E: our company is going to do some cutbacks soon.

J: really? Where did you hear that?

E: I met with the supervisor just this morning. I don't know, but I am a little worried. Who do you think will get sacked?

J: I'm not sure…well, first, it couldn't be George. He is such a kiss-ass. He'd wash the boss's dog if he asked.

E: no, it's not going to be George. I don't think it's Andy either. He is involved with the boss's sister in-law. And you know how whipped our boss is.

J: that's true. What about Lisa? I bet there's nobody who could do a worse job than her.

E: Lisa? No way. I've heard a rumor that she and the boss were having an affair. You know rumors can't come out from nowhere.

J: well,okay. Then there is still Michael. But he's pet after having the best sales record for three months in a row. It definitely won't be Michael.

E: no, that would be crazy. But then who will it be? Oh dear, it must be me. I should have known it! Why else would he have talked to me alone about the downsizing. What should I do? I've got a family to support.

J: well, it could be me too. But I am not too worried. This place is suffocating me with this boss being such a hard-ass and clleagues who barely know how to get dressed in the morning. It would almost be a blessing to be fired from this place.

我们公司最近要裁员了.
真的吗?你从哪儿得来的消息?
老板今天上午同我谈话了.不知道为什么,我有点儿担心.你觉得谁会被裁掉呢?
不清楚.嗯,首先我觉得不会是乔治.他是个大马屁精,即使老板去叫他给狗洗澡,他也会去的.
嗯, 不会是乔治.我觉得也不会是安迪,他正在和老板的小姨子谈恋爱呢.你知道咱们老板是个”妻管严”.
没错.丽莎呢?我觉得是个人都能比她做得好.
丽莎?不可能.我听到谣言说她和老板正在搞婚外情,你知道的这种事不可能空穴来风.
好吧.再就是迈克了,但他可是老板的红人,他已经连续三个月高居销售量的榜首了.绝对不会是迈克的.
不会的,不然就太过分了.但是那又会是谁呢?天啊,一定是我了.我应该猜到才对.不然老板怎么会只找我一个人谈减员的事情呢.我该怎么办呢,我还要养家糊口啊.
也可能是我.但是我不太担心,这个地方实在是令我太郁闷了,老板要求太苛刻了,同事们又都是二百五.还真巴不得被炒鱿鱼呢!

Cutback: a reduction in sth 削减;缩减'减少
cutbacks in public spending 公共开支的削减
staff cutbacks 裁员

sack: to dismiss sb from a job 解雇:炒鱿鱼
She was sacked for refusing to work on Sundays.
她因拒绝在星期天上班被解雇了.

Kick-ass:拍马屁的人

Suffocate: to die because there is no air to breathe; to kill sb by not letting them breathe air (使)窒息而死;(把...)闷死
Many dogs have suffocated in hot cars.
许多狗在热烘烘的汽车里给闷死了.
The couple were suffocated by fumes from a faulty gas fire.
由于劣质煤气取暖器漏气,这对夫妇窒息而死.
He put the pillow over her face and suffocated her.
他用枕头捂住她的脸,把她憋死了.
She felt suffocated by all the rules and regulations.
她受不了所有那些条条框框的束缚.

Blessing: something that is good or helpful 好事;有益之事
Lack of traffic is one of the blessings of country life.
往来车辆少是乡村生活的一大好处.
It's a blessing that nobody was in the house at the time.
幸好当时屋子里没人.
In a row
1.if sth happens several times in a row, it happens in exactly the same way each time, and nothing different happens in the time between 连续几次地
This is her third win in a row.
这是她连续获得的第三次胜利.
2.if sth happens for several days, etc.in a row, it happens on each of those days 接连几天(等)地
Inflation has fallen for the third month in a row.
通货膨胀率一连三个月不断下降.

Have an affair:搞婚外恋

Support one's family:养家糊口

Get fired:被炒鱿鱼