Part 3 Send it express mail! 用快件寄给我！

Dialogue Script 3 对话原文 3

Sam: Hi, I'd like to send this express mail.
Clerk: Did you fill out the express mail bill?
Sam: Uh, no, I didn't.
Clerk: The forms are on the shelf against the wall. Fill one out, and bring it back with your package.
Sam: Gotcha. OK, I'm all set.
Clerk: OK, let's see how much your package weighs. It'll be twelve forty-five for the shipping. Did you want to insure it?
Sam: Well, the contents aren't really that valuable, so I probably don't need to.
Clerk: OK. That's twelve forty-five, then. ( Sam hands her fifteen dollars) Out of fifteen. Two fifty-five is your change.
Sam: Thanks. It'll be there tomorrow morning, right?
Clerk: Should be. It might be early afternoon. Don't forget your copy of the bill.
Sam: What do I need this for?
Clerk: It's got your tracking number on it. You can use this number to check the progress of your package.
Sam: How do I do that?
Clerk: You can use our website or call our customer service center.
Sam: Sounds easy enough.
Clerk: Is there anything else that you don't understand?
Sam: No, I'm good, thanks.
Clerk: Have a good day!
Sam: You too.

讲解：

1. 对话中Sam来到了邮局寄包裹。邮局的营业员让他先去填一张表格，fill out the express mail bill。bill在这里的意思是“单据，账单”。fill out 这个词组表示“填写表格之类的东西”，有意思的是在美式英语当中，fill in 和fill out都可以表示“填充，补充”，比如说，You have to fill out/fill in an application form first. 你得先填一张申请表。The hole has been filled in. 洞已经被填满了。

2. fill out也可以表示“变得更大，更圆，更胖”，我们可以说，Her cheek began to fill out. 她的脸渐渐胖了起来。Sam对营业员说，gotcha，是Got you在口语中的缩略形式，表示“ 我明白你的意思了。”很快Sam就填完了表格，他说，OK, I'm all set. 意思是说，我已经准备好了。

3. 营业员要先称一称Sam包裹的重量，一共需要十二块四毛五分钱。营业员又问Sam需不需要为这份快递保价，也就是要不要为运送的货物上保险。insure，表示“上保险，投保”，例如：He insured himself for 50,000 dollars. 他为自己投五万美元的人寿保险。或者我们也可以说，He insure his life for 50,000 dollars. insure sb/sth against sth，也表示“为某人或某物上保险”。比如，We insured our house against fire. 我们给自己的房子保火险。Sam觉得箱子里面的东西并不是那么贵重，就不需要上保险了。

4. 那他就应该只付十二块四毛五分钱就行了。他给了营业员15美元，营业员就找了他两块五毛五分钱 Out of fifteen. Two fifty-five is your change. 那么out of A, B is your change这个句型在买东西找钱的时候会经常用到。店员通常会先复述一遍你支付的金额，之后再说出要找你的零钱的数目，所以套用刚才说的句型就行了，就是out of A, B is your change。其中A就是你付的金额，B就是要找给你的零钱。我们用一个对话来做例子， ---I will take this shirt. ---Out of twenty. Seven fifty is your change. / Your Change is seven fifty.
---这件衬衫我要了。---收你二十元，找你七元五角。

5. Sam问这个包裹明天早上是否寄到，营业员说应该是的，但也许是刚过中午的时候，也就是early afternoon，那么late afternoon就表示“下午快接近傍晚的时刻”，也就是四、五点钟左右。营业员还提醒Sam不要忘了单据的副本，就是the copy of the bill.

