試想像以下場景：你和朋友在鎮上著名的古蹟旁散步，這時出現一對夫婦，他們看起來迷路了，正朝你走來，你卻開始緊張冒汗！糟糕，你需要用英語為他們指路！
再想像一下：你去到一個陌生城市短途度假…卻完全迷路了，而且手機沒電，無法使用 Google 地圖，必須向別人問路！
幸好，你最近在英語課上溫習過英語的「指路用語」，很有信心應對這種情況。當那對夫婦問你博物館在哪裡時，你自信地用英語為他們指路。當你迷路時，亦懂得向友善的路人問路。小菜一碟！
你覺得神采飛揚？那當然了！你用自己的英語知識幫助了別人，又或者找到了路線，這種感覺的確令人振奮！
未雨綢繆，先想想你心目中理想的英語使用者形象是甚樣也不錯。讓我們先從實用的關鍵內容開始 — 那就是用英語指路和問路。
從哪裡起步好呢？現在先設想一下，向你求助的人可能會說些什麼，而你又會如何回答？learnenglish 少年專頁上不少有趣的活動，讓你練習使用英語短語，增強自信。
常用的指引方向短語和詞彙
開始思考如何指路之前，請先掌握一些英語詞彙和短語。為方便起見，以下列出了一些實用短語及用例：
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Directions |
Example |
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Turn left /right
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Turn left at the end of the road
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Take the first/ second etc. on the left/ right
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Take the first street on the right
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Go/ walk straight along
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Go along the High Street until you reach the supermarket
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Cross at the traffic lights / road sign
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Cross at the road sign and you will see the park
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Continue on this side of the road
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Continue on this side of the road until you see the Post Office
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You will see...
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Go straight on and you will see the police station
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It’s next to / in front of/ between
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It's between the bank and the clothes store
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It’s (quite) near / far
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It’s quite near – about a 5 minute walk
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It’s on / around the corner
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Keep going and the restaurant is on the corner
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It’s on your left / right
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When you cross the street, it’s on your right.
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你還需要知道對方想遊覽的一些常見地點之名稱，範例如下：
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ROADS /TRANSPORT |
The street The High street The main road The roundabout The bridge The train station The bus station The bus stop The taxi rank
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SHOPPING |
The shopping centre The old town The street market The supermarket
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LANDMARKS |
The castle The river The cathedral The city centre The museum The swimming pool The old town / historic centre
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最後送上其他一些實用短語和範例：
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Other useful phrases |
Example |
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On foot |
It's easy to get there on foot, it’s a short walk |
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By car/ bus / train |
You can go by bus – take the number 55 |
問路/指路
最直接的問路方式，就是使用以下短語：
1. Excuse me, where is the …..station/ park / cathedral / castle /etc ?
2. Excuse me, how can I get to …the city centre/ the bus station/ etc?
你亦可以加上開場白，這些開場白都較為婉轉，令問起路上來都不覺唐突：
1. Excuse me, can/could you tell me where the ………. is?
2. Excuse me, can/could you tell me/do you know how I can get to …..?
3. Excuse me, can/could you tell me how to get to ………………., please?
在這些短語中，我們可以使用 Can or Could。如果你想聽起來更有禮貌，那就選擇 could。你可能還會留意到，第 1 句和第 2 句的詞序不同。在使用這些短語時，請務必記住這一點。讓我們再來看第 1 句的例子：
- Where’s the nearest bus station?- Can you tell me where the nearest bus station is?
- Where’s the police station?- Could you tell me where the police station is?
使用 ‘Can you tell me...?’，聽起來會較為婉轉。
如果別人向你問路，你可以給出多種回答，包括上文提到的多個短語。讓我們從對白中回顧知識點，看看對話如何發展！
迷路的人：「Excuse me!” Can you tell me how to get to the Cathedral, please? (你好！你能告訴我怎麼去大教堂嗎？)」
你：「Yes, let me see...Okay. (沒問題，讓我想想…好的！)Walk straight along this road. (沿著這條路直行，)Continue on this side of the road until you see the traffic lights. (一直走在道路的這一邊，直至你看到紅綠燈。)Then take the second on the left. (然後在第二個路口向左轉，)You’ll see the Cathedral on the other side of the street. (就會看到大教堂在街道的另一邊。)It’s a big Gothic building. (那是一座很大的哥德式建築。)」
迷路的人：「Is it far? (會很遠嗎？)」
你：「No. It’s quite near... about 10 minutes on foot (不遠，反而路程相當近，步行大約 10 分鐘。)」
迷路的人：「Thanks for your help! (謝謝你的幫助！)」
你：「Not at all/You’re welcome! (不客氣！)」
如果你真的不知道如何去對方想去的地方，可以用類似下文的話語回答
I’m sorry. (對不起，)I can’t help you. (我幫不了你。)I have no idea where (the)….. is. (我不知道……在哪裡。)
試想像你在上述對話中扮演任何一個角色 — 我相信，只要幫到別人，並有機會在真實情境中使用你所認識的英語短語，一定會獲得極大的滿足感。
如果你之前遇過這種情況，卻覺得舌頭打結，可以在這裡透過《BBC 指路對話》練習指路和問路，做好準備。
Quiz time
請看看以下這些用來指路或問路的短語，猜猜每個短語中缺少了哪個字詞。
- Excuse me, ……… you tell me where the bus station is?
- Excuse me, do you know …..I can get to the city centre from here?
- Of course, it’s ….your left.
- It’s easy!Walk………...along this road and …….. at the traffic lights
- I’m sorry!I have no idea where the theatre …...
Answers:
- Excuse me, Can you tell me where the bus station is?
- Excuse me, do you know how I can get to the city centre from here?
- Of course, it’s on your left.
- It’s easy!Walk straight along this road and cross at the traffic lights
- I’m sorry!I have no idea where the theatre is.