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Penelope： Hey， Sebastian！ ①Glad to see you’re still kicking！
Sebastian： Hi， Penelope. What’s that supposed to mean？
Penelope： I’m just glad your new job hasn’t done you in. ②You’ve been kind of off the radar lately， so we all assumed you were in over your head at the new company. Sebastian： Well， kind of. But I’m still alive and well； it’s nothing I can’t handle！
Penelope： ③That’s the spirit！ So， what’s it like？ Is the new boss a slave driver？
Sebastian： Hardly. She’s pretty relaxed about working styles， as long as everyone meets the deadlines.
Penelope： She sounds reasonable. If she’s not the problem， then it must be the workload that’s got you down. Did they load you down with projects right off the bat？
Sebastian： Not at all. ④They’re letting me get my feet wet with some small projects， so I can really ease into the new position.
Penelope： Then I’m 1）stumped. Why have you been 2）bummed about the new job？
Sebastian： It actually has nothing to do with the job itself. I’ve just been trying to figure out how to fit in with my new co-workers.
Penelope： ⑤I never would have guessed！ You’re such an 3）upbeat guy， it’s hard to imagine you’d have a problem fitting in.
Sebastian： It’s never been a problem before， but this office culture is different from my last job. They’re a lot more negative. Penelope： I’m surprised. From what you’ve said， the work environment seems pretty relaxed. Why would there be a negative 4）vibe？
Sebastian： I don’t think they’re actually bad people， but many of them really like to gossip.
Penelope： ⑥You mean， they like to talk about people behind their backs？
Sebastian： Yep. Co-workers， clients， even the boss. It seems like every time they take a smoke break， they pick someone else to criticize.
Penelope： I can imagine. All your co-workers standing around 5）dissing people， and you standing off to the side， not saying a word.
Sebastian： That’s right！
Penelope： Well， is that so bad？ If they want to be rude， you can let them. Don’t feel the need to sink down to their level.
Sebastian： I mostly agree with you. But the problem is， if I don’t start gossiping with them soon， I’ll end up with a reputation as the anti-social new guy.
Penelope： Ah， now I can see where you’re coming from. No matter who they are， your co-workers are still your co-workers， and a good rapport is important. Sebastian： Bingo. So what can I do？
Penelope： ⑦Well， in my humble opinion， I think you’re doing it half-right already. There’s no need to pick up other people’s bad habits. Always follow your own moral compass instead of sacrificing your ideals just to fit in.
Sebastian： I wholeheartedly agree. So how can I do that？
Penelope： It won’t be easy， but I think you can do it. If they don’t want to talk about anything other than gossip， see if you can start some conversations about something else.
Sebastian： That will be hard， especially since I don’t know them very well yet.
Penelope： You don’t have to do it with everyone all at once. You can start one-on-one. After you get a feel for who they are， then you can start conversations about their interests.
Sebastian： That’s not a bad idea. Maybe it’s the group 6）dynamic that’s the problem， not the individuals.