6. 那么这个单据的副本是做什么用的呢？Sam也不明白，他问What do I need this for? 又是这个what for，我们以前提过很多次了，表示“为什么”，跟why 差不多，比如上面那句话就可以说成Why do I need this? 使用what for的时候呢，千万不要忘了这个for。营业员解释说副本上面有货件追踪号码，可以用这个号码查询货件的进度。

7. tracking number，就是“货件追踪号码”，每家快递公司的快递单子上都会印有这样的号码，方便顾客追查物品运送的进度。那么去哪查询物品运送的进度呢？可以到快递公司的网站上去查或者给客服中心打电话查询。

8. Sam觉得这很简单，他说Sounds easy enough. Sounds easy enough. 表示“某事做起来很简单，听起来就更简单了，只要告诉对方Sounds easy enough，就能让对方安心，你也可以说“(Sounds) Simple enough”，用一个对话作例子，---To get there, just take this road for two miles, turn left at the gas station, and you're there. ---(Sounds) Simple enough, thanks. ---要去那里，只要沿着这条路走两英里，到加油站左转，然后你就到了。---听起来很简单，谢谢了。

9. 营业员最后问Sam还有什么问题不清楚，Sam 说I'm good.，没有了。I'm good. 这句话看似简单，却意义非凡。这个短句表示自己对于现在的状况非常满意，最常见的使用情况是在餐厅，比如说，服务生问你要不要再来杯饮料的时候，你就可以简单地说一句，I'm good. 或者I'm fine. 一方面表示拒绝，一方面也含有谢谢对方好心询问的意味。比如说，---Would you like some more milk? ---No, I'm good. Thank you. ---还要再来点牛奶吗？ ---不用了，谢谢。

Dialogue Script 4 对话原文 4

Lily: Hello, can I speak to Sam?
Sam: This is he.
Lily: This is Lily. I bought your Star Wars figures on eBay.
Sam: Oh, right. Great stuff, huh?
Lily: That's just it. Nothing's been delivered. I asked you to send them overnight mail.
Sam: I did! They said they'd get there today. Let me find out what happened and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

讲解：

1. 对话中Sam接到了买主Lily的电话。打电话的时候要注意，要找某人可以说“Can I speak to someone?”或者“May I speak to someone?”，回答的时候我们就可以说“This is he.” 或者“This is she. ”。

2. Sam还以为Lily已经收到了快件，打电话来谢谢他呢，原来是快件出了问题。That's just it. 我要说的就是这件事。That's just it. 这句话用在当对方提起的事情正是你想要说的，或者那正是整件事的问题所在，你就可以这么说，来表示你对此事的关注程度，并强调其重要性。我们用一个对话来举例，---Why are you worried Lily won't like the food? This roast beef looks great. ---That's just it. She just told me she's a vegetarian!---你为什么会担心Lily不喜欢这里的食物呢？这里的烤牛肉看起来很棒。---这就是问题所在，她刚刚告诉我她是一个素食主义者！

3. 原来Lily根本没有收到任何东西，她要Sam寄的是第二天就能送到的快递呀。那么overnight mail指的就是那种在今天送件，货件会在下一个营业日到达的运送服务。Sam觉得很委屈，他确实就是按照Lily的要求寄的快递。而且邮局的人也说今天能送到，到底怎么回事呢？

4. Sam也觉得很奇怪，他说要去查一下是怎么回事，再回电话给Lily。这里get back to someone，是一个很常见的电话用语，就是“给某人回电话”的意思。或者当两个人讲电话聊到没有话说时，也可以用这句话作结束语。或者当一家餐厅在客流高峰时期，你想找侍者点餐的时候，侍者一时忙不过来，就会跟你说，I'll get back to you right away. 意思是“我马上过来。”

5. 还有就是当你一时回答不出对方问题的时候，也可以用上这一句。例如，---Do you have time to talk about our business trip? ---I'm kind of busy right now. Can I get back to you in a little while? ---你有时间讨论一下我们这次出差的事情吗？---我现在有点忙，我可以等一下再去找你吗？

6. as soon as possible，表示“尽快”，经常缩写成ASAP。

Dialogue Script 5 对话原文 5

Sam: I need to have a package tracked.
Rep 2: Certainly. Your tracking number, please?
Sam: It's three two nine four six seven one eight.
Rep 2: Let's see...it was sent to three-three-seven Cedar Street, but there is no such address in Carrollton, Mississippi.
Sam: What are you talking about? I sent it to Carlton, Minnesota!
Rep 2: Our file shows it as being addressed to Carlton, MS.
Sam: Yeah, so?
Rep 2: MS is the abbreviation for Mississippi. MN is Minnesota.
Sam: (to himself) Smart move, Sam! But what about the zip code? That should be right.
Rep 2: Hmm...the zip code is correct. We'll make sure it gets to the right address.
Sam: I won't have to pay again, will I?
Rep 2: No, since you had the correct zip code, we'll be responsible. Just use the right abbreviation next time!

