每日會話教學

[mimis]

今日會話

Two weeks later, Billy calls Jen

Billy: I've got a surprise for you.
Jennifer:I've got one for you, too.
Billy:I found an 1)opening at a Taiwanese firm.
Jennifer:Cool! A law firm?
Billy:No. A 2)publishing company. They need writers for their new English teaching magazine, EZ talk.
Jennifer:But what ever happened to law?
Billy:The job sounds cool. It would be a start. I could find another job later.

兩週後，比利打給阿花

比　利：我要給妳個驚喜。
珍妮花：我也有個驚喜要給你。
比　利：我在一家台灣的公司找到職缺了。
珍妮花：酷！法律事務所嗎？
比　利：不是。是家出版社。他們新出版的英文教學雜誌EZ talk需要撰稿人。
珍妮花：但法律要怎麼辦？
比　利：這工作聽來很讚。這會是一個開始。我之後還可以找別的工作。

1) opening (n.)（職位的）空缺
2) publishing (a.) 出版的，出版業的

[mimis]

今日會話

A week later

Billy:Any 1)results from your research on schools in Taiwan?
Jennifer:The program at Chinese Culture University looks interesting.
Billy:Didn't you take classes there before?
Jennifer:Yeah, and the graduate arts program is on Yang Ming mountain.
Billy:That's where you took me to see the night view of Taipei.
Jennifer:I would love to live in that area....
Billy:So let's start making plans.

一週後

比　利：調查台灣的學校有何結果？
珍妮花：文化大學的課程看來挺有趣的。
比　利：妳之前不是在那兒上過課？
珍妮花：對呀，而且研究所的藝術課程是在陽明山上課。
比　利：那就是妳之前帶我去看台北夜景的地方。
珍妮花：我很樂意住在那一區……
比　利：那我們開始擬定計畫吧。

1) result (n.) 結果

[mimis]

今日會話

Billy:I'm just wondering how you'll afford to live there. Not to rain on your parade or anything.
Jennifer:Now that's the real 1)issue. I'm still 2)in debt from college.
Billy:I'm sure you could apply for 3)financial aid again. You'd be sure to get a 4)loan.
Jennifer:Yeah. I'll be in debt for the rest of my life.
Billy:My concern is that the cost of living in L.A. is so high. You're kind of used to a nice life, Jen.
Jennifer:And if I get a job, I'll never make it through the program.

比　利：我有點懷疑妳怎麼負擔得起住在那裡。這可不是要潑妳冷水什麼的。
珍妮花：那倒真是個問題。我大學學費的債務還沒還完呢。
比　利：我想妳還是可以再申請經濟援助。妳一定可以弄到貸款的。
珍妮花：是啊。我這輩子都得還債度日了。
比　利：我擔心的是，洛杉磯的生活花費好高。妳又有點過慣了舒服日子，阿花。
珍妮花：而如果我一邊工作，我就永遠不可能完成學業。

1) issue (n.) 問題
2) in debt 負債
3) financial (a.) 金錢的，金融的。financial aid是「經濟援助」，大學一般會提供學生獎學金、就學貸款、工讀…等
4) loan (n.) 貸款

[mimis]

今日會話

Billy:I'm just wondering how you'll afford to live there. Not to rain on your parade or anything.
Jennifer:Now that's the real 1)issue. I'm still 2)in debt from college.
Billy:I'm sure you could apply for 3)financial aid again. You'd be sure to get a 4)loan.
Jennifer:Yeah. I'll be in debt for the rest of my life.
Billy:My concern is that the cost of living in L.A. is so high. You're kind of used to a nice life, Jen.
Jennifer:And if I get a job, I'll never make it through the program.

