DEADLINES 最后期限

Taylor's Travel Adventures is a small, monthly travel magazine owned and edited by Kenny Taylor. One Monday morning, Sherry, the managing editor, knocked on Kenny's office door.
Mr. Taylor: Come in!
Sherry: Good morning, Mr. Taylor. Do you have a minute? I think we may have a problem with our August magazine.
Mr. Taylor: What's wrong?
Sherry: All of the articles are in and are being edited, except the Hong Kong story. A freelance writer, Karen Stuart, was supposed to finish it almost two weeks ago. I've left messages on her answering machine, but she hasn't returned my calls.
「泰勒旅游杂志」是一本每月发行的小型旅游杂志，由肯尼．泰勒出版和编辑。有个星期一早上，主编雪莉来敲肯尼办公室的门。
泰勒先生：进来！
雪　　莉：早安，泰勒先生，你有一点时间吗？我想我们八月份的杂志可能有个问题。
泰勒先生：有什么不对吗？
雪　　莉：所有的文章都来了，也都正在编辑中，只有香港的文章除外。有一位自由撰稿的作家凯伦．史都尔，她本来应该在大约两个星期前就完成这篇文章。我在她的录音机上留了话，可是她一直没回电。
【Word Bank】
deadline (n) 截止时间; 最后期限
edit (v) 编辑; 修改
freelance (adj) 自由 (作家) 的
managing editor (n phr) 主编

Mr. Taylor: That's not good. I'd hoped to use Hong Kong as our cover story. We've got some great photographs for it.
Sherry: I know. I've already chosen one for the cover. But that won't do us any good if we have no story.
Mr. Taylor: Does this Karen Stuart usually meet her deadlines?
Sherry: Yes, we've used her before, and she's been very good. That's why I can't understand what the problem is this time.
Mr. Taylor: Well, keep trying to call her. We're down to the wire. If we don't have that article by tomorrow, we're in trouble.
(phone rings)
Sherry: Taylor's Travel Adventures, this is Sherry speaking.
Karen: Hello, Sherry. This is Karen.
Sherry: Karen! I've been trying to call you for over a week!
Karen: I know. Sorry for not returning your calls earlier, but I've been really sick. It's going to be another week before I can finish the Hong Kong story.
Sherry: I wish you'd told me earlier, Karen. We're in a real bind now. We were counting on that story. (sigh) Well, I'll see what we can work out.
泰勒先生：这可不太妙，我本来希望用香港做我们的封面故事，我们有一些很棒的照片可以用在这篇文章上。
雪　　莉：我知道，我已经选了一张照片要当封面，可是如果没有文章，照片就派不上用场了。
泰勒先生：这个凯伦．史都尔通常会准时交稿吗？
雪　　莉：是的，我们以前用过她，她一直都很准时。所以我实在不明白，这次到底出了什么问题。
泰勒先生：那么只好继续打电话找她了。我们的截止时间已经快到了，如果明天还拿不到这篇文章，我们就有麻烦了。
（电话铃响）
雪莉：「泰勒旅游杂志」，我是雪莉。
凯伦：哈啰，雪莉。我是凯伦。
雪莉：凯伦！我已经打电话找妳找一个多礼拜了！
凯伦：我知道，很抱歉没有早点儿回妳电话。可是我病得很严重，还要一个星期才能完成那篇香港的文章。
雪莉：我真希望妳早一点告诉我，凯伦。我们现在时间紧迫，真的很需要那篇故事。（叹气）我只好再看看能怎么办了。
【Word Bank】
down to the wire (prep phr) 快到截止时间
in a bind (prep phr) 时间紧迫
count on something/someone (v phr) 依赖, 凭靠某事或某人

