【英语多益通】看机场公告突破多益重围
文／周强 (Tim Chou)
地球暖化持续，极端气候的现象愈见严峻。南半球的澳洲热浪席卷，创下一百五十年来的高温，而全境有一百多处的森林大火。美国东北部则是降下了百年来的大雪。无独有偶，欧洲大陆也是低温伴随着数十年来的大雪，使得欧洲德、英、法几个位居枢纽的国际机场都因大雪而使数百架次的航班停飞，滞留的旅客使机场大乱。
英国希斯洛机场(Heathrow Airport)是英国最大的国际机场，也是世界上最忙碌的机场之一。如果你人正好位在英国伦敦，等着要搭乘班机回台湾，在这种陆空交通大乱的时刻，英语可就是一个重要的沟通工具。在这个欧洲大雪纷飞的时刻，我们来看一下英国希斯洛机场宣布了什么样的声明:
Weather update at Heathrow
The airfield at Heathrow is fully operational with all runways, taxiways and stands clear.
The schedule for today has been reduced by 10% in order to cope with the low visibility conditions expected from 1600 this afternoon. Low visibility means that, for safety reasons, there needs to be a bigger gap between aircraft. Because Heathrow runs at almost 100% capacity there is no slack in the system and flights unfortunately have to be cancelled. Further cancellations are inevitable given the adverse weather conditions at other airports around Europe.
We ask that all passengers please check the status of their flight with their airline before they leave for the airport.
We have over 200 additional customer services staff at Heathrow today to assist passengers as they come through the airport.
英国希斯洛机场对于大雪影响的最新消息(weather update at Heathrow)，说长不长、说短也不短地共有七句。你若是能了解此通告，身为旅客的你才能正确的做出对策。它首先说道:「在希斯洛的机场区域完全正常运作，包括跑道、滑行道与空桥都畅通无阻。」
在「with all runways, taxiways and stands clear」之中， stands在此是指旅客上下飞机的「空桥」，而clear在此是指「畅通的、无阻碍的」。洋片电影或影集的警匪片里，警察们攻坚进屋时，如果坏人都被解决或没有坏人时，常听到这句「Clear!」。
机场通告的全句: The airfield at Heathrow is fully operational with all runways， taxiways and stands clear.
虽然跑道是没有问题而可以运作，但是大雪带来什么样的问题? 机场的通告里接着说:「今日飞航班次将减少10%，以因应预计今天下午四点起的低能见度。低能见度意谓飞机为了安全，会有较大的间隔。」机场通告的全句:
The schedule for today has been reduced by 10% in order to cope with the low visibility conditions expected from 1600 this afternoon. Low visibility means that, for safety reasons, there needs to be a bigger gap between aircraft.
句中的「schedule(时间表、行程)」、「cope with(处理、应付)」、「reduce(降低、减少)」、「visibility(能见度)」都是常用字，在国际职场上很常见。常见的visible，是「看得见的」，配上名词字尾-ity，所以是「能见度」。在「the low visibility conditions expected from 1600」之中，有一个关系代名词which are的省略是「the low visibility conditions (which are) expected from 1600」，句中的conditions expected是被动式与关系代名词conditions (which are) expected的简化省略，这个盲点很常出现在多益测验的Part 5的40题语法题之中。
英国希斯洛机场是欧洲最忙碌的机场之一，其运能与容量都已近饱和，所以较大的飞机间隔只会造成飞机「塞车」，因此这篇通告说:「因为机场营运已接近百分之百，所以没有余裕空间。很遗憾航机班次必须取消。基于欧洲其他机场的恶劣天候，后续的班机取消势所难免。」机场通告的全句:
Because Heathrow runs at almost 100% capacity there is no slack in the system and flights unfortunately have to be cancelled. Further cancellations are inevitable given the adverse weather conditions at other airports around Europe.
有些英美人士写的句子，有时会省略主要子句与副词子句之间的逗号，以上面第一句而言，补上句中的逗号，你会较为了解:
主要子句: there is no slack in the system and flights unfortunately have to be cancelled
副词子句: because Heathrow runs at almost 100% capacity
加上逗号之后: Because Heathrow runs at almost 100% capacity, there is no slack in the system and flights unfortunately have to be cancelled.
句中的「capacity(容量、能力)」、「unfortunately(遗憾地、不幸地)」、「inevitable(不可避免的)」、「adverse(不利的、有害的)」都是职场常用字。「given (that)」后接句子时，有「如果、鉴于」的意思。
这篇通告最后的两句更告诉机场的旅客:「旅客要前往机场前，请先向航空公司查询现况。」以及「今天当旅客停留在机场时，我们有两百名以上额外增加的客服人员提供协助。」机场通告的全句:
We ask that all passengers please check the status of their flight with their airline before they leave for the airport. We have over 200 additional customer services staff at Heathrow today to assist passengers as they come through the airport.
句中的status(现况)与staff(员工、幕僚)都是职场常用字，相对之下，它们出现在多益测验的机会也对很大。尤其leave for这个片语在听力部分是个高频用字，因为leave是「离开」，但是leave for是「前往」，(例句):When will you leave for Hong Kong?(你何时要前往香港?)
当一个乘客看完这篇通知时，他应可判断得知:1.机场的飞机起降没有问题，只是大雪的能见度影响航班。2. 去机场前，应该先打电话询问航空公司是否取消航班。3. 机场有增派的客服人员可以提供协助。
类似这种英国希斯洛机场通告的文章，经常出现在多益测验的Part 7之中，你如果能够看懂这篇通告，多益测验(www.toeic.com.tw)就难不倒你，试试看能否回答以下两题阅读测验题:
1.For whom is this announcement most likely intended?(A) Airport employees(B) Airline travelers(C) Travel industry agents(D) Customer service manager
2. Which is not mentioned as an update at the airport?(A) It is fully operational.(B) There will be other flight cancellations.(C) Low visibility is not expected.(D) Passengers are advised to check the status.
[解析]:第一题是问，本通告最可能是给谁看的；正确答案是(B)。从文中「We ask that all passengers please check the status of their flight…」(旅客要前往机场前，请向航空公司查询现况)一句，应可得知此文对象应该是搭飞机的旅客，而不是机场员工、旅行社代购人员、或是客服经理。
第二题是选错的，以下何者不是最新消息，正确答案是(C)，预计下午四点以后，能见度低。
你有被困在国际机场的经验吗? 记住，即使被困在机场，也可以看通告而准备多益测验(www.toeic.com.tw)呦!!