正文部分

Change a meeting
变更约会
A:Mr. Brown, I hope I'm not disturbing you.
布朗先生，希望我没有定打扰您。
B:No, not at all.
不，没有。
A:I must make apologies. I won't be able to keep my appointment with you tomorrow morning. Unforeseen circumstances compel me to leave for New York tomorrow morning, and I'll be gone for a week. I'm afraid I've brought you too much trouble.
很抱歉明天上午我不能如约与您会谈。有件意外事情我不得不明天上午去巴黎，恐怕得一周的时间。恐怕我给您带来很多麻烦。
B:Never mind. It's understandable. Do you want to cancel the appiontment?
不要紧。可以理解。那您想取消这次会谈吗？
A:No. I wonder if we could postpone the meeting to next Thursday.
不，我想知道能否推迟到下周四。
B:But I've got a very tight schedule next Thursday. I might not be able to make it.
可是下周四我的日程安排得满满的。很难再重新安排。
A:How about next Friday?
那下周五怎么样？
B:Oh, Friday is OK.
哦，周五可以。
A:Will the afternoon suit you?
那下午您方便吗？
B:Yes, the afternoon will be just as good.
是的，下午可以。
A:Then shall we make it at three o'clock?
那我们就定在下午3点钟吧。
B:Good. Three o'clock at my office.
好的。3点钟在我的办公室见面。
A:OK, that's settled.
好的，就这么定了。

重点讲解
“compel”意思是“使某人做某事，强迫”。

Eg. We cannot compel you to do it, but we think you should.
我们不能强迫你去做，但认为你应该做。