在外商公司開會時，你一定聽過這句話：
Let’s circle back.
但它真的只是「晚點再討論」嗎？
還是其實代表「現在不想談」甚至「不太同意」？
在 TOEIC 聽力中，這類委婉句型極常出現，考的是說話者真正意圖（speaker’s intention）。如果你只聽字面意思，很容易選錯答案。這篇文章會幫你掌握 高頻會議潛台詞 + 實戰對話 + 解題關鍵思維，讓你在考試與外商職場都能真正聽懂。
🎧Apple Podcast｜Spotify
💬 情境對話
英文對話（Scenario: Corporate Strategy Meeting）
Michael (Manager): Thanks for the update, Sarah.
Sarah (Analyst): Based on the data, I suggest increasing the marketing budget by 20%.
Michael: That’s an ambitious proposal.
Sarah: Do you think we should proceed next quarter?
Michael: Let’s circle back once we have more clarity on Q3 revenue.
Sarah: So we’re not approving it yet?
Michael: Not at this stage. We need to evaluate the risk.
Sarah: Understood. Would you like a revised forecast?
Michael: That would be helpful. Please include a more conservative estimate.
Sarah: I’ll prepare an updated report and get back to you by Thursday.
Michael: Perfect. Let’s revisit this next week.
中文翻譯
Michael（主管）： 謝謝你的報告，Sarah。
Sarah（分析師）： 根據數據，我建議行銷預算增加 20%。
Michael： 這提案很有野心。
Sarah： 那我們下季可以執行嗎？
Michael： 等 Q3 營收更明朗後，我們再回頭討論。
Sarah： 所以現在還不通過？
Michael： 現階段還不行，我們需要評估風險。
Sarah： 了解，需要我做修正版預測嗎？
Michael： 如果能附上更保守的估算會更好。
Sarah： 好，我週四前更新回覆。
Michael： 很好，下週再討論。
📚 Vocabulary Boost — TOEIC 關鍵字彙
| Word / Phrase | IPA | Part of Speech | 中文意思 | English Example Sentence | 中文翻譯 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| circle back | /ˈsɜːrkəl bæk/ | phrase | 之後再討論 | Let’s circle back next week. | 我們下週再討論。 |
| proposal | /prəˈpoʊzəl/ | noun | 提案 | The proposal needs revision. | 提案需要修改。 |
| ambitious | /æmˈbɪʃəs/ | adj. | 有野心的 | That’s an ambitious target. | 那目標很有野心。 |
| evaluate | /ɪˈvæljueɪt/ | verb | 評估 | We must evaluate the risks. | 我們必須評估風險。 |
| forecast | /ˈfɔːrkæst/ | noun | 預測 | The sales forecast is optimistic. | 銷售預測偏樂觀。 |
| conservative | /kənˈsɜːrvətɪv/ | adj. | 保守的 | Provide a more conservative estimate. | 請給更保守估算。 |
| clarity | /ˈklærəti/ | noun | 明確性 | We need more clarity on revenue. | 我們需要更明確的營收數字。 |
| revenue | /ˈrevənuː/ | noun | 營收 | Q3 revenue is uncertain. | Q3 營收未明。 |
| approve | /əˈpruːv/ | verb | 核准 | The budget was not approved. | 預算未核准。 |
| revisit | /ˌriːˈvɪzɪt/ | verb | 重新檢討 | We will revisit the plan later. | 稍後再檢討計畫。 |
🔍 Grammar Points — 必考句型
| Structure | 中文說明 | English Example | 中文翻譯 |
|---|---|---|---|
| once + 子句 | 一旦… | Once we have clarity, we’ll decide. | 一旦明朗就決定。 |
| Not at this stage | 現階段不 | Not at this stage. | 現階段不行。 |
| That would be helpful | 委婉要求 | That would be helpful. | 那樣會比較好。 |
| get back to + 人 | 回覆 | I’ll get back to you. | 我會回覆你。 |
📖 Transcript 逐字稿
M: You know that feeling when you walk out of a meeting and you’re thinking, “Wow, that went great!”?
M：你有沒有那種感覺，走出會議室時心裡想著：「哇，剛剛超順利！」？
M: And then maybe an hour later, it hits you. You actually got completely shut down.
