Using English at Work：48 Meeting with the Boss(7)

I don't know for sure that this promotion¹ is going to happen, so I don't want to jump the gun by thinking about it too much, because then I may be disappointed² or embarrassed³ if the regional manager later changes her mind or decides to give the promotion to someone else.

The expression "jump the gun" comes from running, such as races in the Olympics.

The race begins - runners begin when they shoot a gun up in the air, and when you hear the gun then you can start running.

To jump the gun means⁴ to start running before you hear the gun, to start running too early.

Well, I don't want to jump the gun, so I'm not going to think about the promotion too much, just in case it doesn't happen, that way I won't be disappointed.

As you can see, the meeting with my boss went very well.

Let's listen to the story again, this time at a normal speed.

Before leaving work for the day, I want to stop by my boss's office to give him an update on my progress.

I know he's expecting the report on Monday and I want to let him know that it will be finished on schedule.

Before I can do that, he calls me into his office and tells me to sit down.

He tells me that the regional manager is impressed with my work and is considering me for a promotion.

He says that this information is hush-hush, but he wants to give me the heads up.

He says that the promotion would give me a new title and a small raise, but the most important thing is that it will put me in line to eventually become a regional manager myself.

He praises me for my hard work and encourages me to keep my head down and to keep plugging⁵ away.

I'm so surprised, I don't know what to say.

I've never thought of myself as a corporate⁶ climber and I didn't think that my work was a standout from my coworkers'.

Of course I thank my boss, shake hands with him, and leave his office.

It's nice to get a pat⁷ on the back from him and I hope that the promotion does come through.

I don't want to jump the gun, though, so I'm not going to think about it too much in case it doesn't happen.

In this lesson, I met with my boss and received some good news.

In lesson number nine, our next lesson, I'm going to talk about leaving work at the end of the day.

This course has been a production of the Center for Educational Development, in beautiful Los Angeles, California⁸. Visit our website at eslpod.com.

This course was produced by Dr⁹. Jeff McQuillan and Dr. Lucy Tse. Copyright¹⁰ 2008.

1 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。

2 disappointed   

adj.失望的，不满意的，不如意的

参考例句：

• He seemed disappointed when the man refused his request.当那个人拒绝了他的要求时他看起来很失望。
• He was disappointed so often that he became hopeless.他屡次失望，以致变为了绝望。

3 embarrassed   

adj.尴尬的，不好意思的

参考例句：

• He was very embarrassed to hear people speak so highly of him.他听见别人这样夸他,感到很难为情。
• He is somewhat embarrassed.他稍微有点窘迫。

4 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。

5 plugging   

n.（用木塞）堵漏v.插上插头( plug的现在分词 )；以（塞子）塞住

参考例句：

• She keeps plugging away at French. 她一直在拼命地学法语。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• An irrigation system is selected that is less prone to plugging. 选择这样一个灌溉系统很少会阻塞。 来自辞典例句

6 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

7 pat   

n.轻拍，拍打声；vt.轻拍，拍打；vi.轻跑，轻击；adv.适时，彻底；adj.油腔滑调的，恰好的，合适的

参考例句：

• Could you hear the pat?你能听到轻轻的拍击声吗？
• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。

8 California   

n.加利福尼亚(美国)

参考例句：

• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。
• We were driving on a California freeway.我们正沿着加利福尼亚的一条快车道驾车行驶。

9 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。

10 copyright   

n.版权，著作权

参考例句：

• He retained the copyright of his book.他保留此书的著作权。
• This company has a proprietorship of the copyright.这家公司拥有版权所有权。