TOEIC 很愛考「行程變動」：臨時有事、改時間、取消會議、延後約診，這些都超常出現在聽力與對話題。
而且職場更常用——你不可能每次都只會說 cancel，因為英文裡還有：
- call off（正式取消）
- put off / postpone（延期）
- reschedule（改期）
這集會用 真實職場情境對話＋高頻單字＋文法重點＋小測驗，讓你考試跟工作都能直接用。
🎧Apple Podcast｜Spotify
💬 情境對話
📍情境：會議臨時改期
English Dialogue
Mina: Hi Kevin, do you have a minute?
Kevin: Sure. What’s up?
Mina: I’m afraid we need to postpone tomorrow’s appointment with the client.
Kevin: Oh, what happened?
Mina: Our AI demo isn’t stable yet. I don’t think it’s proper to present it tomorrow.
Kevin: I see. Should we reschedule for next week?
Mina: Yes. Could you reach Ms. Lopez and ask if Tuesday works?
Kevin: No problem. Do we need to call off the meeting or just move it?
Mina: Just move it. Let’s put it off to Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Kevin: That’s fine with me. I’ll send a confirmation email.
Mina: Thanks. Also, if she can’t do Tuesday, we can offer Thursday.
Kevin: Got it. I’ll update the calendar and let you know.
中文翻譯
Mina：嗨 Kevin，你方便講一下嗎？
Kevin：可以啊，怎麼了？
Mina：我們可能得把明天跟客戶的約會延期。
Kevin：咦，發生什麼事？
Mina：我們的 AI demo 還不穩，我覺得明天就上場不太妥當。
Kevin：了解，那我們要不要改到下週？
Mina：好。你可以聯絡到 Lopez 女士，問她週二行不行嗎？
Kevin：沒問題。那是要取消會議，還是只是改時間？
Mina：改時間就好。我們先把它延到週二早上 10 點。
Kevin：我可以。我會寄確認信。
Mina：謝啦。如果她週二不行，我們也可以提供週四。
Kevin：收到。我會更新行事曆再跟你說。
📚 Vocabulary Boost — TOEIC 關鍵字彙
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech | 中文意思 | English Example Sentence（粗體標示目標字） | 中文翻譯 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| appointment | noun | 約會／約診／約定 | We have an appointment with the client at 3 p.m. | 我們下午3點跟客戶有約。 |
| cancel | verb | 取消 | The manager decided to cancel the meeting. | 經理決定取消會議。 |
| call off | phrasal verb | 取消（偏正式／活動） | They called off the event due to weather. | 因為天氣，他們取消活動。 |
| postpone | verb | 延期（正式） | We need to postpone the appointment to next week. | 我們要把約會延期到下週。 |
| put off | phrasal verb | 延後（口語） | Let’s put off the discussion until Friday. | 討論延到週五吧。 |
| reschedule | verb | 改期 | Can we reschedule for Tuesday morning? | 我們可以改到週二早上嗎？ |
| reach | verb | 聯絡到 | I couldn’t reach him by phone. | 我打電話聯絡不到他。 |
| proper | adjective | 合適的／妥當的 | I don’t think it’s proper to present today. | 我覺得今天簡報不太妥當。 |
| hold | verb | 舉行 | We will hold the meeting as planned. | 會議照原計畫舉行。 |
| confirm | verb | 確認 | Please confirm the new time by email. | 請用Email確認新時間。 |
🔍 Grammar Points — TOEIC 必考句型
| Structure / Pattern | 中文說明 | English Example | 中文翻譯 |
|---|---|---|---|
| I’m afraid + clause | 委婉提出壞消息 | I’m afraid we need to postpone. | 很抱歉我們得延期。 |
| need to + V | 表達必要性 | We need to reschedule. | 我們需要改期。 |
| Could you + V…? | 禮貌請求 | Could you reach Ms. Lopez? | 你可以聯絡 Lopez 女士嗎？ |
| It’s proper to + V | 表達是否妥當 | It’s not proper to present today. | 今天簡報不太妥當。 |
📖 Transcript 逐字稿
J: Welcome to MJ English. Today, we are tackling something we all face at work, probably more than we’d like: the last-minute schedule change.
J：歡迎來到《MJ English》。今天我們要來處理一個大家在工作中都會遇到，而且可能比我們希望的還要更常發生的狀況：臨時的行程變更。
M: Oh! It can be a real crisis if you don’t handle it well.