讲解：

1. 对话中Sam给客服中心打电话，查询包裹到底出了什么问题。have a package tracked，查一件包裹。那么have something done表示“让某人做某事”，而不是自己亲自去做。虽然Sam自己打电话去查询，但是查询这个过程还是要由工作人员来完成。我们再举个例子，I need to have my hair cut. 我得去理发了。

2. 客服人员需要知道Sam的货件追踪号码，也就是印在单据副本上的那个号码。Sam告诉了她。客服员查到邮件是送往西德街三三七号，但是密西西比州的卡罗尔顿根本没有这个地址。Sam一听就知道不对了，What are you talking about? 你在说什么啊？这句话看似简单，但实际上有“你在讲什么东西，根本是胡说八道”的意味在里面，句尾的语调下沉，表示不认同对方说的话。

3. 当然，装傻的时候，这句话也能用上。例如，---I saw you out dancing with some guy last night. ---What are you talking about? I was home all night! ---我昨天晚上在外面看见你跟一个男人跳舞。---你在说什么啊？我整晚都在家里！Sam又强调了一遍他是要送去明尼苏达州的卡尔顿，但是客服人员告诉他，档案显示的送件地址是MS的卡尔顿。

4. Sam还不服气，他说Yeah, so? 是呀，然后呢？客服人员又告诉他，MS is the abbreviation for Mississippi. MN is Minnesota. MS是密西西比州的缩写，而MN才是明尼苏达州的缩写。原来Sam是把州名的缩写弄错了。所以他暗地里骂自己，Smart move, Sam! 干得好啊，Sam! 这里是一个反语，因为Sam自作聪明把州名的缩写弄错了，所以他在这里暗骂自己愚蠢。

5. 但是Sam还是不死心，又问邮政编码应该是对的吧，邮政编码就是zip code，美国的邮政编码是由五个数字组成，前三个数字代表所居住的州，市，后两位数字代表邮区。幸好Sam没有写错邮政编码，客服人员承诺一定会送到正确地址去。

6. Sam还要确认自己不用再付一次钱，客服人员告诉他，因为他写的邮政编码是正确的，所以这次是由快递公司负责，不用再付费了，她还提醒Sam，下次一定要用正确的州名缩写，免得引起不必要的麻烦。

Dialogue Script 6 对话原文 6

Jenny: Hi, Sam! You get everything straightened out with the Star Wars figures?
Sam: Yeah. She was kind of pissed about the delay, but they got there.
Jenny: So what are you sending now?
Sam: I just sold my grandmother's china to someone.
Jenny: Dot't you think you should put in more padding?
Sam: Oh, don't be so uptight. It'll be fine.

讲解：

1. 对话中Sam又要去邮快递了，这次他在eBay上把奶奶的瓷器给卖掉了。Jenny很关心地问他，《星球大战》玩偶的事情已经解决了吗？You get everything straightened out with the Star Wars figures? 这里get everything straightened out 表示“把一切搞定”，比如，---Why is Brian so mad at you? ---It's nothing but a big misunderstanding. I'll talk to him and get it straightened out. ---为什么Brian这么生你的气？---都是误会，我会跟他谈谈，把事情弄清楚。

