2011年商务英语辅导：商务礼仪美语（8）

会计考友

陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作。他在走廊上远远地看到美国同事Amy，连忙赶了过去。
（Office ambience）
C：Amy, 我有点儿急事想请教你。
( B7 t) c# C5 a$ E: N, S  qA：OK, What is it?
: M$ v2 W1 u/ v3 L0 bC：跟我一个办公室的Todd, 他妈妈在美国去世了。
A：I don't know Todd, but I am sorry to hear that.
C：他要回美国奔丧。我想为他做点儿什么，但又不知道怎样做才符合西方的礼节，所以今天早上我一直在躲着他。
5 X" G  e9 X1 A" R! s# y1 t2 w& TA：That's a perfectly natural response. May I suggest a few things?
C：太好了，你快告诉我。
A：First of all, don't avoid him. Make a point of going to him immediately and offering your condolences.
C：什么是condolences?
! s7 g5 G+ M/ m4 c* o$ oA：Condolences就是表示同情、慰问。
9 V# x4 \% @! s1 M$ S# V: O: WC：我唯一能想到的就是 "I'm sorry to hear about your loss." 就这么一句好像不太够吧？
: f$ r! [& E" B& dA：Sometimes that's all you can say. If you try to say more, it may be the wrong thing.
C：是呀，我也是怕说多了反而坏事。
% B* d7 {$ s+ ^A：If you can, follow your statement of condolence with an offer to help.
* x; b7 x2 t* ^1 v# ?  RC：帮忙， 可我能帮什么忙呢？
A：Think of what he may need that you can do. You might offer to take him to the airport.
; @( r8 j! Q- x; N% N% GC：开车送他去机场确实是个好主意，可惜我没车。
* t3 v6 q9 f% `! d! m( [A：What about work issues? Are there things you can help him with while he is away?
C：对呀，我们是一个组的，他请假，我可以承担一部分他的工作。我这就去跟他说。谢谢你，Amy.
******
MC：午饭时陈豪又看见了Amy.
A：Chen Hao, How did things go with Todd?
* y& M& P8 x0 q+ J! BC：你说得没错。我说可以承担他的工作，Todd显得如释重负。另外，我还想到了其它可以出力的地方。
5 {; V; g0 m. G8 q% w! x- c& PA：What was that?
. n7 ^7 A8 D& lC：Todd是我的邻居，他养了一只猫，叫Fluffy. 我告诉他说，他离开这段时间，我可以照顾Fluffy, 他听了以后特别高兴。
7 E$ c5 k6 v/ ^A：It is important to be specific at times like these. So often people simply say, "Let me know if there is anything I can do to help."
C：Amy, 你觉得我还需要送花和卡片吗？
A：You can, but that's not necessary since you are expressing your sympathy in a concrete way.
% H8 N* }& v6 w' e1 G" `C：Todd还让我帮他取信。我有他公寓的钥匙。他回来之前，我还可以帮他买点儿新鲜蔬菜和水果。
A：You see how easy it is to think of acts of service for people who are grieving?
C：是啊，我们总是不好意思求别人办事，要是能主动提出来，那是再好不过的了。
' a& t# C1 c% @% W  O: XA：That's right. Too often when people don't know what to do at a time of loss, they end up not doing anything.
1 M2 \' t6 Z0 C# I8 qC：幸亏有你，Amy.