Situation:Gordon Zhang, a toy store manager, is calling his supplier.
情景:玩具商場經(jīng)理張戈登正在給他的供應(yīng)商打電話。
Gordon: Hello, is that Cathy Hunter?
Cathy: Speaking. Who's calling?
Gordon: This is Gordon Zhang, from KidsWorld?
Cathy: Oh, Gordon, hi. Nice to hear you. How can I help?
Gordon: Well, we're going to have to restock on some things with you pretty fast. We had a big rush early in December – bigger than we expected – and I don't want to have to keep telling parents we don't have what little Jimmy wants!
Cathy: Heh. Yeah, you guys must be rushed off your feet this time of year.
Gordon: Tell me about it. We peak on Christmas Eve, of course, but all through December we're packed.
Cathy: I'm looking at your past orders here on the screen – do you want just to repeat the order from two weeks ago?
Gordon: If you've got the stock in, that'd be great. But let's drop the Transformers numbers, they're not moving, and if we could up the books order by 30% or so?
Cathy: All the books?
Gordon: Uh, all of the under-13 line, anyway. Just the regular order for the teenage stuff.
Cathy: I'm surprised you're selling so well with the books.
Gordon: I reckon it's the recession. We've not seen as big a drop in retail as some people, in fact, we've been doing pretty well, but a lot of people are buying cheaper presents for the kids. A book hurts the wallet less than the new MegaMonsterMaker or whatever.
Cathy: That's true, I've been looking for something for my ten-year old, and the prices on some of the toys, wow! I'm glad I get a discount from work.
Gordon: OK, let's think about delivery dates. What's your surcharge for a rush delivery again?
Cathy: It's 10% for overnight, 5% for two-three day.
Gordon: I don't think we need overnight, but if you could deliver by, um, let's say the 18th, in three days time, that'd be great.
Cathy: That's Wednesday the 18th you want it for, then, for the 5% surcharge?
Gordon: That's right. Can you get it to us by midday?
Cathy: I can have it there by about 11, I think, though the guarantee only covers before 6 PM. But I'll do my best to have it with you ASAP.
Gordon: Thanks Cathy, that's very kind of you.
Cathy: No problem. It's the normal delivery address?
Gordon: Yup.
Cathy: OK, that'll be billed to the store's account. I'm just racking it up now – that's two hundred and sixty thousand, seven hundred and forty two dollars, and … twenty cents.
Gordon: Thanks again, Cathy.
Cathy: No problem. Have a good holiday! I hope you aren't working on Christmas!
Gordon: *sighs* I'll be up till 2 AM on Christmas eve overseeing the last minute sales, I'm afraid.But after that, I've got a few days off.
Cathy: What a pain, but I'm glad to hear you're taking a break. Speak to you in the New Year, Gordon!
Gordon: Happy Christmas, Cathy! See you next year.
戈登:喂,是凱茜#8226;亨特嗎?
凱茜:我就是。請問你是?
戈登:我是兒童世界的張戈登。
凱茜:你好,戈登。很高興接到你的電話。我有什么能幫你的嗎?
戈登:是這樣,我們急需從你們公司再進(jìn)一些產(chǎn)品。12月上旬的時候我們就開始搶購——比我們預(yù)期的規(guī)模還要大——我不想告訴父母們我們沒有孩子們想要的東西。
凱茜:呵呵,是的。你們每年這個時候肯定都手忙腳亂。
戈登:是啊,圣誕前夕是最忙的時候,當(dāng)然,整個12月份我們都很忙。
凱茜:我正在電腦上查看你們過去的訂單。你是想續(xù)訂兩星期前的訂單嗎?
戈登:如果你有庫存那就太好了。但是要減少變壓器的數(shù)量,它們不太好賣,我們能將書籍的數(shù)量提高大約30%嗎?
凱茜:所有的書籍?
戈登:呃,所有適合13歲以下兒童閱讀的書籍。關(guān)于青少年讀物的訂單保持不變。
凱茜:我非常驚訝你們的書籍賣得這么好。
戈登:我估計是由于經(jīng)濟(jì)不景氣。我們沒有像別人那樣銷售量銳減,實際上,我們的銷售量很好,很多人都給孩子們買價格低廉的禮物。相比較于那些新型怪物玩具或者其它類似的東西,書本對錢包的傷害要小得多。
凱茜:這是實話。我正在想著要給我十歲的孩子買什么,那些玩具的價錢,天哪!我很高興由于工作可以打點折扣。
戈登:好的,讓我們確定一下交貨日期。那么加急運輸附加費是多少?
凱茜:連夜運送的話是10%,兩三天之內(nèi)是5%。
戈登:我想不需要連夜那么趕。如果你可以在三天內(nèi)運到,就是18號,這樣最好。
凱茜:你是想18號周三送貨,那么就是5%的附加費?
戈登:沒錯。你能在那天中午送到嗎?
凱茜:我想我們可以在11點左右送到,不過承諾時間是到下午6點前送到。但我會盡快把它送給你。
戈登:太好了,謝謝你,凱茜。
凱茜:沒事。還是以前的運送地址嗎?
戈登:是的。
凱茜:好,那些將會記到商場的賬目里。我現(xiàn)在正在算——就是二十六萬零七百四十二美圓,呃,還有20美分。
戈登:凱茜,謝謝。
凱茜:不客氣。節(jié)日快樂。希望你在圣誕節(jié)可以休息。
戈登:唉!恐怕在圣誕前夕我要工作到凌晨兩點確定最后的銷售情況。但在那以后,我就可以休息幾天了。
凱茜:真痛苦,不過我很高興聽到你可以休息。新年電話聯(lián)系,戈登!
戈登:圣誕快樂,凱茜。明年見。
Notes
1. little Jimmy
Jimmy是男孩的名字,James的昵稱。在文中用來指代小孩子。
2. rush off your feet
意為“手忙腳亂、忙得不可開交、筋疲力盡”。
例句:We were so busy in the office today and I was rushed off my feet.
今天我們辦公室里特別忙,我忙得不可開交。
3. Tell me about it
相當(dāng)于what you said is true。常用于表示同意別人說的話。
4. all through
意為“一直、從來就”。all through the day 就是指“一整天”。
例句:He lived in his hometown all through his life.
他畢生都留在家鄉(xiāng)。
5. or whatever
意為“等等、諸如此類的事”。
例句:Do you want a drink or whatever?
你想來點其它什么飲料嗎?
6. delivery date
意為“交貨日期”。
7. rack up
意為“積累、積聚、得分、逐步增加”。
例句:They try their best to rack up the other team in the first half of the game.
他們努力在上半場的比賽中徹底擊敗了對手隊。
8. day off
意為“休息、休假”。
例句:He decided to take a day off from work.
他決定休假一天。