你飛了十幾個小時、好不容易 check in 進飯店房間，打開筆電準備趕 Zoom call，結果 Wi-Fi 訊號跳一下就斷一下——“The Wi-Fi keeps dropping.” 真的會讓人想哭。
這集帶你學會怎麼用英文跟飯店櫃台抱怨 Wi-Fi 問題、要求技術支援，甚至禮貌地爭取賠償。重點單字像 spotty、lag、outage、workaround，還有那句萬用神句「Is there any way I can…?」一次學起來，下次出國再也不用比手畫腳。
情境對話 Dialogue
Karen 國外出差，剛 check in 就發現房間 Wi-Fi 一直斷線，找 front desk 的 David 求救。
重點單字與片語 重點句型
English Dialogue
Karen: Hi, sorry to bother you, but the Wi-Fi in my room keeps dropping.
David: Oh no, I’m really sorry to hear that. How long has it been spotty?
Karen: Since I checked in this morning. I can barely get a signal near the bed.
David: That’s frustrating, especially when you’re trying to work. Have you tried reconnecting with the credentials printed on your keycard?
Karen: Yeah, three times. It connects, then dies after a minute. There’s so much lag I can’t even open my email.
David: Got it. We had a brief outage earlier, but the router on the 8th floor should be back online. Let me reset it from our end.
Karen: Is there any way I can use a wired connection? I have a Zoom call in twenty minutes.
David: Unfortunately the rooms aren’t wired, but the business lounge has stable Wi-Fi as a workaround. I can get you in right now.
Karen: That works. Could you send someone up later to take a look at my room too?
David: Of course. I’ll send our tech up within the hour. And honestly, for the trouble, would you mind if we comped your breakfast tomorrow as compensation?
Karen: That’s really kind, thank you. I just need the internet to work for my meeting.
David: Totally understand. Let me walk you to the lounge now so your call won’t miss a beat.
中文翻譯
Karen：哈囉，不好意思打擾一下，我房間的 Wi-Fi 一直斷線。
David：噢不，真的很抱歉。訊號斷斷續續多久了？
Karen：早上 check in 之後就這樣。我在床邊幾乎收不到訊號。
David：這真的很煩，尤其你還要工作。你有用房卡上的帳密重新連看看嗎？
Karen：有啊，連三次。連上之後一分鐘就斷掉。卡到我連 email 都打不開。
David：了解。我們稍早有短暫的網路中斷，不過 8 樓的路由器應該已經恢復了。我從這邊幫你重設一下。
Karen：有沒有什麼辦法可以用有線連線？我二十分鐘後有一個 Zoom 會議。
David：很抱歉房間沒有有線網路，不過商務貴賓室的 Wi-Fi 很穩，可以先當作替代方案。我現在就帶你進去。
Karen：可以。可以等等也派人上來看一下我房間嗎？
David：當然可以。我一小時內會派工程人員上去。說真的，造成你的不便，我們明天的早餐免費招待你當作補償可以嗎？
Karen：你人真好，謝謝。我現在只是真的需要網路撐過這場會議。
David：完全理解。我現在就帶你去貴賓室，保證你的會議一秒都不耽誤。
重點單字 Vocabulary Boost
- spotty / ˈspɑː.t̬i / adj. → 斷斷續續的、不穩定的
（最常用在 Wi-Fi、手機訊號、表現不穩定的狀態）
The cell service here is really spotty.（這裡的手機收訊真的很爛。） - lag / læɡ / n. → 延遲、卡頓
（科技類最常用，視訊、遊戲、串流都用）
There’s so much lag on this video call.（這通視訊嚴重延遲。） - credentials / krəˈden.ʃəlz / n. → 帳號密碼、登入資訊
（比 username and password 更專業，IT 場合常見）
Please enter your Wi-Fi credentials on the keycard.（請輸入房卡上的 Wi-Fi 帳密。） - outage / ˈaʊ.t̬ɪdʒ / n. → 服務中斷
（網路、電力、水都可以用，比 break 更正式）
We had a power outage last night.（我們昨晚停電。） - router / ˈruː.t̬ɚ / n. → 路由器、無線分享器
（注意美式發音是「ruː」不是「raʊ」）
Try restarting the router.（試試看重啟路由器。） - reset / ˌriːˈset / v. → 重設、重啟
（IT 萬用動詞，路由器、密碼、手機都能 reset）
Let me reset your password.（我幫你重設密碼。） - workaround / ˈwɝː.kə.raʊnd / n. → 替代方案、變通辦法
（不是完美解法，但能繞過問題的方法）
