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Dunder Mifflin · English Seminar · Scranton Branch

英文口說課筆記
口說診療室:Diversity Day 複習場

2026-07-28 · 複述劇情 → 練句型 → 當場糾錯 · 素材全部來自本堂錄音逐字稿
TO:Jack、Peter & 上課夥伴
RE:本堂課的完整整理。流程是:先用英文複述 S1E2 Diversity Day 的劇情,再挑幾個句型輪流造句,最後回頭討論劇中的商務情節(Jim 被搶單)並延伸到你們自己的 BD 現場。
NOTE:這堂課幾乎沒有新的「劇情知識」——上一篇講義已經寫完了。本篇的主體是 ② 口誤訂正表:那 28 條全部是當天真的從你們嘴巴出來的句子。看講義會的英文,跟開口講得出來的英文,是兩件事。
01

這堂課做了什麼

第一段:用英文複述劇情。你們把 Diversity Day 的主線講得很完整——總部(corporate)因為 Michael 在辦公室的種族笑話派講師來上課,Michael 覺得那不算數,下午自己重辦一場,叫大家把卡片貼在額頭上、依刻板印象對待彼此,然後全場失控。老師給的評語只有兩點:stereotype 要用複數(based on stereotypes,不是 based on your stereotype),以及複述劇情從頭到尾都要用過去式。這兩點在 ② 的第一、二列。

第二段:副線考古。你們都記得 Jim 是業務、記得他在講電話,但一時想不起來他到底怎麼了。答案是那張年度大單被 Dwight 搶走。這裡連環修了三個字:rob 的受詞是人或地方(rob a bank),東西被拿走要用 steal;業務情境更道地的動詞是 poach(挖角、搶客);還有 customer 跟 client 的差別——去超商買東西的是 customer,有長期關係、會續約、有 account 的是 client。

第三段:句型輪流造句。主餐是 should have + p.p.。從「公司如果能重來,我們該先做 BD 再做產品」一路造到「我早知道就別跟他分手」「早知道多買一點台積電」。中間卡最久的是 have 後面一律接過去分詞這件事——catched、be、buy 都出現過(② 第 6~9 列)。接著練 It would help if you...I'm not much of a ... personHow come + S + V,每個句型都用你們自己的工作情境造句,不是課本例句。

第四段:從 Jim 被搶單延伸到你們的 BD。這段是整堂課英文最難、但內容最有料的一段:削價(undercut)、通路衝突(channel conflict)、原廠與經銷商的角色(vendor / reseller)、用長約換折扣(volume commitment)、以及 ChatGPT 當場丟出來的 a race to the bottom。整理在 ⑤。

課堂小插曲:討論到 Mr. Brown 怎麼客氣地叫 Michael 閉嘴時,ChatGPT 先給了一句 It would help if you let me finish.,還說「我不太確定是不是原句」——後來你們直接把片段播出來,原句是 And it would also help if you were seated.。這件事本身就是一課:AI 給的「劇中原句」要當作草稿,不是證據;能查證就查證。

