2011年7月27日 星期三

別吃太快,會 indigestion !

技術挑戰指數:★★★★小時候吃飯,常聽到媽媽說:不要吃那麼快,等一下會肚子痛!因為如果沒有充分的咀嚼,腸胃就必須用很多時間來消化它。腸胃不好會導致很多疾病,例如很多人會長青春痘,就是因為腸胃不好
,毒排不出來,還連帶便秘的症狀,也有可能是常拉肚子。多吃蔬果是不錯的方法,腸胃變好,抵抗力也可以增強!

來聽老美怎麼說?
ex:All the children should have already received their BCG vaccination, so you don't have to worry
  about them contracting for tuberculosis.
 (所有的小孩應該都接種過卡介苗,所以你不用擔心他們感染肺結核。)
ex:Condoms are not only used for contraception but also for protection against infectious diseases.
 (保險套不只是用來避孕,也能預防傳染病。)
ex:Overeating often causes indigestion.  
 (暴飲暴食易造成消化不良。)
ex:If you're constipated, try eating more fiber.  
 (如果你便秘,試著多攝取纖維。)
強化小知識.indigestion  消化不良
 indigestion 除了”消化不良”這個解釋,也可當”不理解、不領會”。消化不良容易造成脹氣
 (flatus)、胃痛(stomachache)、食慾不振(poor appetite)、放屁(fart)......等。

You are scheduled for 星期三!

技術挑戰指數:★★★商務電話的關鍵通常包含數字(數據、日期、時間、貨幣) ,在講電話的時候,很有可能會因為講太快而聽錯、寫錯,或是誤會對方講的話,所以,洽商電話快要接近尾聲時,應該要重新概要說明剛才談話的重點或是對方所說的重點,如果電話上雙方交換了許多複雜的資訊,可以每談到一個段落
,就稍微停下來作個總結。
來聽老美怎麼說?
ex:You are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, the fifth of March.
  (你被排在三月五日,禮拜四下午兩點半。)
ex:The cost of one dozen cameras is 144,000 NT dollars. 
 (十二台照相機的價錢為十四萬四千台幣。)
ex:You order is pretty big. Why don't we go over it again.
 (您的訂單很大。我們何不再查看一遍。)
ex:We have discussed many details. Let me summarize.  
 (我們已經討論過許多細節。讓我作個總結。)
俚語小解析.電話洽商大致可分為下列幾個步驟:1.自我介紹 2.要求和某人談話 3.說明打電話的目的 4.開始對
 話 5.說明主要的訊息 6.摘要說明電話內容的重點7.結束談話。

Keep your hands to yourself!! 別對我伸鹹豬手!!

2011年7月26日 星期二

Ax Men 伐木達人

 Regarded as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, loggers1 are at the forefront of the US$270-billion-a-year lumber2 industry. Everything from paper to building materials starts with the men who risk their lives bringing down towering3 trees. They work long hours with powerful tools like chainsaws4 and harvesting machines in remote areas. Oftentimes, loggers migrate to sites far from the comforts of civilization5 all for the sake of prime timber6.
在一年產值高達兩千七百億美元的林木業中,位處第一線的就是伐木工這個被視為世上最危險的行業之一。從紙張到建築材料等各種物品,一開始都要靠這群人冒著生命危險來把高大樹木砍倒。他們會在偏遠地區長時間工作,使用像是鏈鋸及採收機械等強而有力的工具。很多時候,伐木達人還會為了上等木材移居各處,遠離舒適便利的現代文明世界。
  For over a century, the Pacific Northwest with its vast quantities of quality timber has been home to America's thriving logging industry. Over four billion feet of it were harvested in the state of Washington in 2000 alone. However, the situation has changed over the years. Gone is the reliance on axes7 and handsaws8. Equipment using advanced technology has taken their place and transformed life for modern Paul Bunyans.
長達一個多世紀以來,太平洋西北部因為擁有大量優質原木而一直是美國繁榮伐木業的大本營。光是在2000年,於華盛頓州採收的木材總長就超過了四十億英尺。不過近年來情況卻有所改變。過去人們所仰賴使用的長柄斧和手鋸已被淘汰。取而代之的是各種運用尖端科技的設備,而這也改變了現代樵夫的生活(編按:保羅‧班揚被視為伐木工的代名詞,是美國一位神話人物。傳說他是個力大無窮的巨人樵夫,伐木快如割草,且因體型巨大,只要往前走一小步就能跨越整整三條街的距離)。
  This month, History Channel's "Ax Men" follows the remarkable stories of extraordinary characters, many of whom come from logging families, as they hunt down green gold. The series helps viewers better understand how loggers and the industry work in the present day.
本月份歷史頻道的《伐木達人》跟隨這些大多出生於伐木家庭的非凡人物角色,記錄他們砍伐這種綠色黃金的精彩故事。這一系列節目能讓觀眾更深入了解現今伐木工的工作內容,以及該項產業當前的運作概況。





