如果對(duì)方打過電話來，但是要找的人不在，該怎么辦呢？我們看看Sissy 是怎么處理的吧。

SISSY: Chinadaily website. May I help you?

ROLF: This’s Rolf from BBC. May I talk to Kelly please?

SISSY: Would you mind holding for one minute?

（…）

SISSY: She's out for lunch. Would you like to leave a message?

ROLF: No. I really need to talk to her personally.

SISSY: Would you like to leave a message on her machine, then？

ROLF: OK, thanks a lot.

SISSY: Hold on and I'll transfer you.

(I'm not available to take your call, but please leave your name, number and a brief message. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.)

（…）

1. 基本上在打電話給服務(wù)部門時(shí)，我們常會(huì)遇到這樣的情況：

"Service is busy now, please hold on and your call will be answered in approximate 5 minutes." 現(xiàn)在服務(wù)正忙，請(qǐng)不要掛機(jī)，我們將在五分鐘接聽您的電話。

然后十分鐘過去了：

"Please continue to hold, your call is very important to us."

請(qǐng)繼續(xù)等候, 你的來電對(duì)我們非常重要。

這種無止境的等待令人深惡痛絕，所以人家打電話來時(shí)如果萬不得已一定要請(qǐng)他稍候，我們要客氣一點(diǎn)地說：

"Would you mind holding for one minute?"

一定要記得要給對(duì)方一個(gè)明確的時(shí)間，例如one minute 或是 five minutes，千萬不要讓人家覺得你在敷衍他。

即使你是因?yàn)槁牪欢苯泳蛿R下句 "Hold on"，然后就跑去求救兵，這對(duì)打電話來的人來說也是十分不禮貌的。

2. She's out for lunch. Would you like to leave a message? 她出去吃午餐了，你要不要留個(gè)口信？

遇到對(duì)方要找的人不在，我們應(yīng)該詢問一下對(duì)方需不需要留言，或者告知對(duì)方她要找的人多長時(shí)間后會(huì)回來。我們可以說：

"May I take your message?" 或是 "Would you like to leave a message?" (你想留言嗎?)

Would you like to try again 30 minutes later? 或者

"Why don't you call back in 30 minutes?" 您30 分鐘后再打如何？

3. 或許是私事，對(duì)話中Rolf表示不想留口訊。這時(shí)候Sissy提出他可以給Kelly的電話答錄機(jī)留信息。

老美管電話答錄機(jī)叫 answering machine，但是在一般的對(duì)話中常常簡稱 machine。通常人家講 someone's machine 時(shí)百分之九十九都是指電話答錄機(jī)。

"You can call her machine." 就是說“你可以打她的電話答錄機(jī)留言。”

當(dāng)你打電話給某人，但你估計(jì)他很可能不在，這時(shí)你就可以說：

"I'm expecting a machine." 我想會(huì)是電話答錄機(jī)接的電話。

如果是 "I want to check on my machine." 則是說“我要檢查電話答錄機(jī)里的留言。”

（改編自：國際在線 英語點(diǎn)津Annabel編輯）