BBC初級口語:The Best Job in the World 世界頭等美差

Background: 一名英國男子榮獲‘世界頭等美差’。他的職責包括在澳洲旅遊景點大堡礁地區旅遊休閒，游泳和探索周邊美景以便撰寫博客宣傳該地區。

【文本】

"It gives me great pleasure to introduce the new caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, from the United Kingdom, Ben Southall." [Tourism Queensland]

A global recruitment drive with the trappings of a TV reality show that was truly a tourism marketing campaign.

'The best job in the world' competition finally has a winner, Ben Southall, a 34-year-old charity worker from Britain. He beat 34,000 candidates from 200 countries in an online competition that became something of an internet phenomenon.

"To go away now as the island caretaker for tourism Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef is an extreme honour. I hope I can fill the boots as much as everybody is expecting, my swimming hopefully is up to standard and I look forward to all of the new roles and responsibilities that the task involves." [Ben Southall]

For an Australian tourism industry currently in the doldrums, this has been an unexpected boost. Tourism Queensland deliberately chose the midst of the northern winter to launch the campaign back in January, but didn’t expect anywhere near the global response. They think the only countries where people didn’t visit their website was North Korea and a few African nations.

What’s purported to be the best job in the world comes with a $110,000 (about 750,000 yuan) contract for six months' work, a luxury beachside home and a plunge pool.

For the losers meanwhile, there's the worst of long-haul journeys home.

【口語突破】

taker 管家

如：This block of flats has a non-resident caretaker.
這座公寓的管理員不在公寓裏住。

uitment drive 工作招聘活動

the boots 接任，勝任

to standard 達標

如：Their work is not up to standard.
他們的工作成績不夠標準。

s and responsibilities 角色和職責

6. in the doldrums 萎靡不振

7. launch the campaign 發起運動

8. long-haul 長途

如：It's been a long haul, but at last we have completed the job.
這一直是一項費時費力的工作，但最後我們還是完成了。

【Exercises】

Questions:

1. How many people applied for 'the best job in the world'?

2. Which of Ben’s skills might not be as good as it needs to be?

3. When was the recruitment drive launched?

4. How long will Ben have this job?

【Keys】

Answers

1. How many people applied for 'the best job in the world'?
More than 34,000 candidates applied for the job.

2. Which of Ben’s skills might not be as good as it needs to be?
Ben hopes his swimming is up to standard.

3. When was the recruitment drive launched?
It was launched in January, in the midst of the northern winter.

4. How long will Ben have this job?
Ben is initially contracted for six months.

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