There was a time in the nineteen forties when Vyacheslav Mototov was Soviet foreign minister.He was a shrewd man and a hard bargainer ard worked for Joseph Stalin，who was The Boss.He was once overheard talking to Stalin by trans-Atlantic telephone during the course of some very intricate negotiations with the West.He said，“Yes，Comrade Stalin.”in quiet tones，then again，
“Yes，Comrade Stalin.”and then，after a considerable wait，
“Certainly，Comrade Stalin.Suddenly he was galvanized into emotion.”
“No，Comrade Stalin.”he barked，
“No.That's，no.Definitely，no.A thousand times，no！”
After a while，he quieted and it was“Yes，Comrade Stalin.”again.The reporter who overheard this was probably never so excited in his life.Clearly，Mototov was daring to oppose the dictator on at least one point，and it would surely be important to the West to know what that point might be.
The reporter approached Mototov and said as calmly as possible，Secretary Mototov，I could not help but hear you say at one point，“No，Comrade Stalin.”
Molotov turned his cold eyes on the reporter and said，“What of it？”
“May I ask.”said the reporter，cautiously，“What the subject under discussion was at that time？”
“You can.”said Mototov.“Comrade Stalin asked me if there was anything which he had said with which I disagreed.”
20世纪40年代的时候，墨脱托夫担任苏联外交部长。他非常精明，很少妥协，当时在斯大林手下工作。在一次与西方复杂的谈判过程中，有人听到他与斯大林进行越洋通话。他小声地说，“是的，斯大林同志”，后来又说，“是的，斯大林同志”，过了很长时间之后，他再一次说，“当然，斯大林同志。”但是突然间，他变得激动起来，喊道：
“不！斯大林同志！不不不，绝对不是！”
过了一会之后，他平静了下来，再次说：
“是的，斯大林同志。”听到这段对话的记者或许比以往任何时候都要激动。很显然，墨脱托夫至少在一点上敢于反对斯大林这个独裁者了，能知道这一点是什么，对西方而言当然很重要。
记者走近墨脱托夫，尽量冷静地说：“墨脱托夫秘书，我无意间听到了您说‘不，斯大林同志’？”
墨脱托夫冷淡地说：“这又怎么样呢？”
记者小心地问：“那，能请问您当时在讨论什么吗？”
墨脱托夫答道：“可以啊，斯大林同志问我对他刚才讲的有没有不同意的地方。”
1.Soviet adj./n.苏联的，苏维埃/苏维埃
2.shrewd adj.精明的
E.g.He was a shrewd businessman.他是个精明的商人。
3.bargainer n.讨价还价的人，来源于动词bargain（交易，讨价还价）
4.overhear v.无意中听到，偷听
5.trans-Atlantic 跨大西洋的trans-为词的前缀，表示“跨越，穿越”
6.intricate adj.复杂的，错综的
7.negotiation n.谈判
8.comrade n.同志
9.considerable adj.相当的，可观的
E.g.The TV play received considerable acclaim.这部电视剧获得很高评价。
注意：不要与consider记混
10.galvanize v.通电，引申意义为“受刺激，变得激动”
11.bark v.吠，叫
12.oppose v.反对
E.g.Many members opposed the change of regulations in this club.
很多会员反对俱乐部规则的改变。
13.dictator n.独裁者
14.approach
vi.（1）靠近，迫近，临近；行近；即将到来：
例句：A storm is approaching.暴风雨即将来临。
（2）（在性质、时间、数量、质量等方面）接近，近似：
例句：to approach to the character of……：几乎具有……的性格
vt.（1）向……靠近，向……接近，靠近：
例句：The cars slowed down as they approached the intersection.
当汽车向十字路口靠近时减速。
（2）（在性质、数量、质量、情形、时间等方面）近似，近于，接近；相似，类似：
例句：As a poet he hardly approaches John Milton.
他的诗才很难与弥尔顿媲美。
1.foreign minister 外交部长，外交大臣 类似的还有：
minister of education 教育部长
minister of public security 公安部长
minister of national defense 国防部长
2.as……as possible 尽可能地……
E.g.as soon as possible 尽快
as early as possible 尽早
3.turn an cold eye on 对……冷眼相看