Negotiate,談判。如果一心以為這個字就只得這個解釋, 霎時聽到the car negotiated… 架車識談判?可能就覺得不可思議。但事實是,談判既然包含商討,也就有斟酌考量之意,跳出框框,亦解越過、超越;主角當然不是指車子本身,而是駕車的人。
● The car negotiated a sharp curve at a high speed, and rolled over. 那架車以高速越過急彎,就翻了車。
除了路面,negotiate 也可用於攀山跳欄:● The climbers will have to negotiate a steep rock along the way. 路程上攀山者將要攀越一塊陡斜岩石。
● The horse negotiated the fence with ease and elegance. 馬兒輕鬆優雅地跳過了欄。
引伸開去,一樣可用於我們實際生活上的路,negotiate one’s way:● We ______ our way in and out of the crowds.
A. zigzagged 「之」字形B. wove 編織C. negotiated(斟酌)越過也即是說,三個選擇都適用。
Negotiate your way to a “Yes”,就由談判至越過的意思都包含其中了。再高深一點,更可以去到勵志境界:Negotiate your way to success,教人怎樣走上成功之路。
一個女娃自稱是婦權分子,這樣形容自己要走的路:
The girl, calling herself a feminist, said she’s not spending her life waiting hand and foot ______ the male sex. 填充該是for 抑或on?
都知道to wait for 是等待,填這個,文法上沒有錯,但語意肯定不對。因為一個女子或會等待Mr Right 意中人,但不會等待一整個男的性別。答案係wait on,即服務、服侍,亦解釋了waiter 侍應生一字的來源。女郎是說,她不會消耗生命於事無大小地服侍男性。
留意wait on HAND AND FOOT, 用單數,解in every way、totally。
● I was enjoying the luxurious comfort at the hotel, being waited on hand and foot.
我在享受酒店的奢侈舒適,受到全面服侍。
在外度假,通常住酒店,同時無拘無束地吃喝玩樂,那份豁出去,非常愜意。無拘無束、豁出去,英文係cut loose,去掉束縛。
● I just want to cut loose and have a carefree life. 我只是想解除束縛,享受無憂無慮的人生。
● The young delinquent said he just wanted to cut loose and have some fun.那個犯事少年說,他不過想豁出去,狂歡一下。