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办公室烦心事的小小安慰(上)
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即使是热爱工作的人也会有几句怨言。即使是工作表现出色的人也有自己的烦忧。办公室环境让人很难集中注意力，同事们难以置信地令人讨厌，自己在组织内的职业道路并不清晰。
双语精读
Silver linings: The small consolations of office irritations
一线光亮：办公室烦心事的小小安慰
Even people who love their jobs have a few gripes. Even people who excel at their work have their share of worries. The office environment makes it hard to concentrate; their colleagues are annoying beyond belief; their career path within the organisation is not obvious.
即使是热爱工作的人也会有几句怨言。即使是工作表现出色的人也有自己的烦忧。办公室环境让人很难集中注意力，同事们难以置信地令人讨厌，自己在组织内的职业道路并不清晰。
There are aspects of the workplace, like "reply all" email threads and any kind of role-playing, which are completely beyond redemption. This column is here to administer the balm of consolation for some of work's recurring irritations.
工作中的某些方面，比如“回复全部”的一连串往来邮件和任何类型的角色扮演，都是没有办法补救的。但对于工作中反复出现的一些烦心事，本专栏倒是可以提供一些慰藉的灵药。
Start with a pervasive problem: being interrupted.
首先是一个普遍存在的问题：被打断。
You have muted notifications on Slack and cleared your calendar; the Prelude from Bach's Cello Suite No 1 is playing; your fingers are poised above the keyboard and a thought of world-altering profundity is gradually taking shape in your mind.
你将Slack上的通知静音，做完了日历上的待办事项，巴赫第一号大提琴组曲的前奏正在播放，你的手指悬于键盘上方，一个足以改变世界的深刻想法正在你的脑海中逐渐成形。
Then there is a knock at the door, and a colleague asks if you have a minute to discuss the air-conditioning. By the time they have gone, so has that momentous thought and any sense of well-being.
然后有人敲门，一位同事问你是否有时间讨论一下空调的问题。等他们离开了，那个重要想法和任何幸福感也都消失了。
Context-switching of this sort is more than simply annoying. A survey conducted in 2021 found that it takes people nine and a half minutes to resume a focused state of mind after switching between apps.
这种环境切换不仅仅是令人讨厌。2021年进行的一项调查发现，在不同应用之间切换后，人们需要九分半钟才能恢复专注的精神状态。
But there is a bright side to being interrupted. A paper by Harshad Puranik of the University of Illinois Chicago and his co-authors asked a sample of employees in America to record how often they were distracted by colleagues and to report their sense of belonging to their organisations.
但被打断也有积极的一面。伊利诺伊芝加哥大学的哈沙德·普拉尼克和其合著者发表了一篇论文，让被抽样的一些美国员工记录他们因同事而分心的频率，并报告他们在组织的归属感。
They found that being interrupted involves a social interaction with colleagues that can strengthen a worker's feelings of connection.
他们发现，被打断涉及与同事之间的社交互动，这可以加强员工的与人连接之感。
The next time a knock comes, remind yourself that at least you are not lonely.
下次有人敲门时，提醒自己至少你并不孤独。
What about some of the characters who make office life so teeth-grinding? Every company has its share of toadies who specialise in managing up: flattering the bosses and claiming more credit than is their due.
对于那些让你在办公室生活中咬牙切齿的角色，又该怎么办呢？每家公司都有专会向上管理的马屁精：奉承老板，把多于他们应得的功劳揽在自己身上。
Unctuousness is undoubtedly irritating. But it, too, can sometimes have wider benefits.
