2014年ESL之商务英语 21 Dealing with Bureaucracy

 

Dealing¹ with Bureaucracy

Jogi: I knew when we got this government contract that it would be a two- edged sword. 

Deborah: How so? 

Jogi: I’m grateful for the work, but having to jump through hoops² of the government’s bureaucracy has me pulling my hair out. 

Deborah: What’s wrong now? 

Jogi: You know that all of our documents have to be submitted in triplicate. I anticipated that and had done everything to the letter, or so I thought. 

Deborah: I know. I helped you prepare those documents. What’s the problem? 

Jogi: The documents were sent back to us because they say we didn’t follow some of the reporting regulations. But the verbiage³ in the regulations is so convoluted⁴ that I had to interpret them to the best of my ability. I thought I had done everything right. 

Deborah: Didn’t they tell you what they thought was done wrong when they returned the documents? 

Jogi: All I got was a form letter with no specifics. 

Deborah: I suggest calling the office responsible for reviewing the documents and asking someone there. 

Jogi: You don’t think I’ve tried? Every time I think I have the right department and leave a voicemail message, either I don’t hear back or I get palmed off on another office. I can’t get a straight answer to any of my questions. I never expected this much red tape. 

Deborah: So I see what you mean about that two-edged sword. 

Jogi: I can think of one good use for that sword right now – to put me out of my misery⁵! 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 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。

2 hoops   

n.箍( hoop的名词复数 )；（篮球）篮圈；（旧时儿童玩的）大环子；（两端埋在地里的）小铁弓

参考例句：

• a barrel bound with iron hoops 用铁箍箍紧的桶
• Hoops in Paris were wider this season and skirts were shorter. 在巴黎，这个季节的裙圈比较宽大，裙裾却短一些。 来自飘（部分）

3 verbiage   

n.冗词；冗长

参考例句：

• Stripped of their pretentious verbiage,his statements come dangerously close to inviting racial hatred.抛开那些夸大其词的冗词赘语不论，他的言论有挑起种族仇恨的危险。
• Even in little 140-character bites,that's a lot of verbiage.即使限制在一条140个字也有很大一部分是废话。

4 convoluted   

adj.旋绕的；复杂的

参考例句：

• The snake slithered through a convoluted path.蛇在羊肠小道上爬行。
• The policy is so convoluted even college presidents are confused.这项政策太令人费解，甚至连大学校长们也是一头雾水。

5 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。