情境介紹
任職於跨國企業臺灣分公司的Eric正準備下班時，坐在隔壁的外籍同事Lillian往窗外一看，發現外面下起雨了⋯⋯
Lillian: Time to go home. Uh-oh, it’s coming down in buckets and I don’t have an umbrella.
Eric: You know, today happens to be Chinese Valentine’s Day, also known as Qixi Festival1. It falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar2 month every year. It’s raining today because of the star-crossed lovers, Weaver Girl3 and Cow Herder4.
Lillian: I don’t know that story.
Eric: According to one version5 of the story I learned as a child, Weaver Girl was a daughter of the Jade Emperor6, and she fell in love with a mortal7 man who was a lowly8 cow herder. She ran off with him and made a happy family.
Lillian: So far, so good...
Eric: Yes, but only until her father found out. He got so furious that he took his daughter back to the heavens9 and created a huge silver river between the lovebirds10 to prevent them from ever seeing each other again. Taking pity on them, the Queen Mother of the West11 sends all the magpies12 of the world to form a bridge on Qixi every year. The rain is believed to be Weaver Girl’s tears when the couple is reunited13 on the bridge.
Lillian: Well then, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to walk in the rain once in a while14.
Lillian: 該下班了。哎呀，現在傾盆大雨，我忘了帶雨傘。
Eric： 妳知道嗎？今天正巧是中國情人節，也被稱為七夕節，就在每年農曆七月七日。今天會下雨，是跟「織女」與「牛郎」這對命運乖舛的戀人有關。
Lillian: 我不曉得這個故事。
Eric： 根據我小時候聽到的一個故事版本，織女是玉帝的一個女兒，她愛上了卑微的牧牛凡人。她與情人一起逃走，共組快樂家庭。
Lillian: 聽到目前為止，還算順利⋯⋯
Eric： 是的，直到她父親發現了這件事。他非常生氣地將他的女兒帶回天庭，更在這對愛侶之間造了一條龐大的銀河，好讓他們永遠不得見面。因為同情他們，西王母娘娘讓世上的喜鵲在每年七夕的這一天連成一座橋。這陣雨據說就是當這對情人在橋上重逢時，織女所流的眼淚。
Lillian: 好吧，我想偶爾在雨中漫步也無妨。
實用慣用語
你曾想在夜空（night sky）找到各占天一邊的牛郎星（Altair）與織女星（Vega）嗎？對話中Eric簡潔（tersely）介紹了這個淒美浪漫的愛情故事，讓我們一起來看看這段對話中出現了哪些實用慣用語！
It’s coming down in buckets
下傾盆大雨
例：It’s coming down in buckets outside. The school has no choice but to cancel the picnic.
（外頭正傾盆大雨。學校沒辦法只得取消了野餐。）
take pity on
同情、憐憫
例：The little boy took pity on the poor little stray dog and decided to take it home.
（這小男孩很同情這隻可憐的小流浪狗，並決定帶牠回家。）
star-crossed
運氣不好的、不幸的
例：If you are into romances, this novel about a pair of star-crossed lovers is definitely a must-read.
（如果你喜歡愛情小說的話，你一定要讀這本有關一對命運乖舛戀人的小說。）
it wouldn’t hurt (後加to V)
（做某事）也無妨、沒什麼壞處
例：If you exercise regularly, it wouldn’t hurt to treat yourself to a great meal once in a while.
（如果你規律運動，偶爾讓自己享受一頓美食也無妨。）
本月加值
朋友間聊天難免談到些彼此的感情世界：你最近感情不順（on the rocks）嗎？相戀很久的男朋友求婚（pop the question）了嗎？ 英文有許多跟感情發展有關、有趣的詞彙，一起來看看這些生動的描述！
puppy love
少男少女間短暫的愛情
例：I cannot remember much about my first puppy love. I was 11 years old.
（我不太記得我的初戀。我那時才十一歲。）
be an item
交往中
例： I didn’t know Alan and Fiona were an item. They hardly talked to each other.
（我不曉得艾倫跟費歐娜曾經交往過。他們幾乎不曾跟對方說過話。）
tie the knot
結婚
例：Lauren and Tim tied the knot last year, and now they are expecting their first child.
（蘿倫跟提姆去年結婚了，他們正期待第一個小孩出世。）
head over heels in love
神魂顛倒
例：Look at them. They’re head over heels in love with each other.
（ 你看他們。他們為彼此神魂顛倒。）
match made in heaven
天造地設的一對
例：Matt and Amanda are a match made in heaven. They finish each other’s sentences.
（麥特跟亞曼達真是天造地設的一對。他們總是知道對方要說什麼。）
學習小指南
民間流傳（circulating）的牛郎織女故事有許多版本（adaptations），不妨上網查查，試著用英文談各版本的差異（differences）！LTTC幫助您學習外語更有效率，趕快上LTTC課程網www.lttc-li.org.tw。
別忘了掃描右側的QR code填寫問卷參加抽獎，將有機會獲贈LTTC好禮一份，千萬別錯過唷！
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