@Building Your Vocabulary
Building Your Vocabulary》
1. remote a. 遙遠的,偏遠的
That group of doctors volunteers their time to treat people living in remote towns.
那組醫師團隊自願花時間前往偏遠城鎮為民眾治療。
2. migrate vi.(為找工作)移居;(鳥獸)遷移
Many species of birds migrate to warmer climates for the winter.
許多鳥類會遷徙到氣候較為溫暖的地區以度過寒冬。
3. prime a. 上等的,最好的;首要的
My prime concern right now is finding the best vet for my injured dog.
我現在最掛心的事就是要為我受傷的狗找到最好的獸醫。
4. vast a. 廣大的,巨大的
Google's servers are capable of holding vast amounts of information.
Google的伺服器能夠承載大量的資訊。
5. reliance n. 依賴,依靠
Jonathan's reliance on everything electronic is out of control, not to mention expensive.
強納森對各種電子產品的依賴程度已走火入魔,更甭提它們有多貴。



@Phrase For Learning
1. be at/in the forefront of...  位於……的最前列;處於……的領先地位
The Italian designer is known for always being at the forefront of fashion.
那位義大利設計師以永遠走在時尚尖端而聞名。
2. bring down...  使……倒下∕向下
Strong winds brought down the farmer's storage shed.
強風吹倒了那位農夫儲物的棚子。
3. take + 所有格 + place/take the place of...  取代某人∕物的位置
We hired Jill to take the place of our previous nanny.
我們雇用吉兒來接替前一位褓姆。
 
 
 
@Extra Words
1. logger n. 伐木工人
  log vi. & vt. 砍伐(樹木)
2. lumber n. 木材(尤指處理過的,本文中作形容詞用)
3. towering a. 高聳的,高大的
4. chainsaw n. 鏈鋸
5. civilization n. 現代文明生活
6. timber n. 原木;木材
7. ax n. 長柄斧(亦常拼為axe,本文中亦作形容詞用)
8. handsaw n. 手鋸
 
 
 
@GRAMMAR CHECK
Gone is the reliance on axes...
(過去人們所仰賴使用的長柄斧……已被淘汰。)
  本句為一完全倒裝句,此類倒裝句是將形容詞(含可作形容詞的過去分詞或現在分詞)置於句首,主詞置於句尾(即主詞位置與形容詞對調),即可形成。故本句可還原為"The reliance on axes and handsaws is gone."。
The actresses who won back-to-back Oscars are noteworthy.
Noteworthy are the actresses who won back-to-back Oscars.
(值得注意的是那些連續兩屆奪得奧斯卡獎的女演員。)

2011年7月21日 星期四

頗為


The Best and Worst Jobs of 2011 2011 年












你喜歡吃 roast beef 嗎?

技術挑戰指數:★★★★晚上難得要去高級餐廳吃飯,盛裝打扮的抵達餐廳後,拿到菜單時,才發現一堆看不懂的菜名,這時候亂點一通是很危險的決定,最好問問服務生的建議,當天的special(特餐)或是店裡的specialty(招牌菜)是什麼,才不會點到自己不敢吃的東西而白白浪費錢!如果語言不通,直接看隔壁桌的客人點什麼就可以了!

