华尔街中级英语学习教程第9课：几年以后Act4 (MP3和文本下载)

KRISTI: Good evening. Are there any messages for me?

TERMINAL HOTEL RECEPTIONIST: Good evening, madam. At your service!

KRISTI: I asked if there were any messages for me.

RECEPTIONIST: Your name please, madam?

KRISTI: Schmidt.

RECEPTIONIST: Is that your family name?

KRISTI: Yes.

RECEPTIONIST: Do you spell that S-H-M-I-T?

KRISTI: No, it's spelt S-C-H-M-I-D-T.

RECEPTIONIST: What is the second letter?

KRISTI: The second letter is “C”. Look, are there any messages for me? That's all I want to know.

RECEPTIONIST: What are your initials, please?

KRISTI: K.A.

RECEPTIONIST: K.A. Schmidt. Wait a moment, please, Miss Schmidt.

RECEPTIONIST: J.S. Schmidt, J.V. Schmidt, K.L. Schmidt, M.A. Schmidt. No, nothing for you, madam.

KRISTI: Thank you very much.

RECEPTIONIST: At your service!

KRISTI: Oh, no, what's all this? I was looking forward to a nice quiet cup of coffee. I've got work to do!

HOTEL WAITER: There are a lot of people here. It's very busy tonight.

KRISTI: I can see that. What's going on?

WAITER: Oh, it's a big international firm: ECS. All the employees from all over the world have been invited to Washdon for a big meeting. Very important. Very special.

KRISTI: Great! That's just what I needed!

KRISTI: Excuse me! Can I get by, please! Excuse me! Oh, I'm sorry!

MARCO: That's alright, I... Good Heavens! It's Kristi!

KRISTI: I don't believe it! It's Marco!

MARCO: Good Heavens! It's Kristi!

KRISTI: I don't believe it! It's Marco!

KRISTI/MARCO: What are you doing here?

MARCO: I'm here on business. The company I work for is holding a conference here in Washdon. What about you?

KRISTI: Yes, I'm here for work too. Look Marco, I haven't eaten yet, and I've also got to go over a few papers. Why don't we meet at the bar later on; say, about ten thirty? Can you manage that?

MARCO: Oh yes, certainly!

KRISTI: Great! Well, see you later then.

KRISTI: Hello, Marco. Sorry I couldn't make it earlier, I had all these boring documents to get through.

MARCO: That's alright, I've only been here since half past nine. Well, what can I get you to drink?

KRISTI: I'll have a vodka and tonic.

MARCO: A vodka and tonic, please, and another large scotch.

BARMAN: Alright! I'm doing my best!

KRISTI: So, Marco, you're not a student any more, obviously.

MARCO: No, certainly not! I'm working in the computer industry now. For ECS, Electronic Control and Security, in fact. They're a multinational corporation, their headquarters is in Los Angeles, and they have branches all over the world.

KRISTI: Yes, I’ve heard of ECS, of course. What do you do for them, then? Are you some sort of computer buff?

MARCO: Certainly not! Here, take a look at my card.

KRISTI: "Marco Benini, Assistant Marketing Manager, Central Italy". Good for you, Marco!

KRISTI: I expect you get a pretty good income, too

MARCO: It's not bad - what's left of it after I've paid tax.

KRISTI: I thought Italians hardly ever paid tax.

MARCO: Ah, no. It's only the very rich who manage that these days. But tell me about yourself, anyway. What are you up to?

KRISTI: Well, I'm still working for North German TV. I'm in charge of the News Department now.

MARCO: Really? So we both seem to be doing pretty well then.

BARMAN: Here are your drinks, sir. That'll be $7.75.

MARCO: Put it on my bill, please. The company will pay. They look after their staff, you see.

BARMAN: Will you sign here, please?

MARCO: I'll put it down as “entertaining foreign clients”.

KRISTI: I think the barman wants something, Marco.

BARMAN: Can I have your signature, please, sir? On this bill?

MARCO: Here you go.

BARMAN: Thank you very much, sir.

MARCO: Well, here's to success!

KRISTI: Cheers, Marco! How about your private life, then? Is there a Mrs Benini yet, sitting at home making lots of spaghetti for her Marco?

MARCO: No, I'm not quite ready for that yet, although I am engaged.

KRISTI: What does your fiancée do?

