海羽每週電子報

Exercise 1: Listening exercise

1. Listen to the audio file and see how much you understand.

2. Check your understanding by going to the article to read the transcript.

3. Listen again a few times to build the ability to recognize the words.

Download and Listen

Read the Article

Exercise 2: Movie trailer

1. Watch the entire trailer and see how much you could understand and follow.

2. Now, try to listen to every detail in the trailer. Take your time, do it piece by piece, and write down what you think you hear.

3. Compare what you have written down with the correct text, and take note of any mistakes or new words.

4. Listen to the same section again to make sure that now you have the correct understanding.

5. After you got the whole trailer done, listen to it a few times during the week to strengthen the understanding and build the experience to understand the trailer.

At the Drop of a Hat: 
馬上行動 或 一觸即發

Willing to do something immediately.

Back Seat Driver: 
多管閒事的人

People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver.

Back to Square One:  
回到原點

Having to start all over again.

Back to the Drawing Board:
從頭做起

When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.

Baker's Dozen: 
十三個為一打

(解釋: baker's dozen中的baker意為"麵包師"，dozen意為"一打，十二個"，兩個詞組合到一起怎麼就成了"十三"呢？真是讓人感到莫名其妙。

原來這個短語在英語中的使用可有些年頭了，至少可以追溯到十四世紀，關於它的來源還有一段非常有趣的傳說。據說這一短語起源於英國，大家知道英國人是以麵包為主食的，但那時有個別的麵包師在製作麵包時偷工減料，克扣分量，以這樣的方法昧著良心賺顧客的黑心錢。後來，別的麵包師也紛紛效仿。人們怨聲很大，最後官方專門為麵包師們製訂了製作麵包時投料的標準，凡達不到標準的就要受到處罰。這一措施果然奏效，麵包的份量增加了。

不過，在幾百年前科學技術還不十分發達的情況下，手工投料製作麵包很難做到個個合乎標準，而不符合官方標準的麵包一經發現，麵包師便會受到嚴厲的懲處。為了避免被罰，麵包師們就在出售麵包時每打多給一個，即十三個為一打。這樣，也就逐漸形成了 baker's dozen 這一短語。)

Thirteen.