比　利：我有點懷疑妳怎麼負擔得起住在那裡。這可不是要潑妳冷水什麼的。
珍妮花：那倒真是個問題。我大學學費的債務還沒還完呢。
比　利：我想妳還是可以再申請經濟援助。妳一定可以弄到貸款的。
珍妮花：是啊。我這輩子都得還債度日了。
比　利：我擔心的是，洛杉磯的生活花費好高。妳又有點過慣了舒服日子，阿花。
珍妮花：而如果我一邊工作，我就永遠不可能完成學業。

1) issue (n.) 問題
2) in debt 負債
3) financial (a.) 金錢的，金融的。financial aid是「經濟援助」，大學一般會提供學生獎學金、就學貸款、工讀…等
4) loan (n.) 貸款

[mimis]

今日會話

Billy:Oh! You were serious about film school, weren't you?
Jennifer:Well, that's one of my dreams.
Billy:Then I support you. You can make films about Taiwan.
Jennifer:Yeah. But I don't know if I'll get in. I've got my hopes set on 1)USC in L.A.
Billy:Have you 2)applied yet?
Jennifer:No. But I've got the 2)application forms 3)filled out...my 4)GRE scores are good.
Billy:Don't you have to 5)submit some short film for film school?

比　利：喔！妳對進電影研究所是認真的，對吧？
珍妮花：嗯，那是我的夢想之一。
比　利：那我支持妳。妳可以拍跟台灣有關的電影。
珍妮花：是呀。但是不知道是否能錄取。我把希望寄託在洛杉磯的南加大。
比　利：妳申請了沒？
珍妮花：沒。但是我已經填好申請表了……我的GRE分數不錯。
比　利：妳不需要繳交些短片給電影研究所嗎？

1) USC (n.) 美國南加州大學，全名是University of Southern California，該校的電影科系相當有名
2) apply (v.) 申請。名詞是application
3) fill out 填寫
4) GRE (n.)（美國）研究生入學考試，全名是Graduate Record Examination
5) submit (v.) 提交，呈遞

[mimis]

今日會話

B&J'S STORY-BJ前傳 完結篇(1)

Three weeks later, Billy goes down to Bloomington to see Jennifer

Jennifer:Thanks for coming down. So how does it feel back at The Daily 1)Grind?
Billy: A lot better than the real daily grind. This used to be my favorite cafe.
Jennifer:Yeah. The coffee is the best. And the 2)scones are 3)heavenly.
Billy:Both were 4)vital study 5)aids for us. Remember?
Jennifer:Yep. Those were the good old days. Now it's just the real daily grind for you.
Billy: Speaking of that, thanks for all your help with this 6)case study.

三週後，比利南下布魯明頓市看珍妮花

珍妮花：謝謝你下來看我。回到「每日磨」這間店感覺如何？
比　利：比真正每日的折磨好太多了。這曾經是我最愛的咖啡館。
珍妮花：對啊。這裡的咖啡最棒了。而且烤餅也是超美味。
比　利：對。兩樣都是我們以前不可或缺的讀書良伴。記得吧？
珍妮花：對呀。以前那樣真好。現在對你而言，就只有現實的每日折磨了。
比　利：說到那個，多謝妳對那件個案研究的幫忙。

1) grind (n.) 苦差事，磨。daily grind是「日復一日的工作和瑣事」。這間店名叫Daily Grind有雙重含意，首先由於「磨」咖啡豆也是用grind這個字，代表「每日現磨咖啡」，其次也有希望顧客
「每日光顧」之意
2) scone (n.) 烤餅，麵粉加奶油、牛奶等烘烤而成的西式茶點，可以抹奶油或果醬食用
3) heavenly (a.) 棒極了的。主要用在形容感官上的感覺
4) vital (a.) 不可或缺的，重要的
5) aid (n.) 幫助，救援
6) case study 個案研究

[mimis]

今日會話

Josh: Mom!
Mom: What? Your friends wanted to see pictures of you. It's not that bad.
Josh: Easy for you to say! You're not the one peeing 4)all over creation. It's 5)embarrassing.
Mom: So? You're saying I 5)embarrass you? Your own mother?
Josh: That's not what I meant.
Mom: It's enough that you hardly ever visit. Now, I embarrass you.
Josh: Look, let's just drop it. Shana tovah, Mom.
Mom: Shana tovah, Joshie.

