【英语多益通】企业防疫 学远距工作多益单字
文／Buffy Kao
新冠病毒肆虐全球，不仅许多像大甲镇澜宫妈祖遶境等大型活动延后或取消，更打乱了不少企业年后的复工计划。许多公司为了减少接触感染，纷纷实施远距工作。实际上，远距工作近年已成为新的办公模式。有调查指出，只要提供更多弹性，要求员工在期限内完成工作，员工的效率不减反增。今天就让我们来看看远距工作相关的多益常考单字吧！
Productivity产能
People who are granted work flexibility see a boost in productivity.（赋予员工工作弹性，产能将提升。）
● grant (v.) grant的意思和give一样，但是grant还带有允许赋予的意思，属于较为正式的单字。作为名词有奖助金、补助（金）之意。● flexibility (n.) 来自「flex」这个动词，flex有弯曲之意，flexibility因此延伸出弹性的意思。相关的形容词有flexible，属于-ible的字尾变化。● boost (n.) 提升之意，也可当动词。注意不要跟boast搞混，后者为炫耀，boast动词和名词同型，比如：
Jack did not feel the need to boast about his success. （Jack觉得没必要炫耀他的成功。）
● productivity (n.) 产能，单字起源是动词produce，产出之意，延伸出productivity的名词变化，为多益常见单字。相关的名词有production 产出，另外还有形容词productive 有产能的。
Turnover员工流动率
Flexible work options reduce turnover.（弹性的工作选择降低了员工流动率。）
● reduce (v.) 减少，名词变化为reduction，形容词变化为reductive，两个单字都是很直接的-tion/-tive词性变化。● turnover (n.) 指的是员工流动（离职）率，是常见的多益单字。相关的动词片与是turn over，有转过来、翻页之意，职场上延伸出「员工离开」的意思。
Participate in参与Workers who can telecommute occasionally or otherwise participate in flexible work plans tend to be healthier.（可以不时远距工作、或者投入弹性工作计划的员工通常比较健康。）
● telecommute (v.) tele-字首有远距的意思，-phone原本是声音的意思，所以telephone就是从远方传来的声音。在telecommute这个单字中，-commute在这里有互换（讯息）之意，所以与tele-组合，就成为「从远方交换讯息」，也就是「远距工作」。远距工作的其他说法还有telework，以及比较口语的to work remotely。remote有远方的意思，接在work后面须做副词变化。● occasionally (adj.) 偶尔地，occasion为名词，场合之意，occasional则是形容词变化。 ● participate in 这个动词片语也是多益常见片语，有参与之意，注意介系词一定要用in。名词变化有participation参与，以及participant，要注意字尾-ant为人的名词变化，所以participant的意思是参与者。另外形容词变化是participative参与的。
Flexible work options are cost-effective.（弹性的工作选择让营业成本花在刀口上。）
● Cost-effective (adj.) 这是个复合形容词，由两个字组成。cost是成本的意思，effective的意思是有效的，这里将两个字组合后，就变成「在成本上有效的」，也就是钱花在刀口上的意思。掌握这个原则后，也可以自创复合词，比如善用时间的可说time-effective。effective注意不要跟efficient搞混，后者为有效率的，概念和时间有关，前者则是「效果」的意思，和时间没有关系。
【多益模拟试题】
A new ruling which came into effect last week requires some homeowners to purchase new smoke alarms. The ordinance states that there should be a fire alarm installed in every bedroom of the house, and these alarms must comply with certain safety standards. Some local residents are displeased at these new regulations. Gwen Ellis of McKinley says that to meet with the new regulations, she has to buy five new alarms to replace the ones she installed just six months ago. With fire alarms costing up to $20 apiece, this is an unwelcome ruling for many people. Fortunately, the McKinley Fire Department is offering grants for homeowners and will provide and install new fire alarms free of charge. If you have small children or are older than 65 years of age, you may be eligible for these. The McKinley Fire Department has 5,000 smoke alarms to give away. To inquire about obtaining a free alarm, or to find out whether you qualify, call 692-569-0372.
1. Which of the following is true about the new rule? (A) Every house should have five fire alarms.(B) All fire alarms must be of a certain quality.(C) All fire alarms need to first be approved by the Fire Department.(D) All fire alarms must be less than six months old.
2. How much do five fire alarms cost? (A) $20(B) $100(C) $120(D) $4
3. Which of the following people may be able to receive a free fire alarm? (A) an elderly couple(B) a family of two adults and two teenagers(C) a woman living alone(D) a man who owns his own home
解析：
1. 正解为(B)。第一句问说「那个叙述是正确的？」根据文章开头的说明「these alarms must comply with certain safety standards.（这些警报器必须符合特定的安全标准）」，我们可以得知答案应该要选(B)，符合特定的品质（of a certain quality）指的就是安全标准。这里注意comply with是常见表达符合的动词片语。
2. 正解为(B)。第二句问说「5个警报器花费多少？」文章中提到「With fire alarms costing up to $20 apiece…（每个警报器花费高达20元）」，apiece是个数量词，指的每个单品，所以我们可简单算出20*5=100，故答案应该选(B)。只要知道apiece这个单字的意思，这题很轻易可以选出答案。
3. 正解为(A)。第三题问说「下面那种人可以获得免费的警报器？」文章提到「If you have small children or are older than 65 years of age, you may be eligible for these.（如果你家中有小孩或是你为65岁以上的居民，你便符合资格）」，而这里的资格在前面便已经说明「the McKinley Fire Department is offering grants for homeowners and will provide and install new fire alarms free of charge（McKinley消防局提供补助给拥房居民，免费提供并安装全新的火灾警报器。）」因此答案须选(A)，一对老夫妇。Elderly通常意指年长者，符合65岁以上的规定。这里特别要注意的片语有be eligible for…（符合…资格的），以及free of charge这个片语，指的就是免费。