ●Keep your volume down while chatting on the train. 在列車上談話請降低音量。 ●Watch your belonging before aligning. 下車前請注意您的隨手物品。 最近看到很有趣的「Nomophobia」無手機恐懼症,指現代人在手機沒電或沒信號時引發的恐慌狀態,是 no-mobile phobia 的縮寫。「Foodstagrammers」則是指吃東西之前非得要用手機拍食物,再上傳到網路的行為,還裝就不像了,就是你啦!!當然,今天也要介紹非常實用的網路用語和語氣表達兩大單元喔!Let's roll! 『網路聊天英文』:這可是字典翻也翻不到的 (A) OMG:Oh My God! 意思為「真不可置信!」。→For God's Sake通常是說「看在老天爺份上」而做請求。 通常都是首字縮寫的形容呈現的!而OMG=Oh My God!表達非常的驚訝 而大家常聽到的其他語氣詞也很常用到: ●Ooopps:糟糕了!(可能忘記帶到重要的證件或遺落物品在某處) ●Ouch: 痛死了!(像有時候老師會不小心敲到桌腳或撞到膝蓋都會說) ●Gosh:哎呀!(如果在路上不小心購物袋破了一個洞,就很適用這樣說) ●Gee:天啊!(跟OMG的概念是一樣的,驚嘆某是不預期出現了!) ●Oh Boy:真是惋惜!(比如說你只差一分就趕上火車了,都會脫口而出) (B) BRB:Be Right Back! 意思為「馬上回來」。當你要突然去洗手間或是要離開一陣子,就可以在聊天視窗裡打上BRB。 這樣朋友也知道You are in the middle of something.等等就回來了! (C)BFF:Best Friend Forever 意思為「永遠的好朋友」。Paris Hilton派莉斯希爾頓富豪女曾在節目找真心好友,都會用這樣的縮寫來傳簡訊呢! (D)TTYL:Talk to you later! 意思為「下次見囉!」。另外跟外國朋友道別也可以說:So long!= See you then!=Keep me posted of your updates.= Keep in touch!=See you around.=Adios.(西班牙語,因為是移民種族為最大宗)=Au Revoir.(法文:再次看到你) (E)TTYN:Talk To You Never. 意思為「我們絕交吧」。如果收到好友傳來這種訊息真的會很心痛(devastated)! (F)BTW:By The Way 意思為「順帶一提」。請特別注意這可非常不適合在值場上使用。但朋友間的使用率是相當高的呢! (G)XOXO:Kiss Hug Kiss Hug 意思為「親親抱抱」。還記得之前說過的Kiss and Ride吧!(忘了要快點去翻之前的專欄喔!)在美國青春影集『緋聞教主Gossip Girls』都會彼此這樣說: love you, XOXO.其中的X代表「兩個人親嘴的樣子」而O代表「抱在一起」是不是非常有趣呢!在書信或簡訊最後都可以打上XOXO,讓對方感受到你的關心喔! (H)LOL:Laugh Out Loud 意思為「超好笑!」。這個除了是線上遊戲的名稱,更是歐美人士天天使用的聊天內容呢!當然創意的年輕世代有更高級版的:LMAOF=Laugh My Ass Off.笑到連屁股都坐不住而笑翻在地方的樣子! 【神秘的語氣表達語單元】 1. He is completely retarded. 他真是個十足的智障。 Completely 是一個在加強語氣時非常好用的副詞,它可以讓你的語氣立刻增強百分之五十。比方說有一次我打電話去訂購一樣儀器,花了好多時間跟他們解釋,到最後,送來的居然還缺這個缺那個的。我忍不住隨口抱怨,"He is so retarded." (他真是個白癡。)坐在旁邊的老美大概也深有同感,附和道,"Yes, he is completely retarded."(他是個十足的智障。) 由於 completely 是個副詞,所以它不但可以用來修飾形容詞,還可以用來修飾動詞。比方說上司交代你一項任務,你不單是說,"I understand." 還可以說,"I completely understand." 表示自己可是完完全全地聽明白了,或更肯定說,"Yes. I completely understand what you meant." 或是 "Yes. I perfectly understand what you meant." 你看多了這個 completely 和 perfectly 語氣是不是立刻變得諂媚多了?記住,將來若想要升官發財就全靠這兩個字了。 2. Some people have a hard time understanding what 'Glass Only' means. 人們就是無法了解這塊寫著 "Glass Only" 的牌子代表什麼意思。 每次老師去百貨公司看到門上寫著"PULL"(拉),民眾就是很喜歡給他"PUSH"(推)下去,都會讓我一臉錯愕!到底是英文太差還是根本不理會呢? 很多人都有類似的經驗吧?明明牌子上寫的,"No Glass" 就是會有人把玻璃丟進去,明明是 "Glass Only" 又會有人把非玻璃的東西給混雜其中。