Unit 20
　　The budget meeting
　　Modals
　　1. Listening
　　Listen to the extract from a budget meeting. Peter, John and Susan are discussing next year’s departmental budgets. As you listen, indicate their opinions on the table below. Use these symbols:
　　+ = more money should be spent
　　- = less money should be spent
　　OK = the proposed figure should remain the same
　　Budget proposals
　　请见附图20-1
　　Listening Task
　　P: Right, let’s get started. Now, you’ve all seen the budget proposals for next year. Have you got anything to say?
　　J: I think the research figure is too low. We should increase it by at least 5%.
　　P: Well, we could do that, but it means less money for the other departments. I think it should stay the same.
　　S: I agree with John. We could reduce the figure for marketing-that would allow us to increase the budget for research.
　　P: I felt marketing needed a good figure this year. They’ve got a big launch mid-year. I think they couldn’t manage with less.
　　J: I’m sure they could and…
　　P: Just a moment. Let’s look at the other two department budgets. That’s production and sales.
　　J: Well, we can’t cut the production budget, that’s for sure. I don’t know about sales.
　　S: Why do you say we can’t cut production’s budget? They had a big investment last year. Well, surely they could manage on less this year?
　　P: Yes, I think I agree. Production ought to manage with less this year, having spent so much last year.
　　S: A small cut in the production budget might mean we could increase the research figure.
　　P: Right, I’ll put that to the Production Manager. Finally, what about sales?
　　S: I think it’s a bit high. They might save a bit by spending less on the after-sales side.
　　P: John, any views?
　　J: Well, I think we should spend more on sales.
　　P: That’s out of the question. The figure shouldn’t be changed.
　　2. Presentation
　　Modal verbs(such as should, ought, can, could, might) can be used to indicate speakers’ attitudes or opinions. These can be categorized as follows:
　　# strong recommendation
　　# possibility
　　# slight possibility
　　# impossibility
　　Now look at the modals used to express opinions in the meeting and notice how the strength of the opinion can be varied by using these modal verbs.
　　2.1 Strong recommendation
　　We should increase the research budget.
　　The figure shouldn’t be changed.
　　Production [colour=blue]ought[/color] to manage with less.
　　2.2 Possibility
　　We could reduce the figure for marketing.
　　2.3 Slight possibility
　　We might save a bit on after-sales.
　　2.4 Impossibility
　　We can’t cut the production budget.
　　3. Controlled practice
　　Use the language in the Presentation section to transform the sentences. The first one has been done for you.
　　1. I strongly recommend we reduce the sales budget.
　　We should/ought to reduce the sales budget.
　　2. There’s a small chance that marketing would accept a cut in their budget.
　　Marketing _____________________________________________________
　　3. A cut in the production budget is out of the question.
　　We ___________________________________________________________
　　4. It’s possible to spend more on direct sales activities.
　　We____________________________________________________________
　　5. It is advisable to reduce the total budget.
　　We ____________________________________________________________
　　6. It’s impossible for research to continue on this budget.
　　Research _______________________________________________________
　　7. There is a possibility that more money will be made available.
　　More money ____________________________________________________
　　8. I strongly recommend we do not cut the marketing budget.
　　We ____________________________________________________________
　　9. There’s a small chance sales will not reach their target.
　　Sales ___________________________________________________________
　　10. Production will possibly need more money later in the year.
　　Production ______________________________________________________
　　课文注释及词汇讲解：
　　* budget 预算
　　e.g. cut down the budget 削减预算
　　enlarge /increase the budget 增加预算

　　make /work out the budget 制定预算
　　* proposal 计划，提议
　　e.g. budget proposal预算计划
　　The proposal of enlarging budget has been adopted.
　　增加预算的提议被采纳了。
　　* stay 保持
　　e.g. The turnover of last year stays the same as that of the year before last.
　　去年的营业额与前年一样。
　　* allow 允许，使能够
　　e.g. We could reduce the figure for marketing—that would allow us to increase the budget for research.
　　我们可以减少营销的预算额——这样我们就能增加调研的预算额了。
　　You must not allow the goods to be stolen again.
　　你不能再让货物失窃了。
　　* I felt marketing needed a good figure this year.
　　我觉得，今年营销需要一大笔预算。
　　good 在这句话里有“充足的，相当的”之意。
　　e.g. He has a good reason to file a claim.
　　他有充足的理由索赔。
　　* I think they couldn’t manage with less.
　　我想预算再少他们就干不成了。
　　Surely they could manage on less this year.
　　今年，再少些他们也肯定能行。
　　Manage with less 和manage on less意义相仿，但落脚点不同：
　　with [用]，表明方式；on[靠]，表明基础。
　　* after-sales 售后的[注意：词尾一定有“s”]
　　e.g. after-sales service 售后服务
　　* out of the question 不可能
　　out of question 没问题[注意：二者应区别使用]
　　e.g. A discount of 2% is out of question.
　　打2%的折扣没问题。
　　To allow you a discount of 10% is out of the question.
