文／Dr.J.J. 圖／老唐
有些人做事情沒有考慮後果，反而自討苦吃害了自己。中文裡說「搬石頭砸自己的腳」，就是這個意思。英文裡也有很多類似的用語，其中最常見的就是”shoot oneself in the foot”。試想，假若某人拿了一把箭，不往眼前靶心射去，反而對著自己的腳一射，這不正是自己給自己找麻煩嗎？
Norah：Oh, please hit me hard on the head, would you?
Norah：噢，麻煩你用力打我頭一下好嗎？
Gerline：That’s not a big favor from me, but why?
Gerline：舉手之勞啊，可是為什麼？
Norah：Remember at the meeting yesterday about year-end party? I was suggesting we should make it more special this time by getting all staff’s family members involved, too.
Norah：記得昨天關於年終派對的會議嗎？我不是建議說這次應該要特別些，讓員工眷屬也能夠參與。
Gerline：I know you’re trying to make it different this time and I quote from you “this will also give the staff’s family members a sense of belonging!”
Gerline：我知道你想要讓這次活動別開生面，你還說「這會讓同仁的家屬心生歸屬感」！
Norah：That’s my original thought. I really mean well! But just this morning, the boss called me in and said his wife would love to help me out as an event coordinator.
Norah：這是我的原意。我是好意啊！可是今天早上老闆叫我進去，然後說他老婆很樂意幫我忙要當活動聯繫人員。
Gerline：Oh, No! Mrs. Brandon? She will always come up with so many missions impossible in the last minute and we need to accomplish those. Easier said than done.
Gerline：天啊，別了吧！Brandon的老婆？她總是在最後一刻突然丟給我們一堆不可能完成的任務。說的比做的還容易呢。
Norah：And since there’s only 1 week left for preparation, she volunteers to come in the office, sit by me for the whole following week.
Norah：而且只剩一個禮拜來做準備了，她志願要到辦公室來坐在我旁邊幫忙一整個星期。
Gerline：Mrs. Brandon is gonna sit in our office with us!! Mine, I want to take the whole week off.
Gerline：Brandon老婆要到辦公室跟我們一起工作！天啊，我下周要排休假。
Norah：I know I’m the sinner and shall never be forgiven, but please stay with me to deal with her. Gosh, I must be mad to shoot myself in the foot.
Norah：我知道我是罪人，而且罪無可赦，可是求求你陪我一起搞定她啦。天啊，我一定是瘋了，才會這樣搬石頭砸自己的腳。
Gerline：Sorry darling, between friendship and self-dignity, I’ll prefer to choose the latter this time. Sorry can’t help you out this time.
Gerline：親愛的，對不起囉。在友誼和尊嚴兩者之間，這次我寧可選擇後者。這次真的沒法幫你了。
（本單元固定每週三、四見刊）
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好難完全看不懂慘啊
這種生活英語的級數好高深啊
那句是片語吧真難真難啊珍珍武夠難也
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