办公室里的桌怒(上)

最近的一项研究显示，在英国，多达五分之一的人有"恐音症"，即某些声音会给他们带来极大的痛苦。

双语精读

Desk rage: The health condition that blights office workers everywhere.

办公室的桌怒：一种折磨着世界各地上班族的健康问题

A recent piece of research revealed that as many as one in five people in Britain suffers from "misophonia", a condition in which certain sounds cause them disproportionate distress.

最近的一项研究显示，在英国，多达五分之一的人有"恐音症"，即某些声音会给他们带来极大的痛苦。

If you can listen to your spouse eating an apple and don't immediately want a divorce, you are not a sufferer of misophonia. But you may have another, similar condition for which the workplace is the perfect breeding-ground.

如果你听见你的另一半吃苹果的声音，不会让你想立刻离婚，那么你就没有恐音症。但你也可能有另一种类似的情况，办公环境是滋生这种情况的完美温床。

"Misergonia" (colloquial shorthand: desk rage) is the name hereby bestowed on the eye-gougingly deep irritation triggered by certain aspects of office life.

"恐工症"(口语简称为桌怒)是对让人怒目的强烈愤怒情绪的称呼，这种烦躁情绪是由办公室生活的某些方面引发的。

Like misophonia, sounds are often the trigger for misergonia. The routine fire-alarm test is a case in point.

和恐音症一样，声音往往是恐工症的导火索。例行的火警测试就是一个很好的例子。

"Attention please, attention please," shouts a voice that is literally impossible to ignore. "This is a test," it roars, making it clear that your attention is not in fact required. More shouting and eardrum-piercing noises follow.

"请注意，请注意。"一个不可能不被注意的声音喊道。"这是测试。"这个咆哮的声音又清楚地告诉你，实际上并不需要你的注意。接着就是更多的喊叫声和穿透耳膜的噪音。

Then, most galling of all, a message of thanks for your attention, the aural equivalent of a prison thanking you for choosing them for a stay. By the end of it all, a conflagration would be sweet release.

然后，最让人恼火的是发来一条消息感谢你的关注，这简直相当于一座听觉监狱感谢你选择在此暂住。等到一切都结束时，一场大火倒会是甜蜜的解脱。

Other noises are less obviously intrusive but just as annoying. The noise of clicking keys is the soundtrack of cubicles everywhere.

其他噪音没有这么明显的侵入性，但同样令人讨厌。敲键盘的声音是格子间的统一配乐。

But every office has its share of keyboard thumpers, people whose goal seems to be not producing a document but destroying the equipment before one can be created.

但每个办公室都有砸键盘的人，他们的目标似乎不是创建一份文档，而是在文档还没完成的时候就把设备砸烂。

Verbal tics are another tripwire for misergonia sufferers. "This is a point that has already been made," is how weirdly large numbers of people start to make a point that has already been made. Why not just say "I don't value your time" and have done with it?

口头禅是恐工症患者的另一个雷区。"这个观点已经被人提过了"，多到离谱的人会说完这句话后，开始提出一个别人已经提过的观点。为什么不干脆说"我不珍惜你的时间"，然后直接结束呢？

Small IT failures are a fact of office life, but they can still be soul-destroying. The printer which jams repeatedly. The design requirement in said printer that demands every flap and tray must be opened once before things can restart.

各种信息技术方面的小故障是办公室生活中不可避免的，但这些故障仍然能消磨精神。总是卡纸的打印机。上述打印机要求重新启动之前，每个翻盖和托盘必须打开一次。

The headphones that never work. Or the mouse that gives up at just the wrong moment. Your cursor is two centimetres from the unmute button on a Zoom call; you move your mouse towards it when it is your turn to speak, and nothing happens.

从来不管用的耳机。或者关键时候掉链子的鼠标。在Zoom上开会的时候，你的光标距离取消静音按钮只有两厘米，轮到你发言时，你把鼠标移过去，但没有任何反应。

You rattle it around more vigorously, and still no response. Either your cursor is in a coma or the battery has run out. "You're still on mute," offers up a colleague helpfully. Someone else fills the gap. "This is a point that has already been made…," they begin.

