英语博客：ESL Podcast 744 – Dealing With a Mistake

　　Boss: What is going on here?!
Jenny: There was a miscommunication.
Boss: A miscommunication?! There are 16 copiers in this office. Who ordered 16 copiers?
Jenny: No one did. Clearly wires got crossed somewhere. I’ll try to get to the bottom of this, but the copiers will be removed before lunch.
Boss: I can’t even walk to my office with all of these machines in here. How am I supposed to get any work done?
Jenny: I’m looking for the purchase order right now to see if the mistake was on our end or on their end.
Boss: Let me know as soon as you figure it out. I want to know who’s responsible for this.
Jenny: Right, I’ll let you know. No doubt it was just a clerical error. No harm, no foul¹.
Boss: No harm, no foul?! This screw up has cost me half a day’s productivity². I think that’s plenty of harm done.
Jenny: You’re right, sir. I stand corrected. I’m sure it was just an honest mistake.
Boss: Stop making excuses for the person responsible for this debacle. Jenny, why are you making excuses for the person responsible?
Jenny: You look thirsty. I’ll go get you some coffee right now!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

2 productivity   

n.生产力，生产率，多产

参考例句：

• Farmers are introducing in novations which increase the productivity.农民们正引进提高生产力的新方法。
• The workers try to put up productivity.工人设法提高生产率。