M：結果大概一個小時後你才驚覺——其實你是被徹底打槍了。
J: Absolutely. It’s the soft “no.” It’s an art form, really. It’s designed to make you feel heard…
J：沒錯。那就是「溫柔的拒絕」。說真的，這是一門藝術。它的設計就是讓你覺得自己有被聽見……
M: …while simultaneously just killing your project.
M：……同時卻把你的專案直接判死刑。
J: And I think the masterpiece of that entire art form has to be the phrase “Let’s circle back.”
J：而這門藝術裡的代表作，絕對就是那句「Let’s circle back。」
M: Oh, it’s a classic. It’s so dangerous because it sounds like a promise, you know? “We’ll talk later.”
M：喔，那真的是經典。它之所以危險，是因為聽起來像一種承諾，好像在說「我們之後再談。」
J: Right. But what it really means is “I don’t want to talk about this now,” or more likely, “This is never happening.”
J：對。但它真正的意思是「我現在不想談這個」，更可能是「這件事永遠不會發生。」
M: And that’s why we’re here. Welcome to MJ English. We want to help you decode that corporate speak.
M：所以我們今天才會在這裡。歡迎收聽《MJ English》。我們要幫你破解那些職場話術。
J: So you can actually win the meeting, not just survive it.
J：讓你不只是撐過會議，而是真的贏下會議。
M: Today, we’re going to break down a strategy meeting. It’s between Michael, a manager, and Sarah, an analyst who wants more budget.
M：今天我們要拆解一場策略會議。人物是主管 Michael，以及想爭取更多預算的分析師 Sarah。
J: A very common scenario. Sarah’s asking for a 20% increase, and Michael… well, let’s just listen to how he handles it.
J：這超常見的情境。Sarah 想要增加 20% 的預算，而 Michael……我們來聽聽他怎麼處理。
Dialogue（Scenario: Corporate Strategy Meeting）
Michael (Manager): Thanks for the update, Sarah.
Sarah (Analyst): Based on the data, I suggest increasing the marketing budget by 20%.
Michael: That’s an ambitious proposal.
Sarah: Do you think we should proceed next quarter?
Michael: Let’s circle back once we have more clarity on Q3 revenue.
Sarah: So we’re not approving it yet?
Michael: Not at this stage. We need to evaluate the risk.
Sarah: Understood. Would you like a revised forecast?
Michael: That would be helpful. Please include a more conservative estimate.
Sarah: I’ll prepare an updated report and get back to you by Thursday.
Michael: Perfect. Let’s revisit this next week.
中文翻譯
Michael（主管）： 謝謝你的報告，Sarah。
Sarah（分析師）： 根據數據，我建議行銷預算增加 20%。
Michael： 這提案很有野心。
Sarah： 那我們下季可以執行嗎？
Michael： 等 Q3 營收更明朗後，我們再回頭討論。
Sarah： 所以現在還不通過？
Michael： 現階段還不行，我們需要評估風險。
Sarah： 了解，需要我做修正版預測嗎？
Michael： 如果能附上更保守的估算會更好。
Sarah： 好，我週四前更新回覆。
Michael： 很好，下週再討論。
J: That was… that was pretty brutal.
J：嗯……那真的有點殘酷。
M: It really was. I mean, Sarah walked in there swinging for the fences, and Michael just so gently shut the door in her face.
M：真的很殘酷。Sarah 是全力出擊，但 Michael 卻很溫柔地把門關在她臉上。
J: He did. And the amazing part is he never actually said the word “no,” not once. He starts with that word “ambitious.”
J：沒錯。而最厲害的是，他從頭到尾一次都沒說「no」。他先用了「ambitious」這個字。
M: “That’s an ambitious proposal.”
M：「那是一個很有野心的提案。」
J: Right. And see, in almost any other situation, “ambitious” is a compliment. It means you’re driven, you have big goals.
J：對。在其他情境裡，「ambitious」其實是稱讚，代表你有衝勁、有遠大目標。
M: But not here. In a budget meeting, it’s a huge red flag. It’s code for what?
M：但在這裡不是。在預算會議中，那是巨大警訊。那是在暗示什麼？
J: Expensive.
J：太貴。
M: Yeah.
M：對。
J: Risky.
