Verb Master 動詞達人

#一分鐘英語聽力訓練

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement, 2008(3-6)

* 按照順序聽六遍，聽力從0到100

J.K.自幼家貧，她不喜歡貧窮，卻不按照她父母的意思選商學院將來坐辦公桌吹冷氣，反而偷偷學古典文學，讓自己一路窮到底。她是怎麼致富的？下回分解

今天用J.K. Rowling Before & After來說明，當人窮到谷底到億萬富翁，幾年之內外型的變化…

 

《詞彙分析》

Wrack

即Rack，當動詞的時候，本意是讓身體或心靈受到「嚴重打擊」，但是如果打擊的是你的Brains、你的Mind、你的Heart，就變成「費盡心思、絞盡腦汁」

 

Quixotic [kwɪk'sɒtɪk]

過分理想的、不切實際的，源自18世紀晚期小說唐吉訶德(Don Quixote)

 

Strike a balance (between something)

維持雙方的平衡、把雙方安排得當，另外，會計學的資產負債表(balance sheet)，借方和貸方平衡，也是Strike a balance

 

Be convinced

相信、堅信，很多人誤會是被說服，其實大多是自己說服自己，所以會特別相信；上一篇Tom Hanks說，耶魯大學生都相信世界末日，這一篇，J.K. Rowling說自己堅信自己寫小說的抱負

 

Quirk

怪癖、一時間發生的怪事，比方手不自主忽然間抖一下，也是一個Quirk

 

Secure

獲得，但是Secure的獲得並不輕鬆，比方獲得獎學金、獲得投資、獲得養老金，都需要經過非常的努力，一旦Secure，別人就拿不走

 

Irony

J.K. Rowling講Irony Strikes，很多翻譯誤會是諷刺的打擊，不對，如果是諷刺的，應該用Ironic Strikes，Irony也可以當形容詞，但意思只有一個，像鐵的，Irony Strikes也就是像被Anvil鐵砧打一樣

 

Scuttle ['skʌtl]

小步快跑，特別是在不希望被人注意的情況下，沙灘上的螃蟹的跑法

 

Executive [ɪɡ'zɛkjətɪv]

特別列出這個字，非常多的人講它的是「行政的」或「執行的」，積非成是，Executive Floor變成行政樓層，CEO變成執行長，事實上，Executive當名詞，「具有重大決策決定權的人或組織」，在公司內部最重大決策者，也就是總經理，或者個功能部門首長，Executive當形容詞，有兩個意思，1) 與總經理或各部門首長的工作相關的，2) 價格昂貴的，所以J.K. Rowling講的Executive Bathroom不是執行長的廁所，也不是行政大樓公廁，而是昂貴設計的浴室

 

In parenthesis(UK)/In parentheses(US)

附帶說明，Parenthesis [pə'rɛnθəsɪs] 小括號、()，複數Parentheses [pə'rɛnθəsɪz]，小括號在文章的作用是附帶說明，如果在講話的時候用，要加上介係詞In；但是，英國和美國講法不同，美國人認為括號有前後，所以用複數Parentheses，英國則尊重祖先的講法，用單數Parenthesis，另外，大括號{}叫Brace，中括號[]叫Square Bracket

 

Ennoble [ɪ'nobl]

使成為貴族、授予爵位，，J.K. Rowling把它改成動名詞當形容詞用Ennobling，說當窮人，不是Ennobling的生活，不是成為貴族的生活

 

【Part 3】

《聽力挑戰1 – 英文原聲》

 

《聽力挑戰2 – 英文原文》

Actually, I have wracked my mind and heart for what I ought to say to you today.

I have asked myself what I wish I had known at my own graduation, and what important lessons I have learned in the 21 years that has expired between that day and this.

I have come up with two answers.

On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure.

And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called “real life,” I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination.

These may seem quixotic or paradoxical choices, but bear with me.

 

《聽力訓練3 – 英文+中文提示》

Actually, I have wracked(身心折磨) my mind and heart for what I ought to(應當) say to you today.

I have asked myself what I wish I had known at my own graduation, and what important lessons I have learned in the 21 years that has expired(到期、結束) between that day and this.

I have come up with(想出) two answers.

On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success(學術成就), I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure(失敗的好處).

