Dialog:
A: ... Now that we have been over the gory details of our disastrous first quarter, Ed! Give us some good news. How are things looking for us in terms of sales this month?
B: Uh well...would you like the bad news first or the really bad news?
A: What? Ed, don’t tell me you only have bad news!
B: Well sir, our sales have dropped, no plunged, fifty percent in the past month alone. We are currently overstocked and overstaffed and our profits are falling fast. The market is in recession and we have no way of moving our inventory, or getting rid of our staff. If we consider redundancies, it would cost us a fortune because of the new regulations governingcompensation packages. It’s a real mess.
A: For crying out loud... How fast are we losing money?
B: Um...how can I put this? Let’s just say that at this pace, we will be filing for Chapter eleven(籤署破產的相關法律文件，表示「破產」) in less than three months.
A: What! Geez! How could this have happened? So what’s the bad news?
B: Oh, that’s the really bad news. Our supplier suffered QC (quality control) problems and, well, half of our production is faulty. We’re going to have to recall all items sold in the last quarter. And the worst part? We’re going to have to shoulder this cost.
A: Are you joking? Get the supplier on the line now! They have to assume the costs of this mess!
B: We tried that, sir. The factory has gone under and the owner apparently has fled the country.
A: We’re doomed!
B: There is some really good news though!
A: Really? What!
B: I got offered a new job!
Expression:
1. gory details
all the small details
2. gory
involving a lot of blood or violence; showing or describing blood and violence
- a gory movie
- a gory accident
- the gory task of the pathologist
- He insisted on telling us all the gory details (all the small details) about their divorce
3. redundancy
the situation when somebody has to leave their job because there is no more work available for them
- redundancy payments
- Thousands of factory workers are facing redundancy.
- to accept/take voluntary redundancy (= to offer to leave your job)
- the threat of compulsory redundancies
- 200 workers have been issued with redundancy notices.
4. lay-off
an act of making people unemployed because there is no more work left for them to do
- lay-offs in the factory
5. ...governing...
to legally control a country or its people and be responsible for introducing new laws, organizing public services, etc.
- The lack of regulations governing city transportation has led to many traffic accidents.
- I don't agree with the regulations governing income taxes. People shouldn't have to give away their hard-earned money.
- We need to protect the environment. Therefore, there will be new policies governingcorporate levels of pollutions starting next month.
6. compensation
something, especially money, that somebody gives you because they have hurt you, or damaged something that you own; the act of giving this to somebody
- compensation packages
- to claim/ award/ receive compensation
- to pay compensation for injuries at work
- to receive £10 000 in compensation.
- She received a cash sum by way of compensation.
7. shoulder
shoulder something to accept the responsibility for something
- shoulder the burden
- to shoulder the responsibility /blame for something
- women who shoulder the double burden of childcare and full-time work
8. go under
go bankrupt
- The company has gone under.
9. lay it on me
just tell me
10. for crying out loud
used to express anger or annoyance
- We've got to figure out a new marketing strategy for crying out loud.
- For crying out loud, when I tell you to have the report done by Wednesday that means I expect it to be on my desk by the end of the tesk.
- For crying out loud, you just got your driving lisence and you already got in a car accident?
(相當於中文裡的「臥槽...」
11. How can I put this?
(我該怎麼說呢...?
12. Let's just say that..
(就這麼說吧...
Supplement:
1. plunge
to decrease suddenly and quickly
- Stock markets plunged at the news of the coup.
- This year profits plunged by 40%.
2. disastrous
very bad, harmful or unsuccessful
- a disastrous harvest/ fire/ result
- Lowering interest rates could have disastrous consequences for the economy.
- It was a disastrous start to the season for the team.
3. overstocked
to buy or make more of something than you need or can sell
4. overstaffed
having more workers than are needed
5. inventory
all the goods in a shop
- inventory control
- The inventory will be disposed of over the next twelve weeks.
6. rock bottom
the lowest point or level that is possible
- Prices hit rock bottom.
- The marriage had reached rock bottom.
7. margin
the amount of time, or number of votes, etc. by which somebody wins something
- He won by a narrow margin.
- She beat the other runners by a margin of ten seconds.
- Members voted by a margin of 7–1 to become a public limited company.
(和profit同義，利潤
8. revenue
the money that a government receives from taxes or that an organization, etc. receives from its business
- a slump in oil revenues
- a shortfall in tax revenue
- The company's annual revenues rose by 30%.
- Advertising revenue finances the commercial television channels.
(收入
9. skyrocket
to rise quickly to a very high level
- Wages and prices have skyrocketed.
- The economic boom sent property prices skyrocketing.
9. faulty
not perfect; not working or made correctly
- faulty workmanship
- an accident caused by a faulty signal
- Ask for a refund if the goods are faulty.
10. assume
to take or begin to have power or responsibility
- They have to assume the costs of this mess!
- Rebel forces have assumed control of the capital.
- The court assumed responsibility for the girl's welfare.