《英語輕鬆學》學好中級口語 #Lesson 54：Becoming a Minimalist 成為極簡主義者

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 中級口語 

搭配筆記聆聽短文 Listen to the text with the help of the notes given

 

再次聆聽並回答問題 Listen again and answer the questions below

Questions for discussion:

1. What do minimalists usually do with the clothes that are never worn?

2. What can minimalist parents do about their kids’ toys?

3. What can being a minimalist do for you spiritually?

 

短文聽讀 Text 

                Many people seeking a simpler life are becoming minimalists. The clothes hanging in the closet that are never worn are thrown out or donated to charity. The books and DVDs sitting on the shelf that are gathering dust are given to a friend or recycled. The kids’ toys piled up in the bedroom are passed on to other parents to occupy their little ones.

                   But being a minimalist is about more than just getting rid of your unwanted possessions. It is also about de-cluttering your mind, re-assessing your goals, and re-evaluating your ambitions. What are your priorities in life? What is important to you? Maybe it’s time to try out the lifestyle of a minimalist and minimize your life!

                 許多追求更簡約生活的人成為極簡主義者。掛在衣櫥裡從來都沒穿過的衣服都被丟掉或是捐給慈善機構。放在架子上積灰塵的書本與 DVD 都送給朋友或拿去回收了。堆積在臥房裡的兒童玩具送給其他家長給他們的小孩玩了。

                   但當個極簡主義者不只是丟掉你不要的物品。這也是關於整理你的思緒、重新評估你的目標，並重新評斷你的志向。你生活中的首要之務是什麼？對你來說什麼是重要的？或許該是時候嘗試看看極簡主義者的生活，使你的生活變得更簡約！

 

 

單字片語 Vocabulary and Phrases

 1  minimalist 　 n. 極簡主義者
     minimalism         n. 極簡主義

 2  donate 　  vt. 捐獻；捐贈donate sth to... 將某物捐給……
     Tina donates some of her clothes to the homeless shelter every year.
     蒂娜每年都會捐一些衣服給遊民庇護所。

 3  recycle      vt. 回收，重複利用

 4  pile up　 　堆積，累積
     Work piles up easily if you’re not efficient enough.
     如果你效率不佳，工作很快就會堆積起來。

 5  pass on sth to sb/pass sth on to sb　 　將某物傳給某人
     I’ll pass on this book to you once I’m done with it.
     我一看完這本書就會給你。

 6  occupy       vt. 使忙碌；占據
     （三態為：occupy, occupied, occupied）
     The board game will occupy the children for hours.
     那個桌遊會讓孩子們玩好幾個小時。
     I couldn’t get rid of that persistent salesman.
     我無法擺脫那位糾纏不休的推銷員。

 7  get rid of...　 　丟棄……；擺脫……
     We got rid of some unwanted furniture.
     我們丟掉了一些不要的傢俱。

 8  clutter　 　vt. 散亂，塞滿
 =  clutter up
     There are too many boxes cluttering up the storage room.
     太多箱子堆滿儲存室了。

 9  assess　 　vt. 評估
     We should assess the situation before making the decision.
     我們應該在做出決定前先評估情況。

 10  evaluate　 　vt. 評估
       Employees’ performance will be evaluated towards the end of the year.
       員工績效會在接近年底時評估。

 11  ambition　 　n. 抱負，野心

 12  priority　 　n. 優先的事物
       one’s top / first priority 某人的首要之務
       Our top priority is to improve our customer service.
       我們的首要之務是改善顧客服務。

 13  lifestyle　 　n. 生活方式

 14  minimize　 　vt. 使減到最少；使降到最低
       maximize  vt. 使增到最多
       Regular exercise and a healthy diet can help minimize the risk of heart disease.
       規律運動與健康的飲食習慣有助於將罹患心臟病風險降到最低。

 

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