國定惱人小事周：抱怨有理
by Rebecca A. Fratzke
Need to gripe? National Pet Peeve Week gives you an excuse to complain.
想要一吐怨氣嗎？『國定惱人小事周』給你不吐不快的理由。
We all have them. Some of them are simply annoying. Some of them can actually give us violent urges. _(1)_ Merriam-Webster.com, a pet peeve is a "frequent subject of complaint." While this is a simple description, pet peeves are more than just complaints. Pet peeves are actions or situations that _(2)_ us crazy. Examples include incorrect train schedules, people chewing food with their mouths wide open, or little dogs that _(3)_ bark at anything and everything. In truth, a pet peeve can be anything that someone finds annoying. Moreover, if we were all honest, we could quickly _(4)_ a long list. Although complaining is usually something to be avoided, the second week in October has become a time to honor these annoyances. In the US, this is National Pet Peeve Week, a time for people to complain freely about the things that irritate them.
The idea of having a whole week to complain seems odd. However, there could actually be something important behind it. National Pet Peeve Week has allowed people to vent their _(5)_ that they usually keep bottled up. Allowing oneself to speak truthfully can reduce tension and increase calmness. _(6)_, National Pet Peeve Week does not give you a free pass to be rude. Hurting someone else's feelings _(7)_ is never a good thing. That said, helping a friend correct a bad habit or reminding someone of their social responsibilities can create a better world even if it's only in a small way.
1. (A) Owing to (B) In case of (C) According to (D) By means of
2. (A) pull (B) drive (C) cause (D) bring
3. (A) constantly (B) popularly (C) narrowly (D) traditionally
4. (A) break up with (B) put up with (C) keep up with (D) come up with
5. (A) imaginations (B) expectations (C) frustrations (D) reactions
6. (A) Consequently (B) Even so (C) In other words (D) For the time being
7. (A) on purpose (B) on call (C) in demand (D) in advance
我們都有討厭的事物。有些單純只是惱人，有些卻真的能夠讓我們有發飆的衝動。根據在線韋氏字典的解釋，pet peeve 是指『經常抱怨的事物』。雖然這不過是個簡單的描述，但它們絕非僅止抱怨而已。惱人的小事是讓我們生氣的舉動或情況。舉例來說，不準的火車時刻表、張大嘴巴咀嚼食物、或是小狗一直胡亂吠叫都是惱人的小事。事實上，惱人的小事可以是任何令人討厭的東西。此外，如果我們夠誠實的話，我們馬上就能想出一長串可以抱怨的名單。雖然抱怨的行為通常不受到鼓勵，但 10 月的第二周卻是一段表揚它的時間。這就是美國的『國定惱人小事周』，一個讓人們能大肆抱怨惱人事物的時刻。
將整個星期做為抱怨之用似乎有點奇怪，然而這背後其實有其重要的意涵。國定惱人小事周使人們平日壓抑的挫折得以抒發。直言不諱有助減少精神緊張，同時帶來心靈的平靜。即使如此，國定惱人小事周並不允許你隨便對人無禮。蓄意傷害別人的感情絕非好事。但若是藉由抱怨進而幫助朋友改掉壞習慣，或者提醒他們應肩負的社會責任，即便改善的程度不大，卻能創造出更美好的世界。
答案：1. (C)2. (B)3. (A)4. (D)5. (C)6. (B)7. (A)
For Your Information
GetAnnoyed 的網站 (www.getannoyed.com)，裡頭條列出很多令人討厭或生氣的事物，有些是大多數人都會贊同（例如開車轉彎時不打方向燈、失敗時只責怪別人但從不檢討自己），有些則還不到需要抱怨的程度（例如穿著打扮不符合自己的年齡、電影院播放電影前的宣傳廣告）。瀏覽一下這個網站，看看自己有沒有那些可能引人不滿的習慣或行為喔！
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