02

口誤訂正表

28 條全部出自本堂逐字稿。左欄是當天真的講出口的版本,不是假想的錯誤——所以看到自己的句子不用尷尬,那正是這張表存在的理由。

你說的正確說法說明
treat each other based on your stereotypetreat each other based on stereotypes泛指「一整類刻板印象」用複數,而且不加所有格——加了 your 就變成「你個人的偏見」,意思整個跑掉。
Michael thinks this is not a good way, so he redo it again.Michael thought it was a bad idea, so he redid it his own way.複述劇情從頭到尾用過去式。這不是小事:整段用現在式會讓聽的人以為你在講「這部劇的設定」,不是「這一集發生的事」。順帶一提 redo 的過去式是 redid,而且 redo 已經含「再一次」,不用再加 again。
His client was robbed by Dwight.Dwight stole his client. / Dwight poached his client.rob 的受詞是人或地方(rob a bank, rob someone),steal 的受詞是東西(steal money)。業務情境最道地的其實是 poach——專指挖角、搶客戶。
Jim lost his customer.Jim lost one of his biggest clients.customer 是一次性交易(去超商買東西的人);client 是有長期關係、會續約的(他的帳號叫 account)。Jim 每年打一通電話續約的那位,一定是 client。
If we can go over again, we should do more BD.If we could start over, we would have done more business development earlier.與事實相反的假設,if 子句要退一格時態(can → could),主句用 would。「重來一次」是 start over,go over 是「複習、再檢查一遍」。
I should have catched the flight.I should have caught my flight.catch 三態是 catch–caught–caught,catched 這個字不存在。(其實這句更自然的講法是 I should have been on time for my flight。)
I should have be on time.I should have been on time.should have 後面永遠接過去分詞,be 的過去分詞是 been。這是本堂最高頻的錯。
I should have buy more TSMC stock.I should have bought more TSMC stock.同上,buy → bought。另外唸的時候是 T-S-M-C 四個字母,不是 TSC。
You shouldn't bought that much US bond.You shouldn't have bought that many US bonds.否定一樣要有 have:shouldn't have bought。bond 是可數名詞 → that many bonds。
bond / bounce / bound 三個分不清bond(債券)/ bounce(彈跳)/ bound(bind 的過去分詞)bond 唸 /bɑːnd/;bounce 是球彈起來;bound 是 bind 的過去分詞,I'm bound to fail=我注定失敗,boundary(界線)也是同一家族。順帶回答課堂問題:文法書講的 PP = past participle 過去分詞,跟「完美」無關,只是譯名不好。
It will help if you use more AI.It would help if you used more AI.這個句型的重點就是兩邊都退一格:would + 過去式。因為事實上對方沒有在做那件事,所以整句是假設語氣。Mr. Brown 對沒坐下的 Michael 說 if you were seated,就是同一個道理。
It will be helpful if you ask more questions.It would be helpful if you asked more questions.同上。It would help if... 比較直接,It would be helpful if... 稍微正式、更軟一點,兩句在職場都能用。
How come we just cancel?How come the meeting was cancelled at the last minute?how come 後面接直述句語序(不倒裝)沒錯,但時態要跟著事情發生的時間走:已經取消了就用過去式。對照組:明天不來 → How come you're not coming tomorrow?
How come the plants didn't bring water?How come the plants haven't been watered today? / How come no one has watered the plants today?植物是澆水的一方,所以要嘛用被動(have been watered),要嘛換一個主詞(no one has watered)。水不是植物自己帶來的 🌱
How come you have so many food?How come you have so much food? / so many ingredients?food 不可數(so much),ingredients 可數(so many)。冰箱塞滿的其實是食材,講 ingredients 更精準。
I just watched the lid.I just washed the lid.wash /wɑːʃ/ 跟 watch /wɑːtʃ/ 只差一個 /tʃ/,但意思差到吵不起來。順便記住那句萬用室友抱怨:How come you never wash the dishes?
the fixer / we use a brick to fix the doorthe handyman / we prop the door open with a brick修東西的師傅是 handyman(fixer 在英文裡是「幫人喬事情的人」,意思差很多)。「用磚頭撐著門」的動詞是 prop ... open,fix 是修理。門被風吹得砰砰響 → the door keeps slamming(或 banging)。
the brick will moves the waythe brick moves away第三人稱單數只加在一個動詞上(will 後面接原形),而且是 move away(移開),不是 the way。
people will not offense youpeople won't offend youoffend 是動詞,offense 是名詞。同組:invade your boundary(越界)也可以講 cross the line。
towards ottertowards othersotter 是水獺 🦦。others 的 /ð/ 要咬到舌頭。
do tit for tat as a strategyapplying tit for tat as a strategy「採用某個策略」用 apply / use / take,不用 do。
It's emotional.It's something emotional rather than strategic. / It's more of an emotional response.課堂上想講的是「這比較偏情感面,不是策略」,那就要把對照組講出來:A rather than B。另外注意 emotional(情緒化的,偏負面)跟 irrational(不理性的)不完全一樣,an emotional response 是最貼近原意的講法。
He has throw me off.He threw me off during that meeting.事情已經結束就用單純過去式,不要 has;而且 have 後面要接 p.p.(thrown)。
They are more struggling than us.They're struggling more than we are.struggle 是動詞,不能套 more + 形容詞的比較級公式。要比較程度就把 more 放在動詞後面。
the discuss is not relevant / we design this mechanicthe discussion isn't relevant to this meeting / we design this mechanismdiscuss 是動詞、discussion 才是名詞;mechanic 是修車技師、mechanism 才是機制。兩個都是「詞性拿錯」。
It's allowed me to learn more things.It allows me to learn more things outside my career.這裡不是被動,是「它讓我可以」→ allow / enable sb to V。順帶區分:let sb V(沒有 to)比較接近「准許、放行」,allow / enable sb to V 才是「使某人得以」。
not as low as Dwight has givennot as low as what Dwight gave you / not as low as Dwight's priceas ... as 後面要接一個完整的比較對象。名詞子句用 what(=the price that),或直接換成名詞片語最省事。
erase to the bottom / quit pro quo / Paisley and Kocha race to the bottom / quid pro quo / Pepsi and Coke三個聽岔的專有說法:a race to the bottom(比爛式的削價競賽)、quid pro quo(拉丁文,一報還一報的良性版)、Coke 唸 /koʊk/。可樂雙雄互打幾十年的廣告戰有專有名詞:the Cola Wars
03

