Business Etiquette

King 跟同事 Dan 聊天，发现 Dan 心不在焉。King 说，

King: The trip was pretty good except for the flat tire we got on the way home. I was going to change it myself but then...hey Dan, are you even listening to me? Dan?

Dan: Oh sorry, I spaced out there for a second.

K: Who were you looking at? Wait a second...you were looking at Julie!

D: All right, I confess! I'm busted. I have a big crush on Julie.

K: That's wonderful! Julie is a great woman, and you're a great guy! So have you asked her out yet?

D: No. I'm not really sure it's appropriate.

King正在给Dan讲自己最近的一次旅行，他们回家路上车胎爆了。We got a flat tire. 正说得高兴，King发现Dan根本没在听自己说话。Dan很不好意思，承认 I spaced out for a second. 我走神了。space out 是走神的意思，形容心不在焉，走神，还可以用 daydream, 所以刚才那句话也可以说 I was daydreaming for a second. King发现，Dan走神是在看女同事 Julie。 Dan只好承认说，I'm busted. I have a big crush on Julie. I'm busted. 意思是我被抓住了，被发现了，暴露了。他说自己确实在偷偷喜欢Julie，但又不敢 ask her out 约她出去，不知道这样做是否合适 appropriate。King 说，

K: I think lots of people meet their "significant other" in the workplace. It's not like she's your boss...go ask her out!

D: I don't know...what if she says "no"?

K: Have you ever heard the old expression: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained?" What if she says "yes"?

D: I've always had a really hard time approaching women. I get tongue-tied and start sweating. I don't want to come across as too aggressive, but I also don't want to appear too passive...It's really hard to get it right!

King说，很多人都是在工作场所遇到自己另一半的，significant other 是伴侣的意思，也可以说是自己的 better half. Dan 害怕被拒绝。King 告诉他说：Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 不去冒险尝试，就绝不会有收获。Dan 说自己在追女人方面特别不在行，I get tongue-tied and start sweating. 我说话会结结巴巴，直冒冷汗。Dan 还说，既不想显得太主动，也不想显得太被动，It's really hard to get it right. 很难把握好分寸。King 劝他说：

K: If there's one thing I've learned in my life it's that you never lose by trying. You never know unless you try! Getting rejected isn't the end the world!

D: But how do I make the initial approach? Should I try to come up with some clever or witty remarks?

K: There are a lot of guys out there who think they're Casanova, but in my experience, women don't go for cheesy pickup lines. I suggest being sweet, straightforward and sincere.

D: So what should I say?

King说，最糟糕也不过是被拒绝。Getting rejected isn't the end the world! 被拒绝也并非世界末日，没什么大不了的。Dan问，要不要come up with some clever or witty remark 想出一些俏皮话，King告诉他，约女人出去，直截了当些就好，很多男人都以为自己是 Casanova, 卡萨诺瓦是十八世纪的一个意大利探险家和作家，也是一个风流倜傥的情圣，在英语里是大众情人的代名词。King 还说，其实，women don't go for cheesy pickup lines. cheesy is spelled c-h-e-e-s-y, cheesy 意思是俗气的，肉麻的；pick up lines 是指男人跟女人搭讪时说的俏皮话。Dan会鼓起勇气约 Julie 出去吗？我们下次继续听。

A: 我喜欢这个3S策略: sweet, straightforward and sincere! I hope a sweet, straightforward and sincere man would come and ask me out today!

B: 哈哈，你完了，我要去告诉你的男朋友……

A: oops...善解人意的Kat, 等会我们来讨论一下封口费的问题吧……

B: Hush money? 可以呀! 好了， 这次节目时间就到这里。Tune in next time for American English Mosaic!