Penelope： Almost certainly！ Hey， it’s time for me to go. Good luck， and let me know how it goes！
Sebastian： Sure thing！ See you later！
佩内洛普：嘿，塞巴斯蒂安！很高兴看到你活得好好的！
塞巴斯蒂安：嗨，佩内洛普。你这是什么意思？
佩内洛普：很高兴你的新工作没把你搞垮。你最近都不知所踪，所以我们猜想新公司让你忙得焦头烂额。
塞巴斯蒂安：好吧，是有点。但是我还活得好好的；事情还在我掌控之中！
佩内洛普：这就对了！那么，新公司怎么样？新老板是个压榨机吗？
塞巴斯蒂安：她不是。她对工作的方式很放宽，只要每个人都能在截止日期前完成工作就行。
佩内洛普：那她听起来挺人性化的。如果不是她的问题，那肯定是工作压力把你弄垮了。他们马上就让你接手一大堆的项目吗？
塞巴斯蒂安：没有。他们让我着手一些小的项目，所以我可以真正轻松地进入新环境。
佩内洛普：那我就不明白了。你为什么还为新工作而烦恼呢？
塞巴斯蒂安：其实根本与工作无关。我一直在想如何才能融入到我的新同事当中去。
佩内洛普：我真的没想到！你是那么欢乐的一个人，很难想象你不能融入他们。
塞巴斯蒂安：这从前不是个问题，但是这个办公室的氛围跟我上一家公司的不同。他们会更消极些。
佩内洛普：我很惊讶。据你所说，你的工作环境看起来很放松，为什么会有消极的氛围呢？
塞巴斯蒂安：我不认为他们是坏人，只是他们很多人都喜欢八卦。
佩内洛普：你的意思是，他们喜欢在别人背后说闲话？
塞巴斯蒂安：对。同事、客户甚至老板。他们每次都在抽口烟的时间挑个人来挖苦。
佩内洛普：我能想象得到。你所有的同事都站在一起贬损别人，而你却站在一旁无话可说。
塞巴斯蒂安：就是这样！
佩内洛普：嗯，这不好吗？如果他们要对别人无礼，你就随他们去好了。没必要认为自己也要降低到他们的水平。
塞巴斯蒂安：我大致同意你的看法。但问题是，如果我不开始跟他们一起八卦，就会变成那个不合群的新人。
佩内洛普：啊，我现在明白你的意思了。不管他们是谁，你的同事就是你的同事，把关系搞好很重要。
塞巴斯蒂安：对。那么我该怎么做呢？
佩内洛普：好吧，依我看，我觉得你已经做对了一半。没必要去挑别人的坏毛病。你应该遵循自己的道德准则，而不是为了融入同事而牺牲它。
塞巴斯蒂安：我完全同意。那么我该怎么办呢？
佩内洛普：这真的不简单，但是我相信你能做到。如果他们除了八卦就什么也不想聊，看看你能不能展开一些别的话题。
塞巴斯蒂安：那真的很难，因为我还不够了解他们。
佩内洛普：你不用马上对每个人都这样。你可以一个接一个来。当你了解他们后，就能发起他们感兴趣的话题。
塞巴斯蒂安：这个主意不赖。也许这是群体驱动力问题，不关个人的事。
佩内洛普：这是肯定的！嘿，我该走了。祝你好运，告诉我事情发展得怎样！
塞巴斯蒂安：一定会！再见！CS
Smart Sentences
① Glad to see you’re still kicking！ 很高兴看到你活得好好的！
still kicking： active and well， well and healthy（活蹦乱跳，照旧活跃）。例如： —How is Bill since his stroke last year？
比尔去年中风之后，现况如何？
—Oh， he’s still kicking.
噢，他还活得好好的。
② You’ve been kind of off the radar lately， so we all assumed you were in over your head at the new company.你最近都不知所踪，所以我们猜想新公司让你忙得焦头烂额。
off the radar： be forgotten or ignored（被忘记，不被留意）。例如：
Lily has locked herself in the lab to work on the new materials and has been off the radar.
莉莉把自己关在实验室里，忙着研究新材料，渐渐淡出了人们的视线。
in over sb.’s head： a situation is too busy or difficult for sb. to handle（太忙/难，无法承受）。例如：
I’ve been in over my head all summer， working on my thesis.
这个暑假我为论文忙昏了头。
③ That’s the spirit！ 这就对了！
That’s the spirit： used to express approval of the other’s attitude and energy， same as “That is the right attitude.”（表达对对方态度和干劲的赞许，等同于“That is the right attitude”）。例如：
—I’ve decided not to worry about the final result and just try my best at the speech competition.
我已经决定不再纠结最终的结果，而是在演讲比赛中尽力而为。
—That’s the spirit.
这就对了！
④ They’re letting me get my feet wet with some small projects， so I can really ease into the new position. 他们让我着手一些小的项目，所以我可以真正轻松地进入新环境。
get one’s feet wet： get a little first-time experience with sth.（开始参与，初试）。例如：
You can’t blame him for the not-so-perfect report. He’s hardly got his feet wet yet.
你可不能为他不那么完美的报告责怪他，他才刚刚开始呢。
⑤ I never would have guessed！我真的没想到！
I never would have guessed： used to express surprise（用以表达意外）。例如：
I heard Wendy was let go because of the accident. I never would have guessed it.我听说韵迪因为那场事故被解雇，我怎么也不会想到是这种结果。
⑥You mean， they like to talk about people behind their backs？ 你的意思是，他们喜欢在别人背后说闲话？
behind sb.’s back： sth. is done without sb. knowing about it（背地里）。例如：
Amy loves to talk about her co-workers behind their backs.
艾米喜欢在背后议论同事。
⑦ Well， in my humble opinion， I think you’re doing it half-right already. 好吧，依我看，我觉得你已经做对了一半。
in my humble opinion： a phrase introducing the speaker’s opinion（按愚见，据鄙人之见）。例如：
In my humble opinion， we really need to buy a new printer instead of endlessly repairing the old one.
依我之见，我们应该买台新的打印机，而不是没完没了地修那台旧的。
