開卷書摘》北京冬奧遭外交杯葛 英文怎麼說?

北京冬奧遭外交杯葛 英文怎麼說?(示意圖/shutterstock 達志影像)

因疫情延至今夏舉辦的2020東京奧運剛圓滿結束,接下來的2022北京冬奧賽事同樣受到矚目。然而近期有不少歐美國家揚言,因對中國長久以來的人權問題感到疑慮,紛紛考慮以外交手段抵制北京冬奧,意思就是不派官員參加,但不影響運動員參賽。其中立陶宛體育部長更是已表態將不出席北京冬奧,看來國際上對奧運進行外交抵制的勢頭將愈來愈強。

diplomatic boycott外交杯葛

United States President Joe Biden this month confirmed his administration was considering a diplomatic boycott, which would be aimed at protesting China’s human rights record including in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. The United Kingdom and Canada are also weighing up their positions. (The Sydney Morning Herald)

(美國總統拜登於本月證實,爲了抗議中國對香港、新疆和西藏等人權議題,他們正考慮進行外交杯葛。英國和加拿大也在慎重考慮是否採取相同立場。)

diplomatic (adj)「外交的」,意思也可引申解釋爲「外交手腕的、委婉的」,而外交官員則是用名詞diplomat。

Since 2000, several countries such as Solomon Islands have severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

(自從2000年來,所羅門羣島等多個國家與臺灣斷交。)

weight (n)「重量」經常出現在多益測驗的機場行李秤重情境中,但要注意動詞「秤重」是weigh,沒有字尾t。常用片語有weigh up (v),weigh (someone/something) up表示carefully assess「審慎評估」的意思。

You should weigh up the risks of the emerging markets before you invest your money.(在投資之前,你應該要先謹慎評估新興市場的風險。)

boycott「杯葛」也可解釋爲「抵制」,表示拒絕參與某個活動或拒絕購買某項產品,可以是動詞或是名詞。

Several apparel companies joined a growing global trend to boycott Xinjiang cotton.(不少服飾公司加入抵制新疆棉的全球的浪潮。)

注意不要將boycott「抵制」和resist「抵抗;阻擋」 搞混, resist經常用在抵抗壓力、改變等。

A lot of customers find it hard to resist the restaurant’s signature soufflé. (很多顧客都難以抗拒這家餐廳的招牌舒芙蕾。)

此外,resist的形容詞resistant也可用來形容「防水、防塵」。

Designing earthquake-resistant buildings is quite important in Taiwan.(設計防震的建築在臺灣很重要。)

delegation代表團

A diplomatic boycott would involve not sending a delegation of officials to the Winter Olympics, but allowing athletes to participate. (The Sydney Morning Herald)(外交杯葛將不派遣官員代表團參加冬奧,但是允許運動員參賽。)

delegation (n)「代表團」也是多益測驗經常出現的單字,若要指個人代表則可用delegate (n),而這個字也可當作動詞,常用於delegate (something) to (someone),意思是「委任/派(某樣事情)給(某人)」。

Mr. Lee delegated the task to his assistant.(李先生將這項工作任務指派給他的助理。)

此外,上週美國國會議員代表團來臺灣短暫的訪問,新聞報導也用delegation來形容。

The congressional delegation will meet with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security, and other significant issues of mutual interest," it said. (Reuters)(美國國會議員代表團將訪問臺灣高層並討論臺美關係、區域安全和其他重要議題。)

不少國家正在觀望美國對外交杯葛的後續決定,他們也將視美國的態度而決定動作,也許這些國家將會相互協調並做出聯合行動。國家間的聯盟或公司的合作可用alliance (n)來形容,動詞的表現可以用form an alliance(結盟)。

Some environmental groups formed an alliance to protest against the building of oil and gas pipelines.(一些環保組織結盟,抗議興建石油和天然氣管線。)

The west has always argued that its secret weapon against China is the strength of its alliances. (The Guardian)(西方國家一直認爲對付中國的秘密武器是西方聯盟的力量。)

看來美國似乎扮演着關鍵性的角色,很明顯的,北京冬奧還沒開始前,外交的前哨戰似乎已經先開始運作了。

【多益模擬試題】

1. Managers need to learn _________ work to their team members.

(A) delegation

(B) delegate

(C) who delegating

(D) to delegate

2. The Prime Minister’s closest political _________ was mired in the money laundering scandal.

(A) ally

(B) reply

(C) rely

(D) appliance

解析:

1. 正解(D)。本題是文法題,動詞learn要接其他動詞時需加上不定詞to後,再接原型動詞。故(D)爲正解。句意爲「經理們需要學習委派工作給他們的隊員。」

2. 正解(A)。語意爲「首相親近的政治盟友深陷洗錢醜聞」本題爲單字題,要選擇符合句意的單字。(B)回覆,(C) 依靠,(D)家電。故(A)爲正解。

文/徐碧霞Valerie