(Sherry dials Mr. Taylor's extension)
Mr. Taylor: Hello?
Sherry: This is Sherry. Karen just called. She's very sick and can't finish Hong Kong until next week. What are we going to do?
Mr. Taylor: What are our alternatives?
Sherry: I've got a couple of other freelance writers working on stories. And Wanda on our staff is writing one on architecture in Italy. I can see if one of them can hurry up and finish.
Mr. Taylor: Any good photos for the Italy story?
Sherry: Yes, some great ones. I'd thought of using one for the cover in October.
Mr. Taylor: See if there's any way Wanda can finish that story by tomorrow. Then let's plan on switching the Hong Kong and Italy stories.
Sherry: I'll see what I can do.
（雪莉拨了泰勒先生的分机）
泰勒先生：哈啰？
雪　　莉：我是雪莉，凯伦刚才来电。她病得很厉害，要到下个星期才能完成那篇香港的文章。我们现在怎么办？
泰勒先生：我们还有其它的选择吗？
雪　　莉：我还有几个自由撰稿作家在写文章，我们公司的汪达正在写一篇有关意大利建筑的文章，我可以看看其中是不是能有一个人，可以赶快完成一篇文章给我们。
泰勒先生：意大利那篇文章有没有好的照片可以用？
雪　　莉：有，有一些很棒的照片。我本来就打算拿一张做十月份的杂志封面。
泰勒先生：看汪达明天能不能完成那篇文章，然后我们再把香港的文章和意大利的文章对调。
雪　　莉：我会看看能做些什么。
【Word Bank】
extension (n) 电话分机
alternative (n) 其它的选择或办法
switch (v) 交换; 对调

Sherry: Wanda, can I talk to you for a second?
Wanda: Sure. What's up?
Sherry: We're in a bind. One of our freelancers didn't come through. Is there any way you can finish your Italy story by tomorrow?
Wanda: Tomorrow! Well, I don't know, maybe. I've got a rough draft done. If I drop everything else I'm working on, I think I could finish.
Sherry: What else is on your plate?
Wanda: I'm supposed to finish two articles for September's issue. They're due on Friday. If I drop them to work on Italy, I don't see how I can complete everything on time.
雪莉：汪达，我可以跟妳谈一下吗？
汪达：可以啊，有什么事吗？
雪莉：我们现在时间紧迫，有一个自由撰稿作家没有交出文章。你可不可能在明天完成那篇有关意大利的文章？
汪达：明天！我不知道，也许可以。我已经完成了草稿，如果我放下手边正在处理的东西，我想我可以完成的。
雪莉：你手上还有什么别的事？
汪达：我应该要完成两篇九月份的文章，星期五要交稿。我如果搁下它们来写意大利的文章，我不知道我如何能按时完成每一件事了。
【Word Bank】
come through (v phr) 交出
rough draft (n phr) 草稿；初稿
on one's plate (prep phr) 手上的事情，行程

Sherry: Hmm, you're working on the interview with the airline pilot and the New York shopping article, right?
Wanda: Right. I've almost finished the interview article. But I haven't started New York.
Sherry: Concentrate on Italy. I'll get someone else to write New York.
Wanda: Great. I'll finish Italy by tomorrow. Then I'll still have three days to finish the interview.
(Sherry calls Mr. Taylor)
Sherry: We're all set. Wanda can finish Italy by tomorrow. I just needed to reassign one of her other articles.
Mr. Taylor: Great. Another problem solved.
Sherry: But who knows what will happen tomorrow!
雪莉：嗯，妳正在写访问机长以及在纽约购物的文章是吗？
汪达：是的，我就快完成那篇访问的文章，可是纽约这篇文章还没开始。
雪莉：妳就专心完成意大利这篇文章，我会让别人来写这篇纽约的文章。
汪达：好，我明天以前就把意大利这篇文章完成。接下来我还有三天的时间可以完成那篇访问。
（雪莉打电话给泰勒先生）
雪　　莉：一切都没问题了，汪达明天可以完成那篇意大利的文章。我只需重新指派她另外的一篇文章就行了。
泰勒先生：太好了，又解决了一个难题。
雪　　莉：可是谁知道明天又会出什么状况呢？
【Word Bank】
reassign (v) 重新分配, 指定
all set (adj phr) 准备就绪, 事情解决了

The origin of article: Studio Classroom

资料来源: 空中英语教室