Grey問答：最愛特輯：英語精讀講義

Challenge.

挑戰。

Can you post another Q&A within 6 months?

你能在 6 個月內再發一部問答影片嗎？

No, I cannot.

不，我沒辦法。

What are your favorite and least favorite kinds of questions to answer?

你最喜歡和最不喜歡回答什麼類型的問題？

A long time ago in a state far away, 文化背景

很久以前，在一個遙遠的州，

I did an event with some friends where my job was to pick questions from the audience.

我和幾個朋友參加了一個活動，我的任務是從觀眾中挑選問題。

Right before the show started,

就在節目開始前，

Pretty Derek turned to me and said, "Please don't pick superlatives." 文法

Pretty Derek 轉向我說：「請不要挑最高級的問題。」

And I said, "What's a superlative?"

我問：「什麼是最高級？」

Best, worst, favorite, least favorite.

最好、最壞、最喜歡、最不喜歡。

Ah.

啊。

The show begins and those were probably half the questions in the bowl.

節目開始了，碗裡大概有一半是這類問題。

But Derek,

但是，

having had much more experience with Q&As,

在問答環節經驗豐富得多的 Derek

was totally right.

是完全正確的。

On the spot, those questions are pretty hard to answer. 慣用語

在現場，這類問題非常難回答。

But also, as I've grown up,

而且，隨著我的成長，

I've found the whole concept of a favorite X has become more abstract and situational.

我發現「最喜歡的 X」這個概念已經變得更加抽象和因情況而異。

Favorite things seem to be more important the younger you are, 文法

你越年輕，最喜歡的事物似乎就越重要，

which makes sense because you don't really know who you are and so define yourself by the world around you.

這是有道理的，因為你不太清楚自己是誰，所以透過周圍的世界來定義自己。

And it's also practice for the tribal affiliation games we never escape even as adults, 慣用語

這也是我們在成年後也無法逃脫的部落歸屬遊戲的一種練習，

which can make trying to answer these questions super un-fun when people take the answer way too seriously. 片語搭配

當人們把答案看得太重時，這會讓回答這些問題變得超級無趣。

So a question about my favorite is by far my least favorite, 片語搭配

所以關於我「最喜歡什麼」的問題絕對是我最不喜歡回答的，

but Fahrenheit is still my favorite.

但華氏溫度仍然是我的最愛。

Come at me. 語氣意圖

放馬過來吧。

Anyway, if you're ever at a show or submitting questions to a Q&A,

不管怎樣，如果你在看節目或向問答環節提交問題，

to raise the odds of getting an answer, 片語搭配

為了提高得到回答的機率，

try turning it a bit.

試著換個角度提問。

For example,

例如，

whose videos do you watch the most?

你最常看誰的影片？

That's an easy answer.

這個很容易回答。

RedLetterMedia by a mile. 慣用語

RedLetterMedia，遙遙領先。

I started with the highly produced Gateway Classics and over the years progressed to mainlining the hardcore stuff. 慣用語

我一開始看的是製作精良的《Gateway Classics》，幾年下來，我開始瘋狂吸收那些硬核內容。

It's hard to say why I so like watching guys I don't know view movies and instructional videos I never will,

很難說為什麼我這麼喜歡看一群我不認識的人去評價我永遠不會看的電影和教學影片，

but it's strangely comforting and engaging.

但這有一種奇妙的安慰和吸引力。

And let's not talk about how many hundreds of hours of RedLetterMedia I've had on while animating since starting my own channel. 片語動詞

更別提自從我開創自己的頻道以來，我在做動畫時把 RedLetterMedia 當作背景音播放了好幾百個小時。

I'm glad YouTube doesn't track and timeshame 用詞

我很高興 YouTube 不會追蹤並因為觀看時長來「羞辱」你，

unlike some other services I could mention.

不像我能想到的某些其他服務。

I also picked this question because I can't bear watching RedLetterMedia keep inching closer to a million subscribers any longer. 用詞

我也選了這個問題，因為我實在受不了看著 RedLetterMedia 一點點慢慢挪向一百萬訂閱了。

Can we get these guys their gold play button already? 文化背景

咱們能趕緊給這幫傢伙拿個百萬金牌創作者獎嗎？

Click and subscribe.

點擊並訂閱。

What's your favorite joke you've hidden in a video?

你在影片裡隱藏的最喜歡的笑話是什麼？

I'm gonna let this one slide because oh man, 慣用語

這個我就放過了，因為天哪，

do I love hiding stuff in videos

我太喜歡在影片裡藏東西了，

and it brings me tremendous joy when people find all the things.

當人們發現所有細節時，我感到無比快樂。

For example,

例如，

have you found all the bees?

你找到所有的蜜蜂了嗎？

There's a lot of them now.

現在可有很多了。

Again, no favorites,

再次強調，沒有最愛，

but a recent one I'm pleased with is this dude in the airport reading The Hobbit and then The Fellowship of the Ring and then the entire Rings trilogy,

但我最近比較滿意的一個是，在機場有個傢伙在讀《哈比人》，然後是《魔戒首部曲》，最後讀完了整個《魔戒》三部曲，

implying the wait to board that flight was really long.

