Barry召集公司同事开会,有个坏消息要宣布。
Barry:Well,folks...I'mafraidIhavesomebadnews.Ourlawyerstoldmethismorningthatwearebeingsued.
Chris:SuedWho'ssuingus
Susan:Andonwhatgrounds
B:AnAustralianmannamedJohnSmithallegedthathismicrowaveexplodedwhilehewasusingitlastyear.Mr.Smithsufferedinjuriesandhewantscompensation.
C:Howmuchcompensationdoeshewant
B:Hislawyersareaskingfortwomilliondollars.
S:Twomillion!That'sinsane!
Barry说,公司被告了,Wearebeingsued.suedisspelleds-u-e-d,sued,是控告、起诉的意思。Susan问,起诉罪名是什么,onwhatgroundsgrounds,在这里是理由、根据的意思。
Barry说,原告是一个澳大利亚人,被微波炉炸伤,索赔两百万美元,Susan觉得,That'sinsane!这简直是疯了!
C:Thisishowthegameisplayed.Theyaskformillionsbutit'susuallyanegotiatingtactic.
B:Yeah,Chrisisprobablyright.Thefigureoftwomilliondollarsisaplacetobeginbargainingfrom.Theyareprobablyhopingtosettlethecasequickly.
S:ButBarry,wedon'tmanufacturemicrowaveovens!Howintheworldareweresponsibleforanaccidentlikethis
B:Wemightnotmanufacturemicrowaves,butourcompanydoesmakeaheat-sensingcomponentthatispartofmanymicrowaves.MaybeChriscanshedsomelightonthis,Chris
Chris说,对方要价两百万只是一种谈判策略,
anegotiatingtactic。Barry也觉得对方希望settlethecasequickly,尽快了结案子。可是,公司不生产微波炉,为什么要为微波炉爆炸赔钱呢Barry请Chris给大家解释一下,shedsomelightonthis.Chris说,
C:IfI'mnotmistaken,you'rereferringtoourcompany'ssensorchips.Theyaresmallchipsthathelpcontrolhowheatisregulated.
S:Soourchipmadethemicrowaveblowup
C:Notexactly.Thechipmighthavemalfunctioned,butIdoubtit.Wetestthoseproductsveryrigorouslyandourqualitycontrolisstrong.Idon'tthinkweareresponsiblefortheexplosion.
S:Idon'tbelievethesensorcouldcauseanexplosion.Weareinnocent!Thislawsuitistotallywithoutmerit!
原来,他们公司生产的sensorchip感应芯片是微波炉的感热部件。不过Chris说,公司质检很严格,所以芯片应该和微波炉爆炸无关。这么说,Thislawsuitistotallywithoutmerit,这桩诉讼完全就是无理取闹。那么,公司要如何应对这桩官司呢我们下次继续听。