Module 1 Small Talk Section Ⅳ Other Parts of the Module[原文呈现] [读文清障] The Wrong Kind of Small TalkEsther Greenbaum was a saleswoman① for a firm② of fax③ machines and business supplies. But she was also the most outspoken④human being⑤ in the world — well, Westchester County, at least⑥. Her motto⑦ was “Every time ⑧ I open my mouth, I put my foot in it⑨.”Esther Greenbaum's major○shortcoming⑪ was that she had a complete absence⑫ of small talk⑬. No, that's not quite true. She had small talk, but it was the wrong kind. In fact⑭ ， she had never learnt the basic rules of social communication, and as a consequence⑮ ， she made systematic⑯ mistakes every time she opened her mouth. It was no coincidence⑰ either that she wasn't a very good saleswoman⑱.①saleswoman/'seIlz w m n/ˌ ʊ ən．女推销员，女销售员②firm/fm/ɜːn．公司③fax/fæks/n．传真(机)④outspoken/ a t'spk n/ˌ ʊəʊ əadj.直言不讳的，坦率的⑤human being 人类，其复数形式是 human beings。⑥at least 至少⑦motto/'m t/ɒ əʊ n．座右铭，格言⑧every time “每次”，是名词短语用作连词，引导时间状语从句。⑨put one's foot in one's mouth 犯使人难堪的错误，说错话⑩major adj.主要的⑪shortcoming/'t k mI /ʃɔː ˌ ʌŋ n．缺点，短处⑫absence/'æbsns/n．缺乏，不存在⑬that she had ...是表语从句。⑭in fact 实际上， as a matter of fact 事实上⑮as a consequence 因此，结果⑯systematic/ sIst 'mætIk/ˌəadj.非偶然的，经常的⑰coincidence/k'InsIdəʊns/n．巧合⑱It is/was no coincidence that ... ……不是巧合。it 是形式主语，that 引导的从句是真正的主语。不合时宜的闲谈埃斯特·戈林鲍姆是一家传真及商务用品公司的女推销员。但她也是世界上最口无遮拦的人——当然，至少在韦切斯特县是这样的。她的座右铭是“每当我张口，就会讲错话。”埃斯特·戈林鲍姆的主要缺点是她根本不会闲谈。不，也不完全如此。她也闲谈，只是不合时宜。实际上，她从...
