Luis國際資訊事務所

本篇中英文節錄自《台灣光華雜誌》
九十九年一月第三十五卷第一期
『愛心商數』　全民升級
本文圖片提供：台灣光華雜誌
本社為尊重《台灣光華雜誌》，中文原文登出，僅供參考，中英文如有不盡相符之處，敬請包涵。

　　The end of the year is the season for chilly winter winds. It's also the season for something warmer—compassion. For both individuals and profit-seeking corporations, it's the time of year for giving back. A "red envelope" given in the name of charity at the year's end embodies a hope for the prosperity of the island and the security of its people.
　　A 2003 survey by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics (DGBAS) shows that in years without a major natural disaster, Taiwanese people donated nearly $42.7 billion to charity, or about half the government's annual social welfare budget. The largest recipients of charitable giving, which excluded donations to political parties, were religious groups, who received more than 50 percent of the total amount. Another 37 percent went to social welfare organizations, and roughly 10 percent to educational, environmental, and arts-related groups.
　　The lack of well-developed legal structures and the impulsiveness of donors allowed some 213 charities—most with little verification of who they were and no operational experience—to spring up after the 921 Earthquake in 1999 and rake in an explosion of $31.5 billion in donations for earthquake-related relief. Thereafter, controversies emerged on a number of issues, including the too-rapid release of relief funds into the disaster zone by charitable groups, the use of donations to purchase satellite news gathering vehicles by news organizations, the use of donations to cover labor, farmers', and fishermen's insurance premiums by the government, and the misappropriation of millions of dollars in donations by fundraisers to purchase ads touting their own achievements. Such events finally made the public aware of the possibility that its compassion was being abused. As a result, in December 1999, the Ministry of the Interior drafted a Charity Donations Act, and private groups began giving serious thought to self-regulation.

1. compassion n. 同情，憐憫
have compassion for...　　對……感到同情
例: The rich man has no compassion for beggars.
（這個有錢人對乞丐毫無同情心。）

2. in the name of...　　以……的名義
例: Tom wants to become a public defender to fight in the name of justice.
（湯姆想成為一名公設辯護律師以伸張正義。）

3. embody vt. 具體表現
例: My wedding ring embodies the love I have for my wife.
（我的婚戒具體表現出我對老婆的愛。）

4. prosperity n. 興旺，繁榮
例: A nation's prosperity depends on how hard its people work.
（國家的興盛取決於百姓的努力程度。）

5. exclude vt. 不包括；排除
例: The sale excludes new products in the store.
（這家商店的大拍賣不包括新產品在內。）

6. impulsiveness n. 衝動
impulsive a. 衝動的
impulse n. 衝動（與介詞 on 並用）
on impulse　　一時衝動∕興起
例: Sherry left her husband on impulse but regretted it later.
（雪莉一時衝動離開了她先生，但事後卻後悔了。）

7. verification n. 確認，證明
verify vt. 確認，證明
例: Unfortunately, there were no witnesses to verify John's statement.
（不幸的是，沒有任何證人可以證實約翰的說詞。）

8. spring up　　（如雨後春筍般）出現
例: Branches of that new donut shop are springing up all over town.
（那間甜甜圈連鎖店在鎮上各地紛紛出現。）

9. rake in...　　迅速（大量）地獲得（財富）
rake vi. 用耙子耙 & n. 耙子
例: Jim raked in a lot of money after selling his website to a leading company.
（吉姆把網站賣給一家大公司後，賺進了大把鈔票。）

10. emerge vi. 興起；出現
emerge from...　　從……出現
例: This area has emerged as a youth hangout.
（這個地區已成為年輕人出沒的新興地方。）
例: The fin of a shark emerged from the ocean, causing swimmers to panic.
（一隻鯊魚的鰭從海中冒出來，引起泳客一陣驚慌。）

11. tout vt. 吹捧，讚揚
be touted as...　　被吹捧為……
例: Coca-Cola was once touted as a good remedy for stomach problems.
（可口可樂曾被吹捧為治療胃病的良藥。）

12. draft vt. 擬定，草擬（法律、合約等）
例: Can you draft a proposal first, and then I will revise it later?
（你能不能先草擬提案，我稍後再來修改？）

1. quotient n. 商數
intelligence quotient　　智商（縮寫為 IQ）
2. chilly a. 冷颼颼的
3. profit-seeking a. 營利的
4. corporation n.（股份有限）公司
5. welfare n. 福利
6. recipient n. 受領者
7. charitable a. 慈善的
8. operational a. 執行的
9. explosion n. 遽增
10. relief n. 救濟
11. thereafter adv. 之後
12. satellite news gathering　　衛星新聞採集（＝ SNG）
13. premium n. 保險費；津貼
14. misappropriation n. 挪用；盜用
15. fundraiser n. 募款機構；募款活動
16. abuse vt. 濫用，妄用

1. make sb aware of...　　使某人意識到……
2. give thought to...　　思考……

每到寒風颼颼的年關，也是愛心暖暖的季節，不論是個人做愛心，或者企業汲汲營營一 整年，終於可以回饋，總之，送出紅包好過年，但求國泰又民安！
　　根據行政院主計處 2003 年所做的社會調查，在沒有重大天災人禍的一般年頭，台灣人每年的『愛心捐款』總額將近新台幣 427 億元，相當於中央政府每年社會福利預算的二分之一；除了政黨不計算在愛心捐款之內，估計愛心大餅中，至少五成流向宗教團體，三成七集中在社福團體，其他如 教育、環保、藝術類的團體則爭取剩下的一成。
　　然而，正因為法令環境不健全，加上捐款者多屬衝動型，當 1999 年 921 地震發生後，打著 921 名號的專案募款金額一下子暴衝到 315 億元，募款單位高達 213 家，多數徵信不足且沒有執行經驗；此外，引起爭議的現象還包括：慈善團體在災區發放急難慰助金過度輕率、電視台利用募款所得添購 SNG 車、政府把民間善款拿來支應勞農漁保保費、募款單位挪用百萬捐款購買廣告宣揚自家貢獻等等，這才讓大眾驚覺自己的愛心可能遭到誤用、濫用，從而促使內政部 於當年 12 月底完成『公益勸募條例草案』，民間組織也開始省思自律的議題。