你更用力地摇晃鼠标，还是没有反应。要么是光标处于昏迷状态，要么是电池没电了。"你还在静音。"一位同事给出了很有帮助的提醒。其他人补位发言。"这个观点已经被人提过了......"他们开口说。

词汇预习

obviously [高考]
美[ˈɑːbviəsli] | 英[ˈɒbviəsli]
adv.明显地
response [高考]
美[rɪˈspɑːns] | 英[rɪˈspɒns]
n. 反应；回答；响应；答复
release [高考]
美[rɪˈliːs] | 英[rɪˈliːs]
n. 释放；让渡；发行 vt. 释放；让与；准予发表；发射
trigger [高考]
美[ˈtrɪɡər] | 英[ˈtrɪɡə(r)]
v. 使发生；触发；使运行 n. 扳机；起因
repeatedly [高考]
美[rɪˈpiːtɪdli] | 英[rɪˈpiːtɪdli]
adv. 重复地；再三地
restart [高考]
美[ˌriˈstɑrt] | 英[ˌri:ˈstɑ:t]
v. 重新启动，重新开始 n. 重新开始；返聘
mute [高考]
美[mjuːt] | 英[mjuːt]
adj. 哑的；缄默的，沉默的；（字母）哑音的，无音的；拒绝答辩的被告人 n. 哑巴；弱音器；默音字母 v. 消音，减音；减弱，缓和【名】（Mute）（塞）穆特（人名）
equivalent [高考]
美[ɪˈkwɪvələnt] | 英[ɪˈkwɪvələnt]
adj. 等价的相等的 n. 相等物
rage [高考]
美[reɪdʒ] | 英[reɪdʒ]
n. 狂怒；大怒；狂暴；肆虐；风行 v. 大怒；怒斥；激烈进行；肆虐
ignore [高考]
美[ɪɡˈnɔːr] | 英[ɪɡˈnɔː(r)]
vt. 忽视；不理；不顾
colleague [高考]
美[ˈkɑːliːɡ] | 英[ˈkɒliːɡ]
n. 同事
requirement [高考]
美[rɪˈkwaɪərmənt] | 英[rɪˈkwaɪəmənt]
n. 必要条件；要求
routine [高考]
美[ruːˈtiːn] | 英[ruːˈtiːn]
n. 例行公事；常规；无聊 adj. 常规的；例行的；乏味的
document [高考]
美[ˈdɑːkjumənt , ˈdɑːkjument] | 英[ˈdɒkjumənt , ˈdɒkjument]
n. 文件；公文；文档 vt. 记载；(用文件等)证明
soul [高考]
美[səʊl] | 英[səʊl]
n. 灵魂；心灵；精神；鬼魂 adj. 美国黑人文化的
divorce [高考]
美[dɪˈvɔːrs] | 英[dɪˈvɔːs]
n. 分离；离婚 vt. 使分离；与 ... 离婚 vi. 离婚
gap [高考]
美[ɡæp] | 英[ɡæp]
n. 缺口；裂缝；差距；空白
literally [高考]
美[ˈlɪtərəli] | 英[ˈlɪtərəli]
adv. 逐字地；按照字面上地；不夸张地；正确地；简直
breeding [高考]
美[ˈbriːdɪŋ] | 英[ˈbriːdɪŋ]
n. 生养；教养；抚养；繁殖；血统；育种
coma [高考]
美[ˈkoʊmə] | 英[ˈkəʊmə]
n. 昏迷
rattle [高考]
美[ˈrætl] | 英[ˈrætl]
vi. 嘎嘎作响；喋喋不休说话；轰隆隆地开过 vt. 使惊惶失措；使恼火；使作响 n. 嘎嘎声；嘎嘎响的玩具；拔浪鼓；急响器，响板；（响尾蛇尾部的）角质环，响环【名】（Rattle）（英）拉特尔（人名）
soundtrack [高考]
美[ˈsaʊndtræk] | 英[ˈsaʊndtræk]
n. 声道；电影配乐；电影原声带
workplace [高考]
美[ˈwɜːrkpleɪs] | 英[ˈwɜːkpleɪs]
n. 工作场所
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
distress [四级]
美[dɪˈstres] | 英[dɪˈstres]
n. 不幸；危难；苦恼；痛苦 vt. 使苦恼；使痛苦
tray [四级]
美[treɪ] | 英[treɪ]
n. 托盘；盘
aural [四级]
美[ˈɔːrəl] | 英[ˈɔːrəl]
adj. 听觉的；耳的
spouse [四级]
美[spaʊs] | 英[spaʊs]
n. 配偶 v. 和…结婚
vigorously [四级]
美[ˈvɪɡərəslɪ] | 英['vɪɡərəslɪ]
adv. 有力地；健壮地；精力旺盛地
irritation [四级]
美[ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃn] | 英[ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃn]
n. 刺激；烦恼；刺激物
a case in point [四级]
美[e kes ɪn pɔɪnt] | 英[ə keis in pɔint]
恰当的例子
flap [六级]
美[flæp] | 英[flæp]
n. 拍打；拍打声；片状垂悬物；副翼；[口]不安 v. 拍打；鼓翼而飞
shorthand [六级]
美[ˈʃɔːrthænd] | 英[ˈʃɔːthænd]
n. 速记；缩写
have done with [六级]
美[hæv dʌn wɪð] | 英[hæv dʌn wɪð]
vt. 做完；用毕；结束
colloquial [专四]
美[kəˈloʊkwiəl] | 英[kəˈləʊkwiəl]
adj. 口语的；会话的
hereby [专八]
美[ˌhɪrˈbaɪ] | 英[ˌhɪəˈbaɪ]
adv. 特此
intrusive [专八]
美[ɪnˈtruːsɪv] | 英[ɪnˈtruːsɪv]
adj. 打搅的；侵入的
disproportionate [考研]
美[ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːrʃənət] | 英[ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃənət]
adj. 不成比例的；不相称的；不均衡的
don [托福]
美[dɑn] | 英[dɒn]
n. 先生（西班牙用语）；(牛津、剑桥大学的)指导教师 v. 穿上

