情境介紹
任職於跨國企業台灣分公司的Eric Wang目前在美國加州出差,在辦公室內遇到總部訓練講師 John L. Gin,他們討論起跨年活動......
Eric: John, guess what? I just booked tickets1 to watch the ball drop2 in New York City.
John: Good for you. That’s an once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Eric: It’ll cost me $250, but it’s been on my bucket list3 for ages. I can’t wait to ring in the New Year with superstar performers, over a million others crammed4 into Times Square5 under a shower6 of confetti7 and fireworks, and more than a billion viewers worldwide...What are your plans, John?
John: I’ll be in Toronto with my family. We always make New Year’s resolutions8 together, hoping to turn over a new leaf for a new and better year. My sister will put some mistletoe9 leaves under her pillow again....
Eric: Why?
John: It’s an old Irish tradition for better luck and a husband in the New Year. That reminds me; don’t forget to kiss someone at the stroke10 of midnight!
Eric: Yes, I’ve always wondered about that. Why?
John: Well, the superstition is that if you don’t kiss someone, you will be lonely for the following year!
Eric: 約翰,你知道嗎?我剛訂好了去紐約看跨年落球儀式的機票。
John: 真棒!那會是一生難得的經驗!
Eric: 雖然得花250 美元,不過那是我長久以來的人生願望。我等不及一邊享受超級巨星表演、一邊迎接新年,在如雨般落下的五彩碎紙跟煙火秀中與超過一百萬的民眾一齊湧入時代廣場,還有全世界超過10 億的觀眾......,約翰,你的計畫呢?
John: 我跟我的家人會在多倫多。我們總是一起許下新年願望,期望破舊立新,擁有更美好的嶄新一年!我妹妹肯定又會在枕頭下放槲寄生葉子了......
Eric: 為什麼呢?
John: 那是古老的愛爾蘭傳統,祈求在新的一年有更好的運氣,還能找到如意郎君。對了,別忘了午夜的鐘聲響起時找個人親吻!
Eric: 對,我一直想不通!為什麼要這麼做呢?
John: 嗯,有個迷信的說法是:如果你不這麼做,就會孤單一整年!
實用慣用語
又到了一年一度大家都引頸期盼的跨年時刻,在美國從聖誕節到新年的這段假期又稱為holiday seasons。現在就一起來學學上面對話中出現的慣用語吧!
good for you
真棒 / 做得真好
例:I heard you finally passed the driver’s license test last week. Good for you!
( 我聽說妳上星期終於考過駕照考試。真棒!)
once-in-a-lifetime
生命中難得的
例: Visiting Bhutan is an once-in-a-lifetime experience for many people.
( 對許多人而言,拜訪不丹是個一生難得的經驗。)
ring in the New Year
迎接新年( 源自新年午夜時的鐘響)
例: We are planning a big party at my place to ring in the New Year.
( 我們打算在我家舉辦一個盛大派對來迎接新年。)
turn over a new leaf
嶄新開始、破舊立新
例: Finding a job he liked helped Jack turn over a new leaf.
( 找到一個喜歡的工作讓傑克得以展開人生新頁。)
that reminds me
(通常出現在對話中)那可提醒了我 / 我想起來
例: Speaking of school...that reminds me; have you submitted the term paper yet?
( 說到學校......那可提醒了我;你交學期報告了嗎?)
the superstition is that ....
有個迷信是......
例:Be careful with the mirror. The superstition is that if you break one, you’ll have seven years of bad luck.
( 拿鏡子要小心。有個迷信是,如果你打破一面鏡子,就會倒楣七年。)
本月加值:讓我們敬賀新的一年!
除了剛才介紹的慣用語之外,還有更多在祝賀或是平日都很常見的慣用語唷!讓我們一起來看看老外們還會怎麼說!
start from scratch
由零開始
例:The best thing about New Years is that you feel like you can start from scratch.
(過新年最棒的莫過於一種重新開始的感覺。)
out with the old (in with the new)
除舊布新
例:Year-end cleaning is very important in Chinese culture. Out with the old and in with the new!
(中華文化中,年末掃除非常重要。除舊布新嘛!)
drink a toast
敬酒
例:On Dad’s last birthday, we all drank a toast to him.
(上次爸爸生日時,我們都向他敬酒。)
cheers (cheers to ..., 也可說here’s to...)
敬......;祝......(祝酒語,後面接上祝福的人事物)
例: Jenny: Thank you for coming to my sister’s wedding. Cheers to the happy couple!
Others: To the happy couple!
(珍妮:謝謝各位來參加我妹妹的婚禮。敬這對快樂的新人! 大家:敬新人!)
countdown
倒數 (此為名詞,亦有動詞片語 count down)
例: It has always been a dream of mine to do the New Year countdown with millions of others in Times Square.
(能在時代廣場跟幾百萬人一齊倒數新年一直是我的夢想。)
學習小指南
別忘了許下你的新年新希望(New Year resolutions)唷!希望可以有更多時間與家人相處(spend more time with family)?或是希望減肥成功(lose weight for good)?還是希望在名師指導下學好外語?趕快上LTTC課程網www.lttc-li.org.tw。
好消息!歡慶「全民英檢」(GEPT)考生突破600萬人次,快來選個2015年英文開運字,抽iPad mini!詳情:http://goo.gl/rW9rjW。