生活英语对话 Episode 58: A complaint

本单元是关于投诉的对话

Tim: How can I help you sir?
Customer: It's about this watch.
Tim: What seems to be the problem?
Customer: The alarm doesn't work and the strap¹ leaves a green mark on my wrist when I take it off.
Tim: Have you worn the watch in the shower perhaps sir?
Customer: No and I only bought it two weeks ago. It's still under guarantee but I must say, for the amount of money I paid for it, I'm very disappointed.
Tim: I'm so sorry you've been inconvenienced. Would you like a refund²?
Customer: No, I'd rather have the watch replaced please.
Tim: Right, well, I'll just take down your purchasing details and we'll get this watch changed for you in no time at all.


Vocabulary (词汇):

under guarantee (在担保期内):
if something you buy breaks or stops working soon after you buy it, a shop or company promises to fix it or give you your money back

a refund (退款):
money that a shop or company gives back to you if you return something you bought from them

in no time at all (立刻):
soon

replace (更换):
change for another similar one

　　本单元的语言点是关于投诉，当你买的东西不尽人意或对获得的服务不满时，你可以投诉；你可以书面投诉，或直接致电有关个人或公司时口头投诉，用英语投诉时，我们在投诉前一般会使用温和的语言，比如我们通常会直接致函或致电投诉人表示歉意，因为打搅了他们。然后，我们开始投诉。最后，我们 要求对有关投诉进行处理，或要求得到赔偿.

Complaining

You can complain when something you've bought or a service you've used isn't as good as you expected it to be. You can do this in writing or by speaking directly to the person or company

In English, we tend to soften³ our language (often by apologising for disturbing the person we're talking or writing to) before we start complaining. Then we make our complaint and finally we ask for some kind of compensation⁴ for our inconvenience or help with our problem

Here's some language to help you complain （以下是可以用于投诉的一些表达方式）:


Written complaints (书面投诉):

Usually written complaints use quite formal English:

I'm writing to complain about the poor quality of service we received in your hotel recently.

I wish to complain about the inconvenience and delay I experienced⁵ on my recent train journey from London to Brighton.

I was very disappointed when, after only two weeks, my washing machine broke down.

We ordered a blue sofa however you sent us a green one.

The first problem was that there weren't enough seats for our party to sit together and the second problem was that we had to wait more than an hour to be served.

We were promised a non-smoking room but when we arrived, we were told that your hotel didn't have any non-smoking rooms.


Spoken complaints (口头投诉):

Usually spoken complaints are less formal than written ones.

It's about this stereo⁶.

I'm really not happy with this shirt.

It just broke down a few days ago.

I'm not satisfied with the service here.

Well, first the radio didn't work and then the CD stopped working.


Ways of saying something's not working or not in good condition(东西坏了或状况不好时的表达方式):

to break - glass, china, pottery⁷
I dropped my mum's crystal⁸ vase and broke it. She was really angry with me.

to break down - a lift, a car, a machine
I was stuck between the 3rd and 4th floor for 20 minutes when the lift broke down yesterday.

to be out of order - a communal⁹ or public machine (e.g. a photo-copier, a lift)
Don't put your money in that ticket machine. It's out of order. You won't get a ticket or your money back.

to stop working - anything with batteries or that uses power
She wore her watch in the pool and then was surprised when it stopped working!

to crash - a computer
My computer's crashed. All the applications have stopped working. I'll need to phone the help-line to see if they can fix it.

to jam - a machine where something (e.g. paper) moves through it.
I want to print a card for my friend but there's something wrong with the printer. It jams if you put anything thicker than a piece of paper through it.


Asking for action (要求得到处理):

I'd like a refund please.

I'd be grateful if you would replace this stereo immediately.

I would appreciate your sending me a replacement¹⁰ as soon as possible.

Please let me know what you intend to do about this situation.

1 strap   

n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎

参考例句：

• She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
• The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。

2 refund   

v.退还，偿还；n.归还，偿还额，退款

参考例句：

• They demand a refund on unsatisfactory goods.他们对不满意的货品要求退款。
• We'll refund your money if you aren't satisfied.你若不满意，我们愿意退款给你。

3 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

4 compensation   

n.补偿（或赔偿）的款物，补偿，赔偿

参考例句：

• Workers who have been unfairly dismissed may claim compensation.被无理开除的工人可以要求补偿。
• Equal compensation should be given to men and women for equal work.男女同工应同酬。

5 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

6 stereo   

adj.有立体视觉的，立体声的；n.固定形象，立体声

参考例句：

• She had the stereo on at full blast.她把立体声音响开到了最大音量。
• This program is being broadcast in stereo.这个节目正用立体声播放。

7 pottery   

n.陶器，陶器场

参考例句：

• My sister likes to learn art pottery in her spare time.我妹妹喜欢在空余时间学习陶艺。
• The pottery was left to bake in the hot sun.陶器放在外面让炎热的太阳烘晒焙干。

8 crystal   

n.水晶，水晶饰品，结晶体；最好的玻璃器皿

参考例句：

• It used to be a crystal stream.那曾是条清澈见底的小溪。
• Those fine wine glasses are made of crystal.那些漂亮的酒杯是用水晶做的。

9 communal   

adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的

参考例句：

• There was a communal toilet on the landing for the four flats.在楼梯平台上有一处公共卫生间供4套公寓使用。
• The toilets and other communal facilities were in a shocking state.厕所及其他公共设施的状况极其糟糕。

10 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。