這暗示著那趟航班的候機時間實在太長了。

Favorite integer?

最喜歡的整數？

No, I don't.

不，我沒有。

Favorite color?

最喜歡的顏色？

I shouldn't have. 文法

我不該開這個頭的。

Favorite magic colors?

最喜歡的魔法風雲會顏色？

Well, black and blue obviously,

好吧，顯然是黑色和藍色，

but no getting around this one. 慣用語

但這個問題是繞不開的。

Favorite YouTuber?

最喜歡的 YouTuber？

You know these people are my friends.

你知道這些人都是我的朋友。

It would be really weird to pick a

非要挑一個的話會非常奇怪的

Favorite podcast?

最喜歡的 Podcast？

No, I already explained-

不，我已經解釋過了——

Favorite movie, favorite liberian country flag,

最喜歡的電影、最喜歡的賴比瑞亞縣旗、

favorite world leader?

最喜歡的世界領導人？

You can't be serious. 語氣意圖

你別開玩笑了。

Favorite law of physics,

最喜歡的物理定律，

favorite conspiracy theory,

最喜歡的陰謀論，

favorite tree?

最喜歡的樹？

What?

什麼鬼？

On a scale of 1 to 10,

從 1 到 10 評分，

what is your favorite color of the alphabet?

你最喜歡的字母表顏色是什麼？

No.

不行。

Okay,

好吧，

this is my fault.

這是我的錯。

I shouldn't have opened this door. 慣用語

我不該開這扇門的。

What is your favorite spelling of favorite?

favorite（最喜歡）這個詞你最喜歡怎麼拼寫？

Okay, enough of the

好了，受夠這些了

What is the most persistent physical object you own?

你擁有的存在最久的實物是什麼？

That's a good question.

這是個好問題。

Like,

嗯，

it must be my original wedding ring.

那肯定是我原來的結婚戒指了。

I can't think of an object that's been with me longer.

我想不出還有什麼東西陪伴我的時間比它更長。

I currently wear a second edition,

我現在戴的是第二版，

which will eventually become the third most persistent object in my life.

它最終將成為我生命中存在第三久的物品。

What's the second most persistent?

第二久的是什麼呢？

Well,

是這樣，

while moving office recently,

最近搬辦公室的時候，

I found it hiding in an envelope at the bottom of a box.

我發現它藏在一個箱底的信封裡。

Sure,

我確定，

I had thrown it away,

我早就把它扔了，

positive in fact,

我非常肯定，

but somehow this specter evaded my many moves and purges. 慣用語

但不知為何，這個幽靈逃過了我多次搬家和清理。

I have no idea how it shadowed me,

我不知道它是怎麼跟著我的，

hiding nearby for a decade.

在附近藏了整整十年。

So,

所以，

to explain this thing,

要解釋這個東西，

back in the long ago,

在很久很久以前，

I quit teaching,

我辭去了教職，

packed all my belongings,

打包了所有家當，

bundled my savings,

帶上了我所有的積蓄，

heading off into the sunset with the sure knowledge I was to achieve the project of my life, 講解

滿懷信心地走向夕陽，深信我將成就一生中最重要的事業，

to escape the system, 表達脈絡

逃離體制，

to become self-employed,

成為自僱人士，

to be free.

獲得自由。

And I totally failed.

但我完全失敗了。

Burned through my savings and returned to London, 片語動詞

燒光了積蓄後，我回到了倫敦，

humbled, 文法

灰頭土臉，

having to find another teaching job.

不得不重新找了一份教書的工作。

That year of failure was not a great time

那失敗的一年真的很不好過，

and what I thought would be my Mjolnir with which to forge my new life was instead a cursed object. 講解

我本以為能用來鍛造新生活的「雷神之錘」，結果卻是個被詛咒的物件。

This original MacBook Air,

這台初代 MacBook Air，

the laptop sold on its thinness and lightness, 用詞

以輕薄為賣點的筆記型電腦，

the machine I spent a significant portion of my savings on as it seemed perfect for the life of peregrination before me. 片語搭配

這台花了我一大筆積蓄的機器，因為當時我覺得它完美契合我即將開啟的遊歷生活。

This laptop was a disaster with catastrophic thermal problems making it run painfully slow. 文法

這台筆電簡直是個災難，災難性的散熱問題讓它運作得慢得令人髮指。

And during this dark time,

而在那段黑暗的日子裡，

I lived in Hawaii with family to save money.

為了省錢，我和家人一起住在夏威夷。

Now,

其實，

Hawaii doesn't believe in air conditioning because the island is paradise and the weather is perfect. 慣用語

夏威夷人不信奉冷氣，因為這島嶼就是天堂，天氣總是完美的。

It isn't.

但才怪。

I have such a visceral memory of being inescapably hot and sweaty, 用詞

我至今對那種無法擺脫的悶熱流汗有著切身的記憶，

trying to work while heat poured out from the keyboard,

我試圖工作，而熱氣從鍵盤裡湧出，

melting me, 慣用語

融化了我，

melting my dreams.

