礼节美语 Business Etiquette 095

Betty受了上司的气，找Gray抱怨。

Betty: That's it!! I've had it! I'm gonna start sending out my resume tomorrow.

Gray: Wow...I've never seen you this angry before. What gives?

B: Pat just chewed me out for the third time this week! In public, no less! She hates me...

Betty气哼哼地说，自己受够了I've had it! Gray问Betty是怎么回事。Betty说，Pat chewed me out. 原来又被上司Pat骂了。

G: What happened?

B: I printed my quarterly report on both sides of the paper. Pat doesn't like that because she uses the blank side for notes...it shouldn't be a big deal, but...

G: So she blew up at you?

B: Yeah! Pat says, "If you can't follow basic instructions, what use are you?" Then she launches into a 10-minute lecture while shaking her finger at me.

G: Wow, that's not cool at all. Actually, I've heard from a few people that Pat's a bit of a hothead.

B: You know, Gray, I'm not a confrontational¹ person. But no one should have to take this kind of abuse!

原来是Betty把季度报告印在了纸的反正两面，不符合Pat的要求。 Betty觉得，这没什么大不了的。可是Pat却blow up at her. 对她大发雷霆。 Gray对她深表同情，说不少人抱怨说Pat脾气急躁。"a bit of a hothead," 容易头脑发热。 Betty说，自己不爱吵架， not confrontational, 但是没有人该受这种气，no one should take this kind of abuse.

******

G: Excuse me, Betty. Hey, Terry...come over here for a second. Betty, this is my friend Terry. Terry works for our company's Human Resources Department. He might have some ideas for you.

T: Hello Betty, nice to meet you. Hi, Gray. So what's up?

G: Betty's boss, Pat Noonan, is giving her a hard time. Betty's thinking of quitting if she can't figure something out.

T: Ah...the old nasty boss dilemma². Let me give it to you straight. Pat also supervises my department. So filing a complaint against her will probably get you nowhere.

B: So I'm doomed³. I guess I'll start looking for a new job.

在人事部Human Resources Department工作的Terry刚好路过，Gray向他征求意见。Gray说，Betty's boss is giving her a hard time. To give someone a hard time, 意思是跟某人过不去。 Terry回答说，Let me give it to you straight. 意思说“直话直说”。

因为人事部门也归Pat管，So filing a complaint against her will probably get you nowhere. 因此对她投诉恐怕没用。

Get you nowhere是没用的意思。Betty听后很沮丧地说，So I'm doomed, 那我没救了。Terry还有更好的建议吗？我们下次继续介绍。

 

1 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网

2 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

3 doomed   

命定的

参考例句：

• The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
• A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。