J：風險太高。
M: Both. Or maybe even “you are a little out of your mind.” It’s a warning shot. He’s telling her she’s gone too far, but he blames the proposal, not her.
M：兩者都是。甚至可能是「你是不是有點太誇張了。」這是一種警告。他在說她超出界線，但他責怪的是提案，而不是她本人。
J: So diplomatic.
J：真的是超級外交手腕。
M: And then he drops the big one: “Let’s circle back.” The ultimate stall tactic. He’s not killing the idea…
M：接著他丟出大絕招：「Let’s circle back。」這是終極拖延戰術。他沒有直接殺掉這個想法……
J: He’s just parking it.
J：他只是把它停車。
M: Parking it, yes. But he’s clever about it. He adds a condition. He says, “Let’s circle back once we have more clarity on Q3 revenue.”
M：對，把它停著。但他很聰明，加了一個條件。他說：「等我們對第三季營收有更多明確數據後再談。」
J: And that “once” is the whole maneuver. He’s saying, “We can’t even talk about this again until some other, maybe impossible thing happens first.”
J：而那個「once」才是整個操作的關鍵。他的意思是：「在某個可能根本達不到的條件出現之前，我們連談都不能談。」
M: It just kicks the can down the road. Maybe forever.
M：這就是把問題往後踢，可能永遠都不會回來。
J: And when Sarah tries to get a real answer—you know, she asks, “So we’re not approving it?”—he gives her another soft “no.”
J：當 Sarah 試著逼出真正答案——她問「所以我們是不核准嗎？」——他又給了一個溫柔的「no」。
M: “Not at this stage.”
M：「Not at this stage。」
J: I love that one. It’s brilliant. Because “not at this stage” implies there’s a future stage.
J：我超愛這句。太聰明了。因為「not at this stage」暗示未來還有下一個階段。
M: It gives her this little bit of false hope so she backs down. If he just said “no,” she might argue with him. This way, the relationship stays smooth.
M：這給她一點點假希望，讓她自己退下。如果他直接說「no」，她可能會反駁。這樣關係就能維持順暢。
J: Then he tells her how to fix it. He asks for a “conservative estimate.”
J：接著他告訴她怎麼修正。他要求一個「conservative estimate」。
M: And that’s the key takeaway for you listeners. “Conservative” is the direct opposite of “ambitious” here. He’s basically saying, “Come back with safer numbers. Come back with something boring that I can approve.”
M：這就是聽眾們要抓住的重點。在這裡，「conservative」就是「ambitious」的相反。他其實是在說：「請用風險較低、較穩健的數據重新評估，提供一份我能夠安心核准的方案。」
J: Now, there was one last thing that I caught. When Sarah offers to make a new report, he says, “That would be helpful.”
J：還有最後一點我注意到。當 Sarah 說要做新報告時，他說：「That would be helpful。」
M: The polite command. It sounds like a suggestion, right?
M：這是禮貌式命令。聽起來像建議，對吧？
J: Yeah, like, “Oh, if you have time, that would be nice.”
J：對，好像在說「如果你有空，那就太好了。」
M: But coming from your boss, it is not optional. It means, “Do this now.”
M：但從你主管口中說出來，那絕對不是選項。意思是：「現在就做。」
J: So if you hear “That would be helpful,” you just start typing.
J：所以當你聽到「That would be helpful」，你就直接開始打字。
M: So the big picture here: if your boss calls your plan “ambitious,” that’s not a good sign. And if they want to “circle back,” you need to push for a specific time and date, otherwise you’re just going to be circling forever. Don’t let the polite words hide what’s really happening.
M：所以整體重點是：當主管說你的計畫「ambitious」，那不是好事。如果他們說要「circle back」，你一定要追問明確時間，否則你會永遠在原地打轉。不要讓禮貌的語氣掩蓋真正的意思。
J: That’s it for today’s MJ English. Remember, five minutes a day is all you need to win at work, win the TOEIC, and win over your colleagues.
J：以上就是今天的《MJ English》。記得，每天五分鐘，就能在職場贏、多益贏、同事也贏。
M: If you found this episode useful, don’t forget to follow and share it with your friends.
M：如果你覺得這集有幫助，別忘了追蹤並分享給朋友。
J: See you next time.
J：我們下次見。
M: Bye for now.
M：掰掰。