賈許︰ 媽！
媽媽︰ 怎麼啦？你的朋友想看你的照片。沒那麼糟啦。
賈許︰ 妳說得倒輕鬆！你又不是那個尿得到處都是的人。這很尷尬耶。
媽媽︰ 那又怎樣？你是說我在給你難堪？你自己的母親？
賈許︰ 我不是那個意思。
媽媽︰ 你幾乎不回家已經很糟了。現在，竟然說我讓你難堪。
賈許︰ 好了，我們別吵這個了。新年快樂，媽。
媽媽︰新年快樂，小賈。

4) all over creation 到處
5) embarrassing (a.) 令人困窘的，難堪的。embarrass (v.) 困窘，侷促不安

[mimis]

好萊塢金童---麥特戴蒙魅力訪台

Not many movie stars would arrive earlier before their movie premieres in Taiwan; but Matt Damon did. Bringing his rumored gal Odessa by his side, Damon flew in Taiwan two days in advance for some relaxation and sightseeing.

很少有訪台影星會在首映前提早抵台；但麥特戴蒙卻是如此。他提早兩天攜伴著緋聞中的女友奧狄莎抵台先作些休息與參觀。

Though Matt has lost a great deal of privacy after being a Hollywood super star; having his every move followed by dozens of cameras, he's handled it well and never regretted to be in the entertaining business. He resolutely dropped out of Harvard 12 credits short of graduating to pursue his acting career.

成為好萊塢巨星後，麥特失去了很多隱私； 成天為許多攝影機追逐拍攝他的每一個舉動。但是，麥特從不後悔踏進演藝圈這一行；他毅然決然的離開學校踏進演藝圈，肄業於哈佛大學的麥特，當年只差12個學分就可以畢業了。

Always on the lookout for good roles and opportunities to learn something new; Damon himself is not only a diligent actor and great screenwriter; he is also in an attempt to be a director.

麥特戴蒙一直多方面找不一樣的角色和機會可以讓自己可以學習更多的東西，他不只是個十分認真的演員和優秀的電影劇本作家，他還有演而優則導的強烈企圖心。

Damon has set his sights on starring a movie by the top Taiwanese filmmaker, Ang, Lee; he told a press conference Friday in Taipei “It would be a dream to work with someone like Ang”.

麥特已訂定目標期待能與台灣第一把交椅導演李安合作; 並且在台北的記者會上提到 ”能跟李安這樣子的導演合作就像是夢一樣”。

The Bourne Identity is Matt Damon's first action movie; in order to portray the CIA agent in this spy thriller, Damon said he took five months to train in martial arts, boxing and weapons use.

【神鬼認證】是麥特戴蒙的第一部動作片. 為了能詮釋美國中情局探員這個角色, 他接受了為期五個月的武術, 搏擊, 武器使用的訓練.

So, head to the cinema near you now and enjoy the great action performances and nail-biting thriller by Matt Damon!

所以，現在就到最近的戲院，享受麥特戴蒙的這部俐落的動作表演與另你緊張咬指的刺激電影吧!

Language Notes 英語精解

1. charm 這個字當名詞用時有魔法、魅力、符咒的意思；當然，在這個標題裡不是說麥特戴蒙給台灣下符咒(有點可怕吧?!) 這裡的charm是當成動詞用的!---有迷住，使人陶醉的意思喔~

2. by his side 帶在他的身旁 --- 麥特這次帶了他謠傳中的女友以及女友母親一起來台宣傳，讓全球影迷首次目睹了兩人甜蜜的愛情。

3. dropped out of 輟學 --- 麥特當年可是美國著名學府，哈佛大學英國文學系的學生喔~

4. on the lookout for…警戒…. ；尋求…

5. set his sights on…把目標訂於….；志於…..
* raise [lower] one’s sights = set one’s sights higher [lower] 把目標訂高[低]一點

6. The Bourne Identity 【神鬼認證】是由著名暢銷作家Robert Ludlum 所寫的懸疑小說，曾在1988年被拍成電視影集，這是第二次被搬上大螢幕。

Vocabulary 字彙

premiere (電影、電視…)首映
gal = girl 女孩(朋友)，這是較口語的講法。
captivated 迷惑; 使人出神
credits 這裡指的是”學分”
resolutely 毅然地
screenwriter 電影劇本作家；編劇家
filmmaker (照字面上翻) 就是製造影片的人，也就是製片家/導演的意思。
martial 武術
nail-biting 另人緊張的
thriller 緊張懸疑片

[mimis]

STAYING AT A HOTEL I (Part 5 of 6)旅館投宿

What Next?

