Gossip? 八卦闲话？哎呀，我也想听听!

Jeremy: Hey Allison, what's up? Did you have a good time at my party last weekend?

Allison: Oh yeah, it was totally awesome. Although I'm sorry to hear that you broke up with Karen. You guys were such a great couple!

Jeremy: What? I didn't break up with Karen. We're still dating. Why did you think we weren't together anymore?

Allison: What? Everyone is saying that you dumped Karen and are with Heather now.

Jeremy: What? That's a complete fabrication. You shouldn't believe hearsay like that.

哇，不知道party上发生了什么! Allison说，大家都在传，Jeremy dumped his girlfriend Karen--甩掉了自己的女友Karen, 和Heather成一对儿啦!

Professor: Exactly. But what does Jeremy say?

他说这些传言完全是fabrication--虚构的谎言。

Professor: That's right. You can also use fabricate as a verb. For example, "Elliot forgot to do his homework, so he fabricated a story about his dog eating it."

哦，fabricate是动词，就是"瞎编"的意思。对了，professor, Jeremy 说，Allison不该听信这种hearsay。 Hearsay是谣传的意思么？

Professor: Right. Now let's see where this rumor came from.

Jeremy: Where did you ever hear such a crazy rumor?

Allison: Oh, I don't know .... I suppose I heard it through the grapevine.

Jeremy: Oh come on, Allison. Tell me why people are saying that.

Allison: Well, you've never invited Heather to any of your parties before. And people have been seeing you two spending a lot of time together lately.

Jeremy: No, we haven't!

Allison: Sure! People in math class say that you all have been talking very quietly and secretly in the back of class. And then there were some people who overheard you spending a long time begging her to come to your party.

原来，Jeremy以前从没邀请过Heather参加party，所以，这次Heather一去，大家都觉得肯定是有什么特殊原因!

Professor: That's right. And why else have people started to think they're dating?

因为大家看到Jeremy和Heather两个人老在教室后面嘀嘀咕咕，所以觉得俩人八成儿是好上了! 哈哈，他们哪里知道，这俩人是在偷偷商量抄作业的事儿呢!

Professor: Right. Say Winnie, have you ever heard of "the grapevine" before?

我知道，grapevine就是"口头消息"的意思。所以，Allison刚开始的时候说，她是从别人口中听到Jeremy和Heather交往的消息的。

Jeremy: What? I didn't beg her. When I invited her, I just gave her some advice about what clothes to wear.

Allison: I don't know Jeremy, isn't that the kind of advice that a boyfriend usually gives? And what about your secret conversations in math class?

Jeremy: No! She was just giving me the answers to the math homework ... Wait! I mean ... she is my math tutor.

Allison: Your math tutor? I have to say, that sounds pretty fishy. Isn't tutoring the usual excuse people use when they start dating?

Jeremy: Come on Allison, you have to believe me. This is all just a big misunderstanding.

尽管Jeremy费力澄清，可是Allison并不相信他的话，觉得他说的话很"fishy"--可疑!

Professor: Right. You can call something "fishy" if it sounds suspicious or unbelievable.

Jeremy: Eh ... It's really bad when people believe whatever they hear without asking for proof.

Allison: Well you know, everybody just wants to be in the loop. And when the gossip is really good, everybody wants to tell their friends.

Jeremy: Hmm .. Do you think we could start a good rumor? Like, that I'm the smartest student in school?

Allison: Sorry buddy, nobody is interested in good rumors. And that one definitely isn't believable if you need a math tutor!

Allison说得对，人们只喜欢传坏事儿，看别人热闹。不过，professor, 什么叫"to be in the loop?"

Professor: Being in the loop is having the latest information.

哦，to be in the loop就是消息灵通! Professor Bowman, 下次你想给我们pop quiz的时候，一定要keep me in the loop，好不好？

Professor: Nice try!

A: Allison 问Jeremy是不是跟原来的女朋友分手，跟Heather在一起了。Jeremy说this is a complete fabrication. 纯粹的谣传，Allison说，I heard it through the grapevine, 道听途说，尽管Jeremy认真解释，可是Allison还是觉得他很fishy, 特别可疑!

B: Hey, speaking of fishy...I noticed that you have been dressing up lately when you come to work...is there something you want to tell me, 杨琳?

A: What? 才没有呢....不是因为我们要开始制作电视节目吗? 所以我才买了一些新衣服，好为上镜做准备！

B: 哦，原来如此！ Have you ever heard the English saying: Beauty is skin deep? Then again, I do think first impressions make a difference. 在工作中有时候形象塑造也很重要啊!

A: 没错，在今天的 business etiquette里，就谈到了一些boosting sales，促进销售的好方法，咱们一起去听一听!

