Part I
Student: Hi. Miss Handricks.
Secretary: Hi Bret, how are you?
Student: I’m fine, except I have a question about my paycheck.
Secretary: Sure. What’ up?
Student: Well, it’s already been several weeks into the semester and my check was supposed to go directly into my bank account but there haven’t been any deposits.
Secretary: That’s odd.
Student: Yeah, and I thought graduate teaching assistant were automatically put on the payroll at the beginning of the semester.
Secretary: They are. Let’s see, did you complete all the forms for payroll?
Student: I filled in whatever they sent me, and I returned it like at the end of August.
Secretary: Hum, well, you definitely should have been paid by now. At least two pay periods have passed since then.
Student: I asked the bank and they didn’t know anything. Who should I talk to about this, payroll?
到现在你肯定本应该已经收到报酬了才对，因为从那时起，至少两个支付期已经过去了。
1. into|ˈɪntu|
prep. to a point during a period of time 到（一段时间的某一点）
E.g.: He didn't get married until he was well into his forties.
他到四十好几才结婚。
2. deposit|dɪˈpɒzɪt|
noun. a sum of money that is paid into a bank account 存款
E.g.: Deposits can be made at any branch.
在任何一家分行都可以存钱。
3. odd|ɑ:d|
adj. strange or unusual 奇怪的；怪异的；反常的
E.g.: She had the oddest feeling that he was avoiding her.
她有一种异样的感觉——他在躲着她。
4. payroll|ˈpeɪrəʊl|
noun. a list of people employed by a company showing the amount of money to be paid to each of them （公司员工的）工资名单
E.g.: We have 500 people on the payroll.
我们在编员工有500人。
Part II
Secretary: I’m gonna contact them for you. There was a problem in processing some of the graduate students’ payroll paperwork. ‘Cause their computer program crashed after all the information was processed. And some people’s information couldn’t be retrieved.
Student: Um. But why didn’t any one let me know?
Secretary: I don’t know how they work over there, ‘cause they couldn’t even figure out whose information was missing. And this isn’t the first time, seems like something like this happens every semester.
Student: So how do I find out if my information was lost?
Secretary: I'll contact them tomorrow morning to see if you’re in the system. But you’re probably not.
Student: Well, then what will I need to do…?
Secretary: Sorry, but you'll need to fill out those forms again and then I'll fax them over the payroll office.
Student: And then what…Well, what I really need to know is how long till I get the money. I’m already a month behind in my bills and my tuition’s due soon.
Secretary: They’ll get you into the system the same day they receive your paperworks. So if you do that tomorrow, you’ll get paid next Friday.
Student: That’s a long time from now. Will that paycheck include all the money I am owed?
Secretary: It should. I will double check with the payroll department.
我也不明白他们那里是怎么做事的，因为他们甚至都弄不清楚谁的信息被搞丢了。
1. process|ˈprəʊses|
verb. to deal officially with a document, request, etc. 审阅，审核，处理（文件、请求等）
E.g.: It will take a week for your application to be processed.
审核你的申请需要一周时间。
2. paperwork|ˈpeɪpərwɜ:rk|
noun. the written work that is part of a job, such as filling in forms or writing letters and reports 文书工作
E.g.: We're trying to cut down on the amount of paperwork involved.
我们正在努力降低有关此事的文书工作量。
3. crash|kræʃ|
verb. if a computer crashes or you crash a computer, it stops working suddenly (计算机或计算机程序)崩溃，瘫痪
E.g.: Files can be lost if the system suddenly crashes.
要是计算机系统突然崩溃，文件就可能丢失。
4. retrieve|rɪˈtri:v|
verb. to find and get back data or information that has been stored in the memory of a computer 检索数据
E.g.: The program allows you to retrieve items quickly by searching under a keyword.
这个程序通过关键词进行搜索，能让你迅速获取数据项。
5. fax|fæks|
verb. to send sb a document, message, etc. by fax 传真（文档、信件等）
E.g.: Could you fax me the latest version?
你可不可以把最新版本传真给我？
6. behind in/with
late in paying money or completing work 拖欠；积压（工作）
E.g.: She's fallen behind with the payments.
她已经拖欠付款了。
7. due|dju:|
adj. when a sum of money is due , it must be paid immediately 到期
E.g.: Payment is due on 1 October.
付款期限为10月1日。
Part III
Student: And another thing, is there any way I could get paid sooner? I have been teaching all these weeks…
Secretary: I know it’s not fair but I don’t think they can do anything; all the checks are computed automatically in the system. They can’t just write checks.
Student: But they are the ones that made a mistake. And they never told me!
Secretary: I understand how you feel, if I were you, I’d be upset too. I’ll tell you what: when I call them, I'll explain the situation and ask them if there is any way you could be paid sooner. But I have to tell you that base on past experience, you shouldn’t count on it.
Student: I understand, thanks. I know it’s not your fault and that you’re doing everything you can.
Secretary: Well, what I can do is: make sure that your first check is for total amount the university owes you.
Student: That’ll be great! Thank you. I will be on campus about 10 tomorrow morning and I'll come by to see you then.
我知道这挺不公平的，但我觉得他们也无能为力，所有的支票都是在系统里自动计算出来的，他们总不能随手写张支票给你。
1. compute |kəmˈpju:t|
verb. to calculate sth 计算；估算
E.g.: The losses were computed at £5 million.
损失估算为500万英镑。
2. I'll tell you what
you use I'll tell you what or I tell you what to introduce a suggestion or a new topic of conversation 我的建议是，听我说(用来引出建议或转换话题)
E.g.: I'll tell you what, I'll bring the water in a separate glass.
要不这样吧，我用另一个玻璃杯把水端过来。
3. count on
to trust sb to do sth or to be sure that sth will happen 依赖，依靠，指望（某人做某事）；确信（某事会发生）
E.g.: ‘I'm sure he'll help. ’ ‘ Don't count on it . ’
“我肯定他会帮忙的。”“那可靠不住。”
