Using English at Work：44 Meeting with the Boss(3)

The "regional manager" would be the manager of a certain large area.

For example, if a company sold products to all 50 states in the United States, there might be different regional managers: one for the western region, one for the southern region, and so forth¹.

My boss says that the regional manager is impressed with my work.

"To be impressed with something" means to be very pleased or very happy with something that has happened or with something that another person has done.

Parents are usually very impressed with the things that their children do; even the smallest things, sometimes.

The regional manager is impressed with my work, which means that she likes the work I've been doing.

Next, my boss tells me that the regional manager is considering me for a promotion².

A "promotion" is a move within one company from a less important job to a more important job, usually because someone has done his or her job very well.

A promotion often leads to more money as well.

People get promotions³ from Manager to Director, or from Vice⁴ President to President.

Getting a promotion is usually very good news, unless it's more work with the same amount of pay. Then, not so good news!

My boss says this information is hush⁵-hush. "Hush-hush" is an informal term that means that something is a secret, something that shouldn't be talked about with other people.

"To hush" means to tell someone to be quiet, so "hush-hush" means being quiet about something - not telling anyone else.

You might tell a friend, for example, that you're falling in love with the woman who works next to you, but you ask him to keep it hush-hush because you don't want other people to know - like her boyfriend!

By saying that the information is hush-hush, then, my boss is asking me not to tell other people that I'm being considered for a promotion.

The boss shares this secret information with me because he wants to give me the heads up.

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

3 promotions   

促进( promotion的名词复数 )； 提升； 推广； 宣传

参考例句：

• All services or promotions must have an appeal and wide application. 所有服务或促销工作都必须具有吸引力和广泛的适用性。
• He promptly directed the highest promotions and decorations for General MacArthur. 他授予麦克阿瑟将军以最高的官阶和勋奖。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！