Unit 1
Reading
當我打開禮物盒的時候，我老闆的臉色頓
My boss turned pale(when I opened the
時變得慘白。我們當時正在機場，準備好
轉變 慘白
要出差拜訪一位重要的亞洲客戶。
gift box. )We were at the airport and
禮物盒
機場
would leave on a business trip(to visit an
出差
拜訪
important Asian client.) My boss had asked
重要的 亞洲的 客戶
me to buy our client a gift.
要求
buy＋人＋物
我的老闆要我買一份禮物給我們的客戶。
My
boss
had asked人me(to buy our client a
＝buy＋物＋to
老闆
要求
我們客戶
雖然我只是個襄理，這又是我第一次出國
出差，我還是對自己的選擇感到滿意－一
gift.) Although I was just a junior manager
支昂貴的銀製拆信刀。
襄理
雖然
(on my first trip overseas,) I was pleased
國外
滿意
with my choice – an expensive silver
選擇
letter opener.
拆信刀
昂貴的 銀製的
I asked my boss (what went wrong,) and he
我問老闆哪裡出了問題，於是他解釋說：
出錯
問
「在亞洲，送刀子或甚至是拆信刀當禮物
explained,
“Giving
knives,
or
even
a
letter
是很失禮的。在一些亞洲文化中，這暗示
解釋
刀子=knife 甚至
著彼此的關係將要結束。」因此，我選這
opener,
as a gift in Asia is impolite. In
份禮物實在很粗心。
當作
失禮的
some Asian cultures, it implies (that a
文化
暗示著
relationship is about to end.) Therefore, it
友誼
即將
因此
was careless of me(to choose this gift.)
粗心
選擇
Gift-giving customs are different (around
習俗
送禮
全世界送禮的習俗大不相同。我姐姐是個
英文老師，有一次她受邀到學生家作客。
the world.) My sister is an English teacher
她帶了一瓶酒前去赴約，卻尷尬地發現這
家人是回教家庭。
and was once invited to a student’s home.
有一次 受邀至
She took a bottle of wine, but she was
一瓶
酒
embarrassed to discover (that this family
尷尬
was Muslim. )
回教徒
發現
In many Western countries, a bottle of wine
西方的 國家=country
在許多西方國家，酒是理想的禮物，但是
對回教徒來說，這種禮物是很失禮的，因
is an ideal gift, but for Muslims, this gift is
為他們不喝酒。幸運地，這家人非常諒解。
理想的
對於…來說
他們知道我姐姐是出於好意，並非刻意冒
offensive
because they do not drink alcohol.
犯。
酒(酒精)
具冒犯之意
Luckily, the family was understanding. They
knew my sister had good intentions and
好意
didn’t mean to cause any offense.
故意
造成
In addition, the way(a gift is presented)often
對西方人來說，包裝紙的顏色或種類並不是
方式
被呈現be+Vpp
除此之外
那麼重要，但禮物還是應該要包裝得宜。
reflects(how highly you value a relationship.
反映
高度地
重視
Gifts(for Chinese people)are often wrapped
給
被包裝
in red, (a lucky color.) For Westerners, the
西方人
幸運的
color or type of wrapping is not that
顏色
種類
包裝
important, but the gift should be wrapped.
應該要
)
A colleague of mine once bought an
我的
同事
我的一位同事曾經買了一條昂貴的領帶給
他的英國客戶。這條領帶沒有用任何的包
expensive tie(for a client(from England.))The
裝紙包裝，且是放在機場免稅商店的購物
領帶
英格蘭
袋裡被送出的。那位英國客戶收到這份禮
tie物時，看起來可不開心。
was not wrapped in wrapping paper, and
沒有包裝
用
it was just given in a shopping bag(from an
被給與
袋子
airport duty-free shop. )The English client
免稅商店
didn’t look glad(when he received this gift.)
看起來
收到
Westerners often like to open their gifts
打開
為了要表現出他們有多喜歡這份禮物，西
方人常常喜歡在送禮者面前拆禮物。然而，
in front of the givers(to show how much
在一些文化中，立刻打開禮物被認為是沒
送禮者
表現
在…面前
禮貌且令人尷尬的。
they enjoy the gifts. )However, in some
然而
喜歡
cultures, it is impolite and embarrassing to
文化
沒禮貌
open a gift right away.
立刻
尷尬
Once, I gave a gift to a Chinese friend and
有一次
禮物
was surprised(to see him hide it under his
很驚訝
藏
在…之下
seat! )
座位
有一次我送了一份禮物給 我的中國朋友，卻
驚訝地看到他把禮物藏到座位底下。
I就在那天，我學到了一個重要的教訓，而且
learned an important lesson that day, and
學到
重要的 課程
我永遠不會忘記這個教訓：選擇禮物給外國
it人之前，一定要先花點時間調查當地的風俗。
is this lesson(that I have never forgotten: )
決不 忘記
Always spend some time looking into local
花費
調查
customs before choosing a gift for a
風俗
foreigner.
外國人
選擇
spend + 時間 + Ving
spend + 金錢 + Ving
當地
Years
later, I gave my assistant the same
幾年後，我對我的助理做了同樣的要求：買一份
助理
相同
適合的禮物給一位重要的客戶。猜猜看他買了什
麼給我們的回教徒客戶－一瓶威士忌！當我打開
(
)
request:
Buy
a
suitable
gift
for
an
important
盒子時，這次換我臉色變得慘白了。
合適的
要求
client. Guess what he bought for our
猜測
買 buy-bought-bought
Muslim client – a bottle of whiskey!
一瓶
威士忌 =whisky
This time it was my turn to go pale (when I
這一次
輪到我
opened the box.)