和老外聊天的地道口語第40:期:老闆會找誰開刀?
E: our company is going to do some cutbacks soon.
J: really? Where did you hear that?
E: I met with the supervisor just this morning. I don't know, but I am a little worried. Who do you think will get sacked?
J: I'm not sure…well, first, it couldn't be George. He is such a kiss-ass. He'd wash the boss's dog if he asked.
E: no, it's not going to be George. I don't think it's Andy either. He is involved with the boss's sister in-law. And you know how whipped our boss is.
J: that's true. What about Lisa? I bet there's nobody who could do a worse job than her.
E: Lisa? No way. I've heard a rumor that she and the boss were having an affair. You know rumors can't come out from nowhere.
J: well,okay. Then there is still Michael. But he's pet after having the best sales record for three months in a row. It definitely won't be Michael.
E: no, that would be crazy. But then who will it be? Oh dear, it must be me. I should have known it! Why else would he have talked to me alone about the downsizing. What should I do? I've got a family to support.
J: well, it could be me too. But I am not too worried. This place is suffocating me with this boss being such a hard-ass and clleagues who barely know how to get dressed in the morning. It would almost be a blessing to be fired from this place.
我們公司最近要裁員了.
真的嗎?你從哪兒得來的消息?
老闆今天上午同我談話了.不知道爲什麼,我有點兒擔心.你覺得誰會被裁掉呢?
不清楚.嗯,首先我覺得不會是喬治.他是個大馬屁精,即使老闆去叫他給狗洗澡,他也會去的.
嗯, 不會是喬治.我覺得也不會是安迪,他正在和老闆的小姨子談戀愛呢.你知道咱們老闆是個”妻管嚴”.
沒錯.麗莎呢?我覺得是個人都能比她做得好.
麗莎?不可能.我聽到謠言說她和老闆正在搞婚外情,你知道的這種事不可能空穴來風.
好吧.再就是邁克了,但他可是老闆的紅人,他已經連續三個月高居銷售量的榜首了.絕對不會是邁克的.
不會的,不然就太過分了.但是那又會是誰呢?天啊,一定是我了.我應該猜到纔對.不然老闆怎麼會只找我一個人談減員的事情呢.我該怎麼辦呢,我還要養家餬口啊.
也可能是我.但是我不太擔心,這個地方實在是令我太鬱悶了,老闆要求太苛刻了,同事們又都是二百五.還真巴不得被炒魷魚呢!
Cutback: a reduction in sth 削減;縮減'減少
cutbacks in public spending 公共開支的削減
staff cutbacks 裁員
sack: to dismiss sb from a job 解僱:炒魷魚
She was sacked for refusing to work on Sundays.
她因拒絕在星期天上班被解僱了.
Kick-ass:拍馬屁的人
Suffocate: to die because there is no air to breathe; to kill sb by not letting them breathe air (使)窒息而死;(把...)悶死
Many dogs have suffocated in hot cars.
許多狗在熱烘烘的汽車裏給悶死了.
The couple were suffocated by fumes from a faulty gas fire.
由於劣質煤氣取暖器漏氣,這對夫婦窒息而死.
He put the pillow over her face and suffocated her.
他用枕頭捂住她的臉,把她憋死了.
She felt suffocated by all the rules and regulations.
她受不了所有那些條條框框的束縛.
Blessing: something that is good or helpful 好事;有益之事
Lack of traffic is one of the blessings of country life.
往來車輛少是鄉村生活的一大好處.
It's a blessing that nobody was in the house at the time.
幸好當時屋子裏沒人.
In a row
sth happens several times in a row, it happens in exactly the same way each time, and nothing different happens in the time between 連續幾次地
This is her third win in a row.
這是她連續獲得的第三次勝利.
sth happens for several days, a row, it happens on each of those days 接連幾天(等)地
Inflation has fallen for the third month in a row.
通貨膨脹率一連三個月不斷下降.
Have an affair:搞婚外戀
Support one's family:養家餬口
Get fired:被炒魷魚
