實用商務英語18：請求說明
請求說明 Asking for Explanations
英文正文
Vincent: If you don't want the powder to cost more, we can't add anything. We'll just have to sell it the way it is now, and put a warning on. Then, if someone uses dirty water, they shoulder the responsibility, not us.
Grace: I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. There are three very good reasons why it would be the wrong thing to do.
Vincent: You seem very sure of what you are saying. Can you back it up?
Grace: As I see it, first of all most people there can't read, so a warning won't help them at all. Second, even if their governments say a warning is enough, other groups won't. They'll call out the media hounds, and many people will be very, very angry with us. Sales will go down everywhere.
Sam: Hm. You said that there are three good reasons, Grace. Is there another reason you want to add?
Grace: Yes, there is. Third, and most important, it just wouldn't be right if we knew even one person wouldn't listen to the warning, and a child was hurt because of it.
Sam: Hm. You can't argue against that. How could we live with ourselves if we let that happen? And just because we wanted more money.
Vincent: It wouldn't just be because of the money. Those people aren't healthy, and our powder is better than mother's milk. Some people might get sick, but isn't it more important that we help so many others?
作業：看到劃線的句子了嗎？請翻譯。
句型總結
● 要求舉例左證
1. Can you back .... Up?
2. Can you give us an example?
3. Can you provide any examples to prove what you're saying?
4. Can you talk about any examples that show you're right?
"back"在此作動詞，爲‘支持'之意；"back up"有‘支援；救援'的意思，用於此句型，解釋爲‘以例子或事實證明自己所說的話'。這句型十分有禮客氣，語氣雖含有稍許的懷疑卻也直接坦率。
● 表達己見
1. As I see it, first of all ...; second ...
2. It seems to me that, one, ... ; two, ...
3. I'm inclined to think that, one, ...; two, ...
4. The way I see it is that, one, ...; two, ...
"as I see it"這個口語是‘以我所見；就我看來'的意思；"see"則指‘看待'；"first of all"是‘首先'之意，具有強調的作用。整個詞組的意思是‘我的看法是，第一...；第二...'，其後直接接自己的意見及想法。
● 催請繼續發言
1. Is there (something) you want to add?
2. Do you have any other suggestions?
3. What would you like to add?
4. Is there more that you wanted to talk about?
此句型是用在會議中，發言人或簡報者中斷髮言，而你想提醒或促請他們繼續發表其看法及提議的問句。"add"是‘補充；添加'。"There is（are）..."的句型，要改成問句時，只要將be動詞調至最前面即可。
● More 邀請發言
在會議桌上，首重與會者對於問題的癥結踊躍發表建設性的提議及看法。身爲會議主持人，自然有鼓勵與會者發言的重責大任。所以熟悉不同、多層次的邀請與會者發言的句型是必須而重要的。
較客氣的邀請
What are your views on this?
May I ask for your opinions or suggestions?
較普通的邀請
I'd like to hear your ideas on this.
How do you think we should do this?
What would you suggest?
較口語的邀請
Do any of you have any suggestions?
What do you recommend?
Do you think we should...?
What's your opinion?
How do you see this?
Any suggestions?
I suggest we should... What do you think?
重點提示
A. 對答如流的能力，來自於充份的準備。
無論在正式或非正式的討論會中，您若能‘對答如流'，將給人具有專業水準的印象。但要做到這一點，有賴充份的準備。可以事先擬定四、五個最可能被問起的問題，私下演練如何清晰、精確地回答。不過切莫死記，否則表達時會顯得矯飾不自然。偉大的演說家丘吉爾，即以事前充分的準備，與席間從容不迫的風采，造就辯才無礙的聲名。
B. 耐心聽完對手的話再反駁，比任意切入駁斥，更有專業架勢。
他人發表意見時切莫中途打斷，耐心地等他人說完之後，再以堅定的口吻表達自己的看法，如此會更有專業的架勢。當對方不時急躁地想中斷您的談話時，若您能耐心穩健以對，兩相比較之下，他人會對您的表現更具尊重與信心。
C. 開會時，女性應避免全部坐在一起。
在高階層的主管會議中，通常是陽盛陰衰的場面，但女性主管最好避免全部坐在一起，以免給人‘男性與女性間'對抗的印象，這樣容易造成在與其它權力核心團體接觸時不利的影響。
