会话场景
接机后的次日,Brian在公司里,为Johnathan 介绍自己的老板-Mr. Sun…。
B: Mr. Sun, I'd like you to meet Mr. Johnathan Mitchell, sales manager for Nortern Reflections of Canada.
(Sun extends hand first; Sun and Mitchell shake hands) Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Steven Sun, general manager of Apex Trading.
孙先生,让我为你介绍加拿大Northern Reflections的业务经理-Jonathan Mitchell先生。(孙先生先伸出手,两人握手)Mitchell先生,这是Steven孙先生,Apex贸易公司的总经理。
S: It's very nice to finally meet you, Mr. Mitchell -after so many phonecalls and faxes. (offers his business card first) I'd like you to have my business card.
多次电话、传真往返之后,非常高兴终于见到您,Mitchell先生(先递出名片),请收下我的名片。
J: Thanks very much, Mr. Sun. Please accept mine. (offers his own card) And please, call me Johnathan.
(both look at cards for a few seconds, then put them in wallets-not pockets)
谢谢您,孙先生。也请收下我的名片(递上自己的名片),叫我Johnathan就行了。
(两个人都看了一下对方的名片,放入皮夹而非口袋中)
B: If you don't mind, Johnathan, while you and Mr. Sun get acquainted, I'd like to check the arrangements for the meeting.
如果你不介意,Johnathan,在你和孙先生互相认识时,我先失陪,看看会议安排得如何。
J: You're certainly on top of things, Brian.
Brian,一切当然在你掌握之中!
S: (looking at Brian) You'll find Mr. Tayler-Brian - is a force to be reckoned with at Apex Tradig.
(看着Brian)Talyer先生,您会发现Brian是Apex贸易公司的大将。
B: Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mr. Sun. I'll be right back. (leaves room)
孙先生,谢谢你的信任票,我马上回来。(走出房间)
J: He appears to be a top-notch young man, Mr. Sun. Talent and enthusiasm like that are hard to find.
孙先生,他看起来是个有为的青年,很难找到像他这样有才干、有热忱的人。
S: Don't I know it. He's doing a great job for us. And please, call me Steven.
我完全同意,他在公司表现不凡,请叫我Steven就行了。
J: Steven, can you tell me in a nutshell what the retail market is like in Taiwan?
Steven,你可以简单地告诉我台湾零售市场的现况吗?
S: Well, as per capita income goes up and up, the growth sector seems to be in the to-end.
唔,由于每人的平均收入不断地增高,市场的发展领域似乎偏向于高价位商品。
J: Retail is going upscale here? Taiwan is certainly growing more quickly than I had imagined.
此地的零售走入高价位了?台湾的发展比我想像得要快多了。
S: Yes. Things certainly have changed since I was a boy. We've developed very quickly.
没错,现在的台湾和我小时候完全不一样了,这里发展得非常快速。
J: Do you think the trend will continue?
你想这种趋势还会维持下去吗?
S: I don't see why not. We do have some problems, but we are still willing to work hard-and wages aren't too high at this point.
我不觉得有什么不行!虽然是有一些问题,但我们仍愿意勤奋工作,而且现阶段工资仍不算太高。
J: Everything I've seen so far is very impressive. Very impressive indeed.
到目前为止,我所看到的一切都令我印象深刻,真的十分深刻。
情境短语
1. get acquainted (with…) (和`……)认识,熟悉……
这个常用的短语暗示双方从不认识到熟识, "get"可换 "become"。若是短语之后,要加上被认识的对象,以介系词 "with"连接。
例: Our boss got acquainted with a couple of real estate agents in the golf Club.
(我们老板在高尔夫俱乐部里结识了几位做房地产的商人。)
2. on top of things 完全掌握
字面的意思是将问题克服,高高踩在上面,引申为"控制全局"。
例: The new manager was always worried he wasn't on top of things.
(新经理一直担心自己无法掌握全局。)
3. (a) force to be reckoned with 值得注意的人物
"(a) force","力量",可以指一个团体、事物或个人； "reckon"在此的意思为"认定"。 "a force to be reckoned with"是形容"有成功的条件而值得注意的人物、团体"。
例: The new company will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
(这家新公司未来值得大家注意。)
4. Don't I know it. 我完全同意!
当此句型以句点(.)而非问号结尾时,表示完全同意对的方意见,为口语用法,强调的是肯定的含意。意思为"我怎会不知道!?；我当然明白这一点!"。
例: You say the discount rate is too low? Don't I know it!
(你说这折扣打得太少?我完全同意!)
5. in a nutshell 简言之
"nutshell"原为"坚果壳",又指"极小的容器",故 "in a nutshell" 这个副词短语的意思是"简言之"。
例: Bob told us in a nutshell what happened in the managers' meeting.
(Bob简略地告诉我们经理们开会的情形。)
6. growth sector 成长领域
这个经济学上的名词是指经济成长特别快速的领域, "sector"是"区域；部门"的意思。
例: The leisure and entertainment industry is a growth sector in Taiwan.
(休闲娱乐业是台湾目前的成长领域。)