About Me

My photo
I have been working with students in Hsinchu since 2004. I help students who are eager to cultivate their language skills and expand their horizons with a wealth of hands-on experience and professional knowledge.

Sunday, January 31, 2021

讀書會筆記 9. Infant Formula of 50 Inventions that Shaped the Modern Economy

伺親假

在上週讀書會時,我們提到育嬰假,當然大多數都是母親,不過也有越來越多的爸爸也願意照顧出生的小孩

育嬰假(女生) maternity leave  (mater=mother) 
育嬰假 (男生)  paternity leave (pater= father) 

因應時代進展,不想用傳統性別區分可以說parental leave。
parental leave 還可以包括 adoption leave 為了領養小孩請的假 

因為人口老化,也有越來越多關於伺親假的討論。請假來照顧年邁的父母,應該比較是eldercare leave 或是 parent-care leave,可以跟childcare leave 作對照。 

有給薪和無給薪的假

paid leave 有給薪的假
unpaid leave  沒有給薪的假 

沒有給薪的假,也可以用furlough。
furlough 是較正式的的字,可當名詞也可以當動詞。
當名詞用時介係詞一樣用on ,例子Many workers are on furlough。
當成動詞用時就像公司強迫你放無薪假 ,例子The company furloughed 1,000 workers. 

附註:拿半薪的話,卻是half-pay leave 或是 leave on/at half pay,而不是 *half-paid leave 

初乳竟然有個專用的詞

讀書會學到最多的有時不是從書上,反而是從大家的討論中。因為談奶粉的發明,也請會員分享親餵母乳(breastfeeding)的辛苦經驗。我後來才知道原來母乳分的那麼細。
當然first milk 就可以來形容初乳了,不過上網做功課才知道還有一個好專業的詞較colostrum,另外根據營養和脂肪含量,前段奶水跟後段奶水分別稱為foremilk 和 hindmilk。

雜七雜八

1. 口角炎 angular cheilitis (cracked lip corners) cheilitis 的chi-,有人念成k-也有人唸成ch-,以自然發音應該是ch吧
2. 加盟金 franchise fee 
3. 已經裝潢好店 a furnished store with a full-equipped kitchen
4. 頂讓應該就是直接買賣 I bought a store with fixtures and fittings at NT 2 million dollars. 

Monday, January 18, 2021

讀書會筆記 7. Robots of 50 Things that Made the Modern Economy

句子

It's not the only robot that can pick a bottle off a shelf, but it's as close as robots have yet come to performing this seemingly simply task as speedily and dexterously as a good old-fashioned human. 

句型分析 

有兩個比較句型 as...as 

第一個是比較:能拿瓶子的機器人和理想中的機器人

robot that can pick a bottle off a shelf .....is as close as robots have yet come to .. 

第二個比較:理想中機器人和一般靈活的人類

意思:那並非唯一能夠從架子上拿取瓶子的機器人,但是目前還沒有任何機器人能夠跟人類媲美迅速靈巧地執行這個看似簡單的任務,這個機器人已經是最接近人類的了。

片語與單字

1. have yet to do something= have not done something 。

have yet to 是非常正式的用法,常見在官方文件,可以參考這個網路文章https://englishforuniversity.com/grammar/have-yet-to/

2. 有趣字源

dexterous 是靈活的意思,在拉丁文dextar 指的是右邊,sinister 指的是左邊。

但是因為在打仗或搏鬥時,若是對手是左撇子,常常又讓大部分的右撇子錯估情勢,所以sinister 發展出邪惡的意思。這讓我想到台語的右手是正手,而左手是反手。

3. 左撇子說法

右撇子常見的說法是 right-handed ,而左撇子是leaf-handed。

那可以兩手互用是 ambidextrous 。ambidextrous 可以根據字元拆解為

ambi=> both, around , dextrous skillful 靈活 

最後慣用手是dominant hand  直譯支配的手



Sunday, January 10, 2021

讀書會筆記 6. Passports of 50 Things that Made the Modern Economy

 句子和句型

原文:

Depend upon it, we are not half enough grateful to God for our national privileges, 

1. (You can) depend upon it : you can be certain 很肯定的

2. not half : 

從各方面來看 not half: not in any way, not at all 

He is not half clever enough. 他不管怎麼說都不夠聰明

翻譯:

Certainly, we are not in any way grateful enough to God for our national privileges.

可以肯定的是,我們對國籍所賦予的特權感激不盡。

not half 另一個意思是 非常極度

1. It wasn't half crowded last night. (=It was very crowded)
2. "You enjoyed yourself last night, didn't you?" "Not half !" (= Very much!)

討論單字中翻英

  1. 羅宋麵包 Russian bread
  2. 自動演奏鋼琴 Player piano: self-playing piano
  3. 冰櫃 refrigerated container 

文化相關補充

庫爾德族的歷史
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZB9HqoHaaU