And as you stand on the threshold(入口、門檻) of what is sometimes called “real life,” I want to extol(稱頌) the crucial importance of imagination.

These may seem quixotic(過於理想、不切實際) or paradoxical(自相矛盾) choices, but bear with me(忍受我).

 

《聽力訓練4 – 中譯+英文提示》

事實上，我一直絞盡腦汁費盡心思wracked my mind and heart今天該ought to跟大家說什麼

我捫心自問當年在演講上想聽到什麼，以及往後這21年來的日子學到的教訓

我得到come up with兩個答案

在這大好的一天，我們共同慶祝你們的學術成就academic success，我決定要跟大家講點失敗的好處benefits of failure

就在你們站在所謂的真世界的門檻上threshold，我想要稱頌一下extol想像力的關鍵重要性

我要講的，聽起來可能不切實際quixotic或自相矛盾paradoxical，但是請大家耐心聽我講下去bear with me

 

《聽力挑戰5 – 中英對照》

Actually, I have wracked(身心折磨) my mind and heart for what I ought to(應當) say to you today.

事實上，我一直絞盡腦汁費盡心思今天該跟大家說什麼

 

I have asked myself what I wish I had known at my own graduation and what important lessons I have learned in the 21 years that has expired(到期、結束) between that day and this.

我捫心自問當年在演講上想聽到什麼，以及往後這21年來的日子學到的教訓

 

I have come up with(想出) two answers.

我得到兩個答案

 

On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success(學術成就), I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure(失敗的好處).

在這大好的一天，我們共同慶祝你們的學術成就，我決定要跟大家講點失敗的好處

 

And as you stand on the threshold(入口、門檻) of what is sometimes called “real life,” I want to extol(稱頌) the crucial importance of imagination.

就在你們站在所謂的真世界的門檻上，我想要稱頌一下想像力的關鍵重要性

 

These may seem quixotic(過於理想、不切實際) or paradoxical(自相矛盾) choices, but bear with me(忍受我).

我要講的，聽起來可能不切實際或自相矛盾，但是請大家耐心聽我講下去

 

《聽力挑戰6 – 英文原聲》

 

【Part 4】

《聽力挑戰1 – 英文原聲》

 

《聽力挑戰2 – 英文原文》

Looking back at the 21-year-old that I was at graduation is a slightly uncomfortable experience for the 42-year-old that she has become.

Half my lifetime ago, I was striking an uneasy balance between the ambition I had for myself, and what those closest to me expected of me.

I was convinced that the only thing I wanted to do, ever, was write novels.

However, my parents, both of whom came from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that would never pay a mortgage, or secure a pension.

I know the irony strikes with the force of cartoon anvil now, but…

 

《聽力訓練3 – 英文+中文提示》

Looking back at the 21-year-old that I was at graduation is a slightly uncomfortable experience for the 42-year-old that she has become.

Half my lifetime ago, I was striking an uneasy balance between(維持雙方令人不舒服的平衡) the ambition(抱負) I had for myself, and what those closest to me expected of(對…的期望) me.

I was convinced(堅信) that the only thing I wanted to do, ever, was write novels.

However, my parents, both of whom came from impoverished(窮苦的) backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view(認為) that my overactive(過度活躍的) imagination was an amusing(可笑的) personal quirk(怪癖、偶發的怪像) that would never pay a mortgage(房屋抵押貸款), or secure(獲得) a pension(退休金).

I know the irony(似鐵的) strikes(打擊) with the force of cartoon anvil(鐵砧) now, but…

 

《聽力訓練4 – 中譯+英文提示》

回想21歲的畢業典禮對42歲的人來來講，有一點不太舒服

前半生，我一直在維持一種令人不舒服的平衡striking a balance between，一方面是我對自己的抱負ambition，另一方面是我最親近的人對我的期待expected of me

我堅信was convinced我唯一且永遠想要做的是寫小說

然而我父母兩人都是窮苦的impoverished背景，都沒有讀過大學，他們認為took the view我過動的overactive想像是種可笑的amusing怪癖quirk，因為它永遠不可能付清房屋抵押貸款mortgage，也拿不到退休金secure a pension

我現在明白被卡通裡的鐵砧anvil打中的感覺了，但是…

 

《聽力挑戰5 – 中英對照》

Looking back at the 21-year-old that I was at graduation is a slightly uncomfortable experience for the 42-year-old that she has become.