我每次看到這種情況,也只會說,"How can people do that?" ,不然就是只能搖頭苦笑走開。後來有一次好友Linda看到了,她是個很有正義感的人,一邊撿起不應屬於這裏的垃圾,一邊氣憤地跟我說,"People have a hard time understanding what 'Glass Only' means." 是不是她這樣子的表達方式聽起來通順多了,各位覺不覺得呢? 在上面的例句中,Linda 小妹妹用了have a hard time 是個片語,意即有困難,也就相當於 have difficulty (in) V-ing 這個片語。同樣的句型我們可以用在其它的場合。比方說你坐在非吸煙區,偏偏就是有人要抽煙,這時候你就可以來一句,"People have a hard time understanding what 'No smoking' means." 或是 "People have difficulty understanding what 'No smoking' means." 這樣的講法,遠比平鋪直述地說,"How can people smoke here?" 來得生動有趣地多了。 3. I laughed incredibly hard last night. I almost died. 我笑得很誇張,差點沒笑死。 講話誇張,表情豐富的人總是比較受歡迎的,這是我多年來慢慢累積出來的心得。記得上次跟一群美國朋友去看電影,回來之後別人問我們這部電影好不好看。我是覺得蠻好笑的,所以我就平鋪直述地說,"It was fun. I like it."(很好笑,我很喜歡。)但是當他問另一個美國人時,那個美國人的回答則是," I laughed incredibly hard last night. I almost died."(我笑得很誇張,差點沒笑死。)當場我就覺得自己被比下去了,因為你光聽他的回答,都可以深深地感覺到這部電影有多麼地有趣。 另外,跟前一句話意思很相似,而且在美國也常聽到的還有一種講法,叫"I almost died laughing." 翻譯成中文就是「我差點沒笑死」的意思。 從這件事上我學到的心得是,1. incredibly 是個很好用的副詞,三不五時可以拿出來加強自己說話的語氣 2. "I almost died." 是句很有戲劇效果的話,如果一句話說完自己覺得不夠誇張,立刻在句末加上一句,"I almost died." 或是 "I almost died +V-ing" 立刻就有劃龍點睛之效。比方說吧,你要跟美國人強調昨晚去吃的 "All-you-can-eat buffet" 實在是太好吃了,害我實在是吃得太飽太飽了。如果平鋪直述的話,就是 "I was so full last night." 但是呢?如果你把之前學到的句法活用一下,就變成了,"I was incredibly full last night. I almost died." 效果是不是差很多呢? 4. She thought she was the center of the universe when we played volleyball. 當我們在打排球時,她自己覺得是宇宙的中心。 中古時的人們不了解地球是圓的這個道理,常常自大地以為地球是宇宙的中心。雖說隨著科學的進展,慢慢地人們體驗到了地球只是偌大宇宙中的一個成員而已,但 center of the universe(宇宙的中心)這樣的用法卻一直沿用至今,表現出一個人的狂妄自大。特別是有種人常以為自己是領導人物,別人都要聽他的,老美就會說這種人自以為是 center of the universe 或是說他們 "They always have to be the center of attention."比方說打棒球,隊友他自己想要當投手,卻叫你去守外野,如果你不想聽他的,就告訴他,"Why should I listen to you? Do you really think you are the center of the universe?" (為什麼我要聽你的,你真的自以為是宇宙的中心嗎?) 5. I have no income and I have to pay my tuition. I am the poorest of the poor. 我沒有收入來付我的學費,我是窮人裏面最窮的。 有時候我們要表達自己很窮,好像除了講 very poor 之外沒有其它任何的選擇,不像在中文裏我們還有什麼三餐不濟、窮愁潦倒之類的成語。但事實上,像是 poorest of the poor 就是一個不錯的用法,可以用來強調自己不但很窮,而且還是窮人裏面最窮的。比方說,"I would like to donate some money to the poorest of the poor." (我想捐點錢給那些最窮的人。) ※另外關於『弱勢族群』的英文,可以這樣說: The impoverished. = The underprivileged.=The disadvantaged. 