问答题 Unfortunately, e-mail leaves many things to be desired. Online communication has a wide variety of forms, but each of these has its own requirements that users must try to be aware of in order to avoid saying something inappropriate or incomprehensible. Indications of interest, positive remarks, or even compliments that we easily comprehend in face-to-face meetings can be interpreted as ironic when said in e-mail. These issues are hard to address. Restraining yourself from making an impulsive response is not always possible in a busy workday, nor is it always desirable to suppress the spontaneity of your remarks. But as an insurance policy against a possible disaster, you should try to anticipate how your remarks may be taken.
【正确答案】令人遗憾的是，电子邮件有许多不足之处。网上交流有各种各样的形式，但每一种都有自己的要求，用户必须意识到这些要求才能避免说出任何不合适的或无法理解的话。面对面交谈时我们可以轻松地理解对方的兴趣点、肯定的话甚至恭维的话，但在电子邮件中则可能被误解为揶揄讽刺。这些问题都很棘手。白天工作很忙，不可能时时刻刻克制自己的冲动反应，而且不让自己想说什么就说什么也并不是什么好事。但为了避免可能发生的“灾难”，你应该预料到别人可能如何理解自己的话。
【答案解析】1．unfortunately通常的意义是“令人遗憾地”，不宜翻译为“不幸地”。2．leave much to be desired是个固定的表达法，含义是“有许多不足之处”或“不完美”。3．第二句中的…that users must try to be aware of是定义从句，修饰requirements。4．positive remarks是“积极的评论”或“肯定的话”，compliments是“恭维的话”，而address在此句中是“解决”。5．restrain somebody from doing…的意义是“限制某人做……”，所以restraining yourself from…就是“克制自己不做……”或“尽量不做……”。 impulsive response是“冲动的反应”或“反应冲动”。…nor is it always…表示“也不”，用在否定句之后。desirable和undesirable并不是难词，但国内学生很少使用。字典对desirable的解释是pleasing，attractive，worthwhile，excellent(好的，可取的，值得的)。6．动词suppress的意义是“压抑”，“镇压”或“克制住”。the spontaneity of your remarks直译为“说话的本能性”，意译为“想说什么就说什么”。7．动词anticipate的意义是“预料”，而how your remarks may be taken是“别人如何理解你的话”。