Anna: Help, help! (Banging on door)
Tom: Help us! We're locked in.
Narrator: Oh, dear. 你還記得 Tom 和 Anna 被反鎖在文具柜里了嗎？ 那可怎么辦？ 別人會怎么說呢？ 我們馬上就要知道答案了…
Denise: Goodness, what's that? Anna is that you? And is that you Tom?
Anna: Yes, help! We're locked in.
Denise: Don't panic, I've got the key (unlocks door). There. How on earth…
Tom: …it's not how it looks Denise. We were just… erm…
Anna: …just looking for envelopes.
Denise: Really?!
Anna: Yes, yes, really. The door slammed shut and locked from the inside when Tom walked in.
Tom: Yeah, she's right. Just walked in, shut the door and bang.
Denise: Hmm. Let's just keep it our little secret shall we. (Aside to Anna) I thought you had better taste Anna!
Paul: Ah, there you are Anna, I need a word with you… Oh, you look like you've been caught doing something you shouldn't! Ha ha.
Anna: But I haven't.
Paul: Just joking Anna. Now could you step in to my office, we need to touch base about the European marketing strategy.
Anna: Are we playing baseball?!
Narrator: No Anna! Touch base 是一個比喻。他想和你碰碰面，討論一下工作進行得怎樣了。Go on Anna, let's see what he has to say.
Anna: Oh I see. (Office door shuts) That door doesn't lock does it?
Paul: No, I don't think so. Right Anna. Biscuit? These new peanut ones are quite nice. So how are things, with the project?
Anna: Well, I've done some cold calling and have an order from a company in France.
Paul: I see. Very impressive – but have they signed on the dotted line yet?
Anna: The dotted line?
Paul: Have they actually signed the contract yet?
Anna: Well, no but…
Paul: …that's the problem. There's a rival company who's also targeting the European market called Tutti Fruity - and they'll do anything to steal our customers.
Anna: Oh I see.
Paul: So to keep our head above water, we need a clear strategy… and that's why I've put you in charge. So what shall we do?
Narrator: 我感覺 Paul 好像是一無所知，所以他還指望著你能想出些好主意。
Anna: I think you're right – but I don't know what to say.
Narrator: 告訴他需要把價格壓到市場最低價 price the rivals out of the market 這樣競爭對手都沒法跟你競爭，不得不退出市場。你可以說 corner the market 意思是壟斷市場。
Anna: Oh, thanks. That's very useful.
Paul: So Anna, any thoughts?
Anna: Lots Paul. I think we've got to compete on price…
Paul: Oh yes.
Anna: We need to price Tutti Fruity out of the market. We need to corner the market so that everyone knows we are the best choice for good quality, good value plastic fruit.
Paul: I like it!
Anna: And… and…
Narrator: 告訴他和客戶建立好的合作關系非常重要 build good relationships with our customers. 給客戶們提供好的服務。
Anna: …we need to build good relationships with our customers. Talk to them regularly, send them gifts… go and meet them face-to-face.
Paul: Face-to-face? Yes, great idea – just what I was thinking. If we follow this strategy I reckon there could be a bonus for us all by Christmas.
Narrator: 恭喜你，Anna 干得不錯。很有說服力。如果能把你的建議和想法實現的話，那就能挽救公司了。那讓我們來復習一下剛才你用到的那些和擴大歐洲市場戰略計劃有關的詞匯和表達…
We've got to compete on price.
We need to price the rivals out of the market.
We need to corner the market.
We need to build good relationships with our customers.
Narrator: 不錯，看起來事情進展的還很順利，不過這會不會僅僅是表面現象？
Denise: Anna! Anna! That man from France has called again and left a message. He's not happy this time. Something about us trying to rip them off!
Anna: What? Rip them off?
Denise: It means overcharging them or giving them poor quality goods.
Anna: That's not fair. I'm going to have to sort this out.
Narrator: That's it Anna! 快去和客戶溝通一下，保持良好的合作關系可太重要了。我們下次節目再會。

聽力挑戰：

Paul 告訴 Anna 他想 touch base, 這是什么意思？

上期答案：
法國的公司同意從 Tip Top Trading 購買什么商品？
答案：5000 個皇家檸檬。