　　给你打10%的折扣是不可能的。
　　* direct sales 直销
　　这是由生产者将产品直接送到消费者手中而不经过中间商的销售方式。直销有利于掌握销售情况，更好地了解消费者的需要。但因需大量直销人员参与，费用较其他销售方式要高。
　　* put 建议，提议，说
　　e.g. I’ll put the new budget proposal to the Production Manager.
　　我会告诉生产部经理新的预算计划。 [NextPage]
　　Unit 20
　　听力译文：
　　P：好，咱们开会吧。大家都已看了明年的预算计划。有什么意见吗？
　　J：我觉得调研的预算额太少了，我们至少应该增加5%。
　　P：嗯，我们可以那样做，但是那将意味着养活其他部门的预算。我认为应当保原数额。
　　S：我同意约翰的意见。我们可以减少营销部门的预算额——那样我们就能增加调研部门的预算了。
　　P：我觉得今年营销需要一大笔钱。他们在年中要向市场大规模地投放产品。我想钱少了，他们会干不了。
　　J：我相信他们干得了，而且……
　　P：等一下，咱们先看一下另外两个部门的预算。就是生产部和销售部。
　　J：嗯，我们肯定不能削减生产部的预算。销售部我不清楚。
　　S：你为什么认为不能削减生产部的预算？去年给他们投资了不少。今年肯定可以少用一些钱。
　　P：嗯，我同意。既然生产部去年用了那么多钱，今年应该少用一些。
　　S：生产部的预算削减一点儿，就意味着我们能增加调研部门的预算了。
　　P：好，我会告诉生产部经理的。最后，销售部的预算呢？
　　S：我想有点多了。他们如果在售后服务方面少花一点，就能省下一些来。
　　P：约翰，你的看法呢？
　　J：嗯，我认为 销售上的预算应再多加一点儿。
　　P：那不可能性。这个数目不能变。
　　Exercises-A
　　用括号里的词或短语翻译下列句子。
　　1． 你们都已看过明年的预算提议了。(budget proposal)
　　2．  我们应该把这个数目增加至少5%。(at least)
　　3．  我认为营销预算应保持不变。（stay the same）
　　4．  如果减少营销预算，我们就可以增加调研预算了。(allow)
　　5．  营销部在年中有一项大规模投放市场的活动。（mid-year, big launch）
　　6．  生产部去年花了那么多钱，今年应该少用一点儿。（spend, ought to, manage）
　　7．  减少一点生产预算就意味着我们可以增加调研预算。（cut, mean）
　　8．  他们可以通过养活售后服务的开支来省一点钱。（on the after-sales side, save, a bit）
　　9．  在销售方面多花费是不可能的。（out of the question）
　　Exercises-B
　　用适当的情态动词填空。
　　1．  We _______ make the conference on 27th July, if that suits you better.
　　2．  It ______ be possible to reduce the price further.
　　3．  Passengers _______ take a small bag onto the plane with them.
　　4．  I think we _______ teach the French sales staff English.
　　Translation
　　甲：明年的预算至少可以增加5%，请大家庭具体讲座一下。我们一共有四个方面的开支。咱们来看一下，哪些应增加，哪些应减少。
　　乙：去年对生产部门的投入很大，今年可以少开支一些。销售部门明年有一种新的汽车 要投放市场，开支不能省，得维持现状。
　　丙：研究与发展部门的经费一定要增加，改进产品性能才扩大销售。
　　乙：售后服务费用恐怕也得增加一些。若是消费者一再投诉，对我们可就不利了。但也不能增加太多，那样的话其他部门的预算就要削减了。加2%吧。
　　甲：什么！销售部门加2%？恐怕不可能！
　　Key to Exercises-A
　　1.  You’ve all seen the budget proposal for next year.

　　2. We should increase the figure by at least 5%.
　　3.  I think the marketing budget should stay the same.
　　4.  If we reduce the figure for marketing, that will allow us to increase the budget for research.
　　5.  The Marketing Department has got a big launch mid-year.
　　6.  Having spent so much last year, the Production Department ought to manage with/on less this year.
　　7.  A small cut in the production budget means we could increase the research figure.
　　8.  By spending less on the after-sales side, they might save a bit.
　　9.  To spend more on sales is out of the question.
　　Key to Exercises-B
　　1.  can/could
　　2.  might
　　3.  can
　　4.  should/ought to
　　Key to Translation
　　A: Since next year’s budget could be increased by at least 5%, let’s discuss it in details. We have four major expenses. Let’s see for which we should budget more, for which less.
　　B: Last year, Production got a big launch and could manage with less this year. The Sales Department is going to launch a new automobile next year, so we’d better let their budget stay the same, without any reduction.
　　C: The Research and Development needs a good figure because only better performance can lead to higher sales.
　　B: I’m afraid After-sales also needs more money. If there was complaint after complaint, we would be in a very poor situation. However, the figure shouldn’t be too high since it means less money for other departments. Let’s say 2%.
　　A: What! 2% more on the after-sales side? That’s out of the question, I am afraid!