Lesson Fourteen

Key phrases & Expressions　关键短语和表达方式：

curious about　很好奇的，想知道

cut back on　少吃，少喝，减少

cut down（on）减少，缩减，少吃

deal with（cope with）对付，应付，处理，涉及，打交道

Great！What about going to Shanghai？I have a friend working in Shanghai，he told me Shanghai is so fascinating and full of energy.

——I'm really curious about Eastern culture，especially that of China.So，it's done，let's go to Shanghai next week.

One more thing I'm curious about Greenspan.What was his statement toward the subprime mortgage？

——In the early stage of the subprime mortgage in 2007，Greenspan admitted that there was a bubble in the US housing market.

I know many people are learning English nowadays.But it's a bit weird to hear people say“hello”to me in the street.That's the word you use to answer a phone.So it feels like everybody in the street is on the phone.

——Well，Chinese people are friendly.We are also curious about people from afar.What you've just said is an example of such a feeling.

Angela，we need to cut back on our expenses.

——Well，shall we start from your cigarettes？What's your point，Mike？Could you kindly quit smoking？

But I haven't saved much money.I need to cut back on my living expenses.

——Hey，you can supplement your income with a part-time job.

Well，the house is indeed a little expensive but I think you can afford it，you've just got a promotion.

——But I haven't saved enough money for the down-payment，I need to cut back on my living expenses.

Why don't you suggest listening to some music before bedtime？Besides that，cut down on the television and video games at night.

——I'll try that.Thanks，doctor.

Almost everyone is talking about losing weight.I'm planning to cut down on sweet food.

——Yeah.Reducing weight is not only for your beauty but for your health.

We should be able to meet the target date.Even though this part of the project was due a week ago，we can still complete the whole program on time.

——Is that so？That's wonderful.We'll be able to cut down on our overtime.

I have a problem.I'm going away to Spain next semester as part of the school's international study program.I'm not sure what I should do about my mail while I'm away.

——Oh，is that all？We deal with this sort of thing all the time.We can either forward all of your mail to your new address in Spain，or we can hold your mail here until you get back.

So how do you resolve problems when the customers are not satisfied？How do you deal with complaints？

——You have to deal with complaints sensitively，and try to understand where they're coming from.Always apologize and take the blame，because the customer is always right.

To relax？You're probably right.I just wish it were that simple.How can I stop feeling so anxious all the time？

——Taking a yoga class or learning some relaxation techniques can help you cope with your stress.

Was the coffee shop you worked in China a chain one，like this？Or was it more slow and relaxed？I mean，it can get pretty hectic and full-on here at certain times of the day.And it's worse when the place is full of tourists who can't speak English.

——I think I can cope with it.Coffee shops in China are also pretty hectic and full-on at certain times of the day.

Notes to the text　课文注释：

fascinating迷人，极吸引人；full of energy充满活力；Eastern culture东方文化；it's done就这么定了；Greenspan格林斯潘（美国前联储局长）；statement说法，声明，结算单；subprime mortgage次要的抵押贷款（次贷）；early stage早期；bubble泡沫；housing market房产市场；weird古怪的；to answer a phone接电话；People from afar远方来客；what you've just said is an example of such a feeling刚才你说的就是这种情感的表达；example例子，榜样；expenses开支，支出；what's your point？（= what's your opinion？）你的意见如何？；to save money省钱；to supplement your income补充你的收入；income收入；to get a promotion升了职；bedtime就寝时间；video games视频游戏；sweet food甜食；to meet the target date在目标时间完成（按期完成）；target目标；to be due到期；to complete完成；overtime加班；Spain西班牙；semester学期；what I should do about my mail while I'm away？我离开期间，我的邮件怎么办？；mail（email电子邮件）邮件；to forward（to）转寄，发送；to resolve problems解决问题；complaint投诉；sensitively非常谨慎地；to try to understand where they're coming from试着了解这些投诉的来历；always apologize and take the blame总是道歉和接受责备；to apologize道歉；I just wish it were that simple只是希望能简简单单；to take a yoga class去上瑜伽课；relaxation technique放松自己的技巧；to relax放松；stress压力；chain连锁；more slow and relaxed更轻松缓慢；it can get pretty hectic and full-on here at certain times of the day一天中总有些时候非常嘈杂繁忙；hectic忙碌的，繁忙的；full-on完全的，尽兴的

Practice　练习

Oral Translation　口头汉译英：

看完那套房子后，我的太太对房子和周围的环境（surroundings）都非常满意。但是我感到那套房子的确有点贵，我们暂时（for the moment）还买不起。我的太太对我说，“你刚刚升了职，老板会给你加（to increase）工资。”我告诉她，“我们可申请房屋津贴（housing allowance），也可以申请贷款。不过我们还没有存到足够的钱来支付首期（down payment）。”“看来我们只能压缩生活开支了。”我的太太说，“那好，从压缩你的烟酒开始吧！”

客户是我们的上帝，我们重视（to care about）客人的投诉。当然（certainly），绝大部分的客户对我们的产品和售后服务很满意。但是仍然有一些客户对我们的产品不满意，我们一定要处理好投诉，解决问题。首先（first of all），我们要找出投诉的来源，想出解决问题的方法。我们要向他们道歉，接受客户的指责，因为客人总是对的。当然，我们还需要告诉客户如何正确操作（to operate）我们的产品。

Paragraphs Recitation　背诵英语口语短文：

There are many things we can do in our daily life to help protect the environment.The three main things we can do are：reduce，reuse and recycle（循环利用）.First，we can reduce the amount we consume（消费）on water and energy at home.Second，we can reuse some utensils（用具，器具）and containers（容器）and get rid of the bad habit of using everything only once，which will help decrease（减少）waste.Third，we can recycle items like cans（罐）and bottles（瓶）.Recycling can cut down on the overall amount（总量）of resources we use.

Bill Gates，the former（前）Boss of Microsoft，has decided to address（谈到）the world's health problems，and smoking is one of the world's most serious health problems.Despite of（尽管）work by health campaigners（健康运动者），more than one billion（10亿）people still smoke today.Smoking kills up to half of those who fail to quit smoking，reducing their lives by an average of 10 to 15 years.Smoking itself is a bad habit，but if you can't give it up，you can at least cut back on some bad smoking habit but also a dangerous one，as many house fires start because someone fell asleep with a lit cigarette（点燃的烟）still between his fingers（手指）.