外國教授特別提醒請特別注意不要跟"The minority"(少數族群)混淆了,金字塔的頂端富人雖然不是多數人但可是過得非常奢侈的呢! 跟 poorest of the poor 遙相呼應的則是 richest of the rich,看字面上的意思就知道這是指有錢人裏面最有錢的一群。比方說 "There is no question that my boss is the richest of the rich."(亳無疑問的,我的老板肯定是有錢人裏面算是最有錢的。) 像是著名的富比士 (Forbes)雜誌有著名的富人排行榜,用的標題就是 The richest of the rich. 『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)
挖!來到了這個特別的月份,老師非常的興奮呢!因為偉大的教師節(Teacher's Day)?非常接近,在加油點(way to go)?!沒錯,月底就是Brian老師的生日呢!如果你來不及當著老師的面祝福,那接受晚來的祝賀(belated greeting)也是很開心!生日的時候除了要吹蠟燭(blow the candles)、許三個願望(make three wishes)、親友相聚(reunite with friends and relatives),當然重頭戲就是拆禮物(unwrap the gift)啦!在歐美國家當眾拆開賓客帶來的禮品並誇讚對方的用心,是非常的必要喔!這跟生活在傳統華人文化的我們可是非常震驚,很深怕自己收到的禮物不如預期,會擺出個苦瓜臉(make a long face)就很失禮了。這種文化衝擊(cultural shock)是很常見的,但讓老師最害怕的就是同學講得滿口【中式英文】卻渾然不覺。那大家知道各種「害怕」的英文要怎麼正確表達嗎?那就來開始今天的精采內容囉! 在同學的日記裡提到了:「I am afraid of winter because it's really cold.」你知道哪裡有問題嗎?問題可大了!因為冬天會讓你「怕到不敢面對」嗎?穿起大衣應該就可以解決的小事,不要用到afraid喔!這句話只是單純的"不喜歡"應該要說成:I dislike winter because of the bitter cold.(這邊不是指口味上的「苦澀」而是十分冷冽)。眼尖的同學會發現老師沒有選用「Hate」,其實在台灣太濫用這個常見的單字,其帶有「厭惡、痛恨」的嚴重口吻。老師帶日本使節參觀桃園國際機場聊天談話中,提到納豆的味道真的很難接受,他們就面露驚慌,拜託我一定要找時間再嘗一次國寶級的養生品,當然我也覺得自己把對歐美直爽口吻帶到亞洲有些尷尬(embarrassing)。另外在日本可千萬不要說自己的日文普通普通,因為教授級的人才能說自己馬馬虎虎,一般百姓可是要說自己很差很差才行,『國際禮儀』(International Etiquette& Diplomatic Protocol.)跨了經緯線有了不同定義和表示呢!那就來細細學習各種情感表達吧! <"不接受"的情緒單字表> 1.dislike (v.):單純個人不喜愛(movie, music, color, or weather) *輕微口吻 2.offend(v.)冒犯(通常跟性別、種族、隱私,或宗教政治等敏感話題相關) 所以當你要提出見解又怕冒犯現場的與會人士,就可以說:No offense.(我無意冒犯任何人。)可以讓氣氛緩和很多。*屬官方口吻(Politically-correct) 3.upset(v.)使人沮喪或生氣→I have an upset stomach.(我肚子很不舒服) 4.provoke (v.)挑釁→provocative (a.) 挑釁口吻*屬嚴重用法 EX.:North Korea's warning of launching the nuclear weapons has been rather provocative and posed a threat to global security mechanism. (北韓的核武警告充滿挑釁意味,且威脅著全球安全體系。) 5.精選形容詞篇:弱→強 ※awkward(a.)氣氛尷尬;古怪的(人事物) →unpleasant (a.)令人不悅的→unacceptable(a.)無法接受的→disgusting(a.)令人作嘔的 6.加碼篇:職場說「不」的藝術(Say "No" at workplace) 當別人請求你的幫忙時,你要怎樣表達無能為力呢? (A) I am in the middle of something. →我正在忙。(在不便解釋原因且分身乏術的時候使用最佳。) (B) I wish I could help you. But the manager asked me to accomplish the financial statement by this afternoon. →但願我能夠幫你,但經理已經要求我今天下午要完成這個報表了。 (I wish I could.五顆星的好用表達,表達自己很想幫忙卻身不由己。) (C)If it's not urgent, please leave it to my desk. I will take care of it later, okay? →如非緊急要件,可以先擱在我桌上。