第009句

The chairman of the board pressed on me the unpleasant job of dismissing good workers the firm can no longer afford to employ.

译文：董事长硬将一项不落好的工作派给我，让我解雇公司无力支付薪水的那些优秀员工。

点睛：press sth. on sb.意为“将某事物强加于某人，强迫某人接受某物”。介词of+动名词短语dismissing...用于解释说明job的具体内容。The firm...employ是以workers为先行词的定语从句，省略了关系代词，其中afford和情态动词can连用表示“付得起钱”。

考点归纳：与动词press相关的常见短语还有：

*press( sb.) for为得到…而催促某人

That company is pressing me for a decision on their offer，
那家公司正催我对他们提供的工作做出决定。

*press sb. to do sth.极力劝说某人做某事

Lisa pressed me to stay a little longer.
莉萨极力劝我再多待一会儿。

*press sb. /sth. into service（因急需）征用某人／某物（习语）

Their neighbors were pressed into service when the Whites are very busy．
怀特一家特别忙的时候，他们的邻居都来帮忙。