Grace認(rèn)為公司要對(duì)消費(fèi)大眾負(fù)起社會(huì)責(zé)任，但是也有人不以為然，認(rèn)為應(yīng)以不觸犯法律為最高原則。接下來(lái)，雙方針對(duì)這一點(diǎn)展開(kāi)討論；除了各抒己見(jiàn)外，也不忘將矛頭指向?qū)Ψ降囊庖?jiàn)。
Vincent: If you don't want the powder to cost more, we can't add anything.
We'll just have to sell it the way it is now, and put a warning on. Then, if
someone uses dirty water, they shoulder the responsibility, not us.
如果不想要奶粉成本上漲，我們就不能添加任何東西。只能直接拿現(xiàn)在的產(chǎn)品銷售，并且加印警告標(biāo)示。如果有人用了不潔的水沖泡，他們必須自行負(fù)責(zé)，錯(cuò)不在我們。
Grace: I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. There are three very good reasons
why it would be the wrong thing to do.
抱歉，我不能同意。我有三個(gè)充分的理由說(shuō)明這種作法有問(wèn)題。
Vincent: You seem very sure of what you are saying. Can you back it up?
你說(shuō)的好像很有把握。能不能再加以說(shuō)明呢？
Grace: As I see it, first of all most people there can't read, so a warning
won't help them at all. Second, even if their governments say a warning is
enough, other groups won't. They'll call out the media hounds, and many people
will be very, very angry with us. Sales will go down everywhere.
在我看來(lái)，首先，在那里大部份的人都不識(shí)字，警告標(biāo)示對(duì)他們根本沒(méi)有用。第二，就算他們的政府說(shuō)有警告標(biāo)示就足夠了，但是其它團(tuán)體若不這么認(rèn)為，引起輿論的注意，許多人將會(huì)對(duì)我們非常、非常的不滿，各地方的銷量都會(huì)走下坡。
Sam: Hm. You said that there are three good reasons, Grace. Is there another
reason you want to add?
嗯，你說(shuō)有三個(gè)充分的理由。那還有一個(gè)呢？
Grace: Yes, there is. Third, and most important, it just wouldn't be right if
we knew even one person wouldn't listen to the warning, and a child was hurt
because of it.
是的。第三個(gè)，也是最重要的。就算是只有一個(gè)人因不理會(huì)警告，使得小孩受害了，這就證明只靠警告標(biāo)示是不夠的。
Sam: Hm. You can't argue against that. How could we live with ourselves if we
let that happen? And just because we wanted more money.
嗯。說(shuō)得沒(méi)錯(cuò)。如果我們坐視這種情形發(fā)生，我們?cè)趺茨苄陌怖淼?？我們不能只是為了賺錢。
Vincent: It wouldn't just be because of the money. Those people aren't
healthy, and our powder is better than mother's milk. Some people might get
sick, but isn't it more important that we help so many others?
我想不只是為了錢。這些人的健康情形不佳，而我們的奶粉比母乳好，就算有些人因而生病，我們還是幫了許多人，這不是更重要嗎？
Notes:
1. shoulder the responsibility 負(fù)責(zé)；挑起責(zé)任
shoulder原指"肩膀"，作動(dòng)詞時(shí)指"馱負(fù)東西在肩上"，因而比喻為對(duì)責(zé)任的"承擔(dān)"。responsibility 是"責(zé)任"，其后的介詞用
for或of，表示"對(duì)……的責(zé)任"。
I know the problems started in my department, but I don't think I should
shoulder the responsibility for other people's
mistakes.
我知道問(wèn)題是從我自己的部門開(kāi)始的，但是我認(rèn)為我不應(yīng)該為別人的錯(cuò)誤擔(dān)下責(zé)任。
2. call out the
(media) hounds 引起輿論的注意
call out
的意思是"大聲喚起；叫出"；hound為"獵犬"；media為medium的復(fù)數(shù)形式，意思是"媒體"。這個(gè)詞組以叫喚獵犬追捕越獄者的意象，來(lái)比喻非法或不道德的行為受到法律或公益組織的注意，或遭輿論或大眾媒體攻擊的情形。
I just can't let our company sell cars that we know are unsafe; if management
won't do something, I'll secretly call out the media
hounds.
我不能眼看公司銷售有安全隱患的車；若主管不采取措施，我要暗地里促請(qǐng)輿論的注意。
3. live with oneself
心安理得
live
with原有"與……同??；可忍受"之意，表示雖不滿意，仍能勉強(qiáng)接受。這個(gè)表達(dá)語(yǔ)常以否定形式出現(xiàn)，通常形容一個(gè)人做了虧心事，無(wú)法忍受自己良心的譴責(zé)。
I couldn't live with myself if I ever did anything to hurt my
wife.
若我做出傷害妻子的事，將永遠(yuǎn)無(wú)法安心。
（改編自：《國(guó)際商務(wù)英語(yǔ)教程》上海理工大學(xué)通訊員何旖文供稿 英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 Annabel 編輯）