我晚點會處理的,好嗎? (做事情就是要分清楚"輕重緩急=prioritize your tasks",有心處理但也不影響本身作業進度!) (D)Since you've been around the office for a week, you shouldn't be out of the loop all the time. →妳上班都快一周了,你真的不能老再這麼狀況外了! (你可能知道是hula loop「呼拉圈」,其實站在圈圈外頭就是不投入事務的概念。我學妹的新助理都到辦公室快兩週連基本的影印機(photocopier)都不會用,真的很心不在焉(absent-minded)和out of the loop!) ※Do you need me to stick around?(你需要我多留一會兒嗎?) (E)What can I do for you?(after learning the details….) It's way beyond my knowledge. Could I recommend to you an expert in Photoshop, Emma? She can certainly perfect the work. →我可以幫你做些什麼呢?(暸解實情後….)這件事情我無能為力。我可以推薦繪圖軟體專家艾瑪幫忙你,她做得肯定很完美。 (表達「不知道」的概念你也可以說:I am clueless.= I am all Greek to____.= Not even ring a bell.= That beats me.) (F) Can't you see my work is up to ears? Take responsibility for yourself. Grow up ! →妳沒看到我工作壓得我喘不過氣了?有點肩膀好嗎?你都幾歲了! (這句話火藥味十足,沒有到翻臉的地步不要輕易使用。當然也有些眼珠偏白的同事會來炫耀你侏儸紀時代的資訊,就可以說"I wasn't born yesterday"(你當我是三歲小孩喔!)或是老師愛用的"Tell me about it."這可不是希望你再多說一點,這可是英文聽力檢測寵愛的表達短語喔! (G) You expected me to rock your cradle and give you the golden stars, uhu? If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. →你期待我哄哄你然後給你獎勵喔?如果你作不下去,那就離職吧!) (If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.廚房熱鍋油爐一堆,你卻怕熱的話,代表你根本不適合這份工作。就好像在實習醫生裏,有醫生本身無法接受自己病人在手術檯走了,這個陰影讓他離開這份原本很熱愛的工作,當然這也有可能是同事間內鬥的話術喔!其實,也是可以用過來人的身分奉勸對方可以改做其他未來的生涯規劃!) *特別篇【來信悄悄話】:職場及生活面面觀精選句(好好背下來吧!) 可別敷衍(patronize)老師,下次我可是會抽考的喔!!!!! (A)(辦公室混水摸魚篇) As long as you've fulfilled the designated task, you can make good use of the rest of your office hours at will, such as updating We-Chat messages, surfing the internet, and keeping abreast of(or with) the latest news(=current affairs). (只要你完成指定工作,你就可以隨意利用剩下的工作時數,像是更新聊天訊息、上網或隨時注意社會脈動。) →片語前情提要(previously on): 1.pick the slack for…收拾殘局(替某人擦屁股或減股差事來做) 2.skeleton shift 特殊排班(被指派上國定節日的班表) 3.graveyard shift大夜班 4.swap the shift 協議交換班表→I am totally swamped. 5.designate(v.)