乘坐公共交通工具時，如果旅程太漫長，你會用哪些方式打發時間呢？不少英國人花在上下班路途上的時間要比其它國傢的通勤者長得多。我們可以從這些人身上學到哪些消磨時間的好方法呢？在公共交通工具上，有哪些事可以做，而哪些事又最好不做？哪些做法會讓人覺得沒素質？本集《隨身英語》介紹和公共禮儀有關的英語詞匯。
Vocabulary: etiquette and activities 詞匯: 禮節和活動
The average worldwide commute is around 40 minutes. But UK workers are travelling 54 minutes and Londoners commute approximately 80 minutes by car and over two hours by train every day, according to the UK Department of Transport. Drawing on all that travelling experience, what can these commuters teach us about how best to behave during all that time spent in cars, trains, and buses?
First of all, travel etiquette is important. A recent AYYBLOG article asked its readers to describe which of their fellow commuters’ actions constituted bad manners. Top answers included taking too loudly, eating stinky food and putting feet up on the seats. Several respondents even mentioned a fellow train passenger clipping their toenails in the carriage. Their reactions on this boorish behaviour included feeling disgusted, perplexed and appalled.
A more controversial activity is doing make-up. Opinions varied on whether this was impolite or inconsiderate. One reader said he was so offended by this conduct, he had to change carriages. However, the idea that make-up should be applied in private is an outdated concept, says professional make-up artist Nic Chapman and one half of beauty brand, Pixiwoo. “We are not ashamed of wearing make-up,” she told the AYYBLOG. Dilruba Khanom told the AYYBLOG “I do admire a woman’s confidence to not give two hoots and slap on the face.”
But a long commute isn’t just about negative experiences. Many UK commuters turned to innovative activities to better make use of their time on transport. 37-year-old Ben Yallop, who manages international judicial relations at the Royal Courts of Justice, used his daily three-hour trip to write and self-publish two novels. He started “jotting down ideas” for a series of them. “I’ve done almost all my research, plotting and writing on the train,” he tells the AYYBLOG. Alternatively, 24-year-old Amy Dickett uses her 90-minute trip to photograph fellow commuters for her Commute Blog. She snaps a picture and asks them to tell her something surprising about themselves. “Usually they are surprised but glad to have some entertainment on an otherwise boring journey. Often the people around us join in and will ask their own questions,” she told the AYYBLOG.
So, no matter where or how long your journey is, take a leaf from the UK commuter’s book. Don’t antagonise your fellow passengers and rather than staring into space – use your time creatively.
詞匯表
etiquette 禮儀、禮節
bad manners 不禮貌，不文明
clip （用指甲刀）剪
toenail 腳趾甲
boorish 粗魯的
disgusted 厭惡的，惡心的
perplexed 困惑的
appalled 目瞪口呆的
impolite 無禮的
inconsiderate 不考慮他人的
conduct 行為
ashamed 羞恥的
not give two hoots 完全不在乎
slap on the face 化妝
self-publish 自費出版
jot down ideas 隨手記下想法
blog 博客
snap a picture 拍一張照片
antagonise 引起…的反感
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. On average, how long do UK workers travel to get to work?
2. How did people react to someone trimming their toenails on the train?
3. What does Nic Chapman say is an outdated concept?
4. How do people react to Amy asking them to be in her blog?
5. Which word in the text means ‘using new methods or ideas’?
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. I saw a man picking his nose on the train. It made me feel sick. I was ______.
boorish appalled perplexed impolite
2. OK guys, this is a brainstorming session. Take some paper and ______.
self-publish snap a picture jot down ideas blog
3. John, don’t ______ your brother. He is already upset. Don’t make it worse.
antagonise conduct impolite clip
4. What do you mean you stole? That’s very bad! You should be ______!
ashamed inconsiderate antagonise inconsiderate
5. Excuse me, sir. Could you ______ of us in front of the statue?
etiquette conduct slap on the face snap a picture
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. On average, how long do UK workers travel to get to work?
On average, UK workers travel for around 54 minutes.
2. How did people react to someone trimming their toenails on the train?
They were disgusted, perplexed and appalled.
3. What does Nic Chapman say is an outdated concept?
The idea that make-up should be applied in private.
4. How do people react to Amy asking them to be in her blog?
Usually they are surprised but glad to have some entertainment on an otherwise boring journey.
5. Which word in the text means ‘using new methods or ideas’?
Innovative. (UK commuters, rather than upsetting their fellows, have turned to innovative activities to better make use of their time.)
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. I saw a man picking his nose on the train. It made me feel sick. I was appalled.
2. OK guys, this is a brainstorming session. Take some paper and jot down ideas.
3. John, don’t antagonise your brother. He is already upset. Don’t make it worse.
4. What do you mean you stole? That’s very bad! You should be ashamed!
5. Excuse me, sir. Could you snap a picture of us in front of the statue?
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