來聽老美怎麼說?
ex:Could you pass me the salt?
 (你可以把鹽傳給我嗎?)
ex:They are stuffed with ground meat and shredded cabbage.  
 (裡頭包了絞肉和高麗菜絲。)
ex:Sounds great. I'll have an order of that, too. And also a tossed salad.  
 (聽起來不賴。也來一份。還要一份生菜沙拉。)
ex:Then I suggest that you try our roast beef.  
 (那我建議你試試烤牛肉。)
強化小知識.roast  烤  
roast 除了”烤”這個意思,比較口語的用法是”嚴厲批評、痛斥”的意思-give sb. a roasting(嚴厲指責某人)。”bake、grill”也有烤的意思,但 bake 較常用在烤(麵包),roasting tin則是”烤盤
”的意思。

stuff like that 只出現在電影中!

技術挑戰指數:★★★剛看完電影,不免會因為投入劇情中,而想像如果這種情況發生在現實生活中會怎麼樣,但有些人天天都在幻想電影情節發生在生活中,例如:時光倒流或快轉、刀槍不入、錢從天空掉下來、從十樓跳下去卻安然無恙、死而復生、穿越時光、魔法世界。這時候,就可以說:stuff like that只會發生在電影裡,現實生活中發生的機率微乎其微阿!
 來聽老美怎麼說?
Blake:Wow, I'm pleasantly surprised.
    布雷克:哇,這個意外的安排我蠻喜歡的。
Steven:Yeah ? You liked it?     
     史蒂文:真的嗎?你喜歡這裡?
Blake:Uh-huh. I thought stuff like that was only served in upscale places.
    布雷克:對阿。我以為這類的東西只有到高檔的餐廳才吃得到。
Steven:Nope. See, sometimes it's good to branch out and not eat pasta every day.
    史蒂文:才不是。你看吧,換換口味也挺不錯的,不要老是吃義大利麵。
Blake:Mmm...pasta. I'm still hungry.
    布雷克:嗯.......義大利麵,我肚子還有點餓。

俚語小解析
.stuff like that  諸如此類的........
談論某個話題若用這個片語,既輕鬆又有趣,只要對話主題不是人,就可以放心使用。例如,
當有人說:"Stuff like that only happens in the movie."(這種事情只有電影裡面才有),意思就是
:''What you just talked about only happens in the movie."(你剛提到的事情只會出現在電影裡。)

揮灑繽紛的童年畫布

2011年7月19日 星期二

Animal Mega Moves 動物大搬家

 When people move from one home to another, all they have to do is box up their possessions1 and load them into the moving van. If they have pets, their small-to-moderate-sized animals are gently put in carriers and manually transported. The teams of specialists on National Geographic Channel's "Animal Mega Moves" wish they had it so easy. Instead, they are assigned the task of moving massive and deadly creatures like elephants, rhinos2, and sharks.
當人們搬家到另一個地方時,他們所要做的就是把所有東西裝箱,然後堆到搬家卡車上。如果他們有寵物,他們就會把那些中小型的動物小心地放進寵物旅行箱中,然後親手搬運。國家地理頻道《動物大搬家》系列節目中的各組專家希望事情能這麼簡單就好。但是他們被委派的任務卻是搬運危險致命的大型生物,好比大象、犀牛和鯊魚等。
  These teams of expert animal movers, along with vets, have to capture, cage3, and transport very precious cargo4 by land, air, and sea around the world. They must ensure that the creatures not only arrive on time but also in good condition.
這一組組的動物搬運專家和獸醫們必須將動物捕捉起來並關進牢籠,再透過陸運、空運及海運的方式將這些極其珍貴的貨物運送到全球各地。他們也務必確保這些生物要能健健康康地準時抵達。
  In the "Sharks" episode, NGC follows along as a pair of silvertip sharks are moved from an aquarium5 in Queensland, Australia. Their final destination is a special breeding6 center over 10,000 kilometers away in Dubai. For the 30-hour journey, the experts need to construct special water tanks to keep these fierce predators7 alive. It is a race against time to deliver them before the oxygen runs out.
在《鯊魚》這集節目中,國家地理頻道尾隨一對白邊真鯊從澳洲昆士蘭的某座水族館裡搬運出來。他們的目的地是一萬多公里以外、位於杜拜的一間專門繁殖中心。為了這趟長達三十小時的旅程,專家必須打造特製的水槽以維持這對凶猛鯊魚的生命。這是一場與時間賽跑的競賽,因為他們得在水槽內的氧氣耗盡前將鯊魚送達目的地。