M：喔，如果處理不好，這種情況真的會變成一場危機。
J: And phrases like “cancel,” “postpone,” or “reschedule” are absolutely essential. They’re key for professional communication, and they pop up all the time on exams like the TOEIC.
J：像是「cancel」、「postpone」、「reschedule」這些片語，絕對是必備的，它們是專業溝通的關鍵用語，也經常出現在像 TOEIC 這類考試中。
M: They really do.
M：真的沒錯。
J: So, our mission today is to listen to a quick, realistic dialogue and then break down the exact language used.
J：所以我們今天的任務，就是先聽一段快速又真實的對話，接著拆解裡面實際使用的語言。
J: The scenario is this: a manager, Mina, has to reschedule a client meeting because their AI demo isn’t quite ready.
J：情境是這樣的：一位經理 Mina 因為他們的 AI 示範還沒有完全準備好，所以必須重新安排和客戶的會議。
Scenario: Rescheduling a client appointment
情境：重新安排客戶會議
Mina: Hi Kevin, do you have a minute?
Mina：嗨 Kevin，你現在有一點時間嗎？
Kevin: Sure. What’s up?
Kevin：當然，有什麼事嗎？
Mina: I’m afraid we need to postpone tomorrow’s appointment with the client.
Mina：我有點抱歉地說，我們需要延期明天與客戶的會議。
Kevin: Oh, what happened?
Kevin：喔，發生什麼事了？
Mina: Our AI demo isn’t stable yet. I don’t think it’s proper to present it tomorrow.
Mina：我們的 AI 示範還不夠穩定，我覺得明天拿出來展示並不合適。
Kevin: I see. Should we reschedule for next week?
Kevin：我懂了，那我們要不要改到下週？
Mina: Yes. Could you reach Ms. Lopez and ask if Tuesday works?
Mina：可以，你可以聯絡 Lopez 女士，問她星期二是否可以嗎？
Kevin: No problem. Do we need to call off the meeting or just move it?
Kevin：沒問題。我們是要取消會議，還是只是改時間？
Mina: Just move it. Let’s put it off to Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Mina：只要改時間就好，我們把它延到星期二上午十點。
Kevin: That’s fine with me. I’ll send a confirmation email.
Kevin：沒問題，我會寄確認信。
J: Okay, so that was fast, but there is so much to unpack there.
J：好，剛剛那段很快，但其實裡面有非常多可以拆解的內容。
J: What really stands out is how many different ways they talk about delaying or stopping the meeting. It’s not just one word.
J：最明顯的是，他們用很多不同的方式來表達延後或停止會議，而不是只用一個字。
M: Exactly. The nuance is critical. We basically have four key terms. First, the ones that mean stopping completely. We have “cancel” and “call off.”
M：沒錯，語感的差異非常重要，我們基本上有四個關鍵字，首先是表示「完全取消」的用法，也就是「cancel」和「call off」。
J: Right. To cancel something.
J：對，取消某件事情。
M: Yeah. “Cancel” is the direct verb, like “they decided to cancel the project.” It’s just over.
M：對，「cancel」是直接的動詞，例如「他們決定取消這個專案」，就是完全結束了。
J: And “call off” is the phrasal verb version, right? I feel like I hear that for bigger things, maybe.
J：而「call off」是片語動詞版本對吧？我感覺好像常用在比較大型的事情上。
M: That’s a great way to think about it. “They called off the company picnic because of the rain.” It has that same feeling of finality.
M：這樣理解很棒，例如「因為下雨，他們取消了公司的野餐活動」，也有那種徹底結束的感覺。
J: Okay, so what about the other side? The delay words.
J：那另一邊呢？表示延後的字。
M: So Mina used two really important ones: “postpone” and “put off.” First she says, “we need to postpone tomorrow’s appointment.”
M：Mina 用了兩個非常重要的字：「postpone」和「put off」，她先說「我們需要延期明天的會議」。
J: That one sounds very formal. Very business-like.
J：那個聽起來很正式，很商務。
M: It is. If you’re writing to a client, you should almost always use “postpone.” It’s the standard for delaying something to a later time.
M：沒錯，如果你是寫信給客戶，幾乎都應該使用「postpone」，這是正式延後事情的標準用法。
J: But then later, when she’s just talking to Kevin, she says, “Let’s put it off to Tuesday.”
