実践ビジネス英語 ディクテーション (2/2,3)
こんにちは。NHKラジオ「実践ビジネス英語」”Talk the Talk”のディクテーションです。
Lesson 20のテーマは、‘Office Pet Peeves’（オフィスで嫌われること）でした。Vignetteでは、職場で爪を切ったことで同僚から苦情を受けた主人公のエピソードに始まり、職場やプライベートで不快に思われるさまざまな行為や話し方が話題になりました。
“Talk the Talk”ではHeatherさんが職場や公共の場で嫌だと思うことについて話されています。最後に話された「レジの列での嫌なこと」に共感しました。そういう人いますよね・・・。
Office Pet Peeves
（S: 杉田敏先生 H: Heather Howardさん）
S: In our current vignette, Lidia Grace talks to Ueda Shota about cutting his nails in the office.
Some of their coworkers have complained about his behavior, she says.
H: I’m not surprised.
Once, many years ago, I started to cut my nails at my desk.
I clipped off one, and just as I was about to take off the second, I thought, “What are you doing? This is disgusting, stop!”
I had several torn nails that needed to be cut, but I went into a bathroom stall and did it where no one could see me.
My rule of thumb is, if something involves personal grooming, keep it out of public view.
For example, a coworker of mine, again many years ago, used an electric shaver at his desk.
Every morning, “Bzzzzzz…”. I never said anything, you know; I wasn’t his supervisor and didn’t want to get into a big argument with him about it.
But I used to think, “Why can’t he do that at home?”
It literally takes less than a minute.
Oh, and please, could people not dig around in their noses on the train?
S: We’ve discussed some of your work-related pet peeves in the past.
Are there any more you would add?
H: I certainly agree with Lyons about know-it-alls.
I supervised a young employee once who constantly interrupted me.
I would try to give him some advice or useful information, and I couldn’t get more than a sentence or two out before he would say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah…” like he was much too smart to need any help.
To be fair, however, he did apologize when I eventually called him on it.
The inability to take criticism and admit mistakes is fatal in business―it will alienate bosses and coworkers really quickly.
So will a lack of courtesy and respect, especially toward people who have more experience.
A veteran colleague of mine once tried to remonstrate with a much newer staffer who was late nearly every day.
Other employees were complaining about it.
But when my colleague tried to talk to the person in question they replied, “I don’t want to hear it. Talk to supervisor X if you have a problem.”
Not cool. Not cool at all.
S: What are some of your pet peeves about life in general?
H: I really hate when people don’t make way for parents with small children, or elderly people, on elevators and in the train.
I got on a fairly crowded train once while I was pregnant, and a young woman was not only doing her makeup while sitting in one of the special seats, she had her makeup bag on the seat next to her.
She knew I was there.
I was standing in front of her, big as a house, and we looked right at each other, but she didn’t move her makeup bag until I specifically asked.
S: Anything else?
H: Let’s see…
Oh, I hate it when I’m buying something and the person after me in the check-out line is breathing down my neck.
This usually happens at the very end of the transaction.
I only need another ten seconds tops to get my change, pick up my purchases and move away from the register.
But some people just can’t seem to wait, you know, they push up behind you like, “Come on, come on, it’s my turn now!”
I never say anything, but sometimes I really want to turn around and tell them, “Chill out. I’ll literally be done in ten seconds.”
I make a conscious effort not to push forward like that myself.
I always stand a few steps back and only move up to the cashier when the other person walks away.
お読みくださり、ありがとうございます♪