@Building Your Vocabulary
1. moderate a. 中等的;適度的
Drinking moderate amounts of red wine is said to be good for one's health.
飲用適量的紅酒據說對健康有益。
2. manually adv. 靠人工地;手動地
Race car drivers need to shift gears manually.
賽車選手在駕車時需要手動換檔。
3. assign vt. 指派,分配
Mr. Brown assigned the story to his best reporter.
布朗先生把這則故事指派給他手下最好的記者來負責。
4. massive a. 大而重的,巨大的
A massive sign fell off the building and crushed several cars.
一塊巨大的招牌從那棟建築物上掉下來並壓垮了幾輛車子。
5. precious a. 珍貴的,寶貴的
Time is precious, so we cannot afford to waste it.
時間很寶貴,所以我們承擔不起浪費光陰的代價。
6. construct vt. 建造,構築
The Empire State Building was constructed in just over a year.
帝國大廈僅花一年的時間就竣工了。
7. fierce a. 兇猛的;激烈的
The challenger put up a fierce battle at the end of the first round.
那名挑戰者在第一回合的尾聲做出了頑強的抵抗。





@Phrase For Learning
《Phrases for Learning》
* box up.../box...up  把……裝入箱∕盒內
I boxed up all my old toys and put them in the attic.
我把舊玩具全都裝進箱子,然後放到閣樓去。





@Extra Words
1. possession n. 所有物,財產
2. rhino n. 犀牛
3. cage vt. 把……關進籠中
4. cargo n.(用交通工具裝載的一批)貨物
5. aquarium n. 水族館
6. breeding n. 養育,培育(本文中作形容詞用)
7. predator n. 掠食者





@Sentence Pattern
《Sentence Pattern》
...all they have to do is box up...
(……他們所要做的就是把……裝箱……)
all/what + 人 + has to/can/should do is (to) + 原形動詞  某人所必須∕能∕應該做的就是……
注意:
此句構中,由於修飾主詞的形容詞子句中含有動詞 do,故 be 動詞 is 之後應接不定詞片語(to + 原形動詞)作主詞補語,但此不定詞片語中的 to 通常會予以省略,直接接原形動詞。類似用法尚有下列:
1. the best thing (that) + 人 + can do is (to) + 原形動詞  某人最好(要做的就是)……
  The best thing (that) you can do right now is (to) give her some space.
(你最好現在就留一些空間給她。)

2. the first thing (that) + 人 + has to/can/should do is (to) + 原形動詞
 某人必須∕能∕應該做的第一件事就是……
 The first thing (that) Nick should do is (to) make a reservation.
(尼克應該做的第一件事就是要先訂位。)

