對了,不知道有沒有人關心到這個新聞,一個美國 ABC 電台的一個演員叫 Roseanne Barr ,在推特上發表了對於歐巴馬前白宮顧問 Valerie Jarrett 的種族歧視的言論,把人家比喻作 ape 猿猴,算公開挑釁吧?結果丟了節目。然後又怪罪到藥物,發文說當時發表的言論是受到 Ambien 一種安眠藥的副作用。剛剛看到那家公司的聲明,笑了。本來要翻譯,然後找不到了,用力問一下 Google 大師,當然是找到了。
People of all races, religions and nationalities work at Sanofi every day to improve the lives of people around the world. While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.
突然覺得法國演員真的好親民喔。十月小寶喜歡的搖滾莫札特要來台,小寶已經計劃好要看四場,一萬多元的預算,主角是小米,名字好長,我懶得吵,第二男主角在 DVD 版本就是 Flo,小寶的本命。就是上次小寶請他跟小寶說生日快樂,結果錄了一段生日快樂歌給小寶。真的是寵粉絲耶。剛好我正在一邊寫一邊聽抖森的訪談,有觀眾說是她生日,他馬上唱了生日快樂歌,西方人士不是比較親粉啊?
壞習慣很容易忽略的,像冰箱東西可能放了好幾年,不是我瞎掰的,要翻到過期一兩年的東西易如反掌,不如現在去你家冰箱翻翻看,我家的冰箱自從我留意到,就會固定找時間丟過期的東西,我爸會把東西放到發霉,因為他根本忘了吧,所以我就會去清,像今天也丟了不少。不過還是有不少過期的東西,今天也丟掉去年放到現在的燕麥片,過期半年多,我的茶包,別人送的,有過期一年,也有過期兩年,都是日本帶回來的,總共三包茶葉,我聞了一下,不像壞掉,喝起來味道也不錯,只是玄米的味道不香了,還是有綠茶的味道,跟買到靠近期限的茶一樣,然後今年日本的朋友來有送抹茶粉,還沒過期,所以就一起泡,味道很不錯呢。還沒問 Google 大師喝過期的茶葉會怎麼樣,保存期限只是最佳的賞限期,過後也不一定就壞掉了,台灣牛奶可能都很厲害,我每次放了過一個星期左右都不會壞,不過超過一個星期左右就臭掉了。
中文常常說應該,你應該要這樣做,你應該要那樣做,聽起來好像沒有什麼問題,但是英文假如你對長輩或上司說 You should do this. You should do that. 你應該這麼做。你應該那麼做。聽起來有點刺耳。別人沒問你要忠告,最好不要隨便給。所以 should 不要隨便亂用啊!不然就要加些字我覺得 I think ,Perhaps 等讓語氣和緩些。
1 should 跟 ought to 後面接動詞原型用來給予忠告,兩者在意義上沒有差別。他們的用法範圍比較大,在建議 suggestion 跟責任 responsibility or duty 之間。
You should quit smoking.
He ought to play with other children more.
表否定時用 shouldn’t + V1 (美式) 或 oughtn’t to + V1。後者美式英語不常用。
You shouldn’t spend so much money.
You shouldn’t swear.
People oughtn’t to break promises.
2 had better 後面接動詞原型跟 should/ought to 有類似的意義。had better 語氣比較強烈,有時候有警告或威脅的意味。用在比較緊急的忠告,當你相信假如那個人不按照忠告去做,會發生不好的事。也用在我們認為在某個狀況下是最好的方式。說話者覺得那個動作是需要的,而且期待會發生had 常與主詞縮寫 you’d = you had。had 雖然說是過去式,但是 had better 用在現在或未來,而非過去。
You’d better leave now, or you’ll be late.
You’d better finish homework before you go out.
It’s late. You’d better go to bed now.
had better 的否定是 had better not + V1
You’d better not be late.
You’d better not eat that much.
You’d better watch out. You’d better not cry.
3 問句時只用 should ,不用 ought to 或 had better。
Should I close the door?
What should I do?
4 給平輩或長輩忠告是不禮貌的,除非他們問你。當別人沒有問,我們要給忠告時,通常會用 I think, maybe, perhaps 來讓語氣和緩一點。
Boss : How should I get there?
You: I think you should take a taxi.
Friend: I couldn’t find a job.
You: Perhaps you shouldn’t be so picky.
練習四 用 should, ought to, 或 had better 與括號內的字來完成句子。
A: ___________________________________ 1 (How / dress) In a suit?
B: You don’t have to wear a suit. ____________________________. 2 (look / neat)
But you can wear casual clothes.
A: ____________________________________________ 3 (What time / arrive?)
B: It’s really important to be on time. Your boss and his wife are expecting you at 7:00, so ______________________________________. 4 (arrive after 7:15) It’s OK to be a little late, but don’t make them wait too long for you!
A: _______________________________ 5 (bring a gift?)
B: Yes, but get something small. _________________________________ 6 (buy an expensive gift)
It would embarrass them.
A: _______________________________ 7 (What /buy?)
B: I think ________________________________________. (8 get some flowers.)
1 你應該減肥。
2 你最好快一點,不然你上課要遲到了。
3 我應該關冷氣嗎?
4 你不應該翹課。
5 或許你應該帶把傘。
練習四 用 should, ought to, 或 had better 與括號內的字來完成句子。
A: _______How should I dress?____________________________ 1 (How / dress) In a suit?
