Cheers雜誌135期
作者：內容提供│英國文化協會英語教學團隊、協助製作│陳怡伶
圖片來源：50c c
Taiwanese CEO Jimmy Wang is writing an email in English. He asks his colleague from the UK
一家台灣企業的執行長吉米．王正在寫英文郵件，他向來自英國的同事詹姆士求救。
Dialogue 對話
Wang: Hey James! Could you come over here and give me some guidance? I’m trying to write an email in English, but I just can’t strike the right tone. I feel like I’m banging my head against a brick wall.
王：嗨，詹姆士！可以請你過來一下，給我一些指導嗎？我正在試著寫封英文信，但是卻無法適當地用字遣詞，覺得非常挫折。
James: Don’t worry, I can proof read it for you. What’s it about?
詹姆士：不用擔心，我可以幫你校正文章。這是封什麼樣的信？
Wang: I’ve been invited to a conference in Okinawa by one of our customers. I’d love to go, but I’m snowed under with work.
王：有位客戶邀請我到日本沖繩參加一個會議。我很想去，但是我工作太忙了，可能走不開。
James: I see. Well, read it out to me.
詹姆士：我知道了。嗯，把文章內容念給我聽。
Wang: (Reading
王：（朗讀）「親愛的彼得，你的邀請已經被收到了。」
James: Whoa, slow down. First, you need to say ‘thank you’. And then, don’t write ‘has been received’. Say who has done what to avoid misunderstandings.
詹姆士：哇，請慢點。首先，你必須先說「謝謝」。接著，不要用「已經被收到」的句型，改成「某人已經做了某事」來避免誤會。
Wang: Oh, right. ‘Thank you very much for your invitation, which I have just received.’
王：好的。「感謝你的邀請，我已經收到了。」
James: Good. Go on.
詹姆士：不錯，繼續。
Wang: ‘Attendance is not possible.’
王：「我不可能出席。」
James: OK, change that to ‘Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend due to my busy schedule’ to make it sound less like a legal document.
詹姆士：OK，改成「很可惜，因為行程太滿，我沒辦法出席。」讓它聽起來不像制式或官方說法。
Wang: Alright. (Clears throat) ‘Send me details of future events, please.’
王：好的。（清喉嚨）「請寄給我之後活動的細節。」
James: Make it a question instead of an order. ‘Could you please send me details of any future events?’
詹姆士：最好以問句的形式表達，而非命令。「請問你可以寄給我之後活動的細節嗎？」
Wang: Got it! ‘Cheers, Jimmy Wang’.
王：知道了！「Cheers，吉米．王」。
James: ‘Cheers’ is very informal, for close friends and co-workers. I think you should rephrase it for a customer.
詹姆士：“Cheers”是非常不正式的用法，多用於朋友或同事。我認為對客戶應該改變措辭。
Wang: ‘Best regards’？
王：用“Best regards”如何？
James: Sounds great! Friendly, clear and polite.
詹姆士：聽起來很棒！親切、清楚又有禮貌。
Keywords 字彙
guidance ['gaIdns] 指導、建議
= help or advice
I couldn’t have finished the report without your guidance.
to strike the right tone 使用合適的語氣書寫
= to write in a suitable, polite way for your audience
It’s important to strike the right tone when you are asking your boss for a pay rise.
to bang your head against a brick wall 感到挫折的
= to be very frustrated with a difficult job
This report is taking hours to complete. I feel like I’m banging my head against a brick wall!
to proofread ['prufrid] 校正
= to read and correct mistakes
You need to get someone to proofread your essay before you hand it in.
to be snowed under 非常忙碌
= overworked; exceptionally busy
Look, I’m really snowed under at the moment. Can this wait until next week?
a misunderstanding ['mIsnd'stndI] 誤會
= a failure to understand something
We had a bit of a misunderstanding. I thought he meant the next Tuesday, not this Tuesday.
a legal document 官方用語
= writing that provides official information, usually written in an old-fashioned style.
You need to bring your work contract and any other legal documents you have to the immigration office.
an order ['rd] 命令
= a statement telling someone they have to do something
In the army, when you are given an order, you have to do it.
informal [In'frml] 不正式的
= friendly and relaxed
You don’t need to dress smart – it’s just an informal party for my close friends.
To rephrase [ri'frez] 改變措詞
= to write or say something again to make the meaning clear
Could you rephrase the question? I don’t really understand what you mean.
來源 http://www.cheers.com.tw/article/article.action?id=5028288&page=1
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