新视野大学英语视听说教程 4 Unit 4-2

 

III. Listening In
Task 1: You’re fired!
Joan: Come in, come in. Have a seat. Ah…uh…I want you to know this is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you.
Carl: Yes, ma’am. But I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about.
Joan: You’re fired. That’s what I’m talking about.
Carl: I find that surprising, Miss Jackson. After all, I sold twenty-five percent more of our products than any other salesperson¹.
Joan: Look, I’m not here to argue. You’re fired. Understand?
Carl: I understand perfectly². I just wonder what’s going to happen to the contract I’ve been arranging. It would be a shame to lose it; it could mean a lot of our company. And I’m the only one who knows the details.
Joan: No one is indispensable³. Just clear out your desk, and that’s the end of it. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Westlake?
Carl: Crystal clear—apart from one small detail.
Joan: And what, pray tell, is that detail?
Carl: I’m not Mr. Westlake. I’m Carl Smith.
Joan: Well then, that’s a different kettle of fish, Mr. Smith. I know you’ve bee n working late almost every night and coming in on Saturdays to get work done. The company is very happy with your progress.
Carl: That’s good to know. I was beginning to think that I wasn’t appreciated.
Joan: You’re doing well. We have approved your first salary increase.
Carl: That’s great! Thank you! I’ll certainly try to live up to the trust you have demonstrated in me with this raise in pay.

 

1. Why is the man surprised at the being fired?
2. What is the second reason mentioned of the man to object to his being fired?
3. What mistake did the woman make?
4. What do you know about the man’s work performance?
5. What does the man finally get?

Keys: 1C 2.B 3.D 4.A 5.A

For Reference⁴
1. I want you to know this is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you.
2. That’s great! Thank you! I’ll certainly try to live up to the trust you have demonstrated in me with this raise in pay.
 

1 salesperson   

n.售货员，营业员，店员

参考例句：

• A salesperson works in a shop.售货员在商店工作。
• Vanessa is a salesperson in a woman's wear department.凡妮莎是女装部的售货员。

2 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

3 indispensable   

adj.必不可少的，绝对必要的

参考例句：

• He is indispensable to our work,we cannot do it without him.对于我们的工作来说，他是不可缺少的，没有他我们就做不了。
• This is an indispensable part of his creed.这是他的信条中必不可少的一部分。

4 reference   

n.提到，说到，暗示，查看，查阅

参考例句：

• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。
• I like to have my reference books within my reach.我喜欢把参考书放到伸手可取的地方。