礼节美语113讲
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Tom Smith被叫到部门经理Paul Chen的办公室。
Tom: Good morning, Paul. How are you?
P: I`m well, thanks. Take a seat. This is Sue Krammer from the head office.
T: Hi, Sue.
S: Hi.
P: Tom, there`s no easy way to say this so I`m just going to say it. We are letting you go.
Paul开门见山，告诉Tom公司决定解雇他。在这种情况下，要说We are letting you go, 不能说you`re fired。
T: Go where?
P: Um...we mean we are terminating your employment here.
T: You mean you`re firing me?
P: Um...yes.
T: Wow! Mind telling me why?
P: We`ve warned you about some of your unacceptable behaviors several times now. Also, we feel you are underperforming or not up to the standards we demand here.
T: (Belligerent) Really? How so?
Tom显得很意外，气愤地质问道，Mind telling me why? 能告诉我为什么吗？Paul解释说，公司觉得you are underperforming。 Underperform, 意思是工作表现不佳，not up to the standards不符合要求。Tom 很不客气地让 Paul 举例，这时候 Sue 说话了。
S: If I might interject, here. Tom, your file says that last month you called up a client and chewed him out...without authorization. Tom, that is simply unacceptable.
P: You are frequently late and we`ve received more than a few complaints about your abrasive style with co-workers.
T: All right...but I have good explanations for all of that. You see......
S: I don`t want to interrupt, Tom, but it`s important that you understand that this decision comes down from the top. Paul and I are just the messengers. It would be best if you understood that this decision is final.
Tom上个月在电话里chewed a client out，痛骂客户。 Chew someone out，是严厉责骂的意思。此外，他上班还经常迟到，对同事态度粗鲁，he has an abrasive style with co-workers. Tom想争辩， Sue果断地说，这是上头的决定，the decision comes down from the top, and the decision is final，是不可改变的。
T: So I`m fired and that`s that?
P: Yes, you are being let go. But we would be happy to help you in any way we can.
S: If you need a general reference letter we can provide one, but if they call and ask if you were fired we will have to tell the truth. That`s the law.
P: We can offer a six week severance package if you accept your termination.
T: Fine. I`ll pack up my stuff and be out of here by Wednesday.
S: Thanks for understanding, Tom. We wish you well.
P: Yeah. Please do email me if you have further questions.
Tom无可奈何地问，so I`m fired and that`s that? 我就这么被开除了？回答当然是肯定的。公司愿意给他写例行推荐信，但如果用人单位打电话了解情况，公司也不能隐瞒他被解雇的事实。Tom同意在解聘书上签字，收拾东西走人pack up and be out of here。
流行美语第337课
李华跟Larry去参加Larry公司举办的野餐会，结果迷路了。今天我们要学两个常用语：wild goose chase和face the music.
LH: Larry, 你能肯定我们没走错吗？按理说早该到了啊？
LL: I`m just following the directions my boss gave me - although, we should have been there a half hour ago. Let me turn around...again.
LH: 你就该听我的，在刚才那个加油站停下来问问路。
LL: We already asked for directions three times...I don`t know why he wanted to have the party so far out of the city. It looks like this is nothing but a wild goose chase.
LH: A wild goose chase? 追野鹅？我们找路还来不及呢，哪还有时间去追野鹅？
LL: Oh, that`s just a phrase people say when they are looking for something they will never find. And I don`t think we are going to find this picnic ground.
LH: 哦，原来a wild goose chase，意思是徒劳无功的寻找，白费劲。你老板不是告诉你路了吗？
LL: Maybe he gave me the wrong directions? Or maybe I wrote them down incorrectly. I don`t know, but I don`t think he would send me on a wild goose chase on purpose.
LH: 那上星期我们转了半天也没有找到你表弟足球比赛的赛场，也可以说是a wild goose chase了？
LL: Yep, that was a wild goose chase too. No one told me that the game was canceled! I was looking for hours...
LH: 这么说，你上上个周末说要带我去一片新听别人介绍的沙滩，结果怎么也找不到，也是a wild goose chase!
LL: Lihua, you have such a good memory. Yes, we`ve been on many wild goose chases together. But, keep in mind that you have taken me on a wild goose chase or two in the past as well.
LH: 我也带你做过这种无用功吗？我怎么不记得？
LL: Like last Wednesday when you sent me to get sushi from a restaurant that was still under construction.
LH: Oh, yea...
LL: Or the time we went to three different subway stations looking for your friend when she was actually waiting at the airport...
LH：Oh, right...
LL: Or, the time when..
LH: 好了好了，我承认，咱俩找路的本事都不怎么样！不过这次可既不是你的责任，也不是我的责任。
LL: That`s right. Today, I`m going to blame the wild goose chase on my boss giving me the wrong directions.
******
十分钟过后，Larry和李华又绕了回来。
LH: Larry, 我看今天没希望了，如果你不到，老板会不会一气之下，炒你的鱿鱼？
LL: We were supposed to be celebrating his birthday today at the picnic...If I don`t show up at this party, he won`t be happy when he sees me in the office. I guess I have no choice but to go face the music at work on Monday.
LH: face the music?难道说你老板生气的时候喜欢听音乐吗？
LL: No quite. To have to face the music means having to accept the negative consequences of something you have done.
LH: 哦，to face the music就是为自己的所作所为承担后果，你是说星期一只好硬着头皮去见老板喽？
LL: That is unfortunately the case. I have no choice but to see him on Monday, so I guess I will have to face the music.
LH: 哎，我更惨，为了跟你来野餐, 我把复习的时间都搭进去了，明天考试，I will have to face the music when I take the exam.
LL: What? Oh, no! I didn`t know you had a test on Monday. I would hate for you to have to face the music because of my boss` mistake.
LH: 怎么样？够哥们吧？为了陪你，我连功课都不顾了。
LL: Oh, we are definitely ending this wild goose chase immediately. Maybe you will have some time to study if we head home now.
LH: Larry, 你看, 快没油了，得赶紧找个加油站。
LL: Find a gas station out here in the countryside? I don`t know...sounds like another wild goose chase to me.
LH: 再偏僻的地方也得有加油站啊，我们还是快找吧，一旦真没油了，我们就必须得face the music and walk home，走回家了。
LL: (Sign) I`ll face the music anyway once I get my gas bill at the end of the month. All these wild goose chases sure waste a lot of gas!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是wild goose chase, 意思是徒劳无功地寻觅。另一个是face the music, 意思是承担后果。