Fran: Hi Leila, how are you this morning? Leila: Not bad Fran, what’s up with you?
Fran: Well, I need to talk to you about some things, if you’ve got a couple of seconds.
Leila: Sure, shoot.
Fran: Well, you know that tensions have been a little tight in the office recently.
Leila: How so?
弗兰：嗨，蕾拉，今天早上过得怎样？蕾拉: 还不错。法兰，你找我有事儿吗？
弗兰：嗯，你现在有时间的话，我有些事情想跟你聊一聊。
蕾拉: 好的，说吧。
弗兰：你知道吗，最近公司里大家关系有点紧张。
蕾拉: 这是怎么说呢？
Fran: There seems to be this generation gap on the team that no one can seem to bridge.
Leila: Ah, I see what you mean. It’s been hard to miss recently.
Fran: Exactly. It’s getting a little out of control and ①I’m 1)stumped―I’m not sure how to help them get past it.
Leila: Do you think we need to 2)meddle?
Fran: I think so. It’s getting to the point where it’s interfering with their work.
Leila: That bad, eh?
Fran: ②First, one of the younger 3)bunch will shoot their mouths off, which then gets the older bunch’s backs up…
Leila: …and then because their backs are up, ③the younger bunch gets their shorts in a knot, and so on and so on and so on until no one’s actually doing anything but being 4)indignant.
Fran: Bingo. It’s just a 5)vicious circle. We’ve got to break it or risk the whole team falling apart.
Leila: I’m open to suggestions.
Fran: Well, I was hoping you might put together a meeting. Leila: Not a bad idea. ④We can have a little sit down with a few people from each side and hash things out.
Fran: ⑤Think they’d be up for it?
Leila: Hey, I’m the boss―they’re up for it if I tell them they’re up for it!
Fran: Haha, good point.
Leila: ⑥In all seriousness though, I can’t be sure that it’s going to work, but you’re right, something needs to be done. Fran: I guess we could just give it a go and see what happens.
Leila: ⑦Exactly―one step at a time. We’ll start with this little 6)soiree and then go from there.
Fran: Okay. Anyway, I better get back to work. Thanks for hearing me out Leila.
Leila: No, ⑧thank you for bringing this to my attention. I’d known it was a problem, I just hadn’t realized how bad it had gotten.
Fran: No problem, see you later Leila!
弗兰：公司团队里代沟严重，貌似水火不容啊。
蕾拉: 噢，我知道你说什么了。这个，最近是挺明显的。
弗兰：就是。这越演越烈，都快失控了，我纠结得很，不知该怎么让他们走出这个死胡同呢？
蕾拉: 你觉得我们要插手调停吗？
弗兰：我看有这个必要。那种剑拔弩张的气氛都开始影响到他们的工作了。
蕾拉: 有那么严重？
弗兰：先是某个年轻人口无遮拦，说些气头话，惹怒了那些老臣子们……
蕾拉: ……既然老臣子们不甘示弱，年轻人也来个小题大做，趁机撒泼，大家就这样互相攻击，到最后，正事没做，就知道斗法斗气。
弗兰：正是这样。这根本是个恶性循环。我们得插手解开这个结，不然，整个团队就溃不成军了。
蕾拉: 你有什么好办法？
弗兰：我在想，你能不能安排大家开个会？
蕾拉: 这也是个办法。我们可以从两边各找几个人坐下来，一起好好谈一谈。弗兰：你觉得他们会不会同意？
蕾拉: 诶，我是上司，让他们同意就得同意。
弗兰：哈哈，说得对。
蕾拉: 不过，老实说，这方法能不能解决问题我也没把握，但正如你说的，总得管一管了。
弗兰：就试一试吧，看结果怎样。
蕾拉：就是，一步步来。就先让大家聚一聚，好好聊聊，然后再看吧。
弗兰：好的，我还是回去干活儿了，蕾拉，谢谢你听我说了那么多。
蕾拉: 不，我要谢谢你告诉我才是，虽然我也知道有这个问题，但之前都没意识到有那么严重。
弗兰：不客气，再见，蕾拉！CS
Smart Sentences
① I’m stumped. 我纠结得很。
be stumped: be unable to think of any solution for a problem（被难住了）。例如：
I’m usually stumped by the hostile relations between my wife and my mother at home.
在家里，我妻子与我母亲之间的不良关系常常让我不知所措。
② First, one of the younger bunch will shoot their mouths off, which then gets the older bunch’s backs up… 先是某个年轻人口无遮拦，说些气头话，惹怒了那些老臣子们……
shoot one’s mouth off: speak in anger（带着怒气说话）例如：
Don’t pay any attention to Greg. He’s always shooting his mouth off.
别理格雷格，他说话时总是一肚子气。
get sb.’s back up: make sb. get angry（惹某人生气）。例如：
Don’t get John’s back up; he just lost a deal.
别惹约翰生气，他刚刚丢了一单生意。
③ The younger bunch gets their shorts in a knot. 年轻人也来个小题大做。
get one’s shorts in a knot: become annoyed or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter（为小事发火，小题大做）。例如：
Come on, there’s no need to get your shorts in a knot. Amy just made a little dent on your car.
算了，别小题大做，艾米只不过在你的车上弄了一道小划痕。
④ We can have a little sit down with a few people from each side and hash things out. 我们可以从两边各找几个人坐下来，一起好好谈一谈。
hash sth. out: talk about sth. in order to reach an agreement（讨论后决定，商定某事）。例如：
The two families met for dinner, trying to hash out the details for the wedding.
两家人一起吃晚饭，商量婚礼的细节。
⑤ Think they’d be up for it? 你觉得他们会不会同意？
up for sth.: willing to try sth. out（准备做某事）。例如：The competition is coming soon. Are you up for it?
比赛马上要开始了，你做好准备了吗？
⑥ In all seriousness though, I can’t be sure that it’s going to work. 不过，老实说，这方法能不能解决问题我也没把握。
in all seriousness: expression used to show that what you say next is important（说实在的）。例如：
In all seriousness, if Tom does resign, a lot of other people will start leaving too.
说真的，如果汤姆真的辞职的话，许多人也会跟着走的。
⑦ Exactly―one step at a time. 就是，一步步来。
one step at a time: do things slowly, carefully（一步一步来，做事小心谨慎）。例如：
Please, do not rush. One step at a time. Don’t try to do all in one day.
拜托，别赶。做事要一步一步来，别指望一步登天。
⑧ Thank you for bringing this to my attention. 我要谢谢你告诉我才是。
bring sth. to sb.’s attention: give sb. notice about sth.（引起某人注意某事，让某人关注某事）。例如：
Please bring this new problem to the management’s attention so the company can deal with it promptly.
请让管理层关注这个新问题，这样公司就能及时处理。