B: You don’t have to wear a suit. ___You should look neat_________________. 2 (look / neat)
But you can wear casual clothes.
A: ____What time should I arrive?______________________________ 3 (What time / arrive?)
B: It’s really important to be on time. Your boss and his wife are expecting you at 7:00, so ______you shouldn’t arrive after 7:15__/ you’d better not arrive __________________. 4 (arrive after 7:15) It’s OK to be a little late, but don’t make them wait too long for you!
A: ____Should I bring a gift?______________________ 5 (bring a gift?)
B: Yes, but get something small. ___You’d better not buy an expensive gift ______________________________ 6 (buy an expensive gift) It would embarrass them.
A: __What should I buy?_____________________________ 7 (What /buy?)
B: I think ______you should get some flowers.__________________________________. (8 get some flowers.)
1 你應該減肥。 You should lose weight. / You should be on a diet.
2 你最好快一點,不然你上課要遲到了。You’d better hurry, or you’ll be late for class.
回來,不過卻是銀行通知我,Google 匯了款項到我的帳戶,但是呢戶名卻寫成銀行的名稱。啊,難怪我昨天在填 Google 的資料的時候就覺得為什麼要寫兩次銀行名稱呢?怪得不得了,而且沒有寫我的名字耶,這樣怎麼知道錢匯給誰?
後來仔細一看,人家上面明明寫銀行帳戶名稱跟銀行名稱,我怎麼會兩個都寫銀行的名字呢?啊!受不了這麼迷糊的自己。真是個迷糊蛋啊。銀行說,必須要 Google 寫通知給他們改名字,才能把錢轉到我的戶頭,不然的話過了一個月他們會把錢退回去,而且還要扣不少手續費的樣子。
我找了半天根本找不到能請 Google 改名字的地方,最後找了一個意見欄,寫了中英文,根本不知道會不會被讀取或轉到相關單位。最後錢真的拿不到的話也是我自己的錯,怪不得別人,誰叫我這麼迷糊。不過 Google 動作很快,因為原本我沒有填帳戶,所以寄給我無法匯款的通知,昨天下午我一填了匯款資料,今天早上馬上匯款了,真的好迅速。款項不大是唯一值得慶幸的。
繼續講這難纏的情態助動詞,有好多喔,這才第三篇,潔西已經寫到第八篇了,不過多半是參考 Longman 的 Grammar Express, Oxford 的 Oxford Practice Grammar 跟 Azar 的 Understanding and Using English Grammar 。希望有講得比較容易懂一點:)
請求允許,主詞是 I 的時候,只能用 May, Could, Can。
May I open the window? Could I open the window? Can I open the window?
表示請求,主詞是 you 的時候,只能用 Would, Will, Could, Can 。
Would you open the window? Could you open the window? Will/Can you open the window?
Could I borrow some money? borrow—take borrow 是借入,有拿的意味。
Could you lend me some money? lend—give lend 是借出,有給的意味。
影片
C Requests 表示請求:Will, Can, Would, Could, Would you mind …?
a 主詞為 you 的請求:Would you …, Will you …, Could you …, Can you …?
Would you 比 Will you 常見,也比要有禮貌。Could you 跟 Would you 同樣有禮貌,但是 Could you 有可能做這件事的意思嗎? Can you, Will you 用在非正式場合,不像 Could you 跟 Would you 那樣有禮。
Would you pass the bread, please?
Will you please open the window?
Could you turn down the music, please?
Can you turn on the TV?
回答是的時候,不能用 can, will, would 或 could 。
回應是允許的話:Yes, I’d be happy to. / Yes, I’d be glad to. / Certainly. 非正式 Sure./Of course.
回應是否定的話會道歉,並且給理由。否定只可以用 I can’t. 不可以用 won’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t。
A: Could you answer the phone for me?
B: Sure. No problem. Or B: I’m sorry. I can’t. I’m washing dishes.
b 禮貌地請求允許:Would you mind if I + V2 …?
Would you mind if I turned off the TV?
Would you mind if I used your computer?
回應:
不介意:No, not at all. / No, of course not. / No, that would be fine.
禮貌地請人做某事可以用: Would you mind + V-ing?
Would you mind waiting for a while?
Would you mind giving me a ride?
回應:
不介意:No, I’d be happy to. / Not at all. I’d be glad to. / Sure. / Okay.
練習三 選擇 a 或 b
1 Lorna, would you please drive me to class today? My car won’t start.
a _____ Yes, I would. b _____ I’d be glad to.
2 Would you mind lending me five dollars? I’m getting paid tomorrow.
a _____ Not at all. b _____ Yes.
3 Lorna, can you take these books back to the library for me? I’m running late.
a _____ I’m late too. Sorry. b _____ No, I can’t.
4 Could you lock the door on your way out? My hands are full.
a _____ Yes, I could. b _____ Sure.
5 Can you turn the radio down? I need to study for my math quiz this morning.
a _____ Certainly. b _____ Not at all.
6 Will you pick up some milk on the way home this afternoon?
a _____ No, I won’t. b _____ Sorry. I’ll be at work until 8:00.
翻譯
1 你可以遞鹽給我嗎?
2 你可以跟我說銀行在哪裡嗎?
3 你介意我把冷氣關起來嗎?
4 你介意把音樂關小聲點嗎?
5 你可以借我錢嗎?
練習三
1 b 2 a 3 a 4 b 5 a 6 b
1 Could you pass the salt?
2 Could you tell me where the bank is?
3 Would you mind if I turned off the air conditioner?