Ⅰ.核心學習：Applying for Leave申請休假
Michael: Do you feel tired these days Billy?邁克爾：這些天你覺得累嗎，比利？
Billy: I sure do. Do you think it's because ofinsomnia?比利：我確實覺得累，你認爲這是因爲失眠嗎？
Michael: No. I know exactly why we are so tired.邁克爾：不是，我知道爲什麼我們這麼累的確切原因。
Billy: And your answer is?比利：那麼你的答案是？
Michael: We are very fatigued, burnt-out!邁克爾：你爲什麼不讓技術人員幫你往電腦裏裝新程序？
Billy: That's because we work so hard every day.比利：那是因爲我們每天工作很辛苦的原因。
Michael: It's time for me to apply for some leave.邁克爾：現在是我申請休假的時候了。
Billy: That's a great idea! We can apply together and then go on holiday.比利：好主意！我們可以一起申請，然後去度假。
Michael: But if we both apply for leave on the same day, the company might say no to both of us!邁克爾：可是如果我們倆在同一天申請休假的話，公司可能會對我們倆說不！
Billy: We need to develop a cunning plan then.比利：那我們得想出一個妙計。
Ⅱ.單詞簡析
1) Insomnia:medical term for not being able to sleep
失眠，失眠症：無法入睡的醫學術語
ex:I know someone with insomnia who only gets two hours of sleep each night.
我認識一個患有失眠症的人，他每天晚上只能睡上兩個小時。
2) Fatigued:very tired
疲乏的：很疲憊
ex:After the weekend riding horses in the country-side, I was very fatigued.
週末在鄉間騎馬之後我非常疲憊。
3) Burnt-out:exhaust oneself
筋疲力盡：過度勞累
ex:The project went on for over two years and by the end of it I was just burnt-out.
工程進行了兩年多，到最後我筋疲力盡。
4) Leave:holiday
請假，休假：假期
ex:The human resources department is responsible for approving leave applications from staff.
人力資源部負責批准員工的休假申請。
Ⅲ.課文篇
Everyone needs a holiday. In almost every country, companies are required by law to give their staff paid holidays each year in addition to the normal public holidays.
每個人都需要假期。幾乎每個國家的法律都要求公司每年除了給員工正常的公共假期外，還給員工帶薪的.假期。
Why should staff take holidays? The answer is simple - it'sbecause we are human beings and not machines. If we don't take a break from what we are doing every now and then, we will stop working efficiently and eventually break down. Actually, even machines need a rest sometimes to make sure they work at their maximum efficiency!
爲什麼員工應該休假？答案很簡單－因爲我們是人，不是機器。如果我們不每隔一段時間從我們所從事的工作中解脫出來，我們的工作效率就會降低，最終會累垮。實際上，甚至機器有時也需要檢修，以確保它們的工作效率達到最大限度。
Companies usually offer their staff between 10 and 20 days of paid holiday each year after you have completed one year of full-time employment.
當你全職受僱於公司的時間達到了一年之後，公司通常每年給你10至20天的帶薪假期。
All companies have their own rules for when staff want to apply for leave, but generally there will be a form to complete which you ask your manager to approve. If your direct manager agrees with the time and the length of your requested leave, you might then need the approval of your human resources department.
對於員工的休假申請，所有的公司都有他們自己的規定。不過通常來說你需要填一張表格，請求你的經理准假。如果你的直接頂頭上司同意你要求的假期時間以及假期長短，那麼接下來你可能需要人力資源部的批准。
Sometimes your company will not be able to approve your leave. Maybe you want to take too many days off together or maybe you ask for leave at a very busy time. It is important to be flexible in asking for leave and only make your holiday plans after your leave has been approved.
有時候你的公司不能批准你的請假。也許你一次要求的天數太多了，或者也許你要求的休假期間是一個非常忙碌的時期。申請休假要靈活，而且只有得到准假後再做度假計劃，這是很重要的。
Before you go on leave make sure that you advise your colleagues and let them know of anything you want them to look after while you are away. Hand-over any important tasks to someone you can trust, turn your mobile phone off, get on the plane and enjoy your holiday!
在離開以前確保給同事一些建議，並且告訴他們你不在的時候你想讓他們關照的事情。將重要的工作交給你可以信賴的人，關上手機，登上飛機，享受你的假期吧！
Ⅳ.對話篇
Jeff: Did you enjoy your holiday Joan?
傑夫：你的假期過得好嗎，瓊？
Joan: Yes, but it was too short.
瓊：好，不過太短了。
Jeff: But you were gone for about two weeks.
傑夫：可是你離開了大約兩個星期。
Joan: The holiday wasgreat, but I am so tired that I feel like I need a holiday from my holiday!
瓊：假期很棒，不過我很累，我覺得我需要爲我的假期再要一個假期！
Jeff: That sounds pretty stupid. You will just have to wait until next year.
傑夫：那聽起來很愚蠢。你只能等到明年。
Joan: I'm not sure that I can wait that long. I tend to get burnt-out really easily.
瓊：我不知道我是否能等那麼久。我很容易疲憊。
Jeff: I wonder if the human resources department will let me lend my holidays to you?
傑夫：我在想不知道人力資源部會不會讓我借一些假期給你？
Joan: No! You should use the time to have a break.
瓊：不要！你應該用這段時間來休息。
Jeff: I don't like going on holiday though.
傑夫：不過我不喜歡去度假。
Joan: If you don't have a break, you will have a break-down!
瓊：如果你不休息，你會累垮的！