常春藤生活英語：防臺準備

Dialogue A

Jerry and Susan are in their office.

Jerry: It has been raining since last night.

Susan: I heard a typhoon is approaching. It's going to hit our city tonight.

Jerry: Will it be a strong one?

Susan: Yes, it will. So we had better finish our work as quickly as possible. Traffic will be really bad on our way home.

Jerry: I just received an email1 from the boss.

Susan: Me, too. We're going to gather for a meeting downstairs in five minutes.

Dialogue B

The meeting starts after everyone arrives downstairs.

Boss: Here is the list of tasks that need to be done to prepare for the typhoon.

(Everyone is given a list.)

Jerry: I can check if all of the emergency2 lights are in working order.

Susan: And I'll start putting tape on the windows.

Boss: Jerry, please help Susan when you're done. Some of the windows will be hard for her to reach.

Jerry: OK. I'll also make sure they are all closed.

Dialogue A

杰瑞和蘇珊在他們的辦公室里。

杰　瑞：打從昨晚就一直在下雨。

蘇　珊：我聽說有個臺風正在接近。它今晚就要侵襲我們的城市了。

杰　瑞：它會是個強臺嗎?

蘇　珊：嗯，會喔。所以我們最好盡快把工作做完?；丶衣飞系慕煌顩r會很糟。

杰　瑞：我剛收到老板寄來的電子郵件。

蘇　珊：我也是。我們五分鐘后要在樓下集合開會。

Dialogue B

所有人都到樓下后，會議便開始了。

老　板：這里有一張防臺準備所必要做的任務清單。

(每個人都拿到一張清單。)

杰　瑞：我可以檢查所有緊急照明燈是否都運作正常。

蘇　珊：那我會開始在窗戶上貼膠帶。

老　板：杰瑞，你弄好后請去協(xié)助蘇珊。有些窗戶她很難構得到。

杰　瑞：好。我也會確認窗戶是否都有關起來。

Building Your Vocabulary

1. approach　vi. 靠近;接近

Kate feels nervous because her wedding is approaching.

凱特因為她的婚禮將近而感到緊張。

2. hit　vt.(惡運、疾病、壞天氣等)突然襲擊

Ray never stopped working until illness hit him.

阿雷從未停下工作，直到病痛纏身。

Phrases for Learning

1. had better + 原形動詞　　最好……

You had better apologize to your wife.

你最好還是向你太太道歉。

2. as + 形容詞∕副詞 + as possible　　盡可能……

I tried to make my speech as short as possible.

我試圖盡量縮短我的演說。

3. prepare for...　　為……做準備

Ed spent the whole night preparing for the test.

艾德花了整晚為考試做準備。

4. be in working order　　正常地運轉(zhuǎn)

That old computer is still in working order.

那臺老計算機仍可正常運作。

Extra Words

1. email　n. 電子郵件

2. emergency　n. 緊急情況(本文中作形容詞用)

More to Know

每年幾乎都會有臺風侵襲臺灣，為了避免臺風造成的損害，防臺準備便顯得格外重要。雖然本對話主角是為辦公室做防臺準備，但就建筑物整體而言，辦公室與居家的防臺措施其實大同小異。除了本對話所提及的在玻璃窗上貼膠帶、準備緊急照明設備及應急食物等，您也要做到保持建筑物四周排水溝的暢通，并清除堆積在排水孔四周的雜物，以免臺風挾帶的大量雨水無法宣泄而造成淹水。此外，您必須加強固定或暫時移除懸掛在建筑物四周的大型廣告牌、招牌及盆栽等，以防它們被強風吹落而造成意外事故。另外，在大門口及地下室車道前設置沙包、木板等擋水裝置，以及對發(fā)電機、抽水機進行運轉(zhuǎn)測試等等，這些都是以備不時之需的好方法。您也要隨時注意媒體上的臺風消息，隨時做好緊急應變。在臺風登陸后，切記要避免外出，更不可前往海邊、河堤等高危險地區(qū)。只要您事前做好完善準備，就能安然度過風災，并將各種損害降到最低。

Tips In Use

So we had better finish our work as quickly as possible.

(所以我們最好盡快把工作做完。)

as + 形容詞∕副詞 + as possible

= as + 形容詞∕副詞 + as + 人 + can

(某人)盡可能……

Please call me as soon as possible.

= Please call me as soon as you can.

(請盡快打電話給我。)

Here is the list of tasks that need to be done to prepare for the typhoon.

(這里有一張防臺準備所必要做的任務清單。)

"prepare for..."表『為……做準備』，prepare 亦可直接作及物動詞，表『把……準備好』，兩者意思略為不同，使用時請多加留意。

Laura will prepare breakfast for all of us.

(勞拉會為我們大家準備早餐。)