重点讲解

Desk rage: The health condition that blights office workers everywhere.

办公室的桌怒：一种折磨着世界各地上班族的健康问题

blight v. & n.

1. 作动词：损害；妨害

【例】His career has been blighted by injuries.

他的事业不断受到伤病的困扰。

2. 作名词

（1）（农作物等的）疫病

【例】potato blight 马铃薯疫病

（2）（对局势、生活或环境）有害的事物，阴影

【例】Her guilty secret was a blight on her happiness.

那个罪恶的秘密给她的幸福蒙上了阴影。

distress n. & v.

1. 作名词

（1）忧虑；悲伤

【例】She was obviously in distress after the attack.

她受到攻击后显然很痛苦。

（2）贫困；困苦

【例】economic/financial distress 经济拮据；财政困难

（3）（船、飞机等）遇难，遇险

【例】a distress signal 求救信号

2. 作动词：使忧虑；使悲伤

【例】The dream had distressed her greatly.

这场梦使她深感不安。

A recent piece of research revealed that as many as one in five people in Britain suffers from "misophonia", a condition in which certain sounds cause them disproportionate distress.

最近的一项研究显示，在英国，多达五分之一的人有"恐音症"，即某些声音会给他们带来极大的痛苦。

blight v. & n.

1. 作动词：损害；妨害

【例】His career has been blighted by injuries.

他的事业不断受到伤病的困扰。

2. 作名词

（1）（农作物等的）疫病

【例】potato blight 马铃薯疫病

（2）（对局势、生活或环境）有害的事物，阴影

【例】Her guilty secret was a blight on her happiness.

那个罪恶的秘密给她的幸福蒙上了阴影。

distress n. & v.

1. 作名词

（1）忧虑；悲伤

【例】She was obviously in distress after the attack.

她受到攻击后显然很痛苦。

（2）贫困；困苦

【例】economic/financial distress 经济拮据；财政困难

（3）（船、飞机等）遇难，遇险

【例】a distress signal 求救信号

2. 作动词：使忧虑；使悲伤

【例】The dream had distressed her greatly.

这场梦使她深感不安。

如果你听见你的另一半吃苹果的声音，不会让你想立刻离婚，那么你就没有恐音症。但你也可能有另一种类似的情况，办公环境是滋生这种情况的完美温床。

breeding-ground n.
1. （坏事物的）滋生地，温床

【例】Overcrowded slums are breeding grounds for crime.

人口过于拥挤的贫民窟是滋生犯罪的温床。

2. （野生动物的）繁殖地

【例】It's the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

这里对有害细菌来说是完美的繁殖地。

shorthand n.

1. 简单含糊的说法

【例】He’s been ‘relocated’, which is shorthand for ‘given a worse job a long way away’.

他已经被“重新安置”，这只是一个简单含蓄的说法，其实就是“被派到很远的地方做更差的工作”。

2. 速记

【例】a shorthand typist 速记打字员

trigger v. & n.

1. 作动词：引起；触发

【例】The assassination triggered off a wave of rioting.

这次暗杀事件引发了一阵骚乱。

2. 作名词

（1）（枪的）扳机

【例】to pull the trigger 扣扳机

（2）（引发不良反应或发展的）起因，诱因

【例】The hijacking became a trigger point for military action.

