英語趣味課堂：形形色色的情感-Mixed Emotions

Vella: Hey Daniel. So I was wondering can you remember any time when you were really mad, sad or embarrassed?

Daniel: Well, I think I have a couple of those, a couple of each of those actually. But I don't know recently, I've, well I had an episode that I was really sad and it was that I was applying to, I was applying for a scholarship and I was putting all the effort and I spent a lot of time and a lot of energy in it and finally it was rejected so that, that was really, really bad for me and for that year and I was really sad and I was really angry because that was my big project for that year so the fact that I couldn't get it, it made me really sad.

And also you asked me about being embarrassed. I think most of the times when I was embarrassed when I was a little kid, I always was trying to do cool stuff, I don't know, hang out with friends but something, like all the time, something went wrong. For example, I don't know, I remember I was trying to play football or something and suddenly I just fell and I don't know once actually I broke my hand and that was pretty embarrassing in front of all my mates in school.

Vella: OK, so you say you were really mad and angry because you didn't get the scholarship, I was wondering how do you usually express your anger?

Daniel: Well, it's, I don't think it's better to find that out. I was very bad at it. I was, I used to express it like, I don't know, shouting or hitting stuff but now that I'm a bit older I learned how to control that and I learned that not always things depends on you. Sometimes you get the results from like, I don't know, from other factors so you have to take it and you have to learn to live with that and, but that takes time. So, yeah, at the beginning I was really mad and I was really sad but then I understood that probably it wasn't the time so when you understand and when you go through that kind of stuff you learn and then you learn not to get that emotional at the beginning and to think over it.

Vella: I agree after you learn from those experiences and you just become better.

Daniel: Well, I don't know if better but I definitely learned something.

Vella: You'll know, you know, how to handle things when you face them again.

Daniel: I hope I don't have to handle that kind of stuff again but in case I do I think I'm prepared to do it now.

重點詞匯：

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

episode

I had an episode when I was really sad.

Here, 'episode' refers to an incident or period of time when Daniel was really sad. Notice the following:

You just have to leave him alone if he starts having one of his angry episodes.

It's hard to watch when older people start having episodes of forgetfulness.

reject

I was rejected from that school.

'Rejected' is the opposite of accepted. Notice the following:

Her book was rejected by a number of publishers before she found one who would say yes.

I don't think anyone should be rejected from a study abroad program.

factor

There are other factors you have to consider.

A 'factor' is a small element or part of something larger. For example, if you are looking for a good school, the factors you have to consider are location, cost, education, etc. Notice the following:

How long it will take you to get to work is an important factor to think about when you are looking for a new house.

When voting, some people get very focused on just a few factors.

live with

After getting rejected, I had to learn to live with it.

If you learn to 'live with' something, you accept it and change your life in such a way that you can be happy with your new situation. Notice the following:

When you get older, you realize that you have to live with the decisions you make.

It is hard to live with guilt if you feel responsible for something.

handle

You need to learn how to handle things when you face them.

The way you 'handle' something is the way you manage, deal or cope with it. Notice the following:

It is very difficult for people to handle it when loved ones die.

I don't know how you handle a house as big as this one.