Business Etiquette 礼节美语 第014讲

在陈豪工作的ABC美国公司，大多数人都在各自的小隔间里工作。可是今天陈豪没法集中精神工作。为什么呢？你听了他对美籍华人Mary的对话就知道了。

(Office ambience)

C: Good morning, Mary, do you have a minute to talk?

M: Yes, what is it?

C:: 我们都坐在各自的小隔间里工作...英文叫什么来啦？

M: 你是说我们工作的地方，就象我这里有三快矮墙把我和别人隔开。这不就是 cubicles²吗？CUBICLES.

C: That's it, cubicles. 在cubicles里工作平时一点问题都没有，可有时...

M: What happened?

C: 刚搬到我隔壁来坐的那位同事今天一早来就打电话，说话声音还特别大，I can't work anymore!

M: 我知道，在隔间的情况下，说话都得小声。Whether you are on the phone or have someone in you cubicle¹, speak softly.

C: 隔间没有门，但这并不等于谁都可以随时闯进来呀！

M: No, no one should think they can barge³ in whenever they want. 每个人都应该象你刚才那样，先问我有没有时间后才进来。I wish everyone was as courteous⁴ as you。

C: Thank you，Mary。我知道要是有人打断我的工作，我应该对他们说明，但是我又不想让人认为我很不友好。

M: 不会的。要是正在你忙的时候有同事来找你，你可以说你现在正忙，和他约好一个时间再谈。

C: That's a good idea。Thank you, Mary。我得回去工作了。

******

M: Hi， 陈豪。好几天没见你啦。还有人来打搅你吗？

C: 我按照你说的去做，一切都很好。 可是还有....

M: 还有什么呀？

C: 有时候有人来找我，我正在打电话，可来人居然站在旁边不走。That's annoying and distracting to me。

M: 对这样的人，我有个办法，就是只当没看见他；背对著他。 That usually does the trick and they leave。

C: 好，我下回试试。哟，Mary，那是什么声音呀？好象谁在啃黄瓜，或胡萝卜！

M: I think my neighbor is munching⁵ on potato chips。陈豪， let's go lunch!

C: 在cubicles里工作看来真是要十分小心。

M: Right. Working in cubicles can be challenging. Just because an office doesn't have a door does not mean you can barge in anytime you please. You need to ask permission before entering someone's cubicle. If a colleague is on the phone, you should come back later. It is a simple matter of respecting the privacy of others.
 

1 cubicle   

n.大房间中隔出的小室

参考例句：

• She studies in a cubicle in the school library.她在学校图书馆的小自习室里学习。
• A technical sergeant hunches in a cubicle.一位技术军士在一间小屋里弯腰坐着。

2 cubicles   

n.小卧室，斗室( cubicle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Security guards, operating inside bullet-proof glass cubicles, and speaking through microphones, scrutinized every arrival and departure. 警卫们在装有防弹玻璃的小室里值勤，通过麦克风细致盘问每一个进出的人。 来自辞典例句
• I guess they thought me content to stay in cubicles. 我猜他们认为我愿意呆在小房间里。 来自互联网

3 barge   

n.平底载货船，驳船

参考例句：

• The barge was loaded up with coal.那艘驳船装上了煤。
• Carrying goods by train costs nearly three times more than carrying them by barge.通过铁路运货的成本比驳船运货成本高出近3倍。

4 courteous   

adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的

参考例句：

• Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一，但她总是很谦恭有礼。
• He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善，而且彬彬有礼。

5 munching   

v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was munching an apple. 他在津津有味地嚼着苹果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Munching the apple as he was, he had an eye for all her movements. 他虽然啃着苹果，但却很留神地监视着她的每一个动作。 来自辞典例句