bbc english at work episode 45: the plastic aubergine
bbc白领工作英语 第 45 集：塑料茄子 “电梯游说”时用到的语言
narrator: 欢迎来到《白领英语》节目。公司里的电脑系统恢复正常了，anna 也交到了一个新朋 友，在电脑部门工作的 dave. 不过她目前最重要的工作是怎样把塑料茄子这个新产品的概念告诉领导 paul.
tom: so anna, that guy didn’t really know what he was doing, did he?
anna: you mean dave?
tom: dave – was that his name? he had a really bad smell.
anna: no he didn’t – he’s done a great job. look everything is working so, if you don’t mind, i think we should get this pitch for paul finished. denise: you’d better hurry up. paul’s taking the afternoon off to go to his biscuit lovers’ convention.
tom: oh right. well, we might as well leave it until tomorrow then anna.
anna: no tom. there’s no time like the present – i heard someone say that once – we’ve got to get our idea to paul as soon as possible. then we might have time for a drink, or shall i ask dave?!
tom: no, no, you’re right. look, i’ll design some pictures of the aubergine and you get the results of our survey together, yeah?
anna: great.
narrator: 好样的 anna 别忘了你的演讲可得清楚明了，而且要充满希望和激情。记住用一些关 键词。比如，特别好 exceptional, 超级棒的 fantastic, 高质量 quality, 利润 profit, 效率 efficiency, 还有物有所值 value for money.
anna: ok, i’ve got all that. i’m just adding some of the facts and figures from our customer survey.
tom: (calling over) anna, i’ve got the designs, they’re coming off the printer now. (door opens)
paul: denise, i’m off now. can’t wait any longer for my garibaldis!
anna: wait paul! i need to tell you about our new product idea.
paul: well, i, i, have to go. can you tell me about it in the lift?
anna: in the lift – do i have to?
paul: sorry anna, but that’s the only time i’ve got.
narrator: anna 你的“电梯演讲”时间到了。elevator 是美语，就是升降电梯的意思，英式英 语是 lift. 时间不多了，所以你一定得把握好，你得把你的想法以准确明了的方式告诉 paul, 让他知道产品是什么，针对哪个市场，然后提到怎样可以为公司带来效益。告诉 他你有证据显示这个产品会成功，让他相信发展这个产品对公司会带来很多的利益。
anna: phew, there’s a lot to say in a short time but here goes.
paul: anna, could you just press the 0 button there, thanks.
anna: now paul. tom and i have come up with a new exciting product – the plastic aubergine.
paul: oh yes?
anna: yes. this fantastic product will be a great addition to table decorations in the café and restaurant market.
paul: will it now? do you really think it will be a profitable addition to our plastic portfolio?
anna: oh yes. using the same plastics as our fruits, we can easily re-mould our bananas and change the colour. we can increase efficiency but maintain quality.
paul: and profits?
anna: by my calculations, we can increase profits by 20%. that’s based on selling the same quantity that we now sell of imperial lemons.
paul: hmm, 20%, really? but do you know who’s going to buy this product?
anna: i do. we’ve conducted a survey and already found 10 new companies who would buy this and 27 existing customers who have shown an interest in it… (lift bell pings)
anna: …and i’m confident this new product will be a huge success. (lift door opens)
paul: very impressive. you’ve certainly done your homework. look, let me chew it over – probably on a custard cream – and i’ll get back to you.
anna: thanks. (calling out) paul, paul…you’ve forgotten your bag.
paul: oh yes, i’ll need that. thanks.
narrator: great work anna! 你把我都给说服了，可是 paul 呢？anna 刚完成了她在电梯里 的演讲，让我们再来复习一下她说到了哪几点：
we’ve come up with an exciting new product.
this fantastic product will be a great addition to table decorations in the café and restaurant market.
we can increase efficiency but maintain quality.
by my calculations, we can increase profits by 20%.
i’m confident this new product will be a huge success.
tom: so, how did it go anna?
anna: i’m not sure. i told paul as much as i could and i think he listened.
tom: good, good. so what are you doing now?
anna: i’ve got to meet someone.
tom: anyone i know?
anna: no, not really.
tom: it’s dave from it isn’t it? (to himself) what does she see in him?
narrator: tom, 你想我来回答这个问题吗？ anna 可能觉得 dave 很吸引人，不过她当前的目 标应该还是在开发塑料茄子这个产品上。我们下期节目再续。
listening challenge 听力挑战
anna 认为她的新产品能够为公司增加多少利润？
答案：百分之二十。