Intermediate - Flattery in the Office A:

(C0623)

老板早！哟，您今天气色真好！ ˇ an ˇ zao! ˇ y¯o, n´ın j¯ıntian ˇ ¯ q`ıse` zhen ¯ hao! laob Good morning, boss! Wow, you’re looking energetic today!

B:

是吗？我觉得和平时差不多嘛。 ´ ` sh`ı ma? woˇ juede he´ p´ıngsh´ı chabudu o¯ ma. Really? I feel the same as always...

A:

平时就不错，最近是越来越好了。我们公司的业 绩也跟您的气色一样，一天比一天好了。 ` zu`ıj`ın sh`ı yuel ` aiyu ´ e` hao ˇ le. women ˇ ¯ p´ıngsh´ı jiu` b`ucuo, gongˇ ¯ n´ın de q`ıse` y¯ıy`ang, y¯ı tian ¯ bˇı y¯ı tian ¯ hao s¯ı de y`ej`ı yˇe gen le. Well, you’re always pretty good, but you’ve been looking better and better lately. Our company’s results are also looking good, and getting better every day.

B:

这要多谢大家的努力啊。 ` a¯ de nul` ¯ e` daji zhe` y`ao duoxi ˇ ı a. Well, we have everyone’s hard work to thank for that.

C:

老板，您来得真早。现在哪有像您这样认真的老 板！ ˇ an, ˇ n´ın lai ´ de zhen ˇ ` ai ` nayˇ ˇ ou xiang ` ` ¯ zao. laob xianz n´ın zhe` ˇ an! ˇ ¯ de laob y`ang renzh en

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c

2008 Praxis Language Ltd.

Boss, you’re here early. These days a boss as dedicated as you is hard to come by!

B:

事情多嘛，肯定要早点来。 ˇ dian ˇ lai. ´ sh`ıqing duo¯ ma, kˇend`ıng y`ao zao There’s a lot to do. I’ve got to come early.

C:

现在好多老板都把工作推给员工。而您都是自己 做，还教我们怎么做。这几年我们从您那儿学了 不少东西。 ` ai ` hao ˇ duo¯ laob ˇ an ˇ dou ˇ yuang ´ ong. ¯ baˇ gongzu ¯ ¯ xianz o` tu¯ıgei ´ n´ın dou ` hai ´ jiao ˇ ` zhe` jˇı ¯ sh`ı z`ıjˇı zuo, ¯ women er zˇenme zuo. ´ women ˇ ´ ` xue´ le b`ushao ˇ dongxi. ¯ nian cong n´ın nar Nowadays a lot of bosses push their work onto their employees. But you do it yourself, and teach us how to do it. We’ve learned a lot from you these past few years.

B:

应该的。你们有进步，公司才会进步啊。 ´ hu`ı j`ınb`u a. ¯ ¯ de. nˇımen yˇou j`ınb`u, gongs¯ y¯ınggai ı cai That’s my job. Only when you all make progress does the company make progress.

D: 老板早！您穿西装真好看。您身材保持得这么 好，肯定有什么窍门吧？ ˇ an ˇ zao! ˇ n´ın chuan ˇ an. ` n´ın shenc ´ ¯ x¯ızhuang ¯ ¯ haok ¯ ai laob zhen ˇ ` ˇ kˇend`ıng yˇou shenme ´ ` ´ ba? baoch´ ı de zheme hao, qiaom en

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c

2008 Praxis Language Ltd.

Good morning boss! You look good in a suit. You’ve really stayed in shape. You must have some secret technique?

B:

我肚子这么大，怎么能叫好呢？ ` ` zˇenme neng ´ ` hao ˇ ne? woˇ duzi da, jiao ` zheme How can you call a belly this big “staying in shape?”

D: 您这是福相。别人想要都没有呢。 ` ´ en ´ xiang ˇ ´ ou ne. ¯ meiyˇ n´ın zhe` sh`ı fuxi bier y`ao dou ´ ang. That’s just showing your success. Some people who want that can’t get it.

B:

呵呵，今天是什么日子？大家都夸我。噢，对 了！今天我要决定谁升职。 ´ ` a¯ dou ˇ o, du`ı le! ¯ e, ¯ j¯ıntian ¯ sh`ı shenme ¯ kua¯ wo. heh r`ızi? daji ´ ıng shei ´ shengzh´ ¯ woˇ y`ao jued` ¯ j¯ıntian ı. Heh heh. What day is today? Everyone is complimenting me. Oh, that’s right! Today I have to decide who gets promoted...

Key Vocabulary

气色

q`ıse`

complexion

业绩

y`ej`ı

accomplishment

认真

` ¯ renzh en

diligent

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c

2008 Praxis Language Ltd.

推给

ˇ tu¯ıgei

to pass off

进步

j`ınb`u

progress

身材

´ ¯ ai shenc

figure

保持

ˇ baoch´ ı

to maintain

窍门

` ´ qiaom en

key

福相

` fuxi ´ ang

showing good fortune

夸

kua¯

to praise

升职

¯ shengzh´ ı

to promote

Supplementary Vocabulary

拍马屁

ˇ ı ¯ map` pai

to suck up

说好话

ˇ shuo¯ haohu a`

to speak favorably of

精神

j¯ıngshen

vigor

退步

tu`ıb`u

to regress

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version).

c

2008 Praxis Language Ltd.