輕鬆日記商務職場篇 第135期:保持中立
核心句型：
In order not to offend either of them, I prefer to sit on the fence.
爲了不冒犯他們其中任何一人，我選擇保持中立。
sit on the fence原來是指“在分家產的時候，騎在分割家產的籬笆上，不知應該選擇哪一邊”，現在這個短語常用來表示：“保持中立，採取騎牆觀望的態度”。因此，當美國人說"In order not to offend either of them, I prefer to sit on the fence."時，他/她要表達的意思就是:"In order not to annoy either of them, I took a neutral stance on this issue."、"I'd remain neutral in the event so as not to displease either of them."。
情景對白：
Benjamin: Why not express your opinion? Which side are you on?
本傑明：你怎麼不發表意見呢？你支持哪一方？
Terry: In order not to offend either of them, I prefer to sit on the fence.
泰瑞：爲了不冒犯他們其中任何一人，我選擇保持中立。
搭配句積累：
①What do you think of their suggestions?
你認爲他們的提議怎麼樣？
②I don't really know what happened.
我確實不清楚究竟發生了什麼。
③Both of them are reasonable, but also one-side.
雙方都有道理，但他們都是片面的。
④What's your opinion?
你怎麼看？
單詞：
1. neutral adj. 中立的
Let's meet on neutral territory.
我們在中立地區會面吧。
Those who had decided to remain neutral in the struggle now found themselves required to take sides.
那些先前決定在爭鬥中保持中立的人現在發現他們需要表明立場了。
Switzerland seems to be a permanently neutral state.
瑞士似乎是一個永久中立國。
2. stance n. 立場
The Congress had agreed to reconsider its stance on the armed struggle.
國會已同意重新考慮其對武裝鬥爭的態度。
They have maintained a consistently neutral stance.
他們一直持中立態度。
His stance towards the story is quite similar to ours.
他對該報道的態度和我們很相像。
