【英語多益通】從菲律賓總統四句道歉「聲明」學英文
文／周強（Tim Chou）
我國外交部對於菲律賓總統所提出的道歉無法接受，因此決定對菲律賓採取多項制裁措施。馬尼拉經濟文化辦事處（Manila Economic and Cultural Office）主席培瑞斯所帶來這一封的菲國總統「聲明」，不但被我外交部拒絕，更遭媒體指缺乏誠意。究竟這份聲明說了什麼？其實這封聲明只有四句英文：
第一句是：The President has appointed MECO Chairman Amadeo R. Perez as his personal representative who will convey his and the Filipino people’s deep regret and apology to the family of Mr. Hung Shi-chen as well as to the people of Taiwan over the unfortunate and unintended loss of life.
這句英文近50個字，算是一個長句。許多人看到英文長句，常望而生畏，但是隻要適度拆解分析，長句其實亦不過是由短句所組合而成。
本句基本上，由一個擔負起連接與修飾功能的關係代名詞who所串連。前半部爲「The President has appointed MECO Chairman Amadeo R. Perez as his personal representative…」，此爲「菲國總統任命馬尼拉經濟文化辦事處（MECO）主席培瑞斯作爲他的個人代表」。句中的appoint與representative都是職場好字。
「appoint」有任命之意，它的名詞appointment除「任命」之外，還有一個職場重要用法是「約時間、約會」，例如和醫生約診、和客戶約時間討論事情等等，都用此字。「representative」的「-ive」字尾使它看來很像形容詞，但是它亦做名詞，指「代表」；公司代表是company representative、業務代表是business representative，而它的動詞是represent。
本句的後半部是用關係代名詞who，修飾菲國總統的個人代表。其中有兩個字詞的用法值得一學，一是「as well as」，是and（和、與）之意，二是介係詞over，有「關於…」之意，所以後半句的「who will convey his and the Filipino people’s deep regret and apology to the family of Mr. Hung Shi-chen as well as to the people of Taiwan over the unfortunate and unintended loss of life.」是「就不幸和非故意的人命損失，他將傳達菲國總統和人民對於洪家家屬與臺灣人民深深的遺憾與道歉。」句中的convey（傳達）、regret（遺憾）、apology（道歉）、unfortunate（不幸的）、unintended(非故意的)都是好字，值得一學。「intend to」是「打算、想要、意圖」，而「unintended」是它的反義詞，指「非故意的」。
第二、三句是：Upon orders from the President, the National Bureau of Investigation has already started the investigation and is committed to a thorough, exhaustive, impartial and expeditious investigation of the incident. The NBI has given this case the highest priority.「受總統之命令，國家偵查局已開始調查，並且致力於徹底、公正、快速的偵辦此意外事件，並已將此事列爲最高優先。」
句中的「bureau」、「investigate」、「is committed to」、「thorough」、「incident」、「priority」都是好字。受總統之命令的order更是多益測驗聽力部份的高頻多義字，有「秩序、順序、訂購、命令、點菜」五大常用字義。「priority」也是重要字，職場上常用的「第一優先」可以說first priority或top priority。
第四句是：We understand the grief and hurt of the family and of the people of Taiwan over this unfortunate loss and we empathize with them.「我們瞭解洪家家屬與臺灣人民對此不幸損失的的傷痛，我們與他們同悲。」
時事中的「聲明」，是我們練習閱讀能力的好時機，因爲其中的用字，必然是職場的常用字，同理也就會是多益測驗的出題高頻字，試舉《多益測驗官方全真試題指南II》第83頁的118題爲例：
Following Ms. Aglo’s appointment to the board of directors, the firm’s investment strategy was ＿＿＿＿＿ reevaluated.(A) thoroughly(B) thorough(C) thoroughness(D) more thorough
【解析】本題題意是「在Aglo女士與董事會見過面之後，公司的投資策略被徹底重新評估。」答案應該是用一個副詞來修飾動詞reevaluated，所以正確答案應該是(A)。
但是值得一提的是，本題的appointment與thoroughly都在菲律賓總統的聲明中出現過，可見這篇聲明值得一讀。另外，board是多益測驗的高頻字：牌子、董事會、以及動詞的登（上）飛機、船。
希望這件事情能夠儘快落幕，但是值此之際，菲律賓總統艾奎諾三世派馬尼拉經濟文化辦事處（MOCO）主席培瑞斯帶來臺灣的短短四句「聲明」，想要得多益測驗高分的你，值得一讀。
菲律賓總統艾奎諾三世聲明全文與Link：
The President has appointed MECO Chairman Amadeo R. Perez as his personal representative who will convey his and the Filipino people’s deep regret and apology to the family of Mr. Hung Shi-chen as well as to the people of Taiwan over the unfortunate and unintended loss of life.
Upon orders from the President, the National Bureau of Investigation has already started the investigation and is committed to a thorough, exhaustive, impartial and expeditious investigation of the incident. The NBI has given this case the highest priority.
We understand the grief and hurt of the family and of the people of Taiwan over this unfortunate loss and we empathize with them.
http://www.gov.ph/2013/05/15/statement-the-presidential-spokesperson-on-the-appointment-of-meco-chair-perez-as-personal-representative-may-15-2013/