商务英语：用科技工作

 　　Feifei: Hello and welcome to another episode¹ of 6 Minute English with me Feifei.

　　Neil: And me Neil.

　　Feifei: How are you Neil and what have you been up to?

　　Neil: I’m annoyed - I was doing all this work on the script for this programme on my smartphone and it crashed! Because it’s my phone, I can’t get IT support at work to sort it out for me.

　　Feifei: Serves you right for using your own device.

　　Neil: Yeah, I’m not alone though! A survey by a business technology company called Avenade has found that 88% of executives² said employees were using their own personal computing³ technologies for business purposes.

　　Feifei: So you’re saying lots of people are using their own smartphones and laptops instead of the company computers?

　　Neil: Yes, more or less: either instead of company technology, or as well as the company technology, and in the name of further research I went out and did my own very unscientific survey.

　　Examples

　　Woman 1: When we have a problem with our laptops, we would normally call IT support really. So we can call them at any time but they don’t always sort out the problems, so that in a way creates a problem, especially when we try to catch a deadline.

　　Man 1: Sometimes I find it hard to speak with the IT department because it seems to me that they speak one language and the rest of us speak a different language. They use too many technical terms, I so sometimes find it very frustrating⁴ dealing⁵ with technology.

　　Woman 2: I constantly come across problems with software update, such as Flash Player which is required to play video and audio, but you need to have the most updated version of Flash Player which we don’t always have, so that’s the problem. It can be very frustrating if you don’t have it, and then you ask for IT support, but sometimes they don’t know what you are talking about.

　　Feifei: So it’s not always easy to get everything up and running, even if it’s the office computer.

　　Neil: No, as I’m sure you know Feifei, there are always glitches⁶, or problems, and that’s when you need to be able to talk to your company’s IT support - that’s information technology, to get things up and running again. But what should you say? Oh look, it’s Business Betty! Hi Betty, great to have you here as usual.

　　BB: Thank you Neil.

　　Neil: Love the hat!

　　BB: Thank you Neil! Always good to be here. Now, whatever device you’re using and wherever you are, when you have a technological⁷ problem you need to be able to explain what the problem is, and you need to be able to understand what the IT expert is saying to you. Let’s start with the problems. Maybe you can’t connect to the internet.

　　Feifei: I can’t connect to the internet.

　　BB: You can’t print anything.

　　Feifei: I can’t print anything.

　　BB: Maybe you saved some files to your hard drive and they've disappeared, Feifei.

　　Feifei: I saved some files to my hard drive and they have disappeared.

　　BB: So the IT support person might ask you a few questions. Has this happened before?

　　Neil: Has this happened before?

　　BB: What operating system are you running?

　　Neil: What operating system are you running?

　　BB: What version of the software are you using?

　　Neil: What version of the software are you using?

　　BB: He or she might offer you some advice. For example: You need to install an update.

　　Neil: You need to install an update.

　　BB: Try re-installing the programme.

　　Neil: Try re-installing the programme.

　　BB: Or the problem might be more difficult to fix. For example, they might say your system needs a rebuild.

　　Neil: Your system needs a rebuild.

　　BB: Or maybe it can’t be fixed⁸ at all!

　　Neil: I’m afraid this can’t be fixed.

　　BB: Hopefully it won’t ever be that bad! And, of course, they might give the advice most of us have heard at one time and which seems to work very well: give your computer a re-boot - turn it off and on again.

　　Neil: Give your computer a re-boot - turn it off and on again.

　　Betty: So, there you have everything you need to keep the technology in your life working well.

　　Neil: Brilliant Betty, thanks.

　　Betty: My pleasure. So if there’s nothing else, I'll be off. Bye for now.

　　Both: Bye Betty.

　　Neil: That’s our Betty. She knows all about IT issues you know!

　　Feifei: She is a legend… do you feel a technology role-play coming on?

　　Neil: Yeah, I’m the boss right?

　　Feifei: There isn’t a boss in this one, but you can be the IT support worker if you like.

　　Neil: OK, alright. So you have an IT problem and you’re asking me for help, right?

　　Feifei: Yes, are you ready?

　　Neil: I'm ready!

　　Role-play

　　Neil: Hello, IT support, can I help you?

　　Feifei: Hello, yes, I’ve got a problem. I saved some files to my hard drive and they have just disappeared.

　　Neil: Has this happened before?

　　Feifei: Yes, a couple of times.

　　Neil: Hmm. If it’s happened a couple of times, you might need to install an update.

　　Feifei: And if that doesn’t work?

　　Neil: Well, if that doesn’t work, your system needs a rebuild. Try installing the update, and let me know how it goes.

　　Feifei: OK, thanks for your help.

　　Neil: You’re welcome.

　　Feifei: And that’s the end of today’s role-play!

　　Neil: How was it for you?

　　Feifei: It was great, Neil. You sounded like you actually knew what you were talking about!

　　Neil: Well, that’s because I’m brilliant. You can call me anytime you have a problem Feifei.

　　Feifei: But you’re not really an IT expert, are you? You can’t even fix your own smartphone!

　　Neil: Ah, don’t joke Feifei, I’ve lost the whole of the series!

　　Feifei: You are just going to have to write them again. Good luck to you for the next time you’re dealing with any IT issues.

　　Neil: Yes, it’s good luck from me too and goodbye from both of us. Join us again soon for another episode of 6 Minute English!

　　Both: Bye!

1 episode   

n.（作品的一段）情节，插曲，系列事件中之一

参考例句：

• The episode was a huge embarrassment for all concerned.这段小插曲令所有有关人员都感到非常尴尬。
• This episode remains sharply engraved on my mind.这段经历至今仍深深地铭刻在我的心中。

2 executives   

（公司或机构的）经理( executive的名词复数 )； （统称公司或机构的）行政领导； （政府的）行政部门； [the Executive][美国英语]（美国政府的）行政当局

参考例句：

• They have taken measures to equate the salaries of higher civil servants to those of business executives. 他们采取措施使高级文职人员的工资和企业管理干部的工资相等。
• He disregarded the advice of his executives. 他对主管层的建议置若罔闻。

3 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

4 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 glitches   

n.小过失，差错( glitch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Manufacturing glitches have limited the factory's output. 生产中的故障影响了该厂的产量。 来自辞典例句
• Another kind of period variation,\"Glitches,\" are seen in several pulsars. 在几个脉冲星中还看到了周期的另一种变化，即“自转突快”现象。 来自辞典例句

7 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

8 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。