bbc白领工作英语第50集：残酷的现实，公司裁员常用短语
denise: morning everyone. how did you get on at the conference?
tom: oh hi denise. yeah it was… it was ok.
anna: what do you mean ‘ok’? it was great. we made some new contacts and we won an award – best plastic innovation of the year, for our imperial lemon.
denise: oh that’s wonderful. wish i’d been there.
tom: maybe next year eh? narrator: maybe? 欢迎大家回到 tip top 贸易公司的办公室。大家都在分享昨天获奖的好消 息，不过，你还记得昨天paul和美国大老板 mr socrates 谈话的事儿吗？今天 paul 有坏消息要宣布，不过到底是什么事儿呢？ 请注意听：
paul: morning everyone.
anna: hi paul. everything ok?
paul: yes, fine. well done for winning employee of the year – i hope you can continue to be a great employee. excuse me. (door shuts)
denise: hmm, he sounded odd. what did he mean?
tom: probably run out of biscuits!
anna: he’s obviously got something on his mind.
paul: (door opens) denise, could i have a word with you in my office please?
denise: of course. i’ll bring my notepad and pen shall i?
tom: what’s that all about? anyway, now we’re alone, i wanted to see what you’re doing tonight… are you free?
anna: sorry tom, i’m seeing dave tonight. he’s offered to fix something on my computer at home.
tom: oh, has he now? (door opens and closes)
denise: (crying) all the years i’ve worked here – why me? why now?
anna: denise, what’s up?
denise: paul says he needs to move the furniture around and he has to let me go. he says he can’t afford me anymore.
anna: that’s terrible… but where’s he letting you go to? and what furniture is he moving? narrator: no anna! 如果有人说他们在 ‘moving the furniture’ – 那就是婉转地说他们在进行 调整，变动。 如果他们说 ‘they have to let you go’ – 意思就是他们不想要你了， 换句话说就是你被解雇了，they’re sacking you!
anna: sacking you? oh, that is serious. (to denise) denise, i’m really sorry to hear this. but why does paul want to ‘move the furniture’ around?
denise: he says it’s because of the tough economic situation. my role is no longer needed.
tom: hey that’s not true. you make a great cup of tea denise. i’ve got a good mind to smash paul’s bourbons into tiny crumbs. grrr.
denise: calm down tom. now denise, when did paul say you had to go?
denise: he’s given me seven days’ notice. narrator: a ‘notice period’ 就是雇主给被裁员职工的通知期。
denise: i never thought i would be facing redundancy… not now… not at my age.
anna: redundancy? narrator: 没错，如果某人对你说 ‘they are facing redundancy’ 面临裁员，换句话说就是工 作保不住了。可怜的 denise 需要有人安慰安慰。
anna: yes. denise, do you want my shoulder to cry on?
denise: oh thanks.
tom: urgh! erm… denise i’ve just made some tea, would you like a cup?
denise: oh yes please.
tom: here you go. you know denise, you’ve got to think positively. you’ll get another job… and let’s face it you didn’t like working here anyway…you always looked so miserable. narrator: 我觉得 tom 的这番话不会对 denise 有任何安慰和鼓励的！ 失去工作可是件痛苦的 事儿，往往突如其来令人措手不及。下面我们一起来听听 paul 和 denise 面谈裁员 消息时使用的几个短语：
we’ve got to move the furniture around.
i’m afraid i’ve got to let you go.
i’m giving you seven days’ notice.
narrator: 这里还有几个同裁员有关的短语:
facing redundancy 面临裁员
getting the sack 被炒鱿鱼了，被解雇了
terminating your employment 把你解雇了
leaving the company 离开公司了
denise: right well, i might as well start clearing out my desk.
tom: yeah it’s a real shame. any chance i could have your stapler?
anna: tom, you could be a bit more sympathetic.
tom: oh right. (door opens)
paul: erm… tom, anna. could i have a word in my office please?
tom: oh no. this is it. it’s my turn to get the chop!
denise: ha, you might not need my stapler after all! narrator: 哎呀! 看来形式不妙。tom 和 anna 会不会也被砍掉，我是说被解雇呢？下期节目见 分晓。
listening challenge 听力挑战，
anna 向 denise 表示安慰时使用了一个短语，依赖什么来 cry on?
(答案：她的肩膀!)