Using the lobby Wi-Fi is a temporary workaround.（用大廳的 Wi-Fi 是暫時的變通方法。） - compensation / ˌkɑːm.pənˈseɪ.ʃən / n. → 補償
（飯店、航空業最常聽到，可以是退款或免費升等）
We’d like to offer breakfast as compensation.（我們想以早餐作為補償。） - comp / kɑːmp / v. → 免費招待（complimentary 的縮寫）
（美式服務業超常見，意思是「店家請你」）
The manager comped our drinks.（經理免費請我們喝飲料。） - barely / ˈber.li / adv. → 幾乎沒有、勉強
（用一個小詞表達很大的不滿，超好用）
I can barely hear you.（我幾乎聽不到你。）
重點句型 Sentence Patterns
- … keeps + V-ing → 一直、不斷地（重複發生的煩躁狀況）
The Wi-Fi keeps dropping.（Wi-Fi 一直斷線。）| 替換詞：keeps freezing（一直當機）/ keeps shutting off（一直自動關機）
💡 用 keeps + V-ing 抱怨最有畫面感。常被直譯成「always」，但 keep 更精準——它強調「一次又一次」，櫃台聽到立刻知道事情沒完沒了。
- I can barely + V → 幾乎沒辦法（小詞大力量）
I can barely get a signal near the bed.（床邊幾乎收不到訊號。）| 替換詞：barely hear（幾乎聽不到）/ barely see（幾乎看不到）
💡 比起 “I can’t”，barely 更柔和但更有畫面，讓對方感受到你「努力試了還是不行」，比直接抱怨「不行」更容易得到同理。
- Is there any way I can …? → 有沒有什麼辦法可以…？
Is there any way I can use a wired connection?（有沒有什麼辦法可以用有線連線？）| 替換詞：get a late checkout（延後退房）/ switch rooms（換房間）
💡 飯店萬用神句。比「I want…」「Can I have…」更禮貌，給對方台階下。在西方服務業，越是給空間，越容易拿到 yes。
- Could you send someone up to …? → 可以派人來…嗎？
Could you send someone up to take a look at my room?（可以派人上來看一下我房間嗎？）| 替換詞：take a look（檢查）/ deliver extra towels（送多的毛巾）
💡 飯店請求技術支援、送東西、搬行李都用這句。take a look 比 fix it 更柔和，不會讓對方覺得你在下命令。
- Would you mind if + 過去式…? → 你介意我…嗎？（最委婉的提議）
Would you mind if we comped your breakfast?（你介意我們免費招待早餐嗎？）| 替換詞：if I switched rooms（如果我換房間）/ if I checked out late（如果我延後退房）
💡 注意動詞用「過去式」（comped 不是 comp），這是英文特殊規則，表達「假設語氣」。回答 No, not at all 才是「不介意，請便」，別答錯。
逐字稿 Transcript
J: Welcome back to MJ English, everyone. I’m Jason, and you just listened to a really common travel headache—Wi-Fi that just won’t stay connected.
Welcome back to MJ English，我是 Jason。你剛剛聽到的是出國旅遊最常見的崩潰時刻——Wi-Fi 怎麼樣都連不穩。
M: And I’m Mary. Karen barely made it through one sentence before saying her Wi-Fi keeps dropping. That phrase right there is gold.
我是 Mary。Karen 才講第一句就抱怨 Wi-Fi keeps dropping，這個說法真的是金句。
J: Welcome back to MJ English, everyone. I’m Jason, and you just listened to a really common travel headache—Wi-Fi that just won’t stay connected.
歡迎回到 MJ English，大家好。我是 Jason，剛才大家聽到的是一個非常常見的旅行煩惱——始終連不上的 Wi-Fi。
M: And I’m Mary. Karen barely made it through one sentence before saying her Wi-Fi keeps dropping. That phrase right there is gold.
我是 Mary。凱倫話還沒說完一句，就提到她的 Wi-Fi 斷斷續續。那個片語簡直是精華。
J: Right, “keeps dropping.” When you say something keeps doing something, it means it happens over and over. Not once, not twice, but again and again. So when Karen tells David the Wi-Fi keeps dropping, she’s painting a picture of constant frustration.
沒錯，「keeps dropping」（斷斷續續）。當你說某件事「keeps doing something」時，意思就是它反覆發生。不是一次、兩次，而是接二連三。所以當凱倫告訴大衛 Wi-Fi 一直掉線時，她描繪出了一種持續受挫的畫面。
M: You can swap “dropping” for almost anything that’s annoying you. The toilet keeps running. The AC keeps shutting off. The TV keeps freezing. It’s the perfect formula for a polite but firm complaint at any hotel.
