美語情景對話 第422期:English Only in Class 課堂上只能說英語

Todd: Ah, so, Ruth, we are both teachers.

託德：魯斯，我們兩人都是老師。

Ruth: That's right.

魯斯：沒錯。

Todd: And we have students and we teach our students English, and English is not their first language, what do you do in class when students do not speak English? When they speak their own language instead?

託德：我們都在教學生，我們教學生英語，英語並不是這些學生的母語，如果學生在課堂上不講英語你會做什麼呢？要是他們用母語講話怎麼辦？

Ruth: Firstly, I give them a stern look, although that doesn't always work, then, well, if I'm setting an activity, I always make sure that, I ask them first of all which language they are going to do the activity in, and any student who's not going to speak English has to put their hand up and generally students don't like to be the odd one out so they don't put their hand up.

魯斯：首先，我會用嚴厲的目光看他們，雖然這並不太管用，之後如果我要設置活動，我會確保首先規定他們在活動中要使用的語言，任何不說英語的學生都必須把手舉起來，通常來說學生們不喜歡當另類，所以他們不會把手舉起來。

Todd: That's a pretty good strategy.

託德：那真是一個很棒的策略。

Ruth: What do you do?

魯斯：你會怎麼做？

Todd: Um, well, I don't know, I mean, I haven't had much success really, so I've actually been pretty casual about it. I just let them speak occasionally to each other in their own language.

託德：嗯，我也不知道，我的意思是我其實沒有太多成功的經驗，我對這種事情的處理很隨意。我會允許他們偶爾用母語交流。

Ruth: Really?

魯斯：真的嗎？

Todd: Yeah, and then, I just encourage that they speak English but I figure as long as their trying to speak in English and they do the majority of it in English, that when they have to speak a little bit of their language, that's OK, I mean, as long as it's quick, and..

託德：對，然後我會鼓勵他們說英語，我認爲至少他們有努力嘗試用英語講話，他們大部分時間都在用英語講話，所以他們有段時間用自己的母語說話，我覺得也是可以的。我的意思是，只要時間不是太長還有……

Ruth: I really think English should be the only language they speak in class if they're learning English.

魯斯：我認爲，如果他們在學習英語，那英語就應該是他們在課堂上唯一可以使用的語言。

Todd: But don't you think that that just too hard, that maybe that actually brings them down, they strain too hard, that sometimes it's just easier for them to communicate really quickly, and then switch back to English.

託德：可是你不認爲那太難了嗎，那可能會讓他們受挫，他們會有很大壓力，有時對他們來說快速地用母語溝通一下會更簡單，然後再換回英語交流就好了。

Ruth: I think it's really good for them to, I think as a challenge. I'm not saying it's easy for them, but I do think it's good for them, and I think it helps their English to improve more quickly.

魯斯：我認爲這對他們有好處，那是一種挑戰。我並不是說對他們來說很容易，但是我認爲這對他們有好處，我想這會幫助他們的英語水平快速進步。

Todd: Yeah, I guess. Maybe I should try it. I'll give it a try, but it might be too late cause I've already let them, you know, not do it, so!

託德：這我同意。也許我應該嘗試一下。我會試試的，不過現在可能太遲了，因爲你知道，我已經讓他們不必這麼做了。

Ruth: So do you think you might start this week?

魯斯：那你從這周開始要求他們怎麼樣？

Todd: I'll try, but I have to be careful because I don't want to shock them too much.

託德：我會嘗試的，不過我必須要謹慎，因爲我不想讓他們太震驚。

譯文屬僅供學習交流使用，未經許可請勿轉載

重點講解：
1. make sure that
一定要；設法保證；
eg. It is difficult to make sure that the quality remains up without increasing the price.
很難保證做到保持高質量而不提高價格。
eg. He glanced around to make sure that the audience were ready to hear his speech.
他向四周環視以確定聽衆已準備好聽他講演。
2. first of all
第一；首先；
eg. First of all, could I begin with an apology for a mistake I made last week?
首先，請允許我爲上週犯下的錯誤道歉。
eg. My aim was first of all to determine what I should do next.
我的目標首先是要確定自己下一步該做什麼。
3. the odd one out
與集體不合的人；剩下孤零零的一人；異類；
eg. Mark and Rick were the odd ones out in claiming to like this cherry beer.
只剩下馬克和裏克聲稱喜歡喝這種櫻桃啤酒。
eg. Even at school Kate was the odd one out. She preferred to read books while the others were playing games.
甚至在學校時凱特就與衆不同，別人在玩時她寧願看書。
4. as long as
只要；
eg. As long as you drive carefully, you will be very safe.
如果你開車小心，你就會很安全。
eg. We'll ship the goods at an early time as long as there is a steamer.
只要有船，我們就儘早裝貨。
5. switch to
轉換；改變；轉變；
eg. Milk rounds are threatened as customers switch to buying from supermarkets.
隨着顧客轉而從超市購買牛奶，送牛奶的生意受到了威脅。
eg. Adopt double hand operation switch to guarantee the safety of operators.
採用雙手操作開關,保證使用員工的安全性。
6. give it a try
試一下；試試；
eg. I almost can't wait to give it a try.
我等不及要試一試了。
eg. You won't know what you can do until you give it a try.
你要試試才知道你能做什麼。