一段時期的結束

真正到了離開的那一天，回想起大家在一起工作的點點滴滴，傷感自然是難免的。不如微笑著和大家說聲再見，以后多多聯絡吧！

Mr. Black: Today ①we bid farewell to an Action employee who has been with us for almost two years and ②who has been a major driving force in turning the business around and ③getting us out of the red to where we are today. Stephanie， your attention to detail has helped all of us move smoothly in our work， and since you have been here， ④there hasn’t been a single legal snag. You have truly been one of our greatest assets and I sincerely thank you for that. May your future endeavors be as successful as this one has been.

Stephanie: Thank you， Mr. Black. ⑤I’ll try to hold back the waterworks. In case you haven’t already heard， today is my last day here at Action.

Mr. Black: Yeah， ⑥she’s moving on to greener pastures.

Stephanie: Ha! No， I wouldn’t say that. I’m just moving on to the next challenge in my life. I really want to thank everyone for their kindness， love and support throughout my time here. ⑦It seems like only yesterday I was setting up my desk and asking how the photocopier works. I’ll be taking many fond memories with me. How could I forget the April Fool’s prank we played on Will when we made him believe he was being transferred to another office? And I’ll never forget the late nights we put in getting the Max Co. deal together. We were all so delirious but we kept on pushing ourselves and ⑧we left with our heads held high. That really is how you should all view yourselves: hard-working， dedicated and passionate employees and friends. I wish you all the best of luck. I’ve left my details for anyone who wants to keep in touch. I really hope to see you all soon. ⑨I’ll keep you posted on what I’m up to. Thanks， everyone!

布萊克先生：今天，我們要向Action公司的一位員工道別，她跟我們共事了差不多兩年，同時她一直是令公司業績出現轉機的主要動力，她讓我們扭虧為盈到目前這個狀況。斯蒂芬妮，你對細節的關注讓我們每一個人的工作都能順利進行；自從你來這里以后，公司就一直沒有碰上法律問題。你一直都是我們最有價值的骨干之一，為此我衷心地感謝你。祝愿你未來的努力也會取得像在這里一樣的成功。

斯蒂芬妮：謝謝您，布萊克先生。我要盡量克制自己不哭鼻子。如果哪位還沒有聽說的話，今天是我在Action的最后一天。

布萊克先生：是的，她將要邁向更好的前程。

斯蒂芬妮：哈！不，我不會這么說的。我只是奔向自己人生中的下一個挑戰。我真的想感謝各位在我在這里工作的期間對我的幫助、愛護以及支持。想起我布置自己的辦公桌和請教大家怎樣使用復印機，就好像昨天剛剛發生的事情一樣。我會帶走許多美好的回憶。我怎么能忘記我們捉弄威爾的那個愚人節惡作劇呢？我們讓他以為自己要被調到另一個職位去呢。我也永遠不會忘記那幾個我們要熬夜把Max公司的合約做出來的深夜。我們都已忙得神志不清，但還繼續埋頭苦干，不懼困難保持著昂揚的斗志。那的確是你們應該給予自己的評價：勤奮工作、全心全意以及充滿激情的員工和朋友。我祝各位好運。我已留下詳細聯絡方式給所有想跟我保持聯系的同事。我真的希望很快可以再見到大家。我會告知你們我的近況的。謝謝各位！

Smart Sentences

① We bid farewell to an Action employee. 我們要向Action的一位員工道別。

bid farewell = say goodbye

bid farewell: the more formal use for saying goodbye to sb.（“告別”的正式用法）。例如：

I bade farewell to my university 20 years ago.

20年前，我告別了母校。

② who has been a major driving force in turning the business around 她是令公司生意業績出現轉機的主要動力

driving force: the main thing that has a strong effect on sth. that happened（驅動力）。例如：

The rising oil price is the driving force behind the recent turmoil in the stock market.

不斷上漲的油價是近來股市動蕩的原因。

turn sth. around: sth. becomes successful after being unsuccessful for a period of time（轉危為安，復蘇）。例如：

The US economy is not likely to turn around soon.

美國經濟不太可能在短期內復蘇。

③ getting us out of the red to where we are today讓我們扭虧為盈到目前這個狀況

get (sb.) out of the red: get (sb.) out of debt（轉虧為盈）；in the red是指一家公司處于虧損狀態。例如：

Getting any company out of the red is much more difficult in the time of recession.

在經濟蕭條時期，要轉虧為盈會更加困難。

④ There hasn’t been a single legal snag. 就一直沒有碰上法律問題。

snag: small problem（小問題）。例如：

I see just one snag in this plan.

這個計劃我只發現一個小小的問題。

⑤ I’ll try to hold back the waterworks. 我要盡量克制自己不哭鼻子。

hold back: prevent sth. from happening（阻止，抑制）。例如：

Please hold back your words before Joe finishes his presentation.

在喬講完之前，請先不要發表意見。

⑥ She’s moving on to greener pastures. 她將要邁向更好的前程。

greener pastures: sth. thought to be much better（意料中更好的地方，更好的環境）， “pastures new” in British English（英式英語中作pastures new）。例如：

Looking out for greener pastures is natural for everyone to do.

每個人都很自然會選擇尋找更好的環境。

⑦ It seems like only yesterday. 就好像昨天剛剛發生的事情一樣。

It seems like only yesterday: used to indicate that time flies and the memory of sth. which happened a long time ago is clear（仿佛在昨天，往事歷歷在目）。例如：

It seems like only yesterday that I started my freshman year.

我大一生活的開始宛如就在昨天。

⑧ We left with our heads held high. 我們不懼困難保持著昂揚的斗志。

hold one’s head high: courageous during difficult time（不懼困難）。例如：

They held their heads high in their pursuit

of victory.

在追求勝利的過程中，他們不怕困難。

⑨ I’ll keep you posted on what I’m up to. 我會告知你們我的近況的。

keep sb. posted: give sb. the latest information about a situation or a person（不斷把最新消息告訴某人）。例如：

Please keep me posted on the progress of

the trial.

請隨時讓我了解審判的情況。