你可以把「dropping」換成任何讓你煩惱的事。馬桶一直流水。冷氣一直自動關掉。電視一直卡住。這是向任何飯店提出既禮貌又堅定投訴的完美公式。
J: And notice she opens with “Sorry to bother you, but…” That’s such a friendly phrase because we love being polite first. Even when something is genuinely wrong, English speakers often soften the start so the staff doesn’t get defensive.
請注意她是以「抱歉打擾了，但是…」作為開場。這非常親切，因為我們習慣先講禮貌。即使真的出了問題，說英語的人通常會先放軟口氣，好讓員工不會產生防衛心。
M: Then David picks up two words I love—spotty and lag. Spotty doesn’t mean the Wi-Fi has actual spots, of course. It means inconsistent. Sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t. You can have a spotty connection, spotty cell service, even a spotty memory.
接著大衛用了兩個我很喜歡的詞——「spotty」（不穩定）和「lag」（延遲）。當然，「spotty」不是說 Wi-Fi 長了斑點。它的意思是斷斷續續。有時有用，有時沒用。你可以說網路連接不穩、手機收訊不穩，甚至是記憶力不牢靠。
J: And lag is the delay you feel between clicking something and it actually responding. Karen says there’s so much lag she can’t open her email. We use lag for video calls, online games, streaming—anytime tech feels slow.
「Lag」則是當你點擊某個東西到它真正反應之間的延遲感。凱倫說延遲太嚴重了，連電子郵件都打不開。我們會把這個詞用在視訊通話、線上遊戲、影音串流——任何科技產品感覺很慢的時候。
M: Then there’s the line, “I can barely get a signal near the bed.” Barely is one of those small adverbs that does heavy lifting. It means almost not at all. I can barely hear you. I can barely keep my eyes open. Tiny word, big drama.
還有那句「我在床邊幾乎收不到訊號」。 「Barely」（幾乎不）是那種能發揮強大作用的小副詞。它的意思是幾乎完全沒有。我幾乎聽不見你。我幾乎睜不開眼。小小的單字，大大的張力。
J: Karen also drops a really useful complaint pattern: “Is there any way I can…?” She uses it to ask about a wired connection. This phrase is your secret weapon when you want something but don’t want to sound demanding.
凱倫還用了一個非常有用的投訴句型：「有什麼辦法可以讓我…嗎？」她用這句話來詢問有線網路。當你想要某樣東西但又不想聽起來像是在強求時，這個片語就是你的秘密武器。
M: Exactly. Is there any way I can get a late checkout? Is there any way I can switch rooms? Is there any way I can get an extra towel? It’s polite, it’s hopeful, and it gives the staff room to say yes.
沒錯。有什麼辦法可以讓我晚點退房嗎？有什麼辦法可以讓我換房間嗎？有什麼辦法可以多要一條毛巾嗎？這很禮貌，充滿期待感，也給了工作人員答應的空間。
J: David’s reply is also a lesson in itself. He says they had a brief outage. An outage is when a service stops working—internet, electricity, even water. We had a power outage. There was a network outage. It sounds professional and it’s exactly the word hotel staff use.
大衛的回覆本身也是一門課。他說他們遇到了短暫的「outage」（停用/故障）。「Outage」是指服務停止運作——網路、電力、甚至是水。我們遇到了停電。網路發生了故障。這聽起來很專業，正是飯店人員會用的詞。
M: Then he offers a workaround. I love this word. A workaround isn’t the perfect fix—it’s a clever way to get around the problem. Wi-Fi is broken in your room? Use the lounge. That’s a workaround. It’s a great word for travel because problems happen and full solutions take time.
接著他提供了一個「workaround」（替代方案/權宜之計）。我非常喜歡這個詞。「Workaround」不是完美的修復方法，而是一個避開問題的巧妙方式。房間 Wi-Fi 壞了？去貴賓室用吧。這就是一個權宜之計。這在旅行中是個很棒的詞，因為問題總會發生，而徹底解決問題需要時間。
J: Karen then says, “Could you send someone up to take a look?” This is a beautifully indirect request. She’s not saying fix it now, she’s saying send a person to check. In English, asking for someone to take a look feels gentle and reasonable.
