情景：周一，澤奧軟件公司，部門經(jīng)理托比正在召開例行周會。

Toby: Good morning, everyone. Did we all have a good weekend? (nods of assent) I'm glad. So, shall we get down to business? First thing on the agenda this week - casual Friday, and dress codes in general. Helen, I'm looking at your department in particular here.

Helen: Oh, not this again.

Toby: I'm sorry, but I got the word from on high. We've got to tighten the policy. Business casual only.

Helen: Toby, we're a computer company. You know what these guys are like. And, you know, casual Friday.

Toby: (laughing) I know, I know. But come on, Helen, you've seen some of the programmers over in development on casual Fridays. T-shirts with slogans like - what was that one on Pete?

Helen: 'Restraining orders are just another way of saying I LOVE YOU'?

Toby: Yeah, I mean that alone could get us hit with sexual harassment. And all that Star Wars and Trek stuff - it just doesn't put forward the right business image. Nor the guys in old shorts. And definitely not sandals. Especially with uncut toenails. Have you seen Brian's feet? I'm not even certain he's human, they look like claws.

Helen: I did like 'Is it solipsistic in here or is it just me?'on Lisa's t-shirt

Toby: Clever, but … you know. Not appropriate. You know, we take clients through the office; we need to present a professional image, even on casual Friday.

Helen: I understand. So, what exactly does 'business casual' mean?

Toby: Well, let me see. Shirts have to be collared, for a start. Khakis or other cotton trousers, not jeans, definitely not shorts. Shoes with socks - not sneakers, though, but loafers are ok.

Helen: What about the women?

Toby: Dresses or shirt and trousers is fine, or capri pants. No tight shorts or short skirts.

Helen: Does that apply to all staff? Because when Millie - you know, the receptionist - wears the miniskirt on Friday, half of the guys in my team are over at reception panting like dogs all day.

Toby: Well, as much as it will sadden the men on the team, yes it does.

Helen: Good. It'll be nice to get them back on focus.

Toby: And there's another thing - piercings and tattooes.

Helen: What about them?

Toby: Not appropriate. I mean, earrings are allowed, obviously, but nose-studs, belly-rings, all that kind of thing? They need to be removed or hidden before work.

Helen: I'm going to get a lot of protest over that.

Toby: Tattoos too, sorry. I know they're popular with the staff in their 20s, but they have to be covered up. They're just not appropriate for the business environment.

Helen: But I know Lee has a tattoo that goes right up to his neck.

Toby: Well, he needs to turn his collar up. I mean, not all the time, but if we have people coming through, ok?

Helen: Couldn't he just hide it with his hair?

Toby: Ah, yes. Hair.

Helen: Really? We have to have a hair policy?

Toby: I'm afraid so. Nothing below the shoulders, no unusual colours or styles …

Helen: Jesus, Toby, what is this, 1950?

Toby: Sorry, but in these times we really need to stress our professional image. People are looking for stability, reassurance. Time to break out the scissors.

Helen: Maybe we should get one of those barbers the Marine Corps uses in; we could just shave them all and be done with it.

Toby: I know it's a bit funny, but it's got to be done.

Helen: I know, I know. But expect an influx of bitching on Tuesday, after I send out the memo on Monday. And a bunch of complaints to HR, I've no doubt.

Toby: I'll be ready for it. But theres another thing …

Helen: More? Boy, this really is going to be fun to unveil to everyone … I better do it by meeting rather than memo.

Toby: That's a good idea; get it all out of the way.

Helen: What's the other thing?

Toby: Some of the toys and photos people are putting in their cubicles …

Helen: Not appropriate. Got it. Like those photos of Brian in Hawaii where he's nearly naked?

Toby: Exactly. I think we'll all be happy to see those go. And I don't mind the action figures - but they should be a bit out of sight, not hanging off the edge of the cubicle. We have to look like adults for clients!

Helen: Can I throw them a bone at least? Compensate them a bit?

Toby: What are you thinking?

Helen: Well, they've been pushing for free pizza when they have to work late, instead of paying for it themselves.

Toby: We can swing that.

Helen: Cool.

