商务礼节美语第134期:办公室恋情(上)

　　A Relationship in the Office
办公室恋情
公司老板Joe找员工Sam和Lucinda谈话。
Joe Tan: Hi Sam, please take a seat. Good morning, Lucinda. Please sit down. How are you both this morning?
Sam and Lucinda: Good, thanks.
Joe: I asked you both to come in this morning because there's been rumors¹ floating around that you two are involved in a personal relationship. Now I know these kinds of things can be sensitive, but I do feel we have to discuss it.
Joe开门见山，说找他们两人谈话，是因为公司里有传言，there has been rumors floating around...说Sam和Lucinda在谈恋爱。
Lucinda: Yes, the rumors are true. Sam and I are in love!
Sam: It's true, I feel the same way about Lucinda!
Joe: Well, let me be the first to congratulate you! Falling in love is great and I'm very happy for both of you.
S: But?
J: Well, our company does have some guidelines for internal relationships.
Lucinda和Sam两人都承认，they are in love. 他们确实在恋爱。Joe首先向他们表示祝贺。但随即承认，公司在员工谈恋爱方面有guideline指导原则什么guideline呢？
L: The company frowns on co-workers dating each other, right?
J: Let's just say such relationships are not actively² encouraged.
S: But why? We are in love!
J: Well, there are many reasons, but one of the main downsides to interoffice relationships is that they can be a big distraction³ from work. Other employees can sometimes see such relationships as unfair. The end result can be jealousy⁴, hurt feelings and a loss of productivity for the company.
Joe解释说，公司之所以不鼓励公司员工之间的恋爱关系，最主要的原因是干扰工作。其他员工会觉得不公平，最后造成a loss of productivity for the company. 公司生产力的下降。
L: But in today's modern working world, I feel like there is very little opportunity to meet people. Bars are smoky and loud. Internet dating can be very scary...it seems like I spend most of my time working at the office, so isn't it natural to find a co-worker as a partner?
S: I have to agree. Lucinda and I work on the same projects so we have a lot in common. I even think our productivity has increased as a result of our relationship.
Lucinda说，她觉得，酒吧烟雾弥漫、人声鼎沸，网上交友又不安全，既然一天到晚待在公司，在办公室找对象不是很自然吗。Sam说，他们两人是同一个项目组的，we have a lot in common. 说到这儿，老板Joe是不是理屈词穷了呢？我们下次继续听。

1 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

3 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

4 jealousy   

n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌

参考例句：

• Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
• I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。