凱倫接著說：「能不能請人上來看看？」這是一個非常漂亮的間接請求。她不是說「現在給我修好」，而是說「請人來檢查一下」。在英語中，請求某人「take a look」（來看看）感覺溫和且合情合理。
M: And then comes my favorite cultural moment—David offers compensation. He says, “Would you mind if we comped your breakfast tomorrow?” Comp is short for complimentary, meaning free. In American hospitality especially, when something goes wrong, staff are often empowered to comp something on the spot.
接下來是我最喜歡的文化環節——大衛提供了補償。他說：「您介意我們請您吃明天的早餐嗎？」「Comp」是「complimentary」的縮寫，意思是免費贈送。特別是在美國的服務業，當出了狀況，員工通常被授權可以當場提供免費補償。
J: That’s so different from a lot of Asian service culture, where the front desk often has to call a manager before offering anything free. So if you’re traveling and something goes wrong, don’t be shy about politely mentioning the inconvenience. You might be surprised what gets comped.
這跟許多亞洲的服務文化大不相同，在亞洲，櫃檯人員通常得先打電話給經理才能提供免費招待。所以如果你在旅行時遇到問題，不要害羞，禮貌地提到造成的不便，你可能會驚訝於自己能得到什麼樣的補償。
M: And the magic phrase here is “Would you mind if…?” It’s the softest way to make any suggestion in English. Would you mind if I opened the window? Would you mind if I joined you? You’re literally asking permission while making it easy for them to say yes.
這裡神奇的片語是「Would you mind if…?」（您介意如果我…嗎？）。這是英語中提出任何建議最委婉的方式。您介意我開窗嗎？您介意我加入你們嗎？你字面上是在徵求許可，同時也讓對方很容易答應。
J: Let’s also talk about credentials. David asks if Karen tried the credentials on her keycard. Credentials means login info—username and password together. We use it for Wi-Fi, for apps, for accounts. It sounds way more professional than just saying password.
我們也來聊聊「credentials」（登入資訊）。大衛詢問凱倫是否試過房卡上的登入資訊。「Credentials」指的是登入資料——包括使用者名稱和密碼。我們在 Wi-Fi、App、帳號中都會用到。這聽起來比單純說「密碼」要專業得多。
M: One more—reset. David says he’ll reset the router. Reset means turn it off and on, basically restart it from scratch. You reset a router, you reset a password, you reset your phone. It’s the universal IT verb.
還有一個——「reset」（重設）。大衛說他會重設路由器。「Reset」意思就是關掉再打開，基本上就是從頭重新啟動。你可以重設路由器、重設密碼、重設手機。這是資訊科技通用的動詞。
J: Okay, let’s test your ears one more time. Listen for spotty, lag, outage, workaround, and that golden phrase—Is there any way I can…
好了，讓我們再測試一次你的聽力。注意聽「spotty」、「lag」、「outage」、「workaround」，還有那個精華片語——「Is there any way I can…」。
M: Pay attention to how Karen stays polite the whole way through, even though she’s clearly stressed about her Zoom call.
留意凱倫是如何全程保持禮貌的，儘管她顯然為了她的 Zoom 會議而感到壓力巨大。
J: How did that feel the second time around? Did the rhythm of the complaint sound smoother?
第二次聽感覺如何？抱怨的節奏聽起來是不是更順暢了？
M: I hope you noticed how Karen never raises her voice or makes it personal. She describes the problem, asks for help, and accepts the workaround. That’s the formula.
我希望你有注意到，凱倫從來沒有提高音量或針對個人。她描述問題、請求協助，並接受權宜之計。這就是公式。
J: When you travel and something breaks—and trust me, something always breaks—remember that the goal isn’t to win. The goal is to get the problem solved. Polite and specific almost always beats angry and vague.
當你在旅行而東西壞掉時——相信我，總有些東西會壞——請記住目標不是要爭贏。目標是要解決問題。禮貌且明確地表達，幾乎總是勝過憤怒且含糊的抱怨。
M: All the vocabulary, the sentence patterns, and a clean transcript are waiting for you in the show notes below. Save this episode for your next trip.
所有的單字、句型和完整逐字稿都在下方的節目資訊欄等著你。為了你的下一次旅行，存下這一集吧。
J: Until next time, may your Wi-Fi stay strong and your check-ins stay smooth. I’m Jason.
下次見，祝你的 Wi-Fi 訊號強勁，辦理入住一切順利。我是 Jason。
J: Pack light, stay polite, and keep your phrases ready.
輕裝上路、保持禮貌，並隨時準備好這些片語。
M: And I’m Mary. Keep traveling, keep talking. This has been MJ English.
我是 Mary。持續旅行，持續開口說。以上是 MJ English。
