2012年ESL之商务英语 04 Being Unsure and Unready

 

Being Unsure and Unready 

Aida: When our bigwigs from the Cleveland office arrive next week, I think we’ll have a lot to show them. 

Dale: I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Giselle told me yesterday that it’s a toss up whether she’ll finish the program she’s working on by next week, but don’t quote me on that. 

Aida: I thought she was already done with it. 

Dale: I think that she’s still tinkering with it because she isn’t 100 percent sure she’s worked out all of the bugs¹. 

Aida: All right. I hope she gets a move on and fast. I’ll still have Joe’s prototype to show them, right? 

Dale: Well, the last time I spoke² with Joe, he said that the prototype is still a work in progress. Whether it’ll actually work is iffy, at best. 

Aida: Are you trying to tell me that we’re not ready for this visit at all? 

Dale: I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I wouldn’t count on having much to show them, sorry. 

Aida: Then, what am I supposed to do when they want to see the progress on our work? 

Dale: I suggest some fast-talking and fancy tap dancing! 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。