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請注意觀察以上的對話: |
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Q: 由此對話中,你可推斷 Mr.Rodriguez是 Susan的上司嗎?
A: 是的,可以的.因為,Susan找Mr. Rodriguez談僱用合約.英文裡,如何說明 Rodriguez 是 Susan的上司這回事? Dana Murphy老師說: Mr. Rodriguez is Susan's boss/superior.
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| 2. |
Q: 以下這幾句有何不同?
(1) Could I speak with you for a moment?
(2) Can I speak with you for a moment?
(3) May I speak with you for a moment?
A: 看來相似的句子, 要比較才知道差別. Dana Murphy老師說:
1st - fine, natural,很自然
2nd - fine, natural, 也常看到但是第二句就沒有第一句和第三句委婉, 很多人都用,並非文法有錯或太粗魯. ( used frequently but a bit more "harsh" than the other two ---although most people say this and it is not rude or grammatically incorrect)
3rd - Most polite, 最客氣的用法,也是最正確的.correct way to say this (應該用 "may I" 而不是 "can I"但是許多人,大部份的是都不用 (one should say "may I" instead of "can I" but MANY people/most people don't!)
從 Dana Murphy老師的評析中,你可感受到,"課本"所謂的標準版,並非人們實際上最常用的用法.中文裡,是否也有這種現象? 正確的說法不一定讓你的言辭帶來親和力. 在學外語時,這種分寸對外國人來說最難拿捏,如果要正確,人人說的外語,都顯得正經八百的標準版.但是要冒險用些非正確的用法,也要好好觀察,免得鬧了笑話不自知. 請上討論區,發表一些你的經驗,以上這三句,你會選擇用哪一句.
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| 3. |
Q: Susan 要請 Mr. Rodriguez 跟她說話, 她用的開場語是: "Excuse me," 然後說,"Could I speak with you for a moment?" 除了Excuse me之外,還有別的講法嗎?
A: Dana Murphy老師說, 這是很常見的說法,其他的講法有:
(1)直接說出對方的名字,不講,'Excuse me' 如:
"Mr. Rodriguez? Could I speak with you for a moment?
(2) "Pardon me, could I speak with you for a moment?" (Pardon me 和 Excuse me,是可以互換的,但是 Excuse me 又比較常見.)
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| 4. |
Q: 如果你無法有求必應,現在沒空談話,你可以如何客氣地回答呢? 看Mr. Mr. Rodriguez如何說的?
A: Mr. Rodriguez說: "I can't just now, Susan." 然後馬上提出他何時有空,這樣不會讓對方覺得他有意迴避,真的是現在沒空. Dana Murphy老師,提到別的回答的方式,如
(1) "I'd be happy to sit down and talk with you, Susan, but I'm swamped right now. Can we meet later?"
(2) "Sorry, Susan, now is just not a good time. How about tomorrow morning?"
(3) "Sure, Susan, that's fine, however right now is a bad time. Can we set something up for later?"
你覺得會用哪一句呢?
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| 5. |
Q: "Could we get together?" 到底 get together 指的是甚麼? 是不是 meeting?用 "get together"顯得比較不那麼嚴肅嗎 ?
A: Dana Murphy老師說: 在這裡就是指: "can we meet?"
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| 6. |
Q: 當被問到要談些甚麼,Susan回答, 'Well, I'd like to talk about my new contract with you"
Susan用了 Well, 再繼續往下說,是用 Well好, 還是不用更好?
A: Dana Murphy老師說: It doesn't necessarily sound "better" to have "well" at the beginning, but it sounds very natural. 有"Well"不一定更好,但是用 "Well"是很常見的,也很自然.
用 Well,做為中間的轉接語,比較不會顯得太唐突. 但是如果,Well ,說得很猶豫,又會顯得很緊張,所以要看用的人怎麼說.
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| 7. |
Q: 請比較以下三句:
(1) "I'd like to talk about my new contract with you."
(2) "I want to talk about my new contract with you."
(3) "I need to talk about my new contract with you."
A: Dana Murphy老師說:
(1) - most polite, the way I'd suggest saying it. 最有禮貌,老師建議用此句.
(2) - also polite, not as much so as #1, more direct, a bit more blunt
還算禮貌,但是比較直接,比較衝一點
(3) - "need" 表達一種急迫與重要性,好像必需在某時間內解決.
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| 8. |
Q: 請注意觀察 Susan在要求約談時,說了 "If that's all right with you" --"如果你可以的話." 這話有甚麼效果?
A: Dana Murphy老師說:這句話很常看到.它表現的是客氣,尊重對方. 請反省一下,當你要求對方時,記不記得加這句.
請上討論區與我們分享.
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| 9. |
Q: Susan和 Mr. Rodriguez 可能有哪類合約?
A: Dana Murphy老師說: An employment contract. 僱約,可能她提供公司一些專門的服務, 或她是一般的僱員,但是每到一定期限,就要審核,看是否加薪,再簽個新的僱約.
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| 10. |
Q: 這個姓 "Rodriguez" 有甚麼特別之處嗎?
A: The name Rodriguez is Hispanic. "Rodriguez"是 Hispanic名字. 而 Hispanic指屬於來自拉丁美洲住在美國的 :如來自古巴,墨西哥,或波多黎各 .
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| 11. |
Q: 在這段話中, A的名字是 ____________, B的名字是 _______________
A: A的名字是 Susan. B的名字是 Mr. Rodriguez.
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