(Office ambience)

M：Good morning. 陳豪。嘿，你一手拿著咖啡，一手拿著面包上哪兒去呀?

C：我去參加財(cái)務(wù)委員會(huì)的定期會(huì)議。這是我第一次參加。早上沒(méi)時(shí)間吃早飯，所以把早飯帶去。

M：等等。這個(gè)會(huì)議是由負(fù)責(zé)財(cái)務(wù)的副總裁召開(kāi)的，Do you know the protocol of the meeting?

C：Protocol? 你是說(shuō)P-R-O-T-O-C-O-L, 那外交部禮賓司那個(gè)詞里邊有這個(gè)字。

M：沒(méi)錯(cuò)，但是我這里說(shuō)的是公司內(nèi)部大家都遵循的一些做法。Protocol refers to the unspoken rules you follow to show courtesy and respect to other people.

C：嗯...unspoken rules you follow!這跟我的咖啡有什么關(guān)系呀?

M：你要知道有的老板每次開(kāi)會(huì)都備有咖啡和點(diǎn)心。It won't be polite to bring your own.

C：That's true.不過(guò)今天的會(huì)議是Mr. Smith召開(kāi)的，你知道有沒(méi)有咖啡點(diǎn)心呀?

M：不知道。要是你不知道，會(huì)議通知也沒(méi)提， you'd better leave your breakfast behind.

C：看來(lái)只好餓肚子了。好，我走了。

M：陳豪，會(huì)開(kāi)完啦?I'm going out lunch, want to join me?

C：不行，我開(kāi)會(huì)時(shí)吃了好多點(diǎn)心，水果，午飯吃不下了。Besides, Mary, something made me very embarrassed today.

M：什么事呀?

C：我在吃得高興的時(shí)候，他們要我讓座位。

M：Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to warn you.這種比較高層的會(huì)議，定期參加會(huì)議的人一般都有固定的座位。你第一次去，進(jìn)了會(huì)議室最好先問(wèn)一下。Ask where to sit before you take a chair.

C：可是我不知道嘛!一進(jìn)會(huì)場(chǎng)看見(jiàn)有吃的我就很高興。拿了咖啡，點(diǎn)心就近找個(gè)位置上就坐下了。誰(shuí)知道那是Mr. Smith的助手Laura的位置。

M：Laura asked you to change the seat?

C：No, no! Laura當(dāng)時(shí)還沒(méi)到。可是，后來(lái)會(huì)計(jì)室新來(lái)的Sarah一進(jìn)會(huì)議室就往那位置上坐。

M：She has to change her seat too, right?

C：Of course.她很難堪。

M：沒(méi)關(guān)系，你和Sarah下回就知道了。So remember: Protocol refers to the unspoken rules you follow to show courtesy and respect to other people. Any time you don't know the protocol for a meeting, it's best to ask, just to make sure if it's OK to bring you own coffee and which seat is appropriate for you.