回想21歲的畢業典禮對42歲的人來來講，有一點不太舒服

 

Half my lifetime ago, I was striking an uneasy balance between(維持雙方令人不舒服的平衡) the ambition(報復) I had for myself, and what those closest to me expected of(對…的期望) me.

前半生，我一直在維持一種令人不舒服的平衡，一方面是我對自己的抱負，另一方面是我最親近的人對我的期待

 

I was convinced(堅信) that the only thing I wanted to do, ever, was write novels.

我堅信我唯一且永遠想要做的是寫小說

 

However, my parents, both of whom came from impoverished(窮苦的) backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view(認為) that my overactive(過度活躍的) imagination was an amusing(可笑的) personal quirk(怪癖、偶發的怪像) that would never pay a mortgage(房屋抵押貸款), or secure(獲得) a pension(退休金).

然而我父母兩人都是窮苦的背景，都沒有讀過大學，他們認為我過度活躍的想像是種可笑的怪癖，因為它永遠不可能付清房屋抵押貸款，也拿不到退休金

 

I know the irony(似鐵的) strikes(打擊) with the force of cartoon anvil(鐵砧) now, but…

我現在明白被卡通裡的鐵砧打中的感覺了，但是…

 

《聽力挑戰6 – 英文原聲》

 

【Part 5】

《聽力挑戰1 – 英文原聲》

 

《聽力挑戰2 – 英文原文》

So, they hoped that I would take a vocational degree; I wanted to study English Literature.

A compromise was reached that in retrospect satisfied nobody, and I went up to study Modern Languages.

Hardly had my parents’ car rounded the corner at the end of the road than I ditched German and scuttled off down the Classics corridor.

I cannot remember telling my parents that I was studying Classics; they might well have found out for the first time on graduation day.

Of all the subjects on this planet, I think they would have been hard put to name one less useful than Greek mythology when it came to securing the keys to an executive bathroom.

 

《聽力訓練3 – 英文+中文提示》

So, they hoped that I would take a vocational degree(職業學位); I wanted to study English Literature.

A compromise(妥協) was reached that in retrospect(回顧) satisfied nobody, and I went up to(跑去) study Modern Languages.

Hardly had(都還沒) my parents’ car rounded the corner(轉彎) at the end of the road than I ditched(拋棄) German and scuttled off(小跑步去) down the Classics corridor(走廊).

I cannot remember telling my parents that I was studying Classics; they might well(很可能) have found out for the first time on graduation day.

Of all the subjects(科目) on this planet, I think they would have been hard put to name one less useful(更沒用) than Greek mythology(希臘文學) when it came to securing the keys(獲得鑰匙) to an executive bathroom(高級浴室).

 

《聽力訓練4 – 中譯+英文提示》

他們希望我拿到職業方面的學位vocational degree，而我希望讀英文文學

後來達成妥協compromise，現在想起in retrospect，誰都不會滿意，我跑去went up to攻讀現在語言學

Hardly had就在我父母車開走幾乎還沒到盡頭的轉彎rounded the corner，than我已經拋棄ditched德語，往古典文學的走廊corridor小跑步過去scuttled off

我不記得有沒有告訴他們我攻讀古典文學，反正他們很可能might well在畢業典禮當天就會發現

地球上全部的科目subjects，我想很難找到一個比希臘文學Greek mythology更沒用的less useful，如果你想要擁有securing一把高級浴室executive bathroom的鑰匙

 

《聽力挑戰5 – 中英對照》

So, they hoped that I would take a vocational degree(職業學位); I wanted to study English Literature.

他們希望我拿到職業方面的學位，而我希望讀英文文學

 

A compromise(妥協) was reached that in retrospect(回顧) satisfied nobody, and I went up to(跑去) study Modern Languages.

後來達成妥協，現在想起，誰都不會滿意，我跑去攻讀現在語言學

 

Hardly had(都還沒) my parents’ car rounded the corner(轉彎) at the end of the road than I ditched(拋棄) German and scuttled off(小跑步去) down the Classics corridor(走廊).

就在我父母車開走幾乎還沒到盡頭的轉彎處，我已經拋棄德語，往古典文學的走廊小跑步過去

 

I cannot remember telling my parents that I was studying Classics; they might well(很可能) have found out for the first time on graduation day.