Toby: So that's sorted. Ok, folks, onto the next item on the agenda …

托比：各位早上好。周末過得愉快吧？（眾人點頭同意）很高興大家過得愉快。那么，我們開始談?wù)撜掳桑勘局茏h程第一項——休閑周五和總的著裝要求。海倫，我在這特別叮囑你們部門。

海倫：啊，又說這個。

托比：很抱歉，但這是高層的指示。我們必須加強管理。只能穿職業(yè)休閑裝。

海倫：托比，我們是個計算機公司。你知道這幫人是什么德性的。而且，你知道，休閑周五。

托比：（笑）我知道，我知道。但是得啦，海倫，你也見到了開發(fā)部一些編程師在休閑周五穿成什么樣了。T恤印著那樣的標(biāo)語——皮特T恤上印著什么來著？

海倫：“限制令只是表達愛意的另一種方式”？

托比：是，我是說單單這個標(biāo)語就能讓咱們陷入性騷擾的麻煩。還有衣服上那些《星球大戰(zhàn)》和《星際迷航》里的東西——就是不能展現(xiàn)正面的企業(yè)形象。還有那些穿舊短褲的家伙。而且絕對不能穿涼鞋。尤其是還不剪腳趾甲。你看到布萊恩的腳了嗎？我甚至都不能肯定他是人類，腳趾甲看起來像爪子。

海倫：但我的確喜歡麗薩T恤上的“是唯我還是只有我？”

托比：明智，但是……你知道。不合適。你知道，我們帶客戶穿過辦公室；我們需要展現(xiàn)一個專業(yè)的形象，甚至在休閑周五。

海倫：我理解。那么，“職業(yè)休閑裝”確切指什么？

托比：那個，讓我看看。首先，襯衫必須帶領(lǐng)，褲子是卡其布或者其它棉質(zhì)的，不能穿牛仔褲，絕對不能穿短褲。鞋配襪子穿——但是不能穿涼鞋，不過路夫鞋可以。

海倫：女士怎么辦？

托比：連衣裙或者襯衫配褲子都可以，或者卡普里褲。不能穿緊身短褲或者短裙。

海倫：這適用于所有員工嗎？因為當(dāng)米莉——你知道，那個前臺——周五穿迷你裙的時候，我小組里有一半的家伙整天都像小狗一樣圍在接待處喘氣。

托比：哦，盡管會傷透組里男士們的心，但是必須這樣。

海倫：好，讓他們集中精力的話不錯。

托比：還有一件事——穿孔和紋身。

海倫：這些怎么了？

托比：不合適。我是說，很顯然耳洞是可以的，但是鼻釘、臍環(huán)，所有這類的東西需要在上班前摘掉或者遮掩一下。

海倫：關(guān)于這一點我將會收到很多抗議。

托比：還有紋身，很抱歉也不行。我知道這些在20多歲的員工中很流行，但是他們必須被遮蓋起來。這些很不適合公司環(huán)境。

海倫：但是我知道李有個紋身一直到脖子。

托比：哦，那他得把他的領(lǐng)子立起來。我的意思是，不用總拉起來，但如果有客戶走過的時候，好吧？

海倫：難道他就不能用頭發(fā)把它給遮起來嗎？

托比：啊，是的。還有頭發(fā)。

海倫：真的？我們必須得有關(guān)于頭發(fā)的規(guī)定嗎？

托比：恐怕如此，不能超過肩膀，不能弄怪異的顏色或者發(fā)型……

海倫：天啊，托比，現(xiàn)在是什么年代，1950年？

托比：抱歉，但是現(xiàn)在這個時候我們真得需要突出我們的專業(yè)形象。人們在尋求穩(wěn)定和信心。是動剪刀的時候了。

海倫：或許我們應(yīng)該找一個海軍陸戰(zhàn)隊雇傭的理發(fā)師。我們可以把頭發(fā)全剃光，全部搞定。

托比：我知道這有點可笑，但是必須施行。

海倫：我知道，我知道。但是周一我把備忘發(fā)出去之后，就等著周二抱怨如潮吧。人事部也會收到很多抱怨，對此我毫不懷疑。

托比：我將為此做好準(zhǔn)備。但是，還有一件事……

海倫：還有？伙計，公布給大家將真得變成一件樂事了……我最好還是開會說而不是發(fā)備忘。

托比：這是個好主意；一次性都搞定。

海倫：另外一件事是什么？

托比：人們放在辦公隔間里的一些玩具和照片……

海倫：不合適。知道了。像布萊恩那些在夏威夷的幾乎全裸的照片？

托比：完全正確。我覺得我們將會很高興把那些給拿下去。另外我并不介意那些玩偶——但是應(yīng)該離視線遠一點，而不是在隔間邊上晃蕩。為了客戶我們必須看起來夠成熟。

