四、道歉信
1. 概说
假如由于你的过失或疏忽引起别人的不快，给别人带来麻烦和损失， 那你就必须赔礼道歉。道歉信(letter of apology)常分两个部分。一 部分为道歉本身，常用“对不起”、“恐怕”、“抱歉”等词语；另一 部分为简短的解释或理由。具体注意以下几点：假如你有理由，就写上 几句解释；要是没有丝毫理由，就应该诚恳地致歉，承认错误，表示悔 改之意，并保证以后不再发生类似情况；要主动提出赔偿或修理。信要 写得及时、诚恳，有解决问题的合作态度。
2. 常用语句
1)Excuse me for my being absent. 请原谅我未能出席。
2)I’m rather ashamed for failing to keep up our correspondence. 很久没给你写信，十分惭愧。
3)I’m sorry I couldn’t write earlier. 对不起，我未能及早复信。
4)We are very sorry not to be able to give you a definite reply in regard to the above matter. 很遗憾，我们没有给予明确答复。
5)Please accept our apologies. 请接受我们的歉意。
6)We greatly regret that we have caused you such an inconvenience. 我们给你带来如此不便，非常遗憾。
7)We regret not being able to assist you for the time being. 我们目前暂时无法帮助你，深表遗憾。
8)I hope you will accept my sincere apologies. 希望你接受我真诚的道歉。
9)I’m awfully sorry that I failed to meet you at the bus-stop yesterday afternoon. I didn’t know that my watch had stopped. Please forgive me. The material you are studying is compiled by professor Gong Dongfeng.
实在对不起，昨天下午我没去公共汽车站接你。当时我不知道手表停了。请原谅。
3. 范文示例 (1) 因失约致歉
Dear Selma,
My face has been red all morning! How can I apologize for missing our luncheon date yesterday? You know my mind has been on Margie’s wedding. I was so absorbed in the details of the reception that I completely forgot about our date. Please forgive me. Let’s make it next Tuesday. I promise to tie a string around my finger so I won’t forget.
Affectionately, Li Ming
(2) 因拖延归还物品致歉
Dear Lee,
Excuse me for my long delay in returning to you your Understanding and Using English Grammar which I read through with great interest. I had finished reading the book and was about to return it when a friend of mine came to see me. Never having seen the book, he was so interested in it that I had to retain it longer. However, I hope that in view of the additional delight thus afforded by your book, you will overlook my negligence in not returning it sooner.
Thanking you for the loan.
Yours truly, Li Ming
(3) 因失物致歉
Dear Laura,
I’m afraid we can’t go to the concert on Sunday. I’ve lost the tickets. I looked for them everywhere but they simply disappeared. I must apologize for being so careless. I’ll try to get hold of two tickets again for some other nights. Which date will be suitable for you?
I’m sorry for causing all this inconvenience. I hope you are not too angry.
Yours truly, Li Ming
------------------------------------------------------------------------ 五、慰问信
1. 概说 亲戚、朋友若遇到了不愉快或不幸的事，就希望能收到热情洋溢、表 示同情和慰问的信。慰问信(letter of consolation)要表示关怀或提供 帮助，写信的口吻根据当时的环境而定。向对方表示慰问，不一定都要 调子低沉，应该充分表示出热情和友谊，能充分理解别人所处的困境。 信要写得及时，辞句要朴素，感情要真挚。
2. 常用短句
1)I am anxious to know how you are getting on. 现况如何，甚为挂念。
2)If I can be of any assistance to you, do not hesitate to let me know.
假如我能对你有所帮助，请毫不犹豫地告诉我。
3)We are sure it won’t be long before you’re back on your feet again.
相信不久你就会康复。
4)I was surprised to learn from today’s papers that a severe typhoon passed over your hometown recently. I hope that your house did not suffer any damage.
从今日报纸上获悉，你的家乡最近遭遇严重的台风，不胜惊恐。愿你的 住所未遭损坏。
5)I was extremely sorry to hear of the fire which destroyed your house. I hasten to offer my sympathy. 获悉你的住所在火灾中被毁，极为遗憾。对你的遭遇深表同情。
6)I just can’t tell you how sorry I was to learn of your accident. I hope you weren’t badly injured and that you’ ll soon be all right again.
听到你发生意外，深感不安。但愿伤势不重，早日康复。
7)I have just heard, with sincere regret, of your illness,
and write to express my sympathy and most earnest good wishes for your speedy recovery. 刚刚得知你生病的消息，极为难过。现写此信，表示我的慰问和最真挚 的祝愿，祝你早日恢复健康。
8)I was sorry to hear that you were not successful in getting an admission to the Teacher’s College, Columbia University. I wish you better luck next time.
得知你未被哥伦比亚大学师范学院录取，深感遗憾。祝你下次好运。
9)I’m grieved to hear of the breaking off of your marriage. I know well what you must be feeling. Please accept my sincere sympathy. The material you are studying is compiled by professor Gong Dongfeng.
惊悉你婚姻破裂。完全理解你此刻的心情。请接受我诚挚的问候。
3. 范文示例
(1) 慰问友人落榜
Dear Bill,
What a shocking news to me when I was told by Tammy that you could not pass the entrance examination. This means you have to wait for another year to take the next examination. I quite
understand how you feel now. But there are many chances that you can try. I hope that you will not take this to heart, and will get ready to try again. I am sure you will easily succeed next time.
Yours, Li Ming
(2) 慰问友人生病
Dear Joe,
James and I are extremely sorry to hear of your illness.
Everyone in our group is thinking of you and they have taken over that position of the work assigned to you.
We understand that you will be hospitalized for a week or two. I have asked Harry to take a novel to you. It is on the best-seller list of the week. I hope you will find it interesting to while away the time with. Hurry up and get well again. We all hope to see you up and about, and your smile face soon.