禮節美語——BE-223 Body Language I

公司主管Andy向銷售部門的Sara和James介紹咨詢顧問Monica. Andy說，

Andy: Both of you are among our company's top salespeople. But we can always improve, right? I'd like you to meet Vince Wolf...Vince is a business consultant specializing in body language.

Monica: Hello, Sara. Hello, James. It's great to be here!

Sara: Hello, Vince. You know, I've never really considered how body language affects business.

James: I read a book about body language once, but the book mainly discussed how using proper body language can help you get a date.

Monica是商業咨詢師，business consultant, 專長研究body language肢體語言。大家相互認識后，Sara說她從沒覺得肢體語言會對做生意有什么影響，James也說，他倒是讀過一本關于肢體語言的書，但那是教讀者如何 get a date 找個約會的對象，date作為名詞，可以指約會，也可以指跟你約會的那個人。Monica聽后說：

Monica: Actually, if you think about it, each time you meet a client you're asking them to trust you. It's the same idea when you like someone...you have to make them trust you before they can fall in love with you.

A: You might not think consciously about it, but body language accounts for more than 50% of the message that you're trying to get across.

Monica: Andy is right. Once you've mastered basic body language skills you'll be surprised at how much more effective you will be. Let's take the first point: posture. If you walk into a room with your stomach in, your chest out, your shoulders back and your head high, each one of these signals sends a message saying: "I'm in command of this situation. You can trust me."

Monica說，爭取客戶和追求愛人其實差不多，都得先讓對方信任你才行。Andy補充說，一個人在交流過程中，想要傳達給對方的信息，有一半以上靠的是肢體語言。to get something across 是把意思傳達給對方。比如：I was only trying to get my point across. 我只不過是想把我的看法告訴你。Monica說，能熟練使用肢體語言也會對工作有很多幫助，首先是體態，走進房間時要收腹，挺胸，抬頭，這就等于是在說，一切都在我的控制下，你們可以相信我。Andy 接著說：

A: When I was hiring salespeople there were several that didn't make the cut. I think one of the main reasons I didn't hire them was because they slouched. It looked like they weren't comfortable, and therefore I couldn't trust them.

Monica: The next most important thing in business is the handshake. You should hold the person's hand firmly and shake a maximum of three times, all while maintaining constant eye contact.

Andy也認為一個人的站姿很重要，他雇人的時候，就曾因為應聘者低頭含胸，所以沒被雇用，they didn't make the cut. to make the cut意思是符合標準，達標，to make the cut 這個短語常用在體育中，特別是高爾夫球比賽，指晉級到下一階段的比賽中去。Monica說，除了儀表體態，握手也很有講究，一定要握緊，同時maintain constant eye contact 一直注視著對方的眼睛。還有哪些需要注意的地方呢？我們下次繼續聽。

B: Now, Yanglin, let's practice a handshake!

A: Haha！Okay, here we go. I'm holding your hand firmly, and I'm watching your eyes, and let's shake our hands. 一下！兩下！三下！哈哈！

B: Wow...remembering all these rules and tips makes me nervous. I don't think it's good to be nervous when you try to persuade others.

A: 這倒也是！不過你慢慢練習，總會習慣的。You need to internalize these rules.

B: Okay, remind me to walk with my stomach in, chest out, shoulders back and my head high!

A: 好! 收腹，挺胸，并肩，抬頭！

B: Oh My! This is like a boot camp! I need to take a break. Let's eat!

ASE #50 Eating Contest

Y: 我前幾天剛夸你健美，你就這么狼吞虎咽吃熱狗。You are eating like a pig.

P: Yang Chen, we're doing an awesome sport today. You're going to be really excited.

Y: Oh yeah? I can't wait!

P: Today we're doing competitive eating.

Y: Competitive eating? 比賽吃東西。Wow, that IS exciting.

你整天教導我要吃得健康，現在居然要參加eating contest.

P: Hey, the two of us can do an eating contest first. Well, I guess I just beat you to the punch.

Y: Punch? You know, Patrick, I'm a very non-violent person. 我從來不打人。

P: Right. And I have the bruises to prove it. Actually, the phrase "beat someone to the punch" is an old boxing term. It means that you do something faster than someone else.

Y: Oh，是一個拳擊術語，意思是先出手，先發制人。

P: Bingo. For example, I wanted to ask my pretty new classmate out on a date to, but one of the other guys in the class beat me to the punch and asked her out first.

Y: Poor Patrick. 這樣下去好女孩都被別人搶走，你要打一輩子光棍兒了。 所以你現在非常 depressed, and that's why you want to eat so much?

P: Very funny. Now come on, let's start our eating contest. Whoever can eat the most hot dogs in 10 minutes wins.

Y: Alright! Go!

[Chewing sounds]

Y: 我吃了20個熱狗。

P: Oh my gosh, Yang Chen. I've never seen somebody eat so many hot dogs! I had no idea women could eat so much!

Y: Oh Patrick, don't be sad just because I ate twice as many hot dogs as you.

P: Well all I can say is that I hope you are as good at drinking Pepto Bismol as you are at eating hot dogs.

Y: The upset stomach medication? Hey, that's a great idea! Want to have a Pepto Bismol drinking contest?

P: Sure... [groaning]

A: 聽了這么多集體育美語，就今天這個比賽我覺得最好！比吃飯！我最在行了！

B: Er... why am I not surprised

A: 哈哈！當然也得看吃什么，漢堡差點兒，最好比賽吃冰淇淋！

B: How about 吃辣椒? 你行嗎？

A: 辣椒？No problem!

B: 你還真……能吃。

A: 哈哈！好了，節目時間差不多了，這次的撰稿人是曉北，編輯是蔚然。同學們，我們下次的美語訓練班再見!

B: Bye!