对于一家企业来说,20-30岁的年轻人是能为公司奋勇拼搏的新鲜血液,但对于个人来说,这个年龄层的人也面临着成家立业、传宗接代的重任。个人与事业,形成了一对不大不小的矛盾。如何处理好这个平衡,成了这一代人最头疼的问题。
发音：美式发音 语速：140-150词/分钟 使用方法：精听+角色扮演
Tommy: Is everything OK? ①You seem out of step today.
Jenny: Yeah, everything is fine. I just found out some important news this morning. I’m still figuring out how to tell Mr. Jacobs.
Tommy: Oh, you aren’t quitting, are you? I’d hate to see you go.
Jenny: Well, I might be leaving, yes…in about nine months.
Tommy: Why nine mon…oh! You’re pregnant?!
Jenny: Shhh. Keep your voice down. I don’t want the whole office finding out yet.
Tommy: Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t contain myself. (Whispering) You’re pregnant?
Jenny: Yes. It’s a complete surprise actually. Jim and I hadn’t been trying or anything. Then yesterday I felt really sick, so I went to the doctor to see what was up. Turns out, I’m having a baby.
Tommy: That’s great news. You know you’ll be a great mom. I’ve seen the way you take care of everyone in the office. ②But you don’t seem over the moon about it.
Jenny: I’m worried about securing my job, that’s all. The company doesn’t allow leave for very long, which means my options are returning to work and paying someone to take care of the baby, or staying at home without
my income.
Tommy: Oh, I didn’t even think about that. Will you and Jim be able to get by?
Jenny: Yeah, ③we’ll make do. I’ll have to talk to Mr. Jacobs to get all the details. As far as I know they offer parental leave, but only for 12 weeks, which is basically nothing. ④Do me a favor and keep this under your hat, would you?
Tommy: Sure, ⑤Mom’s the word. Hehe. Who else have you told about this?
Jenny: No one. You are the first. ⑥But your booming voice probably let the cat out of the bag.
Colleague: Hey, Jenny, congratulations!
Jenny: Thanks.
Tommy: Sorry.
汤米:一切都还好吧?你今天挺反常的。
詹妮:没事,一切都挺好的。我今天早上发现了一件重要的事,我还在想应该怎么跟雅各布斯先生开口。
汤米:噢,你该不会要辞职吧?我不想看你离开。
詹妮:呃,我可能得离开一段时间,可能……大概9个月后。
汤米:为何是9个月……哦!你怀孕了?!
詹妮:嘘嘘!小声点儿。我可不想搞得整个办公室都知道。
汤米:不好意思,不好意思。我控制不住自己。(小声说)你怀孕了?
詹妮:是的,事实上这完全是个意外。我和吉姆并没有想要小孩或什么的。但是昨天我突然觉得很不舒服,所以我去看医生,想知道到底怎么了。结果就是,我有宝宝了。
汤米:这消息真是太棒了。你要知道,你一定会是个好妈妈的。我看你平时把办公室里的同事照顾得那么周到就知道了。但你看起来不是很高兴呢。
詹妮:我是在担心怎么保住我的饭碗,没别的。公司不允许休太长的假期,这就意味着我只能选择要不回来工作,给孩子找个保姆,要不就不工作呆在家里(照顾
孩子)。
汤米:噢,我都还没想到那儿呢。那你和吉姆负荷得了吗?
詹妮:嗯,我们尽力而为。我得去跟雅各布斯先生谈一下,了解一下细节。据我所知,公司是有产假的,但只有12个星期,基本上不算什么。帮个忙,别把这事儿张扬出去,好吗?
汤米:肯定,一定保密。你还告诉谁了?
詹妮:没有了,你是第一个知道的。不过你的大嗓门估计都把秘密泄露出去了。
同事:嗨,詹妮,恭喜啦!
詹妮:谢谢。
汤米:对不起。
Smart Sentences
① You seem out of step today. 你今天挺反常的。
out of step: not in a normal state(异常)。例如:
Since Mr. Maston got the phone call, he seems a bit out of step.
自从梅森先生接了那个电话后,他就有点不对劲。
② But you don’t seem over the moon about it. 但你看起来不是很高兴呢。
over the moon: very pleased about sth.(因某事很高兴)。例如:
My sister is over the moon about being accepted by Peking University.
我妹妹被北大录取后,高兴极了。
③ We’ll make do. 我们尽力而为。
make do: manage to get by with sth. less than satisfactory(设法应付,将就)。例如:
I had to make do with my old PC last week.
上周我只能用那台旧电脑来应付。
④ Do me a favor and keep this
under your hat, would you? 帮个忙,别把这事儿张扬出去,好吗?
do sb. a favor: do sth. for sb. even if you don’t have to(帮某人忙)。例如:
Mary did me a favor by picking up my son this afternoon.
玛丽帮了我一个忙,下午去接我儿子。
keep sth. under sb.’s hat: not to tell anyone about sth.(不让秘密泄露)。例如:
You can’t tell Mel. He can never keep anything under his hat.
你不能告诉梅尔,他从来没法保密。
⑤ Mom’s the word. 一定保密。
mom’s the word: don’t say anything, keep that a secret(别声张,要保密)。例如:
—Is Monica getting married next month?
莫尼卡下月就结婚吗?
—Shhh, mom’s the word.
嘘,别声张。
⑥ But your booming voice
probably let the cat out of the bag. 不过你的大嗓门估计都把秘密泄露出去了。
let the cat out of the bag: let others know sth. that was being kept secret(泄密)。例如:
About your resignation, Maple, I think I let the cat out of the bag at last night’s dinner.
美保,关于你要辞职的事,我想昨晚晚饭时我把这个消息走漏了。