Betty受了上司的气,找Gray抱怨。

Betty: That’s it!! I’ve had it! I’m gonna start sending out my resume tomorrow.

Gray: Wow…I’ve never seen you this angry before. What gives?

B: Pat just chewed me out for the third time this week! In public, no less! She hates me…

Betty气哼哼地说,自己受够了I’ve had it! Gray问Betty是怎么回事。Betty说,Pat chewed me out. 原来又被上司Pat骂了。

G: What happened?

B: I printed my quarterly report on both sides of the paper. Pat doesn’t like that because she uses the blank side for notes…it shouldn’t be a big deal, but…

G: So she blew up at you?

B: Yeah! Pat says, “If you can’t follow basic instructions, what use are you?” Then she launches into a 10-minute lecture while shaking her finger at me.

G: Wow, that’s not cool at all. Actually, I’ve heard from a few people that Pat’s a bit of a hothead.

B: You know, Gray, I’m not a confrontational person. But no one should have to take this kind of abuse!

原来是Betty把季度报告印在了纸的反正两面,不符合Pat的要求。 Betty觉得,这没什么大不了的。可是Pat却blow up at her. 对她大发雷霆。 Gray对她深表同情,说不少人抱怨说Pat脾气急躁。”a bit of a hothead,” 容易头脑发热。 Betty说,自己不爱吵架, not confrontational, 但是没有人该受这种气,no one should take this kind of abuse.

******

G: Excuse me, Betty. Hey, Terry…come over here for a second. Betty, this is my friend Terry. Terry works for our company’s Human Resources Department. He might have some ideas for you.

T: Hello Betty, nice to meet you. Hi, Gray. So what’s up?

G: Betty’s boss, Pat Noonan, is giving her a hard time. Betty’s thinking of quitting if she can’t figure something out.

T: Ah…the old nasty boss dilemma. Let me give it to you straight. Pat also supervises my department. So filing a complaint against her will probably get you nowhere.

B: So I’m doomed. I guess I’ll start looking for a new job.

在人事部Human Resources Department工作的Terry刚好路过,Gray向他征求意见。Gray说,Betty’s boss is giving her a hard time. To give someone a hard time, 意思是跟某人过不去。 Terry回答说,Let me give it to you straight. 意思说“直话直说”。

因为人事部门也归Pat管,So filing a complaint against her will probably get you nowhere. 因此对她投诉恐怕没用。

Get you nowhere是没用的意思。Betty听后很沮丧地说,So I’m doomed, 那我没救了。Terry还有更好的建议吗?我们下次继续介绍。