2. 类似的词组还有get something straight，这里的straight 是作为副词，意思是“直率地，有话直说地”，也就是当对方说话拐弯抹角，避重就轻的时候，就可以直接跟他说 Let me get this straight，还是让我来把话说清楚吧。Lily已经收到了玩偶，但是她对东西晚到的事情很生气，be pissed about something，表示“对…生气，不爽”，pissed 这里是指“反感的，厌恶的”，比如，---What's with Nancy? ---Beats me. She's pissed about something and won't talk to anyone. ---Nancy怎么了？---我也不知道。不知道因为什么她就生气了，而且不跟任何人说。

3. 另一个相似的用法就是pissed off，比如说有人给你惹毛了，你就可以说，He really pissed me off. 或者I was pissed off by him. 尽管是晚到了，但无论如何还是到了。那么这次Sam又要寄什么呢？他要把奶奶的瓷器卖给别人。Jenny提醒他应该在箱子里多放一些填料，因为瓷器是非常容易碎的。padding的意思是“填料，衬垫”。但是Sam却认为不用那么紧张，没有那个必要，don't be so uptight.当中的uptight在口语中表示“紧张的，着急的”。

Dialogue Script 7 对话原文 7

Sam: I've got a package for ground shipping I'd like to have picked up tomorrow.
Rep 4: OK, I need your address.
Sam: Twelve oh-nine Marina Drive.
Rep 4: Do you have an account with us?
Sam: No, this is a one-time pickup.
Rep 4: I see. Will you be paying in cash, then?
Sam: Yeah, I guess. What time can you pick it up?
Rep 4: Our driver will be there at 9:30 A.M.
（in the afternoon）
Jenny: So you had some shipping problems, huh?
Sam: Yeah, the guy said two of the plates broke in transit.
Jenny: So what are you going to do?
Sam: I'm trying to get UPS to pay, but I didn't insure it. I don't know about this eBay stuff. It's been a big headache.

讲解：

1. 对话中Sam在电话中办理了邮寄的业务。他说，我有一个小包裹要走陆运，希望明天来取件。ground shipping 是指小型包裹运送服务，收送范围是美国，加拿大，波多黎各以及墨西哥大陆地区，提供经济的陆上运送服务，一至五天能送达目的地。

2. 营业员又问Sam有没有他们的账户，Sam回答说没有，因为他就寄这一次而已。这里的account指“账户”，只要拥有UPS的账号，就会拥有更多的电子加值业务，包括线上预约快递，建立通讯录，查阅快递纪录等等。

3. 这里pick up是指取件，而one-time pickup 指的是没有和快递公司长期合作，只交易一次的客户。所以Sam只能用现金付账了，pay in cash。快递公司的司机会在早上9点钟到达。可是到了下午，Jenny发现Sam还是在为运货的事情发愁，So you had some shipping problems, huh? “huh”是一个感叹词，相当于汉语的“是不是，嗯”，表示轻蔑，厌恶，疑问等语气，对话中的huh就表示疑问的语气。来给大家举个表示“轻蔑”语气的例子，You think you know the answer, huh? 你以为你知道答案吗，嗯？原来Sam寄出的瓷器在运输途中打碎了两个，当初真应该听Jenny的话多塞一些衬垫在里面，也就是padding，这样盘子也许就不会打碎了。in transit 表示“在运输的途中”。

4. 那Sam该怎么办呢？他想让UPS赔钱，可是他又没有替这些瓷器买保险，人家当然不会赔了。Sam真的不知道该不该继续在eBay上卖东西了，麻烦的要命。这里的I don't know about something，表示“我不确定该不该做某事”，这个句型用在当你对眼前的事物还不太熟悉，甚至还没有进入状态，就被要求参与其中，而且这件事也许会很危险，也许会有很多的麻烦事发生，所以你不太愿意去做的时候。来举个例子，---Another rough day in class, huh? ---Yeah. I don't know about this grad school thing. Maybe it's just not for me. ---今天又是很难过的一天，是吧。---是啊，我不太确定读研究生到底对不对，也许并不适合我。类似的句型还有I'm not sure about something。

5. It's been a big headache. 就表示“某事很难办到，很让人头疼”。而someone is a headache，就表示“某人很难对付，让人头疼”了。