文法角落

這堂課實際輪流造過句的九組。每一組都附一句可以直接搬去工作用的版本。

should have + p.p. / shouldn't have + p.p. 本堂主餐:「早該做而沒做」的懊悔。造句成果:I should have been on time.(早知道就準時)/ I should have bought more TSMC stock.(早知道多買一點)/ I shouldn't have broken up with her.(早知道就別分手)/ You shouldn't have bought that many US bonds. 加上目的可以更完整:I should have been on time so I wouldn't have had to pay for a new ticket.(注意這裡也要退到 wouldn't have had——因為事實上錢已經付了。)
If we could start over, we would… 與事實相反的假設。課堂版本:If we could start over, we would have done more business development earlier — the product should be shaped by what clients actually need. 記住兩件事:if 子句退一格(can → could)、主句一定有 would。你原本講的 If we can go over again 有兩個問題,時態沒退,而且 go over 是「複習」不是「重來」。
It would help if you + 過去式 假設語氣的超客氣請求,本堂複習了兩次。劇中原句(現場播片確認過)是 Mr. Brown 對站著不坐的 Michael 說:Thank you very much. And it would also help if you were seated. 為什麼是過去式?因為對方現在沒在做那件事,所以整句是與事實相反。造句成果:It would help if you used AI for the video editing.It would be helpful if you asked more questions.
I'm not much of a + 名詞 委婉地說「我不太行/不太愛」。造句成果:Thanks for the invite, but I'm not much of a night person.(婉拒晚上十點開始的 networking)/ I'm not much of a people person.(不擅長社交)。反過來要講喜歡,不要用這個句型,直接說 I'm a cat person.。另外注意:「人」用 a people person,不要疊字講成 a person person——英文疊字(a computer computer、a bottle bottle)是「跟一般的不一樣」的意思,會變成「我不是人類」。
How come + 主詞 + 動詞? 口語版的 why,語序不倒裝,語氣比 why 稍微更想追問一點。時態跟著事件走:已發生 → How come the meeting was cancelled at the last minute? / 未發生 → How come you're not coming tomorrow? / 被動 → How come the plants haven't been watered today? 劇中原句:How come Chris Rock can do a routine and I can't?
A rather than B 把對照組講出來,句子才完整。課堂版本:It's something emotional rather than strategic.(這比較是情緒上的事,不是策略)。同場好用句:It depends on the situation.(看情況——Peter 回答策略題的開場白,比硬選一邊誠實得多。)
allow / enable + sb + to V 「讓某人得以……」。造句成果:Steering away from work topics allows me to learn more things outside my career. 注意 let sb V 後面不接 to,而且語感偏「准許、放行」(I let you go to the bathroom),跟這裡想表達的「使我能夠」不一樣。
keep + V-ing keep 後面接動名詞。課堂版本:Pepsi and Coke keep hurting each other, but it doesn't affect the end customer.(可樂雙雄互打,但不影響終端消費者。)同場:Michael kept interrupting him.
not as + 形容詞 + as + 名詞(子句) as ... as 後面必須是完整的比較對象。課堂修正版:I can't give you a discount as low as what Dwight gave you, but I can offer a long-term discount if you commit for a year.(我沒辦法給到 Dwight 那個價,但你簽一年我可以給長期折扣。)——這句同時是本堂最完整的一句商務英文。
04

