生活英语对话 Episode 58: A complaint

本单元是关于投诉的对话

Tim: How can I help you sir?
Customer: It's about this watch.
Tim: What seems to be the problem?
Customer: The alarm doesn't work and the strap 1 leaves a green mark on my wrist when I take it off.
Tim: Have you worn the watch in the shower perhaps sir?
Customer: No and I only bought it two weeks ago. It's still under guarantee but I must say, for the amount of money I paid for it, I'm very disappointed.
Tim: I'm so sorry you've been inconvenienced. Would you like a refund 2?
Customer: No, I'd rather have the watch replaced please.
Tim: Right, well, I'll just take down your purchasing details and we'll get this watch changed for you in no time at all.


Vocabulary (词汇):

under guarantee (在担保期内):
if something you buy breaks or stops working soon after you buy it, a shop or company promises to fix it or give you your money back

a refund (退款):
money that a shop or company gives back to you if you return something you bought from them

in no time at all (立刻):
soon

replace (更换):
change for another similar one

　　本单元的语言点是关于投诉，当你买的东西不尽人意或对获得的服务不满时，你可以投诉；你可以书面投诉，或直接致电有关个人或公司时口头投诉，用英语投诉时，我们在投诉前一般会使用温和的语言，比如我们通常会直接致函或致电投诉人表示歉意，因为打搅了他们。然后，我们开始投诉。最后，我们 要求对有关投诉进行处理，或要求得到赔偿.

Complaining

You can complain when something you've bought or a service you've used isn't as good as you expected it to be. You can do this in writing or by speaking directly to the person or company

In English, we tend to soften 3 our language (often by apologising for disturbing the person we're talking or writing to) before we start complaining. Then we make our complaint and finally we ask for some kind of compensation 4 for our inconvenience or help with our problem

Here's some language to help you complain （以下是可以用于投诉的一些表达方式）:


Written complaints (书面投诉):

Usually written complaints use quite formal English:

I'm writing to complain about the poor quality of service we received in your hotel recently.

I wish to complain about the inconvenience and delay I experienced 5 on my recent train journey from London to Brighton.

I was very disappointed when, after only two weeks, my washing machine broke down.

We ordered a blue sofa however you sent us a green one.

The first problem was that there weren't enough seats for our party to sit together and the second problem was that we had to wait more than an hour to be served.

We were promised a non-smoking room but when we arrived, we were told that your hotel didn't have any non-smoking rooms.


Spoken complaints (口头投诉):

Usually spoken complaints are less formal than written ones.

It's about this stereo 6.

I'm really not happy with this shirt.

It just broke down a few days ago.

I'm not satisfied with the service here.

Well, first the radio didn't work and then the CD stopped working.


Ways of saying something's not working or not in good condition(东西坏了或状况不好时的表达方式):

to break - glass, china, pottery 7
I dropped my mum's crystal 8 vase and broke it. She was really angry with me.

to break down - a lift, a car, a machine
I was stuck between the 3rd and 4th floor for 20 minutes when the lift broke down yesterday.

to be out of order - a communal 9 or public machine (e.g. a photo-copier, a lift)
Don't put your money in that ticket machine. It's out of order. You won't get a ticket or your money back.

to stop working - anything with batteries or that uses power
She wore her watch in the pool and then was surprised when it stopped working!

to crash - a computer
My computer's crashed. All the applications have stopped working. I'll need to phone the help-line to see if they can fix it.

to jam - a machine where something (e.g. paper) moves through it.
I want to print a card for my friend but there's something wrong with the printer. It jams if you put anything thicker than a piece of paper through it.


Asking for action (要求得到处理):

I'd like a refund please.

I'd be grateful if you would replace this stereo immediately.

I would appreciate your sending me a replacement 10 as soon as possible.

Please let me know what you intend to do about this situation.