圣诞晚会 At the Christmas Party

英文正文

Oh boy, you know I'm not much of a speechmaker. I might just send everybody heading for the door. Where should I begin?
　I'll make this short and sweet. This has been a momentous, record-breaking year for Action Appliances. We've successfully entered the Canadian market and the future looks bright for U.S. distribution in 1998.

　This lion's share of that success is due to the outstanding efforts of the marketing and sales departments. They've worked their fingers to the bone preparing for the big push overseas.

　And now, I'd like to propose a toast. To my fellow colleagues and their families, and to the prosperous future of Action Appliances; cheers and Merry Christmas!
句型总结

●　 开始演说
1. Where should I begin?
2. How should I get started?
3. What is there to say?

由于这是非正式的晚宴，在轻松、幽默而简单地开场白之后，演讲者可用修辞疑问句（这类的问句并不是真的要对方回答）作为前言的结束，并承接下文。说话者可边说这句话边整理思绪。

●　 年度盛事
1. This has been a momentous, record-breaking year for Action Appliances.
2. The year has been filled with record-breaking events and sales.
3. Action has really come a long way in only one year; we've broken all previous sales figures.

圣诞晚宴不是检讨会，而是庆祝性的聚会，因此应该提出好的方面来说。本段的关键在于扼要地叙述今年的重要事件；由于这一年是持续的一段时间，因此要用现在完成式。

●　 表扬功臣
1. The lion's share of that success is due to the outstanding efforts of the marketing and sales departments.
2. A large part of Action's success is due to the outstanding efforts of the marketing and sales departments.
3. Much of the credit for Action's success goes to the outstanding efforts of the marketing and sales departments.

既然提出了值得庆贺的事迹，当然应该进一步表扬有功人员，加强员工的荣誉感。将成就归功于他人时，可用"due to"、"go to"等实用关键词表达。

●　 举杯致意
1. And now, I'd like to propose a toast.
2. If I may, I'd like to make a toast.
3. And now for a toast.

在庆祝宴上，举杯敬酒一种很好的结尾。"And now", "If I may"可作为转接词，使语气顺畅。此外，可用"I'd like to…"的句型表示请求。邀请众人举杯敬酒的不同说法，值得大家牢记。