J：但後來她跟 Kevin 說話時，卻用「Let’s put it off to Tuesday」。
M: Ah, you caught that.
M：啊，你有注意到。
J: So “put off” is more informal.
J：所以「put off」比較口語。
M: Yes. It’s perfect for internal team chat, but for external communication, you want to stick with the professional weight of “postpone.”
M：沒錯，很適合內部溝通，但對外溝通還是要使用比較正式的「postpone」。
J: Got it. And that brings us to the other key words. I liked “could you reach Ms. Lopez.”
J：了解，這也帶到另一個關鍵字，我很喜歡「could you reach Ms. Lopez」。
M: “Reach” is such a great synonym for “contact.” It feels more active, you know? Like you’re taking initiative.
M：「Reach」是「contact」很好的同義字，感覺比較主動，好像你在積極行動。
J: It really does. And what about “proper”? “I don’t think it’s proper to present it tomorrow.”
J：真的有這種感覺，那「proper」呢？「我覺得明天展示並不合適」。
M: That word elevates the whole reason for the change. It’s not just “I’m not ready.” It’s about professional standards. You’re showing you respect the client’s time.
M：這個字提升了整個延期的理由，不只是「我還沒準備好」，而是站在專業標準的角度，表示你尊重客戶的時間。
J: And that professionalism is backed up by some really clever grammar. Let’s get into that. The opening line felt so much better than just saying “we have to move the meeting.”
J：而這份專業感也來自一些很巧妙的文法，我們來看看，開頭那句比單純說「我們要改會議」好太多了。
M: Yes. That’s the magic of “I’m afraid” plus a clause. “I’m afraid we need to postpone.”
M：沒錯，這就是「I’m afraid」加上一個子句的魔力。
J: It immediately softens the bad news. It shows your concern, and it makes it a “we” problem, not a “you” problem. It’s collaborative.
J：它立刻柔化了壞消息，展現你的關心，也把問題變成「我們」的問題，而不是「你的」問題，是合作式的語氣。
M: That’s a great point. And what about the request she makes?
M：這個觀察很棒，那她提出請求的方式呢？
J: She doesn’t order him. She doesn’t say “Reach Ms. Lopez.”
J：她沒有下命令，也沒有說「去聯絡 Lopez 女士」。
M: No, that would be way too direct.
M：對，那樣太直接了。
J: Instead, she uses that polite, professional structure: “Could you” plus a verb. “Could you reach Ms. Lopez?”
J：相反地，她使用很禮貌、專業的句型：「Could you」加動詞。
M: Using “could” instead of “can,” or just a command, makes it so much more respectful. It’s a small word that makes a huge difference.
M：用「could」取代「can」或命令句，會顯得更尊重對方，是一個小字卻有巨大影響。
J: It really is, especially in writing. And finally, let’s go back to that word “proper.” The structure she uses is so powerful. It’s “not proper to” plus a verb.
J：真的如此，尤其在書面溝通中。最後我們回到「proper」這個字，她用的句型是「not proper to」加動詞。
J: By saying “I don’t think it’s proper to present it,” she frames her decision around quality, not just convenience.
J：透過這樣說，她把決定建立在品質，而不只是方便性上。
M: It’s a decision based on a thoughtful assessment of the situation.
M：這是一個經過深思熟慮後的判斷。
J: You’re communicating that you have high standards.
J：這代表你有高標準。
J: The main thing to remember then, is that how you say it is just as important as the new date you propose.
J：所以最重要的是，你怎麼說，跟你提出的新日期一樣重要。
M: Think about your own emails. Are you using “put off” when you should be using “postpone”? Adding a simple “I’m afraid” can completely change the tone.
M：想想你自己的 Email，你是不是該用「postpone」卻用了「put off」？只要加上一個「I’m afraid」，語氣就會完全不同。
J: That’s it for today’s MJ English. Remember, 5 minutes a day is all you need to win at work, win the TOEIC, and win over your colleagues.
J：以上就是今天的《MJ English》，記住，每天五分鐘，就足以讓你在工作上、TOEIC、以及職場人際上取得優勢。
M: If you found this episode useful, don’t forget to follow and share it with your friends. See you next time.
M：如果你覺得這一集有幫助，別忘了追蹤並分享給朋友，我們下次見。
J: Catch you in the next episode. Bye!
J：下集再見，掰掰！
