dialogue
the deadline is coming, but owing to lack of enough hands, there would be one-week delay on finishing the project.
工程就要到期了，可是由于人手不够，必须延期一周才能完成。
manager: ok, let's get started. steven,we'll begin with reports on the school. is everything going smoothly?
经理：好了，开始吧。史蒂文，我们先来看看学校的工程。一切都还顺利吧？
steven: i'm afraid there'll be a delay of one week.
史蒂文：恐怕得要一星期才能完成。
manager: what's holding things up?
经理：是什么给耽误的？
steven: actually, it is all my fault. we are short-handed at work because many of the workers have left. and i still havn't hired enough hands now.
史蒂文：事实上，都是我的错。因为很多工人都辞工了，我们人手不够。直到现在我还没有招到足够的人手。
manager: well, what have you done to solve the problem? are the workers working overtime?
经理：哦，你是怎么解决问题的？工人是不是在加班？
steven: yeah, they've been working overtime for a month. and i also put a want advertisement in the newspaper, but i haven't got any replies so far.
史蒂文：是的，工人已经加班一个月了。我也在报纸上登了招聘广告，但是目前仍没有回音。
manager: okay. tell the workers we have to work overtime for one more week. we must bow to time.
经理：好了，告诉工人再加班一周，我们要抓紧时间啊。
notes
1. hold up 支持，支撑；延迟；展示；举出
2. short-handed [??:t'h?ndid] adj. 人手不足的
3. attack [?'t?k] v.（努力地）着手干；进攻；抨击
4. a want advertisement 招聘广告
5. so far 到目前为止
小贴士
1. the plan is behind schedule again.
这项计划又没按时完成。
2. by burning the midnight oil i still failed to finish the job on time.
尽管开了夜车，我还是没能按时完成工作。
3. bob always falls behind his schedule.
鲍勃总是不能按时完成计划。
4. you can't always procrastinate.
你不能总是拖延。
5. i'm sorry to tell that the project is shelved.
很抱歉，工程延期了。
6. with the customer often picking holes in my work, my job has become a bed of nails. so i don't finish it on time.
顾客经常对我的工作吹毛求疵，我的工作太难做了。所以我没有按时完成。
7. i find the work heavy going, so i am afraid the job will have to be put off.
我觉得这项工作很难，恐怕不得不拖延了。
我也有不满
dialogue
julia looks very angry in the office. her goo friend and colleague jane comes to reassure her.
朱莉亚在办公室看起来很生气，她的好朋友兼同事简过来安慰她。
jane: you're fuming. what happened?
简：你气得快冒烟了。怎么了？
julia: the manager is not amenable to reason! he flared up at me, making a mountain out of molehill!
朱莉亚：经理真不讲理，一点小事就冲我发那么大的火。
jane: what's the “molehill” he made a mountain out of?
简：什么小事？
julia: i spilled his coffee just now, but i certainly didn't do it on purpose. i didn't think it was any big deal, but he still blew up at me after i had apologized to him.
朱莉亚：我刚刚打翻了他的咖啡，但是我绝对不是故意的。没什么大不了的，我已经道过歉了，他还对我发火。
jane: well, he has been under a lot of pressure recently. the company suffered from a failure in the investment and he's been a little bit depressed.
简：哎，他最近压力挺大的。公司投资失败，他有点消沉。
julia: well, i know he is in a bad mood, but it doesn't mean he can vent his anger on me.
朱莉亚：我知道他心情不好，但他也不能冲我撒气呀。
jane: you want my advice? let it go.
简：想听听我的建议吗？别去想了。
notes
1. fume [fju:m] v.冒烟，愤怒
2. amenable [?'mi:n?b?l] adj. 顺从的；通情达理的；经得起检验的
3. flare u 突然燃起来；突然发怒
4. make a mountain out of molehill 言过其实；小题大做
5. spill [spil] v. 溢出，洒，使……流出，泄漏
6. on purpose 故意，有意
7. blow up 爆炸；充气；放大；大怒
8. vent [vent] v. 发泄，表达；排放
小贴士
1. don't you dare!
你好大的胆子啊！
也可以这样说：
how dare you!
2. do you want to challenge me or something?
你是想挑战我还是怎样？
3. don't push me around any further; you really make me feel sick.
不要再任意摆布我了，你让我觉得厌烦。
4. please shut up! i've heard enough of your excuses.
闭嘴，我已经听够你的解释了。
5. i went to his office to ask him for some help, and he simply turned up his nose at me, which makes me rather angry.
我刚才去他办公室找他帮忙，他理都不理我一下，气死我了！
6. you weren't very kind when you were talking with tom just now. what do you have against him?
你刚刚和汤姆说话的态度不是很好。你对他有什么不满吗？