礼节美语 Boosting Sales I

公司副总裁Lisa找到销售部经理Frank.

Lisa: Frank, we just got our sales figures in and the numbers are very disappointing. What's going on here?

Frank: I haven't actually seen the new figures. How far have we fallen?

L: We were in sixth place at the beginning of the year and we've now slipped to the eleventh! That's a considerable drop.

F: Wow, that's really bad news. Maybe we should brainstorm some ideas for a radical reinvention of our sales and marketing plan.

L: Yeah, let's do that right now. What do you think the problem is?

公司副总裁Lisa找到销售部经理Frank, 因为最新销售数字很令人失望，年初的时候还排名第六，we've now slipped to the eleventh. 如今已经滑落到了第11位，下跌幅度很大，That's a considerable drop. Frank听了这个坏消息，觉得应该 brainstorm some ideas，to brainstorm 是头脑风暴，集思广益的意思，看看怎样彻底调整一下公司的销售和市场规划。Lisa建议，择日不如撞日，说谈就谈，问Frank觉得问题出在哪里。

F: Well, it seems our competitors have managed to carve a niche in the market. They are now perceived as more "cool" or trendy than we are. Perhaps we should consider getting some celebrity endorsements.

L: You mean like a rock star or a famous sports figure?

F: Yeah, that might help. The person has to be seen as kind of a rebel so we can associate our brand with individuality.

L: That's not a bad idea. I'll talk to the Board of Directors about that.

F: I'd also suggest we reevaluate our packaging. Right now the box we sell our product in seems a little drab and colorless.

Frank说，公司的竞争对手 carved a niche in the market 在市场中找到了属于自己的一块地方，niche is spelled n-i-c-h-e, niche 是缝隙的意思，动词 carve 是雕刻，划出的意思。Frank说，现在消费者都觉得公司竞争对手的产品更时尚，因此不妨找两个名人，给公司做产品代言，get some celebrity endorsements, 但选择的名人一定要带有反叛色彩，让用户觉得我们的产品有个性化，individuality. Frank 还建议，眼下的产品包装有些呆板，a little drab, 可以考虑变化一下。Lisa说：

L: Yes, we could redesign our packaging. But on the other hand, there is a recent trend to move away from excessive packaging. You know...to help save the environment.

F: That's another way we could go. We could reduce our packaging, and then advertise our environmentally-friendly business policies. Being"green" is definitely cool these days. Perhaps environmentally-friendly packaging would appeal to a younger customer demographic.

Lisa说，如今的趋势是放弃过度包装，实现包装简单化，因为这样做有利环保 environmentally-friendly. Frank觉得Lisa说得有道理，公司在包装上可以走环保路线，用环保的新思维来吸引年轻客户群，appeal to 是吸引的意思，demographic is spelled d-e-m-o-g-r-a-p-h-i-c, demographic 在这里指的是消费人群中的一部分。

A: 由于销售下降，公司主管brainstorm头脑风暴。他们认为需要get some celebrity endorsements 名人代言，实现包装简单化，be environmentally-friendly, 有利环保。这样才能在市场中立足。

B: Sales is definitely a very tough profession! You need to meet a certain quota every month, otherwise you risk being fired! It needs people who are super creative and work well under pressure!

A: 对啊! 我认识的做销售的朋友都说，他们得找到缓解压力的方法，比如慢跑啊，瑜珈什么的!

B: 是啊! 不过下面的体育美语里，我们要去了解一个更刺激的运动! Biathlon!

ASE Biathlon

Y: Hey What's up, Patrick?

P: Well, Yang Chen, I'm watching the Winter Olympics on TV. Today they are having the biathlon competition.

Y: Biathlon是什么?

P: The biathlon is one part cross country skiing, one part shooting.

Y: That's a real sport?

P: Yep, its pretty entertaining too.

Y: 那biathlon的比赛规则是什么?

P: Well they are timed, so whoever goes through the course the fastest and hits the most targets shooting wins.

Y: 噢，我知道了，这叫冬季两项，就是越野滑雪和射击两项运动。

P:That's why its called the biathlon.

Y: 那要是你 miss the target 没有射中目标怎么办?

P: You have time added to your total.

Y: 就是说速度和射击两项的综合成绩。 It's such a weird sport.

P: Oh come on. Yang Chen, you can't say it's weird just because you are not good at it.

Y: It is weird.

P Well it's a tough sport too. But lucky for us, we're in here watching it on TV.

Y: Watching TV is your number one sport.

P：I'll have you know I am a very accomplished skier.

Y: Accomplished skier? 滑雪好手?

P: It's a shame there are no mountains in downtown Washington, or I'd show you a thing or two.

Y:幸亏这周围没有山。 万一你摔坏了，我可不想送你到急诊室。

P: What about you, Yang Chen, do you ski?