也融化了我的夢想。

I thought I had long gotten rid of this totem of the absolute failure of a younger man. 慣用語

我本以為我早就處理掉了這個象徵年輕時徹底失敗的圖騰。

But it's weird.

但很奇怪。

Now that it's been so long, 文法

現在過去這麼久了，

I kind of want to mount it on my office wall as #neverforget. 語氣意圖

我倒有點想把它掛在辦公室牆上，打上 #永遠銘記 的標籤。

I don't think I really will,

我想我也不會真的這麼做，

but I haven't thrown it out yet. 片語動詞

但我目前還沒有把它扔掉。

What is one topic you will never discuss?

你絕對不會討論的一個話題是什麼？

How am I to answer this question? 文法

我該怎麼回答這個問題？

Is there still hope for the Catan video?

《卡坦島》的影片還有希望出嗎？

No.

沒有。

What are your tips on improving one's ability to read?

關於提高閱讀能力，你有什麼建議嗎？

Spend less time on the Tweetbooks and Snapstagrams. 用詞

少花點時間在 Tweetbooks 和 Snapstagrams 上。

I kind of left a lot of the internet temporarily a while back.

前陣子我有點短暫地離開了網路的很多圈子。

I don't know if you've heard. 語氣意圖

不知道你們聽說了沒有。

I've only made a vlog and talked about it repeatedly on my podcasts.

我只做了個 Vlog，並在我的 Podcast 裡反覆談到這件事。

Anyway,

不管怎樣，

I think internet comments train my brain to have a short attention span. 片語搭配

我覺得網路的留言把我的大腦訓練得注意力集中時間變短了。

So,

所以，

less of the Reddit equals more of the books, 表達脈絡

少刷 Reddit 等於多看書，

which I think is a net positive. 用詞

我認為整體來說這是正面的。

But I do miss the Wild West of the Internets. 慣用語

但我確實懷念網路那個「狂野西部」的時代。

Sometimes I can hear the memes calling me.

有時候我能聽到各種迷因在呼喚我。

Now,

現在的關鍵是，

anything you want to have more of in your life,

任何你希望在生活中做得更多的事情，

like reading,

比如閱讀，

also try to decide ahead of time what you're going to have less of to make space for it. 片語搭配

也要試著提前決定好你要減少什麼，以便為它騰出空間。

Saying you want to do more X without also saying what you want to do less of is a recipe for failure. 講解

光說想多做 X，卻不說想少做什麼，那注定會失敗。

In life,

在生活中，

there are no solutions, 表達脈絡

沒有完美的解決方案，

only trade-offs.

只有權衡取捨。

How come you don't mention D&D more often? 文法

你為什麼不更多地提到 D&D？

Despite,

儘管，

as you might imagine,

正如你們想像的那樣，

the child me being right in the demographic for D&D, 片語搭配

小時候的我正處於 D&D 的受眾群體之中，

I never played it.

但我從未玩過。

So,

所以，

that's why I don't mention it.

這就是我不提它的原因。

The closest I ever got was Baby's First D&D, 講解

我最接近它的一次是玩幼兒版的 D&D，

HeroQuest,

《HeroQuest》，

which I loved playing as the Dungeon Master.

我超喜歡在裡面扮演地下城主。

Does it frustrate you how all the months have different numbers of days?

每個月的天數都不一樣，這會讓你感到抓狂嗎？

It makes spreadsheets very untidy.

這讓試算表非常不整齊。

So,

所以，

yes.

是的。

Have any answers from the previous Q&As changed?

之前問答環節中的答案有改變的嗎？

Man,

老天，

every time this gets asked,

每次被問到這個問題，

I have more videos to check.

我都要查更多的影片。

This time through, 片語搭配

這一次查的時候，

I noticed I've previously mentioned a proportional Senate as one of my top three changes to the Constitution,

我注意到我以前曾提到將參議院改為比例代表制是我對憲法做出的三大修改之一，

which was totally surprising to current me to see. 用詞

現在的我看到這個覺得完全是個意外。

Maybe past me meant a Senate run by MMP?

也許過去的我是指由聯立制運作的參議院？

If so,

如果是那樣，

I didn't make that very clear.

我表達得並不是很清楚。

Anyway,

無論如何，

I'm still pretty firmly against the Electoral College, 文化背景

我仍然相當堅決地反對選舉人團制度，

not because of the original idea, 文法

不是因為其最初的理念，

but because of what has changed in the last centuries.

而是因為過去幾個世紀發生了改變。

But the House and Senate system seems like a pretty good way to try to balance the power of the states and the people. 文化背景

但是眾議院和參議院制度似乎是一個試圖平衡各州和人民權力的相當不錯的方法。

What's your favorite exit?

你最喜歡的離場方式是什麼？

The exit of my people,

我們愛爾蘭人的離場方式，

the Irish exit. 文化背景

愛爾蘭式道別。

Goodbyes are uncomfortable.

道別讓人感到不自在。

When you're done,

當你要結束的時候，

you're done.

就結束了。

Just go.

直接走人就是了。