退位
Stepping aside
Hello again and welcome back to English at Work.
大家好，欢迎再次回到职场英语。
Last time we heard the team from Tip Top Trading having a smashing time at the launch of its plastic aubergine.
上期说到顶级贸易团队在塑料茄子发布会上玩得很痛快。
Tom threw one at Dave from the IT department, but it missed him and went through a window!
Tom向Dave扔茄子，不想没打中，却打破了玻璃。
It’s time for Paul to hand out some harsh words.
这下Paul该要讲些刻薄言语了。
(Door shuts) That behaviour just isn’t on.
（关上门）你们的行为太不合适了。
Sorry Paul… but it was quite funny wasn’t it?
对不起，Paul，不过很有意思嘛~
No it wasn’t.
才没有！
Sorry Paul, Tom was just angry with Dave.
抱歉，Paul。Tom只是和Dave生气。
I thought he liked me but we saw him with Julie from accounts.
我以为他喜欢我，可他却和会计Julie在一起。
Really? He seemed such a decent chap… anyway, don’t do it again. OK?
真假的？他看上去挺体面个人啊。。。好了，无论如何，下次不要那样了，行吧？
In the meantime, you’re going to have to pay for that broken window.
哦，还有，你们得赔偿那块碎玻璃。
What… hey? Bbbut…
什么？嘿。。。但是。。
(Phone rings) Now, excuse me, I need to take this.
（电话铃响）抱歉，我接下电话。
(Answers phone) Hello, Paul Smith speaking. Ah, Mr Socrates… yes… ah, you’ve heard…
（接起电话）你好，我是Paul。啊，Socrates，你好。恩，是的，你听说了啊。。。
(Whispering) Crikey, come on we’d better go.
（悄悄话）天哪，快，咱俩还是走吧。
(Door shuts) That was a good shot Tom! Looks like it’s made an impact on Dave. Look, he’s sent Anna some flowers.
（关上门）Tom！你这茄子打得好，看来对Dave影响不小啊。瞧，他给Anna送的花。
Oh there’s a note on it. It says “You can count on me” but no name.
哦，还有张便签。“你可以依靠我”，但没名字。
That is a strange thing for him to write.
有点奇怪。他不该写东西啊。
Hmm, it is and it’s not his handwriting.
恩，而且这不是他的笔迹。
Maybe a secret admirer eh? I wonder who it could be?
没准是暗恋你的人呢？呵呵，到底是谁呢？
(Door opens) Are you OK Paul? You look as white as a sheet.
（门开了）你还好吧，Paul，怎么脸白的跟纸似的。
I’m not actually. Mr Socrates says he’s having a strategic review.
我不太好。Socrates先生说他在进行战略评估。
A what?
什么意思？
He means he’s been looking at how the business is operating and how it should operate in the future.
就是他一直在观察业务进展，并在计划未来如何运作。
That sounds serious.
听起来很严重呢。
And as part of his review, he says he wants to downsize and he’s asked me to… step aside.
而且他说要裁剪人数，让我退位。
Why? What are you in the way of?
为什么？你挡什么道了？
No Anna. To step aside is a polite way of saying to leave your position in the company.
Anna，不是那意思。To step aside是离开公司职位的礼貌说法。
Oh. I don’t understand Paul. Why?
哦，可我不明白Paul，这为什么啊？
He says the company needs new direction and more dynamic leadership.
他说公司应有新方向及强有力的领导。
Crumbs Paul, you can’t get more dynamic than you! (sniggers).
苍天，Paul，没人能比你更有活力了！（窃笑）
Tom! But Paul, you’ve been a great boss.
Tom！别这样。可是Paul，你是个好老板。
Thanks Anna. I guess it’s the economic climate, we’re not making enough money so cutting staff is inevitable.
谢谢你，Anna。我想是因为经济不景气，我们赚不到足够多的钱，所以裁员可谓不可避免。
Yeah but you cut Denise’s job.
没错，可你把Denise辞退了啊。
Yes but we had to get her back because she was necessary for the smooth running of the department.
是这样，但我们不得不让她回来，因为她对公司正常运作很必要。
That’s right.
倒也是。
But Mr Socrates says I’m 'surplus to requirement’.
而且Socrates先生还说我很多余。
Oh, that doesn’t sound good… does it?
哦，听起来不像啥好事。
If Paul’s job is 'surplus to requirement’, it means his input to the business is no longer needed. So it’s not good news.
Anna，surplus to requirement是不再需要Paul工作的意思，所以这不是好消息。
Anyway Anna, Mr Socrates wants to know if you got his special message?
好了，Anna，Socrates先生想知道你收到特殊消息没？
Special message? The flowers!?
特殊消息？你说那些花？
That’s strange. Why is Mr Socrates sending you flowers?
真奇怪。他给你送花干嘛？
It is a bit strange. Anyway, Paul’s news has come as a shock for everyone.
的确很奇怪。不过Paul的消息让大家很吃惊。
Here are some of the phrases Mr Socrates used to break the bad news:
下面回顾下Socrates先生讲述坏消息时用到的短语：
I’ve been doing a strategic review of the company.
我一直在对公司做战略评估。
I need to downsize.
我需要裁员。
I need you to step aside.
我需要你退位。
The company needs a new direction and more dynamic leadership.
公司需要新方向及强有力的领导。
You are surplus to requirement.
你现在很多余。
Right, I’m going to have to call Mr Socrates and find out why he’s sent me flowers.
好吧，我给Socrates打个电话，问问他为何送我花。
(Anna phones Mr Socrates) Socrates… who wants me?
（Anna给Socrates打电话）你好，我是Socrates，请问你是？
Erm… hello Mr Socrates… it’s Anna here, in London.
呃，你好。我是伦敦的Anna。
Anna! My favourite girl. Please call me Brad. So glad you called.
哦，Anna！我最喜欢的女孩。请叫我Brad，很高兴你能给我打电话。
I needed to speak to you about the flowers you sent me. I’m very flattered but I don’t think…
我想问问你送我花的事。我的确很高兴，但是。。。
The flowers?! Sorry honey, I haven’t sent you any flowers but I have sent you an email – have you read it yet?
花？抱歉，亲爱的，我没送你花。我只是给你发了封邮件。你看了吗？
No. What did it say?
还没有。写了什么？
I was saying that as I’m giving Paul the chop, would you like a promotion?
我说我打算让Paul离职，你愿意晋升吗？
A promotion?
晋升？
Yes. You have been an outstanding member of the team so how would you like to be the new manager of Tip Top Trading’s London office?
是的。你一直是团队里的优秀员工，所以你愿意做顶级贸易公司伦敦办公室的新经理吗？
What a fantastic opportunity and one that Anna surely can’t refuse – or can she?
多么好的机会！Anna肯定不会拒绝。不过也说不准。
And who did send Anna those flowers with a message saying “You can count on me”?
到底是谁送的Anna花，还说“你可以依靠我”？
Find out what her answer is in the next English at Work. Bye.
一起在下期职场英语中寻找答案吧~再见。