Y: Oh no. Not me. 我怕冷。

P: You mean your warm personality isn't enough to keep you from getting frostbite?

Y: Don't be sarcastic, Patrick. I just prefer to be warm, that's all. Let's leave the biathlon to other people.

P: Sounds good to me. Pull up a seat and watch a round!

B: It's a tough sport that requires great skiing and shooting skills. Maybe I can give it a try...

A: 哈哈，这回轮到你白日做梦了! 咱俩还是老老实实，等会儿下了班跑跑步去吧!

B: 哈哈， that sounds good! We can jog around the Tidal Basin. The cherry blossoms are in full-bloom!

A: 边锻炼边赏樱花？好主意！好了， 这次节目时间就到这里, 同学们，我们下次的美语训练班再见！

B: Bye bye! See you next time!

slightly [´slaitli]   ad.轻微地；细长的   (初中英语单词)

victory [´viktəri]   n.胜利，战胜   (初中英语单词)

definitely [´definitli]   ad.明确地；绝对   (初中英语单词)

therefore [´ðeəfɔ:]   ad.&conj.因此；所以   (初中英语单词)

shower [´ʃauə]   n.展出者；阵雨；淋浴   (初中英语单词)

horrible [´hɔrəbəl]   a.可怕的；恐怖的   (初中英语单词)

phrase [freiz]   n.短语；词组；措词   (初中英语单词)

retire [ri´taiə]   v.撤退；退职；退休   (初中英语单词)

actually [´æktʃuəli]   ad.事实上；实际上   (初中英语单词)

everyone [´evriwʌn]   pron.=everybody 每人   (初中英语单词)

whatever [wɔt´evə]   pron.&a.无论什么   (初中英语单词)

lately [´leitli]   ad.近来，不久前   (初中英语单词)

beginning [bi´giniŋ]   n.开始，开端；起源   (初中英语单词)

considerable [kən´sidərəbəl]   a.重要的；值得重视   (初中英语单词)

associate [ə´səuʃieit]   v.联合a.同伴的n.伙伴   (初中英语单词)

customer [´kʌstəmə]   n.顾客，买主，主顾   (初中英语单词)

otherwise [´ʌðəwaiz]   ad.另外 conj.否则   (初中英语单词)

personality [,pə:sə´næliti]   n.人；个性；人品；人物   (初中英语单词)

successive [sək´sesiv]   a.相继的；接连的   (高中英语单词)

saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ]   n.言语；言论；格言   (高中英语单词)

everyday [´evridei]   a.每日的，日常的   (高中英语单词)

learned [´lə:nid]   a.有学问的，博学的   (高中英语单词)

correctly [kə´rektli]   ad.正确地；恰当地   (高中英语单词)

gossip [´gɔsip]   n.&vi.说闲话；聊天   (高中英语单词)

seeing [si:iŋ]   see的现在分词 n.视觉   (高中英语单词)

secretly [´si:kritli]   ad.秘密地；隐蔽地   (高中英语单词)

suspicious [sə´spiʃəs]   a.可疑的，多疑的   (高中英语单词)

radical [´rædikəl]   a.根本的；主要的   (高中英语单词)

excessive [ik´sesiv]   a.过分的；极端的   (高中英语单词)

advertise [´ædvətaiz]   v.登(做)广告；通知   (高中英语单词)

appeal [ə´pi:l]   vi.&n.请求；呼吁；上诉   (高中英语单词)

whoever [hu:´evə]   pron.任何人，无论谁   (高中英语单词)

cherry [´tʃeri]   n.樱桃(树)   (高中英语单词)

cologne [kə´ləun]   n.科隆香水   (英语四级单词)

retirement [ri´taiəmənt]   n.退休；撤退；幽静处   (英语四级单词)

weekend [´wi:kend, ,wi:k´end]   n.周末休假   (英语四级单词)

totally [´təutəli]   ad.统统，完全   (英语四级单词)

creative [kri:´eitiv]   a.有创造力的；创作的   (英语四级单词)

accomplished [ə´kʌmpliʃt]   a.完成了的；熟练的   (英语四级单词)

downtown [,daun´taun]   ad.&a.在商业区   (英语四级单词)

speaking [´spi:kiŋ]   n.说话 a.发言的   (英语六级单词)

consecutive [kən´sekjutiv]   a.连续的；连贯的   (英语六级单词)

dispel [di´spel]   vt.驱逐；驱散(乌云)   (英语六级单词)

heather [´heðə]   n.石南属植物   (英语六级单词)

bowman [´bəumən]   n.(弓箭)射手   (英语六级单词)

celebrity [si´lebriti]   n.名声；名人   (英语六级单词)