海倫：我能給他們一點好處嗎？補償他們一下？

托比：你怎么想的？

海倫：哦，他們一直在努力爭取當(dāng)不得不加班到很晚的時候能有免費的披薩，而不是自掏腰包。

托比：我們可以解決這件事。

海倫：很好。

托比：所以這項弄明白了。好了，伙計們，接著談第二項議題……

Notes

1. get down to

意為“開始認(rèn)真處理、著手做”。

例句：I really must get down to some study.

我的確必須開始認(rèn)真學(xué)點東西。

2. on high

意為“在高處、在天（堂）上”，文中指公司高層。

例句：The great white clouds slid swiftly on high.

大片的白云在高空飄過。

The disaster was seen as a judgement from on high.

這一災(zāi)難被視為上天的懲罰。

3. put forward

意為“向前移、將……提前、提出”，文中理解為“展現(xiàn)”。

例句：Why don't you put your chair forward to get a better view?

你為什么不把椅子往前挪一點, 以便看得更清楚些？

We shall have to put the meeting forward.

我們得把會議提前。

He put forward a plan for the committee to consider.

他提出一項計劃交由全體委員審議。

4. for a start

意為“首先”。

例句：For a start, let's agree where we should meet.

首先讓我們商定在哪里碰頭。

5. cover up

意為“蓋起來、裹住、掩蓋”。

例句：It's cold and you should cover up warmly.

天冷, 你要穿暖些。

The authorities were able to cover up what really happened at the incident.

當(dāng)局設(shè)法掩蓋了事件的真相。

6. turn up

意為“開大、翻起、出現(xiàn)”。

例句：Please turn the radio up a little.

請把收音機開大一點。

He didn't turn up until half an hour later.

半小時后他才出現(xiàn)。

7. come through

意為“穿過、穿透、接通、恢復(fù)（健康）”。

例句：The sun came through after days of rain.

下了幾天雨之后, 太陽出來了。

I was just going out when a call came through on the phone from Tom.

我正要出去時, 湯姆打電話來了。

I hope he will come through all right.

我希望他能安然無恙。

8. send out

意為“發(fā)送、發(fā)出、散布”。

例句：They sent out invitations to many people.

他們向許多人發(fā)了請?zhí)?/p>

The company is sending out leaflets to all its contacts.

公司將把傳單發(fā)送給所有的有關(guān)單位。

9. push for

意為“急切強烈地要求、為……奮力爭取”。

例句：People living near the airport are pushing for new rules about night flight.

住在機場附近的人們正強烈要求制訂出夜航班機的新規(guī)。

Links

1. Casual Friday

“休閑周五”，即星期五便裝日，起源于英國，指那些平常對著裝有嚴(yán)格要求的公司，在星期五這一天允許員工穿著不同程度的休閑服裝。

職場著裝通常分為正式（formal），非正式（informal）與休閑（casual），但三者并無明確界限。得體的辦公室著裝既需要體現(xiàn)職業(yè)性質(zhì)與公司文化，又要體現(xiàn)個人風(fēng)格和自我價值。

2. loafers

路夫鞋，一種矮幫休閑皮鞋的商標(biāo)。這種鞋鞋面類似北美印第安人的鹿皮鞋，但是鞋跟寬而扁。這一商標(biāo)經(jīng)常以小寫字體出現(xiàn)。

3. capri pants

一般譯作卡普里褲，主要指七分褲，最長僅及踝骨，是比較典型的熱帶風(fēng)格。名字來源于意大利卡普里度假島，在20世紀(jì)50代就開始流行此款褲型，現(xiàn)被各大品牌加以改革創(chuàng)新。