礼节美语075讲
陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作。他和同事Amy散会一起往外走。
(Office ambience)
A：Chen Hao, I can`t believe what you were doing during that meeting.
C：开会的时候？我没干什么啊？
A：You were using your cell phone to send text messages.
C：噢，不就是用手机发发短信吗，Joe就坐在我旁边，他也一直在发啊。
A：He was out of line, too. It`s rude to send and receive text messages during a meeting.
C：今天会上说的都是Todd的项目，本来就跟我没什么关系，真不知道他干吗让我来参加。
A：Even if you felt it was a waste of your time, you needed to give the meeting and everyone there your full attention.
C：别人可能根本没注意到我在开小差。
A：Several people were aware that you were texting and they didn`t look happy about it. What if your boss had been there? Would you have done the same thing?
C：如果老板在，我可不敢。
A：That should tell you something. He would have called you down for that.
C：好，我知道了，这样做是不太礼貌，我下次一定注意。12点了，我们去吃点东西吧。
A：Ok, let`s go to that little sandwich shop around the corner.
******
午饭时，陈豪的手机响了。
C：是我的电话，对不起，Amy。Hello, Oh, hi Sue. What`s up? You can`t find the report? It`s in a green file folder. Call me back if you don`t see it. Bye.
A：That was rude.
C：难道我不应该接Sue的电话吗？
A：It`s discounting to others when you take calls and have conversations with people who are not present.
C：手机不就是干这个用的吗，这样别人才能随时随地找到我啊。
A：You don`t have to be available every minute of every day to whoever calls. When you are in meetings or at meals with other people, you should turn off your phone or put it on silent ringer.
C：照你说的，开会或是吃饭的时候关上手机，那误了电话怎么办？
A：You can always check your voice mail afterwards and return calls later when you are alone.
C：如果要是急事呢？
A：In that case, you explain to the person or group that you are expecting an important call and ask them to excuse you to answer if it comes in. Then you go to a private location to talk.
C：你是说，我应该事先告诉别人，我在等一个重要电话，然后到旁边去接。可是Amy, 其他人好像并没有这么做啊。
A：That doesn`t mean its acceptable behavior or good manners. When you talk on the phone in front of other people, you send a message that the person you are with is not as important as the one on the phone.
C：所以说，出于对别人的尊重，能不接的电话就不接，一定要接，就应该事先跟别人打个招呼。
流行美语第308课
李华在咖啡馆跟Larry见面。今天我们要学两个常用语： don`t put all your eggs in one basket和seeing red.
LL: How`s it going Li hua?
LH: 还可以，我这两天正琢磨着毕业以后找工作的事情。
LL: Have you had any luck so far?
LH: 我找到了两个比较合适的，我觉得自己能够胜任，而且起薪也不错。
LL: That`s great Li Hua, but don`t put all your eggs in one basket.
LH: 鸡蛋？我看中的工作跟养鸡一点关系都没有。
LL: Haha, no Li Hua, "don`t put all your eggs in one basket" is a saying in English. It means don`t put all of your hopes on one thing, or in other words, have a backup plan if things don`t turn out the way you imagine.
LH: 噢，我明白了，别把所有鸡蛋都放在一个篮子里，就是中文里说的别孤注一掷，别在一棵树上吊死。你是说我最好应该多申请几个。你放心，我会尽可能多寄一些申请表，我一定不会put all my eggs in one basket.
LL: That`s a very good idea.
LH: Larry, 你这两天忙什么呢？
LL: Well, Li Hua, I have been thinking of moving, so I have been looking at the classifieds for a new place. I am looking all over town and compiling a list, that way I will have a back up if my first choice falls through. I`m not putting all my eggs in one basket.
LH: 好主意。我的租约也快到期了。到时候你要帮我，多找几个合适的公寓，看看哪里有空的，按你的话说，I cannot put all my eggs in one basket.
LL: Exactly. Now what shall we do tonight?
LH: 我们可以去看今天上映的那部新片。不过，也有可能买不到票，所有我们要做两手准备。We don`t want to put all our eggs in one basket.
LL: That is a good point, Li Hua. Do you have any ideas of other things to do to avoid putting all our eggs in one basket?
LH: 电影院旁边就有个保龄球馆，万一买不到电影票，我们就去打保龄球。
******
李华和Larry没看上电影，只好去打保龄球。
LH: 真倒霉，被我不幸言中，电影票还真卖光了。
LL: That`s OK, Li Hua, now I can awe you with my bowling skills. Here I go.
(Sound of gutter balls)
LH: 哈！上来就是一个落沟球，演砸了吧。
LL: (Sign) Oh Boy, I am seeing red about having bowled so poorly.
LH: 眼前都是红色？你别吓唬我。
LL: No, Li Hua, seeing red means I`m really mad about something.
LH: 噢，seeing red是特别生气的意思。那我们没买到电影票，你有没有seeing red?
LL: Well, no Li Hua, I was a little annoyed but I was not quite seeing red. Seeing red means that you are really angry.
LH: 那两个月前，我的手提电脑被偷，我就可以说I was seeing red.
LL: Yes, Li Hua, that`s exactly right, if somebody stole my laptop, I would certainly be seeing red.
LH: 对了，昨天早上我在餐厅里把番茄酱洒了一身。I was really seeing red.
LL: Was it because you were angry or because the sauce is literally red?
LH: 你还开我玩笑！我昨天穿了件新衬衣，真心疼死我了。
LL: I`ve done that in the past. It is pretty bad.
LH: 你听说了吗，图书馆为了节省经费，要缩短开放时间。
LL: Oh really? How do the students feel about that?
LH: The students are really seeing red. 很多人都在校报上发表文章骂学校，还有不少人在校长办公室门前示威抗议。
LL: Yes that does sound like something that would really make students mad. I would be seeing red too.
LH: 不过话说回来，学校要节省开支，就一定要减少服务，不管减的是哪个部门，都会有人受到影响。Someone will be seeing red.
LL: That is a very good point Li Hua. Now hopefully I`ll start bowling better, or I won`t be seeing red, I`ll be red with embarrassment.
LH: 好啊，该你了，good luck!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是don`t put all your eggs in one basket，意思是不要孤注一掷。另一个是seeing red，意思是气死了。