Plotting Course‏

Mike Talbot has been working at Hurley Technologies for a year. He started as a technical writer, helping draft instruction manuals for Hurley products. Recently, however, Mike’s boss left the company. Mike was promoted to fill her position— Supervisor, Support Publications. Mike now finds himself responsible for a
team of writers and artists with a very demanding production schedule.
麥克‧泰柏已經在賀立科技公司服
務一年了,他剛開始是負責專門技術的
寫作工作,幫忙起草賀立公司的產品使
用手冊。然而,麥克的主管最近離職
了,麥克被晉升上來填補她的職位,成
了出版部門的主管。麥克現在發現自己
要負責管理一組寫作人員和美工人員,
而且完稿日程非常緊迫。
Mike is a good writer, but this doesn’t automatically make him a good supervisor. He has a lot to learn about organizing people and projects. As a result, Mike’s first week in the new position has been very frustrating. On Friday evening he discusses the
situation with his wife, Edith.
麥克擅長寫
作,可是這並不表示他就是一位優秀的
主管,他需要學習很多有關組織人員與
計劃的事。結果,麥克就任新職的第一
個星期使他大受挫折。星期五晚上他和
太太愛蒂絲討論了這個狀況。
Edith: You look a little upset, Mike. Is everything OK?
Mike: Not really, Edith. This week has been really rough.
Edith: How so?
Mike: Well, I’ve been running in six different directions, but I’m not
getting anywhere. The minute I sit down to work on something, the phone rings and someone
asks me to do something else. I feel like a rabbit, hopping from project to project all day.
Edith: Why don’t you talk to your manager about it? He should be able to help.
Mike: He’s been away on business all week. I’ll try to see him first thing Monday.
愛蒂絲:你看起來有點煩燥,麥克,一
切都還好嗎?
麥 克:不怎麼好,愛蒂絲,這個星期
真的很難捱。
愛蒂絲:為什麼會這樣呢?
麥 克:嗯,我老是天南地北瞎忙一
陣,可是卻一事無成。我一坐
下來做點什麼事,電話就響
了,就有人要我做別的事。我
覺得自己好像一隻兔子,整天
在不同的計劃之間跳來跳去。
愛蒂絲:你為什麼不跟你的經理談一談
呢?他應該可以幫助你的。
麥 克:他整個星期都出差去了,我星
期一第一件事會試著去找他談
Mr. Currey: How’s it going, Mike?
Mike: Not very well. The first week has been a disaster.
Mr. Currey: What’s the problem?
Mike: It basically boils down to organization—there doesn’t seem to be much.
I know that my team has a lot of work to do. But I don’t know what needs to
be done first, or what steps to take to do it.
Mr. Currey: That's my fault, Mike. I should have clued you in about these things before
you took over as supervisor. And my being away during your first week sure didn’t help.
科里先生:麥克,你做得怎樣?
麥  克:不太好,第一個星期實在很
糟。
科里先生:是什麼問題呢?
麥  克:基本上就是組織的問題,好
像沒什麼條理。我知道我這
一組有很多工作要做,可是
我不知道那些事應該先做,
或者應該採取什麼步驟來進
行。
科里先生:這是我的錯,麥克。我應該
在你接手當主管之前教你這
些事的,而且你就任新職的
第一個星期我都不在,當然
更幫不上忙了。
Mr. Currey: First, you need to plot out goals and objectives for your team. Then for yourself. Finally, you should meet with each of your team members and help them to plan their own.
Mike: Right. Uh, what’s the difference between goals and objectives?
Mr. Currey: Goals are the broad results that you want to achieve, the “destination”of your work.
科里先生:首先,你需要為你的小組定
出長程目標和短程目標,然
後再定你自己的。最後,你
應該和你的每一個組員面
談,幫助他們做自己的計
劃。
麥  克:是的,嗯,目標和步驟目標
有什麼不同呢?
科里先生:長程目標是你想要完成的主
要結果,是你的工作想要達
到的目的。
Mr. Currey: Objectives are the smaller steps that take you toward your goals, a “road map" to guide you to your destination. Without a destination and a map to reach it, you won’t get too far.
Mike: As I’m discovering.
Mike and Mr. Currey spent the next hour discussing “the big picture.” They
first made a list of all the goals Mike’s team needed to achieve. Then they
discussed the time frame for each project.
麥克:那短程目標呢?
科里先生:短程目標是比較小的步驟,
用來帶領你達到長程目標,
就像一張道路地圖,指引你
到達目的地。如果沒有目的
地和一張指引你到達的地
圖,你是走不了多遠的。
麥克:就跟我現在所發現的情況一
樣。
接下來的一個小時,麥克和科里先
生一起討論重點事項。他們先列出麥克
的小組需要達成的所有目標,然後討論
每一項計劃所需的時間。
Mr. Currey: Objectives are the smaller steps that take you toward your goals, a “road map”to guide you to your destination. Without a destination and a map to reach it, you won’t get too far.
Mike: As I’m discovering.
Mike and Mr. Currey spent the next hour discussing “the big picture.” They
first made a list of all the goals Mike’s team needed to achieve. Then they
discussed the time frame for each project.
麥克:那短程目標呢?
科里先生:短程目標是比較小的步驟,
用來帶領你達到長程目標,
就像一張道路地圖,指引你
到達目的地。如果沒有目的
地和一張指引你到達的地
圖,你是走不了多遠的。
麥克:就跟我現在所發現的情況一
樣。
接下來的一個小時,麥克和科里先
生一起討論重點事項。他們先列出麥克
的小組需要達成的所有目標,然後討論
每一項計劃所需的時間。
Mike: This is beginning to look good. We’ve got a list of goals set out in order of
priority and a schedule of completion dates. I finally know where I’m going!
Mr. Currey: Yes. But do you know how to get there?
Mike: Hmm. Not yet. I still need to set objectives—the smaller steps necessary to
achieve the goals.
Mr. Currey: Right. You can work with your team members on those.
Mike: OK.
麥克:現在開始有點像樣了。我們已經有一份定好優先次序的
目標表,以及完成日期的時
間表。我終於知道自己的工
作目標是什麼了。
科里先生:很好,可是你知道如何達到
目標嗎?
麥克:嗯,還不知道。我仍然需要
定短程目標,就是達到目標
所需要的小步驟。
科里先生:沒錯,你可以和你的組員一
起討論這些步驟。
麥克:好的。

