連抽八次的上上籤
John, a Canadian native, had been working in Taiwan as an expatriate for half a year.
約翰從加拿大派駐來台工作半年，
native(n.)本地人expatriate(n.)移居國外者，僑民
This was the first Lunar New Year he was spending in Taiwan.
這是他在台灣過的第一個農曆年，
lunar(adj.)月亮的，農曆的
Besides his curiosity with regard to festive traditional items like red envelopes and Spring Festival couplets,
除了對紅包跟春聯這些應景事物感到有趣之外，
curiosity(n.)好奇心with regard to關於festive(adj.)節日的traditional(adj.)傳統的couplet(n.)對句
he was also amused by something that he saw on television -- the President drawing a kau cim, or divination stick, on behalf of the nation.
當他看到電視上，總統去抽國運籤這件事更是讓他大感驚奇。
amuse(v.)逗樂，逗笑president(n.)總統draw(v.)抽kau cim求籤behalf(n.)代表on behalf of代表nation(n.)國家
“The national leader drawing divination sticks in a temple forecasts the country’s fortune in the coming year... What a huge gamble!
「由國家領導者去寺廟抽籤，並預言國家未來一年的運勢，這個賭注也下得太大了吧！
national(adj.)國家的leader(n.)領導者forecast(v.)預測fortune(n.)機會，運氣gamble(n.)賭博
I guess Taiwan is the only place in the whole world that would take such a risk!”
全世界大概只有台灣會做這件事！」
take a risk冒風險
John said, astonished.
他不可思議地說著，
astonished(adj.)感到震驚的
“It’s not so bad if the divination is an auspicious one,
「要是抽得好還好，
auspicious(adj.)吉利的
but if it isn’t, wouldn’t that cast a gloom over the entire year, right from the beginning? ”
抽不好不就一開春就觸霉頭」，
cast a gloom over為……蒙上陰影entire(adj.)整個的
John picked up Mandarin in university.
大學學中文的他，
Mandarin(n.)國語
His pronunciation was not perfect, but his word choice was on point.
國語說得雖不標準，但用字卻一點都不含糊。
pronunciation(n.)發音perfect(adj.)完美的on point很到位
Besides, Taiwan’s president is an elected one, with no divine powers or rights.
何況台灣的領導者是選舉選出來的，又不是君權神授，
elect(v.)選舉，推選divine(adj.)神的power(n.)權力right(n.)權利
John went on, “I looked up your Nankunshen Daitian Temple online.
他繼續說：「我上網查過你們南鯤鯓代天府，
Nankunshen Daitian Temple南鯤鯤鯓代天宮online(adv.)在網路上
As the largest Wang-ye Temple in Taiwan, it’s earned the title of “Taiwan’s Preeminent Wang-ye Temple”.
作為台灣最大的王爺廟，它有台灣王爺總廟的稱譽，
title(n.)頭銜preeminent(adj.)卓越的，顯著的
It’s extremely symbolic, yet its divination sticks, produced for the nation, had been tampered with not once, but twice!”
名氣大有指標性，國運籤竟然還被竄改過兩次！」。
extremely(adv.)很，非常symbolic(adj.)代表的，象徵的yet(conj.)然而produce(v.)產生tamper(v.)竄改
Before I could compliment him on being a “Taiwan Expert”, he took out his phone and showed me a divination stick he drew earlier.
我都還來不及稱讚他真是「台灣通」時，他拿出手機給我看他剛才抽的籤，
compliment(v.)誇獎expert(n.)專家
In recent years, many of Taiwan’s major temples have started providing e-divination services.
原來近年來各大寺廟都開始提供網路抽籤，
recent(adj.)最近的，近來的major(adj.)主要的，重大的provide(v.)提供service(n.)服務
Devotees need no longer meet the gods personally, and they can cast a “moon block” divination from a distance and receive a divine poem that tells their fortune.
信徒們無須面見神明，只要透過網路，遠距離擲筊，就能取得籤詩，
devotee(n.)崇拜者，虔誠信徒personally(adv.)親自cast(v.)丟，擲moon block筊distance(n.)距離poem(n.)詩
E-divination is both convenient and eco-friendly.
既方便又環保，
eco-friendly(adj.)環保的
I said to John, “You have got the best divination stick!”
我說你抽到的是上上籤欸！
John replied, “I got one of the worst sticks on my first try, so I kept trying, and got this lucky one on my 8th try!”
他回我說第一次抽的是下下籤，一直連抽了八遍才抽到上上籤！
reply(v.)回覆，回答
“How is this even valid?”
我問：「這樣怎麼會準？」
valid(adj.)有效的
To this, John said, “Why not? Where there’s a will, there’s a way!”
他說:「怎麼會不準？這就叫有志者事竟成！」
will(n.)意志，毅力，決心way(n.)方法，方式
If the deities, I thought to myself, knew how John drew his stick, they would roll off of their altars laughing!
我想神明看他這樣抽籤，一定也笑得快從神桌跌下來了吧！
deity(n.)神roll(v.)翻滾off(adv.)離開altar(n.)祭壇