Michael是纽约大学的美国学生,他同时也在一家建筑公司实习。他的中国同学李华今天要去他的公司看他。Michael听得懂中文,但是说还有点困难。Michael和李华在今天的对话里会用两个常用语,一个是:big gun; 另一个是to quarterback。Michael现在在办公室门口和李华打招呼。
1 g; R/ e* ]% G+ O* z$ y* E% E( F M: Hey, Li Hua, Come on in. How're you doing?' q+ j$ A5 Z; ~9 k4 u+ ]) Q
L:我挺好。你怎么样?对了,你下午想干什么?# c4 y) m$ ^7 N, {
M: Ah, I've got a meeting with the big guns this afternoon. They want to talk to me about continuing to work here after graduation.6 j9 I; t: |) j1 |, w$ J2 K1 ^5 N
L:我听懂了你后面的一句话,他们要跟你谈关于毕业后回来工作的事。那真是太好了。可是,你刚才说今天下午要跟谁开会?
0 @ ]# Y4 }: M M: Yea, I 'm meeting with my bosses. Sometimes we call them the big guns of the office.
, M8 C2 }( E5 m/ D' Z L:噢,你要跟你的几个老板开会。你们把老板叫做the big guns。
+ b; b* v, ^9 d$ W% N' O M: It's an expression that can be used to describe powerful people.
$ ?- V3 O/ x: o& `: A) D% Q L:噢,那是指权力很大的人,也就是大人物。那么,总统的顾问能,称为big guns吗?) D, ^; d" W* H( n2 J0 P3 O" `: ?
M: Yes, a president's advisors are big guns. But it can also be used in sports. In soccer the stars of a team are the big guns.
) M k3 O/ D3 }2 Y$ \( ] L:Big guns还能用在体育方面。1 e" z" |' `/ `( n7 x
M: OK, let me show you around the rest if the office.7 v: p/ Q/ f. A
L:你要带我去看看这公司的大楼,那太好了。Let's go!8 F( \, O8 E7 d) i$ f
M: This is the conference room. We had a meeting here yesterday on our plan for a new building. The project leader quarterbacked the meeting.) f3 {7 w0 D; Q2 C8 a
L:等等,你说这是会议室,你们昨天在这里开了一个会,讨论盖一栋新楼的计划。可是,你还说那项目主任是踢美式足球的,是quarterback,四分卫,对不对?
1 c! V q# g) i% l* m M: No, no, no! Quarterback here is a verb, meaning to lead. The word quarterback is borrowed from American football, where the quarterback leads the team.& j- X, e/ e9 X3 v# Y
L:噢,quarterback在这里是动词,意思是领导。你说这里的quarterback是从美式足球里借来用的,因为quarterback在球队里是主力。你刚才是怎么说的?2 f& y5 c4 Z9 Z! P8 B
M: The project leader quarterbacked the meeting.
8 \3 m( X6 t1 Z L:现在我听清楚了,你刚才说的是:项目领导人主持会议。那么,to quarterback还能用在别处吗?' _$ O2 m- I! t
M: To quarterback is business slang. If someone is responsible for a group working on a new project that individual is quarterbacking the team.
& m4 {. B9 ?" \2 z& e7 R L:知道了,to quarterback 是用在商业方面的。要是某人负责一个新项目,这个人就是在领导这个项目的小组。要是某人在一个法律事务所主持会议,那该怎么说呢?
* ]: S7 N: `9 K$ n8 s a9 i! j M: Someone quarterbacked the meeting at the law firm.
1 M4 D# V1 }! i" a: m! } L:你们公司的一位重要领导主持会议,讨论公司的收入报告,这又该怎么说?
5 d7 j1 z; y( L X M: The company's big gun quarterbacked the meeting about their revenue report. Hey, I need to get back to work. I'll call you later.
; p+ O. X' `- T% z- b& @+ F L:好吧,那就再见吧!希望你将来成为a big gun.. ^+ \$ ?' s6 P3 A+ r
M: Oh, yea, I'm sure soon I'll be quarterbacking every meeting and every project.- b; ]! z7 L( ^
L:你真的当真呐!还想主持所有会议,总管所有项目。得啦,再见吧!$ _4 |) o7 h: B/ L% J% V2 K
Michael 和李华在对话中用了两个常用语,一个是:the big guns,意思是大人物,对决策有重大影响的人;另一个是:to quarterback,意思是主持会议,或总管项目。 |