指派,designated driver(指派駕駛是不能喝酒的) →delegate分派任務,這兩個字別搞混了喔! (B)(賺加班費篇) Given that the additional compensation will be given to employees for working overtime, some of my co-workers in my departments deliberately (=purposely=intentionally) take advantage of this policy by staying longer than usual. (有鑒於加班可以得到額外支付,我部門的同事中有人就故意留久一點要貪小便宜。) (C)(生活與工作篇) As an efficient and engaged employer, I do consider "system of job responsibility(責任制)" not as suffocating as it appears but a drive to have our teammates accomplish appointed projects as scheduled. I figure I might as well derive more pleasure from drawing a fine line between work and private life. Bringing work home is really not my thing.(把工作帶回家不是我的風格) →可多使用「使役動詞」達成語氣簡潔及指令明快。 (身為一個有效率和投入的主管,我認為責任制並沒有這麼令人窒息,反而是個很好的策勵,讓團體在期限前完成任務。) 1.draw a fine line between A and B….. 可以在A和B中有區別 2.figure(v.)揣測或理解 3.might as well大概會 V.S. had better +V.R.(你)最好怎樣→語氣很強硬 (D)(天高皇帝遠的老闆) Most supervisors live in their own little world of fantasy and are also out-of-the-touch from what's really going on at workplace. & out-of-the touch 完全疏遠或沒有連結的→far-fetched(a.)遙不可及的 (E)(家庭生活娛樂互動) Speaking of the interaction with my wife, we tend to spend more time seeing the horror in the movie theater; what's more, she's also the big fan for Stephen King's collections of thrillers, especially for Psycho, the groundbreaking masterpiece. On the contrary, shivering and grabbing her arm during the film was my signature moves and I feel downright regretful after be seated there. What's worse, what my friends shared with about their unusual encounters really gave chills on my spine/goose bumps.(freaked me out) (說到我跟老婆的互動,我們都會花時間去電影院看恐怖片;此外,我老師還是史蒂芬金恐怖大師的頭號粉絲,她很鍾愛其中一個很震撼的作品"Psycho"。相反地,我在電影劇都是不斷發抖和緊握著她的手臂,我真後悔坐在那邊。更糟的事,我朋友們有時候會分享自己的特殊經驗,這真的讓我嚇破膽了啦!) →如果你們跟老師一樣很難在電影院乖乖坐著,總是很像蟲動來動去,就可以說: I cannot help but keep fidgeting in the movie theater for such a long film. (在電影院裡看著超久的電影,我老是受不了動來動去。) 【看新聞學英文】:『泰』好玩啦!!! 全球最大的旅遊網TripAdvisor最近選出2013年的全球25個旅遊首選城市(world's most popular tourist destinations),而亞洲排名最前的是泰國首都曼谷(Bangkok),超前了日本東京、中國北京與亞洲各大城市。曼谷為何受到國際觀光客的青睞: Bangkok came out on top in 2013 thanks to the city's generosity, hospitality and kindness which have contributed to the global top spot. 「曼谷在2013年登上首位是由於這個城市的慷慨大方、熱情好客以及親切,這些特質促成了它登上全球排行最高點。」 這句話中的「thanks to」是國際職場裡的重要介係詞片語,它可不是「謝謝」,而是「由於…」。其他幾個字也都是不可多得的好字:「generosity」、「hospitality」、「contribute to」。我們說一個人很慷慨大方,常用generous,而它的名詞即為「generosity」。句中的「hospitality」可不是「醫院(hospital)」,而是「殷勤好客」。而動詞的「contribute to」也是常見的「提供、捐助、造成」,它的名詞contribution更是常見的「貢獻」。