Using English at Work：38 Scheduling a Meeting(3)

"To play phone tag¹" means² that two people are exchanging voicemail messages but aren't able to actually speak to each other.

For example, I start by calling you, but you don't answer your phone so I leave you a message - a voicemail message.

Then, when you get the message, you call me, but I don't answer the phone, so you leave me a message.

If we are both busy people - I'm not, but you probably are - we might continue to do this for a long time, and this is what we call "playing phone tag."

"Tag" (tag) is a game that children play, when one person is touched by another person and they become what we call "it."

You say, "You're it!" and then that child has to run and touch someone else, and that person becomes "it," and you don't want to be "it."

I don't know why we say "it," but that's the word we use.

Getting back to our story.

Fortunately³, I don't have to play phone tag with the vendor⁴ for very long.

At 4 p.m. she calls me again, and because this time I'm at my desk, or in my office, we can talk at last, or finally.

Andrea, who works⁵ for the vendor, asks me if it is possible for us to meet early in the week next week.

The phrase⁶ "early in the week" usually means Monday or Tuesday - maybe Wednesday.

The phrase "late in the week" usually 32 means Thursday or Friday.

The "middle of the week" or "mid-week" usually means Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

So, someone may call you and say, "Let's meet late next week," they mean Thursday or Friday. Or, "Let's meet next week in the middle of the week," Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Before responding⁷ to her question, I check my calendar.

A "calendar" is a schedule⁸ of the days and months of the year.

It's also a person's personal schedule or list of when you are available⁹ to meet with someone and when you are busy - when you have other things going on or happening.

I check my calendar to see whether I am available to meet early in the week next week and I tell Andrea that I'm tied up Monday and Tuesday.

1 tag   

n.标签，附属物，名称，谚语；vt.附以签条，尾随，添饰，指责，连接；vi.紧随，尾随

参考例句：

• Please tag your baggage.请在你的行李上贴上标签了。
• The clerk attached a price tag to each article.店员给每一件商品系上标价签。

2 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

3 fortunately   

adv.有幸地；幸运地

参考例句：

• Fortunately for him,he can swim.对他来说幸运的是，他会游泳。
• Fortunately the rain stopped before we started.幸亏在我们动身前雨停了。

4 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

5 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

6 phrase   

n.短语，词组；成语，习语

参考例句：

• The phrase was caught on and immediately became popular.这个短语被采用后很快就流行了。
• That's exactly the phrase I was looking for.这就是我一直找的那个短语。

7 responding   

回答，回报，响应( respond的现在分词 )； 有反应； 有效果； 有影响

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals. 他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• Responding with a smile, he said, "Well, why don't you?" 他也笑道：“咦，你为什么不说话了？”

8 schedule   

n.时间表，进度表，计划表，议事日程；vt.预定，编制目录，为某事安排时间

参考例句：

• The schedule of tomorrow is Paris.明天的日程是巴黎。
• This task is behind schedule.该任务落后于进度。

9 available   

adj.可用到的，可利用的，有用的，有空的，接受探访的

参考例句：

• My bicycle is not available,and it is being repaired.我的自行车现在不能用，因为正在修理。
• This book is not easily available.这本书可不好买。