33. Refusal
1. I wish I would, but David is coming this evening.
2. I’d like to but my husband wouldn’t like it.
3. I’d rather not.
4. I’m terribly sorry, I don’t think I can.
5. Thank you very much for asking me but I feel rather tired.
6. That’s really not necessary.
7. That’s very kind of you but I have an appointment Friday evening.
8. Sorry I can’t, but thanks anyway.
9. Thank you but I won’t be able to come to meet your friend.
10. Unfortunately I have to attend a conference that day.
Dialogue 1
M: We’re going to the movies. Will you join us?
W: I’m very sorry I can’t.
M: Why not?
W: I’m afraid I have some business to attend to.
M: Then would you like to have lunch with us?
W: I’d love to but I have to help John with his math problems right now.
M: Would you like me to give you a lift?
W: No, thanks. His home is not far and I can walk there.
M: Come on. It’s no trouble at all.
W: Ok, thank you.
Dialogue 2
W: How have you been?
M: Fine, thank you.
W: And how’s everyone in your family?
M: Very well, thank you. I’m meeting my wife and daughter for lunch at 12:00, would you care to join us?
W: I’d love to but I’m afraid I can’t. I’ve already got a lunch engagement.
Dialogue 3
M: Why don’t you sit down and relax, darling?
W: I don’t want to.
M: Well, come and talk to me then.
W: Certainly not.
M: May I turn on the radio then?
W: Turn on the radio? What for?
M: So that we can sit down together and listen to some music.
W: Listen to some music? And who’ll cook dinner? Will you?
M: Ok, I will. But let’s go to a disco after dinner.
W: To a disco? Oh, no. You know I hate pop.
Dialogue 4
W: Write down your name here in ink.
M: But I don’t have a pen with me. May I use a pencil?
W: I’m afraid a pencil won’t do. Wait a moment, I’ll find you one.
Dialogue 5
M: I must be going now.
W: Really? Can’t you stay a little longer?
M: No, I really must go now. My family are expecting me home soon.
W: Be seeing you then.
M: See you.
Sometimes it’s hard for us to make a refusal. Shall we tell the truth frankly or express our refusal in a round about way. For example, suppose a friend wants to borrow some money from you, and you say, ‘I could help you but I’m short of cash right now.’ In fact, you’re not short of cash, but your friend is in the habit of forgetting to pay his debts and you don’t want to hurt his feelings by reminding him of this. Another example, your friend invites you to see a movie that doesn’t interest you, would you tell him, ‘I don’t like it,’ or just say, ‘I’d like to go but I have an important appointment tonight?’
33. Refusal 拒絕
1. I wish I would, but David is coming this evening. 我希望我可以,但是大衛(wèi)今晚要來。
2. I’d like to but my husband wouldn’t like it. 我很樂意,但是我丈夫不喜歡。
3. I’d rather not. 我寧愿不要。
4. I’m terribly sorry, I don’t think I can. 我感到非常抱歉,我想我不能。
5. Thank you very much for asking me but I feel rather tired.
非常感謝你邀請我,但是我覺得相當累。
6. That’s really not necessary. 真的沒有必要。
7. That’s very kind of you but I have an appointment Friday evening.
非常感謝你的好意,但是我周五晚上有個約會。
8. Sorry I can’t, but thanks anyway. 對不起,我不能,但是仍然謝謝你。
9. Thank you but I won’t be able to come to meet your friend.
謝謝你,但是我不能來見你的朋友。
10. Unfortunately I have to attend a conference that day.
不幸的是,我那天必須參加一個會議。
Dialogue 1
M: We’re going to the movies. Will you join us?
我們想去看電影。你要和我們一起嗎?
W: I’m very sorry I can’t.
對不起,我不能去。
M: Why not?
為什么不能?
W: I’m afraid I have some business to attend to.
恐怕我有一些事要處理。
M: Then would you like to have lunch with us?
那么你想和我們一起吃午餐嗎?
W: I’d love to but I have to help John with his math problems right now.
我很樂意,但是我馬上要幫約翰解決數(shù)學難題。
M: Would you like me to give you a lift?
要不要我送你一程?
W: No, thanks. His home is not far and I can walk there.
不,謝謝。他的家不遠,我可以走過去。
M: Come on. It’s no trouble at all.
快點。一點也不麻煩。
W: Ok, thank you.
好的,謝謝你。
Dialogue 2
W: How have you been?
你最近怎么樣?
M: Fine, thank you.
很好,謝謝你。
W: And how’s everyone in your family?
你的家人好嗎?
M: Very well, thank you. I’m meeting my wife and daughter for lunch at 12:00, would you care to join us?
非常好,謝謝你。我12點要和我妻子、女兒碰面,你介意與我們一起嗎?
W: I’d love to but I’m afraid I can’t. I’ve already got a lunch engagement.
我很樂意,但是恐怕我不能。我午餐已經(jīng)約了人了。
Dialogue 3
M: Why don’t you sit down and relax, darling?
親愛的,你為什么不坐下來,放松放松?
W: I don’t want to.
我不想。
M: Well, come and talk to me then.
額,那么過來和我聊聊天。
W: Certainly not.
當然不。
M: May I turn on the radio then?
那我可以打開收音機嗎?
W: Turn on the radio? What for?
打開收音機?為什么?
M: So that we can sit down together and listen to some music.
那么我們就可以一起坐下來,聽聽音樂。
W: Listen to some music? And who’ll cook dinner? Will you?
聽音樂?那誰煮飯?你嗎?
M: Ok, I will. But let’s go to a disco after dinner.
行,我煮。但是吃完晚餐之后我們?nèi)サ纤箍莆鑿d。
W: To a disco? Oh, no. You know I hate pop.
去迪斯科舞廳?噢,不。你知道我討厭流行音樂的。
Dialogue 4
W: Write down your name here in ink.
用鋼筆在這里寫下你的名字。
M: But I don’t have a pen with me. May I use a pencil?
但是我沒有鋼筆。我可以用鉛筆嗎?
W: I’m afraid a pencil won’t do. Wait a moment, I’ll find you one.
恐怕鉛筆不行。稍等,我找一支給你。
Dialogue 5
M: I must be going now.
現(xiàn)在我必須走了。
W: Really? Can’t you stay a little longer?
是嗎?你不能待久一點嗎?
M: No, I really must go now. My family are expecting me home soon.
不,我現(xiàn)在真的要走了。我的家人希望我快點回家。
W: Be seeing you then.
再見。
M: See you.
再見。
Sometimes it’s hard for us to make a refusal. Shall we tell the truth frankly or express our refusal in a round about way. For example, suppose a friend wants to borrow some money from you, and you say, ‘I could help you but I’m short of cash right now.’ In fact, you’re not short of cash, but your friend is in the habit of forgetting to pay his debts and you don’t want to hurt his feelings by reminding him of this. Another example, your friend invites you to see a movie that doesn’t interest you, would you tell him, ‘I don’t like it,’ or just say, ‘I’d like to go but I have an important appointment tonight?’
有時候,我們很難拒絕別人。我們應該實話實說還是委婉地拒絕?例如,假設(shè)一個朋友想跟你借一些錢,你可以說:“我能幫你,但是我目前沒有現(xiàn)金。”事實上,你并不是沒有現(xiàn)金,但是你的朋友有忘記還錢的習慣,而你不想因為提醒他而傷害到他。另一個例子,你的朋友邀請你去看你沒有興趣的電影,你會跟他說:“我不喜歡,”或者只是說:“我很樂意去,但是我今晚有個重要的約會?”