华尔街中级英语Lesson 64

 My name’s Mic Hedden and I’m the landlord¹ of the Hollingburg pub² in Brighton. I’ve been here for about 8 years now. I hope to be here for another 20 years.
Could you describe your work? Yes, certainly. Really, not only am I a publican, but I’m a doctor, I’m a father-figure, well, all sorts of help to all sorts of people.
        Can you describe for me a typical working day? I mean, you‘ve caught me on a typical morning. This morning, that I’ve got a glass washer being fitted, I’ve got the machines being changed, I’ve got a stock-take, I’ve a VIT review, plus you I’m speaking to.
        That’s even before I open the doors. We open the doors at 11:00, and by then, of course, everything has to be right in the bar, which means³ clearing up from the night before, make sure all ashtrays⁴ are cleaned, tables cleaned, everywhere dusted, hoovered, everything’s right, just waiting for the customers at 11 o’clock. So then at 11 o’clock, we open the doors, with all things to go. When we close the door at half past two, again clear up for the evening session⁵ at six.
        And the same repeated then from 6:00 and 11:00, and we are serving customers right up to 11 o’clock. By 11:30 we hope to have had the doors closed. All customers have gone home, and we’re starting to prepare for the following day. If we’re upstairs and relax at a cup of coffee at 1:00 in the morning, we’ve done well.
        Have you always been a publican? No, I’ve only been a publican now for about 10 years, before that, I was a taxi driver in Brighton, which is a trade very similar to being a publican. Because you meet in the public all the time, you listen to everybody’s troubles. You try and help them out if you can. And that’s what being a publican is. So you’re happy with the decision you made. Yes, I wouldn’t change it for the world. And a publican has to have a good lady along side him as well, because it takes two. There’s one of the reasons I did it. Because when I was a taxi driving before, I didn’t see my wife and family often, and I missed that. Since I’ve been in this trade, I’ve seen a lot more of them.
        Apart from the long hours, are there any other disadvantages to the work? Yes, it’s very, very difficult at the moment, in respect of brewery⁶ rents, business rates, gas, water, electricity, the unbelievable bills are starting to come in now, and we can only get our profit from one source⁷ and that is from the public. But of course, you can’t go so far, you can’t push yourself against the market. It’s very difficult time for trading.
        How about dealing⁸ with customers? What do you do if someone has had a little too much to drink? Well, again the law of the country states that you shouldn’t serve anybody that looks like they’re drunk⁹, and you have to be very diplomatic¹¹. It’s not easy when somebody is under the influence. But we try to be friendly and laughing and not play the big brother when we try to be nice to people and explain to them. Usually we can take away our trouble and reject people peacefully.
        Yes. Do customers ever get violent¹²? They can do, but again as I stated, it’s how you treat them.  We’ve always tried to talk our way out of trouble.
So what does it take to be a successful publican?
        No. 1 you’ve got to be a diplomat¹⁰ and you’ve got to be patient with people. Because they’re coming in to you and telling you their troubles, you’ve got to greet people, you’ve got to look after people when they come in to your establishment¹³. In the end of the day, you’ve got to be ever smiling, ever nice gentleman and lady beyond the bar.

1 landlord   

n.地主，房东，(旅店)店主

参考例句：

• He is the landlord of this pub.他是这家酒店的店主。
• He used to be a long - term labourer for a landlord.他早先给地主扛过长活。

2 pub   

n.[英]旅馆，小店，酒馆

参考例句：

• He is the landlord of this pub.他是这家酒店的店主。
• They saw that four large men marched into the pub.他们看到四个彪形大汉走进了酒吧。

3 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

4 ashtrays   

烟灰缸( ashtray的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A simple question: why are there ashtrays in a no-smoking restaurant? 问题是：一个禁止吸烟的餐厅为什么会有烟灰缸呢？
• Avoid temptation by throwing away all cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays. 把所有的香烟，打火机，和烟灰缸扔掉以避免引诱。

5 session   

n.会议，开庭期，市盘，学期；adj.短期的

参考例句：

• This matter will go over until the next session.这件事将留待下次会议讨论。
• Congress is now in session.国会现在正在开会。

6 brewery   

n.啤酒厂

参考例句：

• The brewery had 25 heavy horses delivering beer in London.啤酒厂有25匹高头大马在伦敦城中运送啤酒。
• When business was good,the brewery employed 20 people.在生意好的时候，这家酿造厂曾经雇佣过20人。

7 source   

n.来源，水源；原始资料

参考例句：

• They mentioned you as a good source of information.他们说你消息灵通。
• All works of art have life as their source.一切文艺创作都来源于生活。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 drunk   

adj.醉酒的；(喻)陶醉的；n.酗酒者，醉汉

参考例句：

• People who drives when they are drunk should be heavily penalised.醉酒驾车的人应受重罚。
• She found him drunk when she came home at night.她晚上回家时，经常发现他醉醺醺的。

10 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

11 diplomatic   

adj.外交的，从事外交的，策略的，有手腕的

参考例句：

• There are certain forms that must be followed in diplomatic circles.在外交界有一些礼节是必须遵守的。
• You must be more diplomatic in handling the situation.你在处理这一情况时，必须圆滑。

12 violent   

adj.暴力的，猛烈的，激烈的，极端的，凶暴的，歪曲的

参考例句：

• The madman was violent and had to be locked up.这个精神病患者很凶暴，不得不把他锁起来。
• They caught him and gave him a violent beating.他们抓住了他，把他狠狠打了一顿。

13 establishment   

n.建立，确立，确定；企业，机构；当权人物

参考例句：

• With the establishment of major new markets, the economy is thriving.随着重大新市场的建立，经济越来越兴旺。
• The establishment of the business took several years.创办这个公司花了好几年时间。