欢乐美语:Write for the Job 求职信

INTRODUCTION¹ TO ACT I

Today on TUNING² IN THE U.S.A., Robbie Stewart tries to get a job. He wants to earn money to buy a car. We join Robbie at the offices of his hometown newspaper. He would like to work at the newspaper as a reporter. But the newspaper needs to fill a different job.

ACT I

Robbie: Here’s my job application.

Secretary: Let me see. Do we have all the information? Robbie Stewart, age seventeen, 46 Linden Street, Riverdale, New York, Telephone?

Robbie: 555- 3090. That’s my parents, phone, of course.

Secretary: And they are [reading] Philip and Ellen Stewart. Do you have other work experience?

Robbie: Just helping³ around the house. I have certain things to do every week, liking⁴ washing the car. And then my dad pays me extra or jobs like painting and mowing⁵ the lawn⁶.

Secretary: I see. Well, that sounds just fine.

Robbie: That’s good enough?

Secretary: I think so. But I have to give your application to Mrs. Ling. She’s in charge of hiring new workers. She’ll call you in a few days.

Robbie: Is that all?

Secretary: That’s all!

Robbie: Thank you.

Secretary: Oh, one more thing. Do you have our own bicycle?

Robbie: Yes. Why do you ask that?

Secretary: Well, you’ll need a bike to deliver the papers⁷ to the homes of our readers. Some of our newspaper delivery⁸ routes⁹ are quite long.

Robbie: Newspaper delivery routes?

Secretary: Yes. I think Mrs. Ling will be very pleased with your application. We need good, strong riders¹⁰.

Robbie: [He laughs.] Wait a minute! I wasn’t looking for that job.

Secretary: No?

Robbie: Uh-uh. I want a job as a reporter!

Secretary: A reporter? But you have no experience as a reporter.

Robbie: I write for my school newspaper.

Secretary: That’s fine. But all of our reporters have college degrees. And some of them have years of writing experience.

Robbie: But how can I get years of experience without getting a job first?

Secretary: Well, I’ll give this application to Mrs. Ling. But I don’t think you’ll get a reporting job.

Robbie: May I say hello to one of your reporters, Mr. Bill MacDonald? He came to my house one time to talk to my sister.

Secretary: I’ll call him. [She uses the telephone.] Bill, a young man is here to see you. His name is Robbie Stewart. He says you interviewed his sister. I’ll send him in. [to Robbie] He’s busy now, but you can see him in just a few minutes.

Robbie: That’s great! Thanks.

Secretary: Take a seat. Make yourself comfortable. Here. Take a look at this newspaper. It’s today’s edition. Robbie, may I make a suggestion?

Robbie: Yes?

Secretary: There is a list of jobs in the newspaper, the help-wanted ads. They start on page twenty-five.

Introduction to act II

This time on Tuning in The U.S.A., Robbie is in the office of a newspaper reporter, Bill MacDonald. Robbie would like to get a job writing for Mr. MacDonald’s newspaper. But he’s young, and he doesn’t have much experience. Mr. MacDonald offers Robbie some suggestions to help him get started as a writer. Then a messenger¹¹ arrives, and Robbie and Mr. Macdonald get a new idea.

Act II

Bill: Hmm. Well, you decided¹² to buy a car. But to get money to buy a car, you need a job. And so you want to be a reporter for this newspaper?

Bobbie: That’s partly right. There’s another reason. You wrote a newspaper article about my sister Susan. She had the idea to give toys to children in hospitals.

Bi: Yes. Of course.

Ro: Well, many people read your article, and now some of them want to help. And that kind of help makes the whole toy program possible. It’s just that I see it now. Journalism¹³ makes things happen.

Bi: Well, your sister had a good idea. And reporters like me like to write about good ideas.

Ro: I like that! [He thinks] A reporter…

Bi: Robbie, no one here will give you a job as a reporter. Not yet, anyway. But give me something interesting and well written, and I’ll show it to the editor, Mr. Maxwell.