MARCO: Oh, she doesn't have to earn her living at all. Her surname is Strapieno.

KRISTI: As in Strapieno, the chocolate manufacturers?

MARCO: That's right. Her father's the owner of the firm.

KRISTI: Good for you! When are you getting married?

MARCO: Oh, we haven't fixed the date yet.

MARCO: But it doesn't mean that... you know...

KRISTI: It doesn't mean what?

MARCO: It doesn't mean I can't have a bit of fun when I’m away on business, if you see what I mean. Anyway, how about you, Kristi? You're against marriage and having children and all those boring old things anyway, aren't you? Or have you changed?

KRISTI: It's not that I'm against it. I'm quite fond of children, but I don't really feel like having any of my own. As far as marriage is concerned, well, the only interesting men I meet these days all seem to be unavailable or uninteresting.

MARCO: Oh, really! I hope you don't think that I’m like - uninteresting, I mean.

KRISTI: Don't worry, Marco, I’ve always thought of you as 100% interesting, and I'm sure you still are.

MARCO: You bet! Both available and interesting! I need another drink. How about you, Kristi?

KRISTI: Yes, I wouldn’t mind. But I was just thinking ….

MARCO: Yes?

KRISTI: I don’t really like this bar; the light’s much too bright.

MARCO: I know what you mean.

KRISTI: So why don’t we go to my room, and maybe get something from the mini-bar?

MARCO: Nice idea, Kristi.

KRISTI: Come on, then.

KRISTI: Are you feeling alright, Marco?

MARCO: Yes, I’m fine, I’m fine. A bit tired, maybe, but fine, really.

KRISTI: Well, let’s go in, then.

KRISTI: What’ll you have to drink, Marco?

MARCO: Another Scotch, please.

KRISTI: I think I’ll just have a mineral water.

KRISTI: Here you are - cheers!

MARCO: Cheers!

KRISTI: What are you doing, Marco?

MARCO: I’m just reading the hotel regulations, on this card.

KRISTI: That sounds interesting.

MARCO: We are actually breaking the hotel rules. It says here: "Guests are forbidden to entertain visitors of either sex in their room".

KRISTI: Oh dear! Well, we may be breaking the rules, but we don’t seem to be enjoying ourselves very much, do we?

MARCO: I’m sorry. The thing is, Kristi, I do seem to be bit tired, really.

KRISTI: Yes, I can see that.

MARCO: Perhaps it would be better if we met tomorrow night instead.

KRISTI: I won’t be here. I’m going back to Germany tomorrow.

MARCO: Oh.

KRISTI: It doesn’t matter, Marco. Don’t worry about it.

MARCO: It’s just, like, I feel a bit of a failure.

KRISTI: You haven’t done anything, Marco. How can you call yourself a failure?

MARCO: And also, my fiancée does get terribly jealous.

KRISTI: I’m sure she does.

MARCO: At least I haven’t given her any reason to be jealous.

KRISTI: Well done. Anyway, thanks for a lovely evening, Marco. I must go to bed now, I’ve got an incredibly busy day tomorrow.

MARCO: Goodnight, Kristi.

KRISTI: Actually, before you go, there’s something I was going to ask you.

MARCO: Yes?

KRISTI: The thing is, I'm hoping to do a story about someone called Annie Peters.

MARCO: Who's she?

KRISTI: Oh, she's a sort of Green revolutionary. One of those rich girls who's turned against the system, you know. The point is, she's the daughter of someone I think you used to know, Hugo Peters.

MARCO: Oh, yes, of course! Well, I didn't actually know Hugo. He's dead now, by the way.

KRISTI: I know.

MARCO: But his son David used to be my English teacher.

KRISTI: Right. Now, do you know where I can get in touch with him?

MARCO: When I last saw him he was teaching at the Washdon International School. I don't know if he's still there.

KRISTI: I'll just write that down. Thanks, Marco. I'll try calling him tomorrow. Well, goodnight.

MARCO: Goodnight, Kristi. See you tomorrow at breakfast, maybe.

KRISTI: Sorry, I’ve got a working breakfast with a couple of newspaper editors.

MARCO: Well, maybe see you around.

KRISTI: Sure. Goodnight.

MARCO: Bye-bye, Kristi. I’m sorry it had to be like this.

KRISTI: There’s no need to apologize, Marco. Just shut the door behind you, please.