 


 




@word bank
plot (v)
劃分;詳細計劃
technical (adj)
技術上的;有關專門技術的
demanding (adj)
苛求的;要求過分的
objective (n)
明確的目標
broad (adj)
主要的;大略的
achieve (v)
完成;達成
完成;達成
 





@the day's phrase
The "land of a thousand lakes"
「千湖之地」
You should just let it fly. Greg didn't mean to insult you.
你就不要在意吧。葛瑞格不是有意要羞辱你的。
Now you can run on your bike!
邊騎自行車邊跑步如今可以在腳踏車上跑步了!
Jeff is always on the run from the police. If he wouldn't do bad things he wouldn't have to hide.
傑夫一直在躲警察。如果他不做壞事的話,他也不用躲。
Objects in the British Museum tell the story of human history
大英博物館的文物訴說人類歷史的故事
Mrs. Smith is on the warpath. We broke her window and she started yelling at us.
史密斯太太正大發雷霆。我們打破了她家的窗子,她就開始對我們吼叫。
You look like you've been thinking a lot. A penny for your thoughts.
看起來你好像已經深思了好一陣子了。你在想什麼呀?
I wish you wouldn't play up your small injuries. You act like you are going to die.
我希望你不要大肆張揚你的小傷。你表現得好像快死了似的。
Changing jobs may be easier than you think
換工作也許比想像中更容易
When Dad told us that we didn't have much money, none of us were surprised.
We had been feeling the pinch for months.
當爸爸告訴我們說我們沒有很多錢時,我們沒有一個人感到意外。我們已經好幾個月感到手頭很緊了。
Learn to tell the difference between truth and lies on the Internet
學習分辨網路消息的真真假假
When Dad told us that we didn't have much money, none of us were surprised.
We had been feeling the pinch for months.
當爸爸告訴我們說我們沒有很多錢時,我們沒有一個人感到意外。我們已經好幾個月感到手頭很緊了。
Meet the youngest climber to stand at the top of the world!
來認識這位站上世界頂峰最年輕的登山者!
"Two's company, three's a crowd," Joe muttered as he left Zachary and his girlfriend.
「二人有伴,三人嫌太擠,」喬嘀咕著離開撒迦利和他的女友。

2011年7月13日 星期三

夏天 sun block 賣得特別好!

