【英语多益通】英脱欧企业脱英 迁移英文怎么说?

▲ 英国首相梅伊提出的脱欧协议闯关失败。(图/路透

文/罗伊伶Janet Lo

梅伊脱欧协议闯关失败,加上国会否决强硬脱欧,原订3月29日就要脱欧的英国,确定脱欧期限跳票。但在英国尚未脱欧前,就已有许多企业打算先行脱英」了!像荷兰光是在2018年就已有42间企业迁移至此,其他欧洲国家如法国、义大利等更是用税务减免(tax breaks)的方式引诱英国企业转移,期待创造更多工作机会与利益(benefits)。就让我们从这些迁移事件,来学习一些有关企业经营的多益单字吧!

relocate (v.)迁移

relocate是字首「re-」加上动词locate「座落于某地」的合体,字首「re-」在此有「重新」之意,因此relocate就是「转移阵地」的意思。A survey in 2017 showed that 40 percent of UK-based gaming companies are considering relocating.(2017年的一项调查显示超过40%的英国电玩公司都在考虑迁移。)

relocate也可以用在很生活化情境,例如搬家。Next year we may relocate to Boston.(明年我们可能会考虑搬去波士顿。)

其实relocate讲得更简单一点就是move,不过在正式场合还是用relocate较为合适。单字transfer在中文也是「转移」的意思,不过transfer通常是用来形容人或物品相关的移动。The University may reassign staff members by transferring them from one position to another in the same classification.(此大学权利重新安排教职员在同一种工作类别中进行职位转换。)

跟人相关的如转职、转学、转车,或是货物的转运等都可以用transfer,而「大型」的物品移动,如公司或家等,transfer一字便不适用,必须使用relocate。

intention (n.)打算;意图

intention源自于动词intend「打算」,当我们说「我打算做某件事」可连接to这个介系词。The CEO of Denver Electronics intends to resign in three months.(丹佛电子公司的总裁打算在三个月后辞职。)

若要使用intention这个名词来描述「打算做某件事」,也同样是连接to。Some companies including Discovery and Bloomberg have already announced their intention to invest in the Netherlands because of Brexit.(有些公司如探索集团与彭博资讯公司已宣布因英国脱欧的缘故,打算移至荷兰投资。)

与intention很相似的intent也是多益常考字,意思也是「打算;意图」,但使用上intention较能在多种情境下使用,而intent则比较正式,常见于法律情境。In every criminal case, the prosecution must prove that the defendant had a particular intent.(在每件刑事案件检察当局都必须证明被告有明确的犯罪意图。)

solicit (v.)引诱;招揽

solicit是非常实用的单字,像是一般业务拉拢顾客,或是某国想拉拢企业转移至他们的国家,都可以用solicit一字来表示。Part of the workers’ annual performance review was based on how many credit card applications they solicited throughout the year.(员工的年终评比有一部份是以他们每年推销客人信用卡次数作为评鉴的。)

solicit其实翻成「推销」更贴切,像台湾有些大楼前会写「严禁推销」,英文就是No Soliciting。另外,与solicit意思相近的lure,同样有引诱、招揽之意,但lure较常用于利诱,比如说to lure customers back in with special offers(用特价商品利诱顾客回笼)。

而solicit可用于正反两面,比如说to solicit donations for a charity(替慈善机构募款)或者是to solicit gang participation(诱导参与帮派活动)等正反两面的情况,皆可使用solicit。

多益模拟试题

1. Due to the business expansion, they are considering ______ the headquarters from Texas to New York.(A) relocate(B) relocated(C) relocating(D) relocation

2. The Unicorn Photography Festival is a 9-day event held yearly during the first two weeks of March. This year the event will start from March 1st to 9th, 2019. The festival is purely run by volunteers. We encourage you to share your time and talent for this event by joining many of Michigan’s photography-loving people!

What is the purpose of the announcement?(A) To attract exhibitors.(B) To invite volunteers.(C) To solicit sponsorships.(D) To promote an event.

解析

1.正解为(C)。题意为「因企业扩张的缘故,他们正在考虑是否应将总部德州搬至纽约。」考虑做某件事的consider后面应接动名词relocating。(A) relocate为原型动词、(B) relocated为被动式、(D) relocation为名词,因此仅(C) relocating符合此句文法结构。

2.正解为(D),题目问「请问此公告目的为何?」公告中仅提到活动为志工办理并非邀请志工,且无吸引参展者与赞助商之意图,仅为宣传活动吸引观众之文宣。(A)「吸引参展者」、(B)「邀请志工」、(C)「招揽赞助商」皆不符合题意,故答案为(D)「宣传活动」。

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