身临其境练一练

本段对话选自Drop Dead Diva,《美女上错身》

We've got a situation. Walk with me.
有点新情况，跟我来。
Follow me. Bad news, worst news.
跟上来，好消息，坏消息。
What do you want to hear first? I...
你想先听哪个，我...
Your friend Judge Summers called this morning.
你朋友萨莫斯法官今早打电话来。
She's vacating the verdict in Mason v. Ocean Park Trucking.
她要撤销梅森告海洋公园运输公司那个案子的判决。
You've got to be kidding me! Is that the bad news?
开什么玩笑，这算是坏消息吗？
Jury misconduct.
陪审团选择不当。
Turns out one of the jurors failed to disclose...
他们当时没发现有一个陪审员。
a brother-in-law who worked for Ocean Park Trucking.
是海洋公园运输公司工作人员的的姐夫。
But Jane kicked ass on that trial.
但是简那个案子打得很精彩啊。
That win won you the corner office.
那个案子帮你得到那间角落里的办公室。
And how could I forget that?
我当然忘不了啊？
Well, you're gonna have to kick that ass again.
那你得再杀他们个片甲不留了。
There's gonna be a retrial.
将会有一次复审。
Judge Summers wants to see you in chambers in an hour.
萨莫斯法官要你一小时后去见她。
An hour? No, no, no, no, that's not gonna work for me.
一个小时 不行不行 我不能去。
I know you have the memory of an elephant...
我知道你有大象的记忆力...
It's a saying. Not actionable.
说说而已 别当真。

职场美语
I hate to break this to you,but you're fired.
我很遗憾的告知你，你被解雇了。
My life is over!
唉，我活不下去了！
I hate to break this to you,but you're not accepted into this program.
很遗憾，你并没有被这个项目录取。
Fine.Guess I will try next time.
好的， 那我只能再接再厉了。

精讲部分

I have some bad news.
I hate to break this to you.
除了用good news和bad news来指代一切好消息和坏消息之外，在向别人宣布坏消息的时候往往要有一些“引入语”，其实本身没有什么实际意义，但就像信号灯一样，可以让对方先做好心理准备。