(later)
Angie: What do you want to do now?
Terry: Hmmm, it's almost 5:00. Let's call one of the hotel restaurants and make a reservation for dinner. Then we'll change our clothes.
Angie: That's a great idea. Where do you want to eat?
Terry: I don't know. There's a book about the hotel here on the table. It will tell about the restaurants.

接下來發生什麼事？

（稍後）
安琪：你現在要做什麼？
泰瑞：嗯，快五點了，我們打電話給旅館的其中一家餐廳，預訂晚餐的位子，然後換衣服。
安琪：好主意。你要在哪裡吃？
泰瑞：我不知道。桌上有一本關於這家旅館的書，裡面會介紹餐廳。

[mimis]

今日會話

Holiday-Moon Festival中秋節

介紹中秋節的好用句：

Moon Festival is a day when the moon is full and families reunite.
中秋節是月圓人團圓的日子。

The main things we'll do tonight are watch the moon and eat mooncakes.
賞月、吃月餅是今天晚上的重要活動。

Mooncakes are the traditional food of the Moon Festival, but their shapes and fillings
have changed over the years.
月餅是中秋節的傳統食物，但形狀及餡料已有許多變化。

According to tradition, Chang Er was the first person to reach the moon, but the Jade Rabbit and Wu Gang also lived there.
在傳說中，嫦娥是第一個登上月球的人，但玉兔和吳剛也是住在月亮上的人物。

[mimis]

今日會話

Josh's mom shows Anne some pictures

Mom: Here's a picture of Josh from his bar mitzvah.
Anne: He looks so cute in his suit. What's a bar mitzvah?
Mom: It's the 1)ceremony for becoming an adult. It's held when you turn thirteen.
Anne: No wonder he looks so young.
Mom: You want cute, look at the picture from his bris. That's the 2)circumcision ceremony for babies.
Anne: Look! He's 3)peeing everywhere!

賈許的媽媽給安看一些照片

媽媽︰ 這張是賈許成年禮時的照片。
安︰ 他穿那身西裝的樣子真可愛。什麼是成年禮？
媽媽︰ 這是轉變為成人的一種儀式。十三歲時會舉行。
安︰ 難怪他看起來這麼小。
媽媽︰ 妳想要看可愛的，瞧瞧他出生典禮時的照片。那是為嬰兒舉辦的割禮儀式。
安︰ 看！他尿得到處都是！

1) ceremony (n.) 典禮，儀式
2) circumcision (n.) 割禮（猶太教男性必須於出生時割包皮）
3) pee (v.) 撒尿

[mimis]

今日會話

At Josh's house

Mom: Shanah tovah, Joshie! Have you 1)lost weight again? You're looking thin.
Josh: No, I don't think so.
Mom: You know, I don't know why you have to live in a 2)dorm and eat that food when you could stay here.
Josh: We've been through this before, Mom. I want to be 3)on my own. Here, meet my friends.
Mom: [Sighs] Always so 4)independent. [to Doug and Anne] Nice to meet you. Come and sit down.

在賈許家中

媽媽︰ 新年快樂，小賈！你又變瘦了嗎？你看起來好瘦。
賈許︰ 不，我想沒有。
媽媽︰ 知道嗎，我不曉得為什麼你有家可住，卻偏偏要去住宿舍、吃那種伙食。
賈許︰ 我們以前討論過這個問題了，媽。我想要靠自己。來，見見我的朋友們。
媽媽︰ （嘆氣）總是這麼獨立。（對道格及安）很高興見到你們。過來坐。

1) lose weight 體重減輕。「增加體重」則是gain weight
2) dorm (n.) = dormitory 宿舍
3) on one's own 靠（某人）自己，單獨地
4) independent (a.) 自立的，獨立的

[mimis]

今日會話

Anne talks to the rabbi

Anne: Excuse me, Rabbi. Could I ask you a question?
Rabbi: My 1)synagogue has a Chinese member? It's a miracle!
Anne: I'm not actually 2)Jewish. I'm just here with a friend.
Rabbi: Well, how can I help you?
Anne: I was wondering what blowing the shofar 3)represents.
Rabbi: An excellent question! The Bible commands us to blow the shofar, but it doesn't explain why.

