以反建议辩驳原议 Counter arguing

眼见公司在中南美洲四年来的努力就要付诸流水，Sandoz的主管个个心急如焚。是否要收回产品成为迫在眉睫的问题。大家是否决定壮士断腕呢？或者有更好的方案？

英文正文

Vincent: You know, we don't have to pick either of the two options. We could just continue selling our product. After all, it's not really our fault. We did all the research anyone could do.

Grace: Not a bad idea, but maybe we should look at the larger picture. Maybe no judge would say it's our fault. But people would feel we were wrong, and would stop buying our products. I know the options will cost a lot, but doing nothing could break the bank.

Sam: I'd like to add something to what you just said. We've only been talking about money here; we should be talking about people. Is it OK to save the money if we know some people are going to get hurt?

Vincent: I guess not. But we just can't take the powder off the market. You know what will happen. Profits will go down, quickly. The shareholders will get angry. Management will have to blame someone. You know who that will be us!

Grace: We have to make the best of a bad situation. But I can't agree with leaving the product on the market just to save our profits. Not even if we try to make better powders for each area.

Sam: Then what do we do?

Grace:We bite the bullet, and take the powder off the market. But there is a way to have the best of both alternatives. We take one month to do tests, and see if we can easily make the new powders. If it will be too expensive, we never sell them there again; we pack it in. It will be my decision.

句型总结

●　 委婉驳斥
1. Not a bad idea, but maybe we should look at the larger picture.
2. Not a bad idea, but there's more to this than one might think at first.
3. Not a bad idea, but I think we need to take a second look.
4. Not a bad idea, but I think it would be good if we looked at this again.

"the larger picture"即指‘远景；大局’。这句话是说对方所言不差－－"Not a bad idea"，但未能掌握全局。此句型暗示自己不能苟同，但又很技巧地为对方找台阶下。这句话还有将讨论转向另一个不同方向的功用。

●　 逆境中找机会
1. We have to make the best of a bad situation.
2. We have to make the best of what we've got.
3. We have to do our best with what we've got to work with.
4. We have to look for a way to make the best of a bad situation.

"make the best of..."是形容事情陷入不利情况时，能尽量利用现有的改善情况，甚至找出最佳的出路。这个句型可用在当一切方案都很不乐观，而你似乎有方法，能为颓势带来一线希望。因此这句话有鼓励士气的作用，能让与会者提起兴趣，期待你将要提出的建议。

●　 提出兼顾方案
1. There is a way to have the best of both alternatives.
2. There is a way we can use the best of both options.
3. There is a way we can combine the best of each alternative.
4. There is a way we can take the best parts from each plan.

"alternative"当名词是指‘二个选择中的一个’，句中的"both alternatives"即指‘二者兼顾’。这句话是说另外还有个兼顾两种方案、两全其美的方式。此句型是在推翻前述的方案，但实际上，自己的看法乃是将那些方案推陈出新，撷取其优点所成。

●　More 驳斥
会议桌上本是各路英雄锤炼最佳方案之地，所以针对一个原始提案，给予多重角度的质询与反议是值得肯定的做法。

强烈的驳斥
That's just not feasible.
I really can't accept that.
I'm absolutely/completely against that.
That's out of the question.

较礼貌的驳斥
I'm afraid I can't accept that.
I'm sorry, but that's not really practical.
I'm afraid I'm not very happy about that.
I'm sorry, but I have reservations about that.

较迂回地反对
I don't want to be discouraging, but...
I accept the need for (something), but...
I appreciate your point of view, but...
I can see why you want to do this, but...
That's very interesting, but...