Help yourself! 自我幫助

據估算，“self-help industry 自助、自救產業” 單在美國的產業價值就約一百億美元。這個產業為什麼會如此賺錢？那些宣稱能重塑我們並徹底改變我們生活的出版物人氣高的原因到底是什麼？本期《隨身英語》討論“自救”產業發展趨勢後的主導原因。

課文內容

Vocabulary: self-help 詞匯: 自助的，自救的

I need help! I have to fix a leaking pipe in my bathroom but I’m not sure where to begin. I know I lack the necessary DIY skills, but luckily there are numerous books and online videos that will hopefully give me the information I need. Publications that help us to help ourselves are nothing new, but the range of them is increasing with advice being given far beyond practical tasks around the house.

Bookshops these days are full of titles which claim to boost your self-confidence, your wealth, your love life or your career. Some claim to improve your life within seven days! It’s big business and it’s thought that the self-help industry is worth $10bn in the US alone.

The first self-help book called ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ was published in 1936, and has since sold 30 million copies and is still popular now. It includes guidance on how to make people like you and how to make your life happier. It might seem strange to think that we need a book to tell us how to live our lives but self-help books remain a go to remedy for those of us looking for enlightenment.

There are, of course, trends in what we need help with. Emma Marshall, who works at British bookshop Waterstones, says “at the moment we’re in the tidying up, getting rid of things trend… I think the trend right now is about slowing down in your life.” It seems there is always something we need help with, and reading about it can be very therapeutic – it makes us feel good, even if we don’t do anything about it.

Of course, the internet has become the place to go to for salvation. We’ve got used to searching for solutions online, and now these solutions even include how to fix or improve our lives. Interestingly, psychologist Caroline Beaton, says people called ‘millennials‘ are self-critical – they are aware of their own faults – which also means they’re more likely to spend time and money on self-help. There’s also a theory that the self-help industry does well during a recession – people are perhaps even more likely to reach for self-help to improve their situation.

Whatever the reason for the continued interest in self-help, it’s good to know help is at hand when we need it. The alternative to finding a happier life is just to come to terms with yourself as you are – I know, I read about it in a book! Do you believe in self-help books?

詞匯表

DIY 自己動手
publication 出版物
practical 實用的
title 標題，名稱
self-confidence 自信
big business 賺錢的行當
guidance 指導，引導
remedy 解決辦法，療法
enlightenment 開導，啟發
trend 動向，趨勢
therapeutic 有益健康的
salvation 解救，救助
psychologist 心理學傢
millennial 千禧一代
self-critical 自我批評的，自律的
recession （經濟）衰退期
help is at hand 幫助、援助就在眼前

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. Other than books, where else can you get self-help advice from?

2. Name something mentioned in the article than a self-help book can help you improve.

3. True or false: The current trend in self-help books is about not rushing around and taking things easier.

4. What is thought to be the reason why millennials spend more money on self-help books?

5. What word used in the article means ‘ one or more ideas that explain how or why something happens’?

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. Live streaming is becoming ______, with millions of people around the world broadcasting the minutiae of their daily lives in real time to adoring fans

self-confident big business therapeutic self-critical

2. The automated baggage system has been fixed and the airport is now working to ______ the disruption caused by a backlog of luggage.

DIY guidance remedy self-help

3. Teachers feel that students need more ______ about which course they should take at university.

guidance trends salvation remedies

4. If you dread the thought of being parted from your cat for a long time, ______. Your feline friend can now scratch your hand from thousands of miles away via the internet!

helping hand help is handy help in your hands help is at hand

5. After a busy day in the office I find going home and taking the dog for a walk, very ______.

therapeutic enlightenment recession self-help

答案

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. Other than books, where else can you get self-help advice from?
Online; on the world wide web.

2. Name something mentioned in the article than a self-help book can help you improve.
Bookshops these days are full of titles which claim to boost your self-confidence, your wealth, your love life or your career.

3. True or false: The current trend in self-help books is about not rushing around and taking things easier.
True. Emma Marshall, who works at British bookshop Waterstones, says “I think the trend right now is about slowing down in your life.”

4.What is thought to be the reason why millennials spend more money on self-help books?
They are self-critical – they are aware of their own faults.

5. What word used in the article means ‘ one or more ideas that explain how or why something happens’?
Theory.

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. Live streaming is becoming big business, with millions of people around the world broadcasting the minutiae of their daily lives in real time to adoring fans.

2. The automated baggage system has been fixed and the airport is now working to remedy the disruption caused by a backlog of luggage.

3. Teachers feel that students need more guidance about which course they should take at university.

4. If you dread the thought of being parted from your cat for a long time, help is at hand. Your feline friend can now scratch your hand from thousands of miles away via the internet!

5. After a busy day in the office I find going home and taking the dog for a walk, very therapeutic.