Ro: You mean people like me do write articles?

Bi: Sometimes. We don’t always publish them, but sometimes we print a good story from someone like you. Now, we don’t pay much.

Ro: Oh no. I understand. I want to thank you, Mr. Macdonald. I’m going home now to start thinking about something to write.

Bi: I’m happy to help. Call me anytime.

Ro: I will.

Bi: By the way, Robbie, what about your job? Your car? Did you check the help-wanted ads?

Ro: I did, but with no luck. I’m still…

[We hear the secretary’s voice on the intercom.]

Secretary: Package from Speedy Messenger Service, Bill. Shall I send the messenger in?

Bill: Send him in.

Robbie: I’m still a student, Mr. Macdonald. I can only work part-time.

Bi: Hmm, Good part-time work is hard to find.

Messenger: [He enters.] Are you Mr. Macdonald?

Bi: Yes.

Me: I have a package for you.

Bi: Great! You got here quickly. I just called for this package.

Me: They call us Speedy for a good reason.

Bi: You must have a fast bicycle.

Me: Yes, I do. It’s a good one.

Bi: Should I sign right here?

Me: That’s the place.

Bi: [He signs his name.] Thank you. Just a moment! Young man? Uh, what can you tell us about being a bicycle messenger?

Me: It’s an Ok job. I can work a lot, or I can work a little. I can go fast and make a lot of money, or I can go slow and make less. It’s a good job.

Bi: Hmm. Well, thanks. And goodbye.

Me: You’re welcome. [He leaves.]

Bi: Well, Robbie, do you own good bicycle?

Robbie: I sure do. You know, being a messenger may be the job for me.

1 introduction   

n.(to)介绍；传入，引进；导言，导论，绪论

参考例句：

• The introduction tells you how to use the book.引言告诉你怎样使用这本书。
• A letter of introduction will ensure you an interview.凭一封介绍信准保会接待你。

2 tuning   

n.调谐，调整，调音v.调音( tune的现在分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• They are tuning up a plane on the flight line. 他们正在机场的飞机跑道上调试一架飞机。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The orchestra are tuning up. 管弦乐队在定弦。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

5 mowing   

n.割草，一次收割量，牧草地v.刈，割( mow的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The lawn needs mowing. 这草坪的草该割了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• "Do you use it for mowing?" “你是用它割草么？” 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

6 lawn   

n.草地，草坪，上等细麻布

参考例句：

• The lawn was crawling with ants.草坪上爬满了蚂蚁。
• They are lying on a grassy lawn.他们躺在绿草如茵的草坪上。

7 papers   

n.文件，纸币，论文

参考例句：

• I want to check with my secretary before I sign the papers.在签署这些文件前，我要与我的秘书商议。
• The lawyer read all the papers relating to the case.律师阅读了与该案有关的全部文件。

8 delivery   

n.交付；投递；分娩；解救者；演讲的风格

参考例句：

• The strike caused a great delay in the delivery of the mail.这次罢工严重地延误了邮件的投递。
• He was employed at the local grocery store as a delivery boy.他受雇于当地杂货店当送货员。

9 routes   

n.路( route的名词复数 )；（公共汽车和列车等的）常规路线；途径；渠道

参考例句：

• Drivers are advised to seek alternative routes. 驾车者被告知需另寻其他路线。
• The company plans to run trains on key intercity routes. 公司计划在主要城际路线上开通火车。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 riders   

骑（马、自行车等）的人( rider的名词复数 )； 乘客； 附文； 附加条款

参考例句：

• a group of riders strung out along the beach 沿海滩散开的一队骑手
• The riders came trotting down the lane. 这骑手骑着马在小路上慢跑。

11 messenger   

n.报信者，先驱

参考例句：

• By the time the messenger reached him,the damage had been done.送信人赶到他那儿时，损失已经造成了。
• I'll order a special messenger to deliver the document.我会派专人把文件送去。

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

13 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。