口語片語卡

本堂實際用到、或當場查到的說法。紅字=出現的場合;黃底=可以直接背起來的句子。

tit for tat / quid pro quo以牙還牙 / 你來我往翻面

本堂爭論最久的一組 tit for tat=一報還一報,同義的還有 an eye for an eye(以眼還眼)。語氣偏對抗,在職場講要小心。quid pro quo 是拉丁文的 something for something,指互惠的交換(我幫你、你幫我),比較正式,在法律語境裡也常指帶條件的交易。劇中 Dwight 把 tit for tat 講成 tit for tit 是故意的笑點,不要跟著學。

補充:Tit for tat(Wikipedia)Quid pro quo(Wikipedia)

steal / rob / poach偷 / 搶 / 挖角翻面

Jim 的大單 受詞決定用哪個字:steal 接東西(steal money, steal a client),rob 接人或地方(rob a bank, rob someone)。商務情境最精準的是 poach——挖角員工、搶別人的客戶都用它。Dwight poached one of Jim's biggest clients.

client / customer / account客戶 / 顧客 / 帳號翻面

BD 現場 customer 是一次性的買方(7-ELEVEN 的顧客);client 是有長期關係、會續約的(顧問、業務講的都是 client);account 是那個關係在系統裡的名字,所以續約叫 renew their account、負責人叫 account manager。

first-name basis熟到直呼其名翻面

上一堂的複習題 We're on a first-name basis.=熟到可以直接叫名字,不用叫姓或職稱。中文沒有完全對應的說法,硬要講就是「我跟他很熟」。注意 name 要加 s:We're on a first-name basis.We know each other well enough to use our first names.

wrap it up收尾、快結束翻面

會議室 把事情收個尾,而且是「現在就收」。開會超過時間、電話講太久,主持人會說 Let's wrap it up. 本堂練習題是:一場毫無進展的談判怎麼收?漂亮版本是先肯定再留門——It's been great meeting you. Let's keep in touch, and if anything comes up, just send me a message.

steer away from避開(話題)翻面

本堂練習題 steer 是掌舵,steer away from = 刻意繞開某個話題。造句成果:With a new client I steer away from their cost structure — that's an investor question, not a client question.I steer away from work topics in my personal life.

file a complaint提出申訴翻面

介系詞陷阱 本堂釐清的重點是介系詞:申訴的對象(被告)用 against,受理的人用 towithI filed a complaint against Peter to my manager. 換個角度:We're usually the ones being complained about.(我們通常是被投訴的那方。)

throw someone off讓人亂了陣腳翻面

BD 現場 讓對方失去節奏、覺得怪怪的。造句成果:It throws me off when people pretend they have a lot of customers but in reality they're struggling more than we are.His attitude threw me off during that meeting.

keep your cool穩住、別炸翻面

ChatGPT 丟出來的 保持冷靜、不情緒化。完整的成人版回應是三步:I'd keep my cool, document what happened, and bring it up with the manager.(穩住 → 留下紀錄 → 往上談。)document 當動詞是「留書面紀錄」,職場超常用。

a color-blind approach色盲式(假裝沒有差異)翻面

劇中議題複習 不是真的色盲,而是「假裝膚色差異不存在」的態度。Mr. Brown 的立場是:我們不必假裝 colorblind——否認差異不等於尊重差異。延伸詞:color-blind casting(選角時不看種族,例如黑人小美人魚)——同一個做法,有時是打破刻板印象的好事,有時被批評成無視差異,兩種評價都存在。

not much of a … person我不太是……的人翻面

本堂造句題 婉拒神句。I'm not much of a night person.I'm not much of a people person.(不擅長社交,這是固定講法。)想講夜貓子還有更道地的 a night owl。反過來要講喜歡就直接 I'm a cat person.