安跟拉比談話

安︰ 抱歉，拉比。我可以請教你一個問題嗎？
拉比︰ 我的猶太會堂有個中國成員？真是奇蹟啊！
安︰ 我不是真的是猶太教徒。我只是跟朋友一塊兒來。
拉比： 那麼，有什麼我可以幫忙的呢？
安︰ 我想知道吹奏羊角號代表什麼意義。
拉比︰ 問得好！聖經要求我們吹奏羊角號，卻沒有解釋原因。

1) synagogue (n.) 猶太會堂
2) Jewish (a.) 猶太人的，猶太教的
3) represent (v.) 象徵 ，代表

[mimis]

今日會話

At 1)Rosh Hashanah services

Josh: I'd better have Doug put on a 2)kipah .
Anne: Men have to wear them, and I suppose he qualifies. Look, that guy is starting to 3)blow on a 4)ram's horn .
Josh: It's called a 2)shofar . It's only blown on the 1)High Holy Days . That's my uncle blowing it.
Anne: Is that man in front the 5)rabbi ?
Josh: Right. And the 6)cantor is next to him. They lead the service together.

在歲首節的儀式中

賈許： 我最好叫道格戴上圓蓋。
安︰ 男性都需要戴上，我想他有那個資格。瞧，那人要開始吹公羊角了。
賈許︰ 這叫做羊角號。只有在新年時才會吹奏。那個吹奏的人是我舅舅。
安︰ 是拉比前面的那個人嗎？
賈許︰ 對。而領誦人在他旁邊。他們一起領導儀式進行。

標題︰101表示「基礎入門」，Judiasm 101就是「猶太教入門」。

1) Rosh Hashanan 歲首節。High Holy Days 是指（猶太教的）新年期間
2) kipah (n.) 圓蓋，猶太教男性頭上戴的瓜皮小帽。shofar (n.)（猶太教禮拜用的）羊角號。talit (n.) 塔利，猶太教男子祈禱時披在肩上的披巾，也就是文中「有流蘇的長方形披巾」fringed garment
3) blow (v.) 吹奏
4) ram's horn 公羊角
5) rabbi (n.) 拉比，猶太教負責執行教規、律法並主持宗教儀式的人員，或猶太教會眾領袖
6) cantor (n.)（猶太教堂中）祈禱文領誦人

[mimis]

今日會話

The next morning

Mom: Rise and shine, Johnny. You learned those 1)times tables so fast last night!
Johnny: Mmm...hm...
Mom: Get up, and we can review before school.
Johnny: [Starts to fall back asleep] Three 2)times three is three, four times four is f....
Mom: Johnny! 1 Get your 3)butt out of bed or no breakfast for you!
Johnny: Oh! [to himself] I knew she'd be back to normal soon....OK, Mom!
Mom: [Five minutes later] Jonathan Richard Spence!

隔天早上

媽媽： 起床啦，強尼。昨晚你的九九乘法表學得真快！
強尼： 嗯……嗯……
媽媽： 起床了，我們可以在上學前複習一下。
強尼： （又開始睡著）三乘以三等於三、四乘以四等於四……。
媽媽： 強尼！給我從床上下來，否則就不給你吃早餐！
強尼： 喔！（對自己說）我就知道她很快就會恢復正常……好的，媽！
媽媽： （五分鐘後）強納森理察史班斯！

1) times tables 九九乘法表
2) times (prep.) 乘以。這裡Jonny因為又睡著了，所以九九乘法表全部背錯（prep.是preposition「介系詞」）
3) butt (n.) 屁股