I was upset but did not tell Lam Kin-fung, who had called to invite me to lunch with another journalist and a legislative councillor. He could not have known I had expensive glasses in my hand. It was totally my fault for answering the call instead of calling him back later. To renovate a flat means to repair and re-furnish it to make it look newer. When things "topple over", it means they become unsteady and fall. Broken pieces of glass are called shards. I received a phone message from Lam Kin-fung last week, which made me remember about my broken wine glasses.
He sent a message to say he had read last week's column in which I said he had got the expression "building castles in the air" wrong. I sent a message back to ask if he was mad (angry) that I had pointed out his mistake. He replied: "Why should I be mad? I am still learning every day." Even while writing last week's column, I was worried he would get mad at me. That's why I was relieved (no longer worried or anxious) when Lam Kin-fung told me he was not mad. The focus (emphasis) of this column is to help readers improve their English from mistakes. We can all learn from mistakes, from our own mistakes and from the mistakes of others. Making people mad is not the focus of this column.
＊ ＊ ＊
約莫年半前，因為業主裝修（renovate）單位，我得搬至同大廈的一個臨時單位。當我移送幾隻昂貴的酒杯與馬天尼杯到臨時單位時，手機響了。我從屏幕上見到來電者是立法會及行政會議成員林健鋒。接聽電話很困難，因為我一手有兩隻杯，另一手是一隻杯和電話。我嘗試快速把杯放在枱上，但它們全數翻倒（toppled over）了，破裂成碎片（shards）。
我很難過，但沒有告訴林健鋒，他打來邀請我與另一位新聞工作者和立法會議員午膳。他不會知曉，我手上正拿着昂貴的酒杯。我選擇接聽電話而非過一會才回電，這完全是我的錯。To renovate a flat即是裝修單位，令它看來較為簇新。Topple over就是物件放不穩而摔破。玻璃碎片叫作shards。上星期我接到林健鋒的電話短訊，令我回想起那些摔破的酒杯。
他傳來短訊，說他讀了上星期的專欄，就是我指出他弄錯了習語"building castles in the air"那篇。我回他的時候問道，他惱怒（mad）我指出他的錯處嗎？他回覆道：「我怎麼會惱怒（mad）呢？我每天都還在學習。」即使我在寫上星期的專欄時，仍在憂心他會惱怒（mad at）我。因此當林健鋒說他沒有生氣（mad）時，我頓時釋懷（relieved）。這個專欄的重點（focus）是幫助讀者從錯誤中改善英語。我們人人都可以從錯誤中學習，不論自己或是別人的錯誤。惹怒（mad）人並非此專欄的重點（focus）。mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻字
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=298190§ion_name=wtt&kw=126