pressure makes diamonds有壓力才會成長翻面

對著快枯掉的植物 「壓力造就鑽石」,英文裡最常被認出來的勵志句。同義的還有 Growth happens outside your comfort zone.(成長發生在舒適圈外。)本堂的用法是拿來調侃沒人澆水的植物:Hey, plant, you need a little stress to grow.

zoom in on放大(畫面/文件)翻面

課堂求救 「放大這份文件」是 Can you zoom in on the document?——zoom in 後面接 on。縮小是 zoom out。注意這是螢幕上的放大,實體放大(影印放大)是 enlarge。

prop the door open / slam撐住門 / 甩上門翻面

被鄰居投訴那件事 用磚頭撐住鐵門是 We prop the door open with a brick.(prop ... open)。磚頭被風吹走 → the brick moves away,門就會 keep slamming(或 banging)——這才是「鐵門砰砰響」的動詞。蓋子是 lid,紙條貼在門上是 a note taped to our door

Jell-O / jelly果凍 / 果醬翻面

「把 Dwight 的東西封進果凍」 Jell-O 是果凍的品牌名(大寫、有連字號),美式英語裡 jelly 通常指果醬,果凍反而叫 Jell-O 或 gelatin。劇中把 Dwight 的釘書機封進果凍的名場面在 S1E1 Pilot,不是這一集——但你們想到它完全合理,那是全劇最有名的惡作劇。

routine(脫口秀的)段子翻面

複習題 routine 在喜劇裡不是「日常作息」,而是演員反覆表演的一整段橋段。How come Chris Rock can do a routine and I can't? 你們當時是從上下文猜出來的,猜對了——這種從語境推字義的能力比查字典重要。

05

商務英文卡

從 Jim 被搶單延伸出來的那半小時。這段是全堂內容密度最高的,但也是英文最卡的——把這幾個字補起來,下次跟客戶就講得動。

undercut / discount / margin削價 / 折扣 / 利潤詳解

undercut = 用比對方更低的價格搶生意(Dwight undercut Jim to win the account.),這正是你們一直想講但講不出來的那個動詞。margin 是利潤空間;業務砍價砍到自己沒賺頭叫 cutting into your own commission——劇中 Dwight 為了搶單就是砍了自己的佣金。

a race to the bottom比爛式的削價競賽詳解

大家輪流降價,最後全部一起沒錢賺。本堂 ChatGPT 丟出這個詞的時候你們聽成 erase the bottom——正確是 race。完整句:If we keep matching each other's discounts, it just becomes a race to the bottom. 你們自己補的觀察也很到位:一旦客戶發現降價有空間,他就會一直換業務、一直要更低的價。

補充:Race to the bottom(Wikipedia)

channel conflict通路衝突詳解

同一家公司的不同業務/不同經銷商互搶同一個客戶,就叫 channel conflict(同公司內部的叫 internal channel conflict)。這正是 Dunder Mifflin 的制度漏洞:業務可以靠折扣互搶客戶,客戶學會了就一直換業務。你們舉的中華電信/台灣大哥大例子完全是同一件事。

deal registration報備制詳解

解法有名字:deal registration(也叫 deal reg)——合作夥伴先把案子登記起來,在一段期間內獨佔那個客戶,別人不能碰。英文可以這樣講:We should set up deal-registration rules so one partner owns that account for a fixed period. 「保護通路」的說法是 channel protection

vendor / reseller / distributor原廠 / 經銷商 / 代理商詳解

你們卡住的那個「原廠」= the vendor(做硬體時也可以說 the manufacturer)。往下一層是 reseller(經銷)、distributor(代理),統稱 channel partners。本堂結論句:Vendors often don't stop resellers from competing on price, because the vendor has already locked in its margin.(原廠通常不擋經銷商互相殺價,因為它的利潤已經先落袋了。)

commit / volume commitment承諾量詳解

經銷商殺到見骨會回頭找原廠要更低的價,原廠的標準回應是拿量來換:You can have that price, but you'd have to commit to a hundred units. 名詞是 volume commitment。這對原廠划算,因為降價換到的是更高的承諾量——你們自己推導出這個邏輯,只是缺英文字而已。