技術挑戰指數:★★★★現在護膚的資訊越來越普遍,不管男女都很重視自己的肌膚保養,大致上可分為乾性、中性、油性三種膚質,要針對自己的膚質擦保養品,才不會適得其反。夏天就快到了,防曬顯得更重要了,如果你需要長時間曝曬在太陽底下,一定要做好防曬工作,太陽曬久了可是會有斑的喔!


來聽老美怎麼說?
ex:I have dry, sensitive skin. Do you have any suggestions for me?
 (我是敏感乾性肌膚。你可以給我一些建議嗎?)
ex:This foaming scrub effectively cleanses and exfoliates in one easy step.  
 (這款泡沫磨砂膏只要一個步驟,就能有效地清潔和去角質。)
ex:As for your skin, you can apply some moisturizer and essence before you sleep.  
 (至於你的肌膚,可以在睡前抹一些保溼露與精華液。)
ex:Is it really necessary to put on sun block whenever I go out? 
 (每次出門都需要抹防曬品嗎?)


強化小知識
.essence  精華液  
essence除了精華液這個解釋外,還有”本質、實質、要素、本體;香精、香料、精油”的意思。相關的片語有in essence(在本質上)、of the essence(非常重要的)。

請不要 hang up 電話!

技術挑戰指數:★★★用英文講電話要比面對面用英文溝通來的困難,因為在面對面進行溝通時,你會獲得許多視覺上的資訊,主要是肢體語言和臉部表情,都可以幫助你瞭解對方的意思,不過講電話也有其有利的一面
,他的好處是商務電話有其可循的模式以及可掌握的用語,當你熟悉這些模式和用語時,打商務電話就會變成輕而易舉的事!


來聽老美怎麼說?
ex:Please enter your credit card number on the keypad.
  (請在電話鍵盤上輸入你信用卡的號碼。)
ex:My parents like to talk to me a lot, so they ask me to call them collect. 
 (我的父母非常喜歡和我說話,所以他們要我打對方付費的電話給他們。)
ex:I know you are angry, but please don't hang up.
 (我知道你很生氣,不過請不要掛斷。)
ex:Just call my office , then dial extension 541. That is my office phone.
 (打電話到我辦公室,然後撥分機541。那是我辦公室的電話。)


俚語小解析
.keypad主要是用來指袖珍型的鍵盤,一般的電腦鍵盤是keyboard。pad最常用的解釋是”墊子”
,另外也可當”腳印、便條紙簿、公寓”。當動詞時,是”填塞、襯填”的意思。

