只要你愿意伸出你的手,各种各样的志愿者组织都会为你打开大门,欢迎你加入。但是,加入志愿者组织也需要进行一些严格的审查,并不是所有人都能如愿以偿的。这不,Hugh为了能参加流浪汉收容所的志愿者活动,正在接受面试呢。
发音：美式发音
语速：150词/分钟
使用方法：精听+角色扮演
Tracey: Thank you so much for your interest in the shelter, Hugh. I hope you understand that we have some 1)formalities to go over before we decide whether you are suitable to assist us here.
特雷西:感谢你对收容所的事情感兴趣,休。我希望你能明白,在决定你是否适合留在这里帮忙之前,我们有一些程序要走。
Hugh: Yes, of course. That's fine. ①I realise you can't just take anyone who blows in off the street.
休:是的,那当然了。没问题。我知道你们不能随意接受突然来访的人。
Tracey: So, first up, have you ever been a volunteer before? For any other charity groups?
特雷西:那么,首先,你之前有没有在其他的慈善团体做过志愿者?
Hugh: No, this will be my first time. It's a bit shameful, isn't it; to get to my age and never having volunteered my time.
休:不,这是第一次。这真是惭愧,不是吗?到了我这个年纪,还从未参加过志愿者活动。
Tracey: It's nothing to be ashamed of. Most of our helpers are around your age. What's important is that ②you are willing to play your part now. Have you ever worked with children before?
特雷西:没什么好惭愧的。我们大多数的志愿者都是你这般年纪的。重要的是你现在愿意尽你的一份力。你与孩子打过交道吗?
Hugh: I have actually. I am the coach of my son's football team.
休:事实上是的。我是我儿子所在足球队的教练。
Tracey: Oh that's lovely. So you have volunteered your time in some capacity before.
特雷西:噢,真好。这么说,你之前也在一定程度上做过义务劳动的。
Hugh: But it's hardly putting clothes on people's backs.
休:但是这几乎没有什么难度。
Tracey: Yes, but you'd be surprised what a difference we can make in someone's life just by giving our time. It doesn't really matter how big or small the undertaking. I must warn you, ③from here, the questions get a bit more personal. ④Please excuse me in advance for the nature of the questioning.
特雷西:是的,但是你如果知道利用我们的一点时间,就会给一些人的生活带来怎样的改变,你会感到惊奇的。这与事情的大小无关。我必须提醒你,从现在开始,会涉及一些私人问题。如果这些问题冒犯了你,请原谅。
Hugh: Not at all. Go ahead.
休:没关系。请继续吧。
Tracey: Do you have a criminal record or have you been arrested for criminal activity of any kind? ⑤For the record, this includes any traffic 2)violations or similar offences.
特雷西:你是否有过犯罪记录,或者是因为任何形式的犯罪活动而被逮捕?需要郑重声明的是,这包括交通违规或是类似的过错。
Hugh: No. Nothing at all. I'm all clean.
休:不,都没有。我很清白。
Tracey: Fantastic. That makes the application process much smoother. Are you opposed to us running a background check before you commence your volunteer duties?
特雷西:好极了。这会让申请程序更顺利些。你是否反对我们在你开始履行志愿者义务之前对你进行背景调查呢?
Hugh: ⑥Fire away.
休:随便问吧。
Tracey: Awesome. Well, everything seems to line up. We will just run over your particulars on the application form and 3)pending the background check, you should be fine to start next weekend.
特雷西:好极了。一切进展不错。我们需要对你的申请表进行复查,以及进行背景调查,下周末你应该就可以来帮忙了。
Hugh: Thanks, Tracey. I can't wait to get started.
休:谢谢你,特雷西。我迫不及待了。
Smart Sentences
① I realise you can't just take anyone who blows in off the street.我知道你们不能随意接受突然来访的人。
blow in: to arrive, especially when unexpected (突然来访,突然出现)。例如:
I can't believe you just blew in like this. Why didn't you call?
真不敢相信你就这样突然出现了,怎么不先来个电话?
② You are willing to play your part now.你现在愿意尽你的一份力。
play one's part: do what sb. can do or should do(尽本分,尽职)。例如:
What made the project a huge success is that we all played our part.
这个项目获得巨大成功的原因是我们都尽了我们的本分。
③ …from here………从现在开始……
from here: from now on(从现在开始,从今往后)。例如:
From here, you need to be much more careful when working with these fragile china plates.
以后你在与这些瓷盘打交道时就得加倍小心了。
④ Please excuse me in advance… ……请原谅。
excuse me in advance: a polite expression used when sensing you might offend the other(担心自己的话有可能冒犯对方时的礼貌用语)。例如:
Please excuse me in advance for having to look through your handbag.
请原谅,我要看看你的包里有什么。
⑤ For the record… 需要郑重声明的是,……
for the record: sth. will be for open and public knowledge(郑重声明,为了记录在案的目的)。例如:
I want to say, for the record, that I have never accepted any gift from anyone in your company.
我必须郑重声明,我从来没有从贵公司的任何人手里接受过任何礼物。
⑥ Fire away.随便问吧。
fire away: an expression used when you are ready for others to say sth.(随便说,随便问)。例如:
—May I ask you some questions about the design?
我可以就设计问些问题吗?
—Sure, fire away.
没问题,随便问吧。