a long-term discount用長約換折扣詳解

客戶被對手用低價挖走時,最成熟的回應不是跟著砍,而是換一種折扣結構。本堂最完整的一句商務英文(Peter 造的,修完之後):I can't match the discount Dwight gave you, but I can offer a long-term discount if you commit for a year. 談判時的標準交換:價格換期間——20% off, but for a full year 打敗 25% off for three months

a smear campaign / comparative advertising抹黑 / 比較式廣告詳解

你們想講的「抹黑」是 a smear campaign(smear 本義是「抹上去」,抹的是名聲)。但可樂雙雄互打廣告其實不算抹黑,那叫 comparative advertising(比較式廣告),而且雙方數十年的互打有個專有名詞:the Cola Wars。你們的觀察是對的:They keep hurting each other, but it doesn't really affect the end customer — it's marketing, not a price war.

補充:Cola wars(Wikipedia)Smear campaign(Wikipedia)

06

隨堂小測

下次上課前先自己過一遍。點題目看答案。

Q1「Dwight 搶走了 Jim 的客戶」——rob、steal、poach 該用哪個?為什麼?
steal(受詞是東西:steal a client)或商務上最道地的 poachrob 不行,它的受詞是人或地方(rob a bank)。
Q2should have 後面接什麼?把 catched / be / buy 三個錯誤各改對。
過去分詞(p.p.)。I should have caught my flight / I should have been on time / I should have bought more TSMC stock。
Q3Mr. Brown 叫 Michael 坐下的原句是什麼?為什麼用過去式 were?
And it would also help if you were seated. 因為 Michael 現在沒坐下——與事實相反,所以整句退一格用假設語氣。
Q4把「植物今天沒人澆水」用 How come 講出來(兩種講法)。
How come the plants haven't been watered today?(被動)/ How come no one has watered the plants today?(換主詞)。植物是被澆的一方,不能講 the plants didn't bring water。
Q5a race to the bottom 是什麼意思?在什麼情況會發生?
大家輪流降價、最後全部一起沒錢賺的削價競賽。當通路規則允許業務靠折扣互搶客戶時就會發生——客戶學會「換一個業務就有更低的價」,於是一直換。
Q6channel conflict 的解法叫什麼?用一句英文說明它怎麼運作。
deal registration(報備制)。One partner registers the deal and owns that account for a fixed period, so nobody else can go after it.
Q7原廠、經銷商、代理商的英文各是什麼?為什麼原廠通常不擋經銷商殺價?
vendor(或 manufacturer)/ resellerdistributor,統稱 channel partners。因為原廠的 margin 在出貨時就已經確定了,下游怎麼競爭反而賣得更多。
Q8客戶被對手用低價挖走,你不想跟著砍價,英文怎麼講?(提示:拿期間換價格)
I can't match the discount they gave you, but I can offer a long-term discount if you commit for a year. 關鍵字:match(跟進報價)、commit(承諾量/期間)。
07

作業辦法(本堂新規定)

課末談定的流程:上課 → 錄音轉逐字稿 → 產出講義與考卷 → 你們寫 → 下次上課從錯誤開始。這篇講義本身就是這個流程的第一次實跑。

寫的時候不要用 AI。這是老師唯一堅持的一條,理由很實際:你總會遇到需要當下就回的信、當下就開口的會,那時候沒有 AI 可以幫你重寫。所以選擇題你們可以自己對、也可以丟給 AI 對;但寫作題要自己手寫,老師會逐句看,因為要看的不是答案對不對,是你寫英文時的習慣。

AI 給的答案要當草稿看。本堂已經示範過一次:ChatGPT 給的「劇中原句」是錯的,播片才確認正解;它有時也會給出文法正確但沒人在用的講法。所以自己對完之後,老師還是會再看一遍。

下一堂課的教材來源就是這一堂的錯誤。② 口誤訂正表跟考卷的作答會累積起來,下次的文法與片語直接從你們卡住的地方挑——不用再猜要練什麼。

SAY IT AGAIN, BUT IN THE PAST TENSE · 講義完
貼到 ChatGPT、Claude 之類的地方,它就會用這堂課的內容陪你練口說、隨時糾錯。