2011年7月12日 星期二

McDonald's Making a Difference 麥當勞叔叔兒童之

 Anyone who thinks McDonald's is only about hamburgers, French fries, and cold drinks is absolutely mistaken. In 1974, a group of people in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania worked together to open the first Ronald McDonald House. This was a place for families to stay while their seriously ill children were getting medical treatment in the nearby hospital. The project was made possible because of the donations collected from local McDonald's restaurants. Thirty-seven years later, Ronald McDonald House Charities is still helping sick children and their families in 52 countries around the world.
任何認為麥當勞只跟漢堡、薯條和冷飲有關的人可真是大錯特錯。1974年,賓州費城的一群居民共同成立了第一間『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』。當家中有生重病的孩子在附近醫院接受治療時,這裡是一個給他們家人暫時居住的地方。這項計畫因為有來自當地麥當勞餐廳的捐款而得以成功展開。三十七年後,『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』仍然幫助著全球五十二個國家的病童及其家人。
  "We believe that when you change a child's life, you change a family's, which can change a community, and ultimately the world." This is the vision of RMHC. When a child is seriously sick, they might need treatment in a specialized facility far from home. This costs an arm and a leg, and few families can afford the treatment, not to mention the additional costs of traveling with the child. However, thanks to RMHC, many children no longer have to face a possibly frightening and long-term situation without their loved ones around them. RMHC provides a place close to the hospital for the families to stay. They set up rooms in hospitals where families can play, have fun together, and forget about their worries for a while. RMHC even has mobile care units that bring medical care to those who can't afford it. That is just the beginning of what RMHC is doing.
『我們相信當您改變一個孩童的生命,您也改變了一個家庭的命運,進而改變一個社區,最後是整個世界。』這正是『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』的願景。當一名孩童生了重病,他們或許需要在一個離家很遠的特殊場所進行治療。這需要大筆金錢,但很少家庭能負擔得起醫療費用,更不用說陪伴孩子一起出門在外的額外花費。然而,多虧有『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』,許多孩童再也不必在沒有親愛的家人陪在身邊的情況下,面對可能造成恐懼且為期長久的處境。『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』提供了一個鄰近醫院的處所給家人留住。他們還在醫院裡設立許多房間,讓家人們可以一起玩樂、暫時忘卻他們的煩惱。『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』甚至設有行動照護小組,可為那些無法負擔費用的人提供醫療照顧。對於『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』即將進行的各種作為,上述的一切僅是個開端而已。



@Building Your Vocabulary
《Building Your Vocabulary》
1. mistaken a. 誤解的,弄錯的
It wasn't until I told Mike that he realized he was mistaken about my birthday.
直到我告訴麥克,他才知道他記錯了我的生日。
2. treatment n. 治療,療法
The patient's condition has greatly improved after getting the proper treatment.
在經過妥善治療後,病人的情況已有大幅改善。
3. vision n. 遠見,願景
The boss had a clear vision of how he wanted his company to develop.
那位老闆對公司的發展有清楚的願景。
4. facility n.(特定用途的)場所,建築
The government set up a nuclear research facility in the middle of the desert.
該國政府在沙漠中建造了一座核能研究中心。
5. frightening a. 嚇人的,可怕的
The frightening movie gave Mandy a nightmare.
那部恐怖的電影讓曼蒂做了惡夢。
6. long-term a. 長期的
How parents treat and discipline their children will have a long-term impact on them.
父母對待與管教孩子的方式會對他們產生長遠的影響。
7. mobile a. 移動式的;活動的
In many rural communities, mobile libraries are used to help promote reading.
許多鄉村社區都利用行動圖書館來協助推廣閱讀。



@Phrases For Learning
《Phrases for Learning》
* cost an arm and a leg  非常昂貴,所費不貲
The bag cost an arm and a leg because it was a famous brand.
那款包包因為是名牌而索價不菲。




@More To Know
《More to Know》
The Very First Ronald McDonald House
  七零年代初,美國費城飛鷹足球隊隊員弗萊德‧希爾(Fred Hill)的三歲女兒因罹患血癌,必須遠離家鄉,前往費城兒童醫院接受治療。長達三年的治療期打亂了希爾全家人的生活,他們必須以醫院為家、三餐光顧醫院餐廳、倦了也只能在病床旁的狹小空間歇息,為的就是能時時刻刻陪在女兒身旁。希爾眼見無數家庭和他們有一樣的遭遇,深深認為這樣下去不是辦法,於是和其他飛鷹隊隊員決定要為這些家庭盡一份心力,他們跟他女兒的主治醫生及兒童醫院腫瘤科部門主管分享他們的心願,希望能在醫院附近建立一所給病童的『出門在外的家(home away from home)』。
  當地的麥當勞餐廳聽到這個消息後深感認同,於是透過商品義賣發起募款行動,參與籌建重症病童與家庭『出門在外的家』的工作。1974年,第一間『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』正式於費城成立,裡頭有七個房間、客廳、廚房、洗衣房等設施。時至今日,『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』已發展成國際性組織,而台灣第一間『麥當勞叔叔兒童之家』也在2007年於台北內湖成立,以服務大台北地區的醫療中心為主。