我不記得有沒有告訴他們我攻讀古典文學，反正他們很可能在畢業典禮當天就會發現

 

Of all the subjects(科目) on this planet, I think they would have been hard put to name one less useful(更沒用) than Greek mythology(希臘文學) when it came to securing the keys(獲得鑰匙) to an executive bathroom(高級浴室).

地球上全部的科目，我想很難找到一個比希臘文學更沒用的，如果你想要擁有一把高級浴室的鑰匙

 

《聽力挑戰6 – 英文原聲》

 

【Part 6】

《聽力挑戰1 – 英文原聲》

《聽力挑戰2 – 英文原文》

Now, I would like to make it clear, in parenthesis, that I do not blame my parents for their point of view.

There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.

What is more, I cannot criticize my parents for hoping that I would never experience poverty.

They had been poor themselves, and I have since been poor, and I quite agree with them that it is not an ennobling experience.

Poverty entails fear and stress and sometimes depression; it means a thousand petty humiliations and hardships.

Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts, that is something on which to pride yourself, but poverty itself is romanticized only by fools.

 

《聽力訓練3 – 英文+中文提示》

Now, I would like to make it clear(說明清楚), in parenthesis(附帶說明), that I do not blame(責怪) my parents for their point of view.

There is an expiry date(有效期) on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction(帶領你走錯的方向); the moment you are old enough to take the wheel(掌控方向), responsibility lies with(取決於、責任在於) you.

What is more, I cannot criticize(批評) my parents for hoping that I would never experience poverty(過苦日子).

They had been poor themselves, and I have since(從當時) been poor, and I quite agree with them that it is not an ennobling(尊貴的) experience.

Poverty entails fear and stress and sometimes depression; it means a thousand petty(瑣碎的) humiliations(羞辱) and hardships(苦難).

Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts, that is something on which to pride yourself(自豪), but poverty itself is romanticized(浪漫化) only by fools.

 

《聽力訓練4 – 中譯+英文提示》

附帶一提in parenthesis，我現在要說明清楚make it clear，我沒有責怪blame我父母有這種想法

責怪父母帶你steering you走錯方向的權力是有有效期限的expiry date，當你能夠掌握自己的方向的時候take the wheel，責任就落在你身上lies with you

更甚者，我不能批評criticize我父母希望我不要再過苦日子experience poverty

他們過去一直都很窮，所以我打從小have since就窮，我非常認同他們說的，貧窮是沒有尊嚴的not ennobling

貧窮帶來恐懼、壓力，有時候帶來憂愁depression，它意味著無盡瑣碎的petty屈辱humiliations和苦難hardships

靠自己的努力擺脫貧窮，這是值得自豪pride yourself的事情，只有愚蠢的人才會把貧窮浪漫化romanticized

 

《聽力挑戰5 – 中英對照》

Now, I would like to make it clear(說明清楚), in parenthesis(附帶說明), that I do not blame(責怪) my parents for their point of view.

附帶一提，我現在要說明清楚，我沒有責怪我父母有這種想法

 

There is an expiry date(有效期) on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction(帶領你走錯的方向); the moment you are old enough to take the wheel(掌控方向), responsibility lies with(取決於、責任在於) you.

責怪父母帶你走錯方向的權力是有有效期限的，當你能夠掌握自己的方向的時候，責任就落在你身上

 

What is more, I cannot criticize(批評) my parents for hoping that I would never experience poverty(過苦日子).

更甚者，我不能批評我父母希望我不要再過苦日子

 

They had been poor themselves, and I have since(從當時) been poor, and I quite agree with them that it is not an ennobling(尊貴的) experience.

他們過去一直都很窮，所以我從小就窮，我非常認同他們說的，貧窮是沒有尊嚴的

 

Poverty entails fear and stress and sometimes depression(憂愁); it means a thousand petty(瑣碎的) humiliations(羞辱) and hardships(苦難).

貧窮帶來恐懼、壓力，有時候帶來憂愁，它意味著無盡瑣碎的屈辱和苦難

 

Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts, that is something on which to pride yourself(自豪), but poverty itself is romanticized(浪漫化) only by fools.

靠自己的努力擺脫貧窮，這是值得自豪的事情，只有愚蠢的人才會把貧窮美化

 

《聽力挑戰6 – 英文原聲》