这次劫持事件成了引发军事行动的导火线。

"Misergonia" (colloquial shorthand: desk rage) is the name hereby bestowed on the eye-gougingly deep irritation triggered by certain aspects of office life.

"恐工症"(口语简称为桌怒)是对让人怒目的强烈愤怒情绪的称呼，这种烦躁情绪是由办公室生活的某些方面引发的。

breeding-ground n.
1. （坏事物的）滋生地，温床

【例】Overcrowded slums are breeding grounds for crime.

人口过于拥挤的贫民窟是滋生犯罪的温床。

2. （野生动物的）繁殖地

【例】It's the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

这里对有害细菌来说是完美的繁殖地。

shorthand n.

1. 简单含糊的说法

【例】He’s been ‘relocated’, which is shorthand for ‘given a worse job a long way away’.

他已经被“重新安置”，这只是一个简单含蓄的说法，其实就是“被派到很远的地方做更差的工作”。

2. 速记

【例】a shorthand typist 速记打字员

trigger v. & n.

1. 作动词：引起；触发

【例】The assassination triggered off a wave of rioting.

这次暗杀事件引发了一阵骚乱。

2. 作名词

（1）（枪的）扳机

【例】to pull the trigger 扣扳机

（2）（引发不良反应或发展的）起因，诱因

【例】The hijacking became a trigger point for military action.

这次劫持事件成了引发军事行动的导火线。

Like misophonia, sounds are often the trigger for misergonia. The routine fire-alarm test is a case in point.

和恐音症一样，声音往往是恐工症的导火索。例行的火警测试就是一个很好的例子。

a case in point 明证；恰当的例证

【例】A case in point is our high staff turnover.

有一个问题是我们的高员工流失率。

【拓展】to take one example /for example / for instance 例如

【例】To take one example, spouses are liable for each other's debts

举个例子，夫妻对彼此的债务负有责任。

roar v. & n.

1. 作动词

（1）吼叫，大声地说

【例】We heard a lion roar.

我们听见了狮子的吼声。

（2）放声大笑；（车辆）轰鸣着疾驶

【例】It made them roar with laughter.

这使他们大笑起来。

2. 作名词

（1）咆哮；吼叫

【例】His speech was greeted by a roar of applause.

他的讲话引来了雷鸣般的掌声。

（2）（风或海的）呼啸声；（机器的）隆隆声

【例】I could barely hear above the roar of traffic.

除了车辆的轰鸣声，我几乎什么也听不见。

"Attention please, attention please," shouts a voice that is literally impossible to ignore. "This is a test," it roars, making it clear that your attention is not in fact required. More shouting and eardrum-piercing noises follow.

"请注意，请注意。"一个不可能不被注意的声音喊道。"这是测试。"这个咆哮的声音又清楚地告诉你，实际上并不需要你的注意。接着就是更多的喊叫声和穿透耳膜的噪音。

a case in point 明证；恰当的例证

【例】A case in point is our high staff turnover.

有一个问题是我们的高员工流失率。

【拓展】to take one example /for example / for instance 例如

【例】To take one example, spouses are liable for each other's debts

举个例子，夫妻对彼此的债务负有责任。

roar v. & n.

1. 作动词

（1）吼叫，大声地说

【例】We heard a lion roar.

我们听见了狮子的吼声。

（2）放声大笑；（车辆）轰鸣着疾驶

【例】It made them roar with laughter.

这使他们大笑起来。

2. 作名词

（1）咆哮；吼叫

【例】His speech was greeted by a roar of applause.

他的讲话引来了雷鸣般的掌声。

（2）（风或海的）呼啸声；（机器的）隆隆声

【例】I could barely hear above the roar of traffic.

除了车辆的轰鸣声，我几乎什么也听不见。

Then, most galling of all, a message of thanks for your attention, the aural equivalent of a prison thanking you for choosing them for a stay. By the end of it all, a conflagration would be sweet release.

然后，最让人恼火的是发来一条消息感谢你的关注，这简直相当于一座听觉监狱感谢你选择在此暂住。等到一切都结束时，一场大火倒会是甜蜜的解脱。

equivalent a. & n.

1. 作形容词：相等的，相当的

【例】a qualification which is equivalent to a degree 相当于学位的资历

2. 作名词：等同物；等价物

【例】The word has no equivalent in English.

这个单词在英语中没有对应词。

Other noises are less obviously intrusive but just as annoying. The noise of clicking keys is the soundtrack of cubicles everywhere.

