Unit33 裁员
裁员、解雇员工总是上班族最担忧的事情之一，特别是在经济情况不佳之际，汤姆和杰瑞谈起了朋友遭遇的不幸，也庆幸自己仍旧幸运地稳坐高薪职位。
just got word…刚听到……的消息
这个说法是用来描述一件消息刚被得知。
I just got word that the storm is about to clear.
我刚听到暴风雨即将离开的消息。
moments like these…像这样的时刻……
这个说法是用于当我们想要以一种比较感性的口吻诉说某种情况时。
It's moments like these that I'm glad to have a loving family.
像这样的时刻，我就很庆幸我拥有一个可爱的家庭。
模拟对话
Laid off or fired裁员还是开除？
Jerry:I just got word from a friend that he's been laid off because their company is losing money.
杰瑞：我刚听说我的一个朋友由于公司一直亏本而遭裁员。
Tom:Well,at least he wasn't fired.I have a friend,whose company fired him because business was slow.
汤姆：但至少他不是被开除．我有个朋友被公司开除了，原因是公司营运不佳。
Jerry:Yeah,the story with your friend is just unfair.
杰瑞：是啊，你朋友所遭遇的的情况太不公平了。
Tom:I told my friend that it's good that he no longer needs to work at a com-pany like that.
汤姆：我告诉我朋友，不再为那种公司工作也未尝不是好事。
Jerry:That's one thing our company neVer does,lay off people. I mean there are other ways such as taking a cut in paychecks.
杰瑞：我们公司绝不会开除员工。总是有其他方式能够解决问题，比方说减薪。
Tom:It just depcnds if the management is willing to work up a salary cut plan.
汤姆：这得看管理阶层是不是愿意实施减薪计划喽。
Jerry:It's moments like these that remind me to be grateful I still get promotions and raises.
杰瑞：说到这些事就提醒我自己要心怀感激了，我还能升职和调薪呢。
词汇解说
lay off (v.)裁员，下岗
salary cut (v.)减薪
raise (n.)加薪
fire (v.)开除，多指由于不称职或犯了错而被“炒鱿鱼”
