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We really need to get a sense of what their bottom line is.
我們得探測他們的底線。

對話
Jean:So how are we going to conduct this negotiation?
珍:我們怎麼著手談判？
Angus:Well, obviously we're not going to put our cards on the table
straight away.
安格斯:我們當然不會一下子就把底牌都亮出來。
Jean:No, that would be naive. We've got to get a feel for what their
negotiating limits are.
珍:當然不可以那麼蠢。我們得試探他們談判界限。
Angus:That's right. We really need to get a sense of what their bottom line is.
安格斯:不錯，我們得探測他們的底線。
Jean:Then we'll know how far we can push them.
珍:這樣就可以知道他們最多會讓步多少。
Angus:Yes, but remember they will be doing the same in relation to us.
安格斯:是啊，但不要忘記，他們對我們也會用同樣手法。

多學一點點探測底線
談判最重要的一點是探測對方底線：We really need to get a sense of what their bottom line is。Bottom line本是會計用語，指盈虧一覽表結算線，也就是生意財務上的最後結果，例如：Besides adding to our bottom line, the new product enhanced our reputation as a leader in the industry（這種新產品不但增加我們的利潤，還提高了我們領導同業的聲譽）。把bottom line的「最後結果」意思引伸，就是「最低限度的要求、條件等」，例如：The union's bottom line is that not a single worker is to be laid off（工會的談判底線，是一個工人都不能辭退）。To get a sense的sense是「感覺」，例如the sense of smell/sight是「嗅覺」、「視覺」。有些事情你無法清楚解釋，或人家不會清楚告訴你，但你可以感覺到，這感覺也叫sense，作名詞、動詞都可以，例如：Somehow I had a sense（或Somehow I sensed）that they did not like me（不知為何我就是覺得他們不喜歡我）。作動詞的sense還可以帶受詞(object)，例如：I sensed their enmity（我感覺到他們的敵意）。
談判當然不可以一下子亮出底牌：We're not going to put our cards on the table straight away。Straight away也可合寫成straightaway，意思是「馬上」，同義詞有right away，例如：I'm afraid I've got to leave straightaway（或right away）after the opening ceremony（對不起，開幕禮舉行之後，我就得馬上離去）。