其他噪音没有这么明显的侵入性，但同样令人讨厌。敲键盘的声音是格子间的统一配乐。

equivalent a. & n.

1. 作形容词：相等的，相当的

【例】a qualification which is equivalent to a degree 相当于学位的资历

2. 作名词：等同物；等价物

【例】The word has no equivalent in English.

这个单词在英语中没有对应词。

But every office**** has its share of**** keyboard**** thumpers****,**** people**** whose goal**** seems to**** be**** not producing a document**** but destroying**** the equipment before**** one can be**** created.****

但每个办公室都有砸键盘的人，他们的目标似乎不是创建一份文档，而是在文档还没完成的时候就把设备砸烂。

口头禅是恐工症患者的另一个雷区。"这个观点已经被人提过了"，多到离谱的人会说完这句话后，开始提出一个别人已经提过的观点。为什么不干脆说"我不珍惜你的时间"，然后直接结束呢？

have done with it 赶快了结，尽快做完（令人不愉快的事）

【例】Why not tell her you're quitting and have done with it?

为什么不告诉她你打算辞职，尽快把这件事了结呢？

jam n. & v.

1. 作名词

（1）果酱

【例】strawberry jam 草莓酱

（2）堵塞；卡住

【例】The bus was delayed in a five-mile jam.

公共汽车因长达五英里的交通堵塞而延误。

2. 作动词

（1）使劲（往某处）挤（或压、塞）

【例】He jammed his fingers in his ears.

他用手指使劲堵住耳朵。

（2）（使）卡住，不能动弹

【例】The photocopier keeps jamming up.

这台复印机总是卡纸。

Small IT failures are a fact of office life, but they can still be soul-destroying. The printer which jams repeatedly. The design requirement in said printer that demands every flap and tray must be opened once before things can restart.

各种信息技术方面的小故障是办公室生活中不可避免的，但这些故障仍然能消磨精神。总是卡纸的打印机。上述打印机要求重新启动之前，每个翻盖和托盘必须打开一次。

have done with it 赶快了结，尽快做完（令人不愉快的事）

【例】Why not tell her you're quitting and have done with it?

为什么不告诉她你打算辞职，尽快把这件事了结呢？

jam n. & v.

1. 作名词

（1）果酱

【例】strawberry jam 草莓酱

（2）堵塞；卡住

【例】The bus was delayed in a five-mile jam.

公共汽车因长达五英里的交通堵塞而延误。

2. 作动词

（1）使劲（往某处）挤（或压、塞）

【例】He jammed his fingers in his ears.

他用手指使劲堵住耳朵。

（2）（使）卡住，不能动弹

【例】The photocopier keeps jamming up.

这台复印机总是卡纸。

从来不管用的耳机。或者关键时候掉链子的鼠标。在Zoom上开会的时候，你的光标距离取消静音按钮只有两厘米，轮到你发言时，你把鼠标移过去，但没有任何反应。

run out

1. 用完；耗尽

【例】Time is running out for the trapped miners.

被困矿工的时间不多了。

2. （协议、正式文件等）期满，到期

【例】My contract runs out in September.

我的合同9月份期满。

You rattle it around more vigorously, and still no response. Either your cursor is in a coma or the battery has run out. "You're still on mute," offers up a colleague helpfully. Someone else fills the gap. "This is a point that has already been made…," they begin.

你更用力地摇晃鼠标，还是没有反应。要么是光标处于昏迷状态，要么是电池没电了。"你还在静音。"一位同事给出了很有帮助的提醒。其他人补位发言。"这个观点已经被人提过了......"他们开口说。

run out

1. 用完；耗尽

【例】Time is running out for the trapped miners.

被困矿工的时间不多了。

2. （协议、正式文件等）期满，到期

【例】My contract runs out in September.

我的合同9月份期满。

课后练习

What is misophonia according to the text?
A. People can’t hear certain types of sound.
B. People are irritated by certain sounds.
C. People are uncertain about divorcing.
D. People hate some kinds of fruit.
The fire-alarm test is annoying because ____.
A. it happens at an inconvenient time
B. it requires people to stop working
C. it creates many unbearable noises
D. it is time-consuming and unnecessary
Desk rage may be triggered by ____.
A. the noise of clicking keys
B. an unfinished document
C. useless verbal tics
D. inefficient meetings
The example of the Zoom meeting shows that ____.
A. small equipment failures can be annoying
B. small IT problems are unavoidable
C. online meetings seldom run smoothly
D. people keep repeating familiar opinions