American Beauty《美國麗人》
■ 公司裁員,員工被炒,在外企是常事。常事歸常事,但情緒還是有的。經(jīng)理把萊斯特叫進(jìn)辦公室,準(zhǔn)備和他談?wù)勥@一令人窘迫的問題。沒想到他反告經(jīng)理貪污,看來這廝是決意不想干了。破罐子破摔,說不準(zhǔn)還能得到點(diǎn)好處。這一問一答玄得很,互不相讓。一邊粗俗直接,一邊話鋒犀利,措辭嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)。如果哪一天英語口語能達(dá)到這個(gè)水平層次,那可真是高手。
單詞通緝令
1. cut corners 走捷徑
2. company Master Card 公司信用卡
3. hooker n. 妓女
4. unsubstantiated a. 沒有證據(jù)的
5. calm down 冷靜,相當(dāng)于cool off
6. description n.描繪;描述
7. mapping out羅列; 敘述
8. assess v.評估,評價(jià)
9. expendable a. 可犧牲的
10. Les. Lester的縮略形式
Manager: So yeah, I’m sure you’re going to understand our need to 1)cut corners around here.
Lester: Oh, sure, yeah. Times are tight, you got to free up some cash. You gotta spend money to make money right?
Manager: Exactly.
Lester: At the time Mr. Plorner used the 2)company Master Card to pay for that 3)hooker and she used the card numbers and stayed at the St. Regis for what was it like three months?
Manager: That’s 4)unsubstantiated…
Lester: That’s $50,000. That’s somebody’s salary, that somebody’s gonna get fired because Craig has to pay women to fuck him.
Manager: Jesus! I mean 5)calm down. Nobody’s getting fired yet. And that’s why we’re having everyone write out a job 6)description 7)mapping out in detail how they contribute. That way management can 8)assess who’s valuable and…
Lester: …who’s 9)expendable.
Manager: It’s just business.
Lester: I’ve been writing for this magazine for fourteen years, Brad. You’ve been here for how long, a whole month?
Manager: I’m one of the good guys, 10)Les. I’m trying to level with you. This is your one chance to save your job.
經(jīng)理:所以呢,我肯定你會(huì)理解我們必須走捷徑來節(jié)省開支。
萊斯特:哦,當(dāng)然是的。時(shí)間緊迫,你必須騰出些現(xiàn)金來。要賺錢,就得花錢,對不對?
經(jīng)理:絕對正確。
萊斯特:在博羅納先生用公司信用卡付錢給那個(gè)娼妓的同時(shí),她用那個(gè)卡號住在圣雷琪旅館,多長時(shí)間,三個(gè)月吧?
經(jīng)理 :這樣說沒有證據(jù)……
萊斯特:那是5萬美元。等于某人的薪水,有人被炒魷魚因?yàn)榭巳R克要付錢給女人陪他睡覺。
經(jīng)理:天哪,我說冷靜點(diǎn)?,F(xiàn)在還沒人被炒魷魚。這就是我們要求大家寫工作報(bào)告的原因,詳細(xì)闡述自己的工作表現(xiàn)。這樣,管理層才可以評估誰是有價(jià)值的以及……
萊斯特:……誰是可以犧牲的。
經(jīng)理:這是工作。
萊斯特:布萊德,我為這家雜志社寫了十四年的文章。你來這里多久?一個(gè)月?
經(jīng)理:萊斯特,我是一個(gè)好人。我試著和你說真心話。這是你保留工作的一個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)。