谄媚油滑无疑令人恼火，但有时也可能有更大的好处。
词汇预习
interaction [高考]
美[ˌɪntəˈrækʃən] | 英[ˌɪntərˈækʃən]
n. 相互作用；相互影响；互动交流
sample [高考]
美[ˈsæmpl] | 英[ˈsɑːmpl]
vt. 取样；尝试；抽样检查 n. 样品；样本；例子 adj. 试样的，样品的；作为例子的
undoubtedly [高考]
美[ʌn'daʊtɪdlɪ] | 英[ʌn'daʊtɪdlɪ]
adv. 无疑地
well-being [高考]
美[ˈwel biːɪŋ] | 英[ˈwel biːɪŋ]
n. 康乐；安宁
resume [高考]
美[rɪˈzuːm] | 英[rɪˈzjuːm]
v. 重新开始；再继续 n. 简历；履历；摘要
column [高考]
美[ˈkɑːləm] | 英[ˈkɒləm]
n. 栏；专栏；列；圆柱；柱；柱形物
administer [高考]
美[ədˈmɪnɪstər] | 英[ədˈmɪnɪstə(r)]
vt. 管理；执行；给与；用(药) vi. 执行管理人职责；给与帮助
within [高考]
美[wɪˈðɪn] | 英[wɪˈðɪn]
prep. 在(某段时间、距离或范围)内；在…里面 adv. 在…里面 n. 内部
due [高考]
美[duː] | 英[djuː]
adj. 应有的；到期的；预定的；应付的 n. 应得物；会费
colleague [高考]
美[ˈkɑːliːɡ] | 英[ˈkɒliːɡ]
n. 同事
belief [高考]
美[bɪˈliːf] | 英[bɪˈliːf]
n. 信念；信仰；相信
obvious [高考]
美[ˈɑːbviəs] | 英[ˈɒbviəs]
adj.明显的;显著的;平淡无奇的;自明
strengthen [高考]
美[ˈstreŋθn] | 英[ˈstreŋθn]
v. 加强；变坚固
organisation [高考]
美[ˌɔːrɡənəˈzeɪʃn] | 英[ˌɔːɡənaɪˈzeɪʃn]
n. 组织；团体；条理
workplace [高考]
美[ˈwɜːrkpleɪs] | 英[ˈwɜːkpleɪs]
n. 工作场所
email [四级]
美['imeɪl] | 英['i:meɪl]
vt. 发电子邮件；给……发电子邮件 n. 电子邮件，电子信函
excel [四级]
美[ɪkˈsel] | 英[ɪkˈsel]
vt. 优于；超过 vi. 胜出 n. [计] 电子表格（软件名称）
air-conditioning [六级]
美[ˈer kəndɪʃnɪŋ] | 英[ˈeə kəndɪʃnɪŋ]
n. 空调系统；空气调节 v. 用空调器调节（ air-condition的现在分词 ）
kind of [六级]
美[kaɪnd ʌv] | 英[kaind ɔv]
adv. 有点儿
profundity [专四]
美[prəˈfʌndɪti, pro-] | 英[prəˈfʌndəti]
n. 深奥；深刻；深厚；渊博
balm [专八]
美[bɑm] | 英[bɑ:m]
n. 香油；药膏
redemption [专八]
美[rɪˈdempʃn] | 英[rɪˈdempʃn]
n. 赎回；救赎；赎罪；补偿
momentous [专八]
美[moʊˈmentəs] | 英[məˈmentəs]
adj. 重要的；重大的
pervasive [考研]
美[pərˈveɪsɪv] | 英[pəˈveɪsɪv]
adj. 普遍的；渗透的；遍布的
recurring [托福]
美[rɪ'kɜɪŋ] | 英[rɪ'kɜ:rɪŋ]
adj. 再发的；循环的
specialise [雅思]
美['speʃəlˌaɪz] | 英['speʃəlˌaɪz]
vi. 专门做 vt. 使 ... 专业化； 限定 ... 的范围； 特别指明
重点讲解
Silver linings: The small consolations of office irritations
一线光亮：办公室烦心事的小小安慰
excel v.
1. 擅长；善于
【例】Rick has always excelled at foreign languages.
里克一向擅长外语。
2. 胜过平时
【例】You have excelled yourself with the new exhibition.
你新办的这次展览特别成功。
beyond belief 令人难以置信
【例】What she did was stupid beyond belief.
她所做的事情傻得叫人难以相信。
【拓展】beggar belief 难以相信
【例】It beggars belief how things could have got this bad.
真是难以置信，情况怎么会恶化到这种地步。
Even people who love their jobs have a few gripes. Even people who excel at their work have their share of worries. The office environment makes it hard to concentrate; their colleagues are annoying beyond belief; their career path within the organisation is not obvious.
即使是热爱工作的人也会有几句怨言。即使是工作表现出色的人也有自己的烦忧。办公室环境让人很难集中注意力，同事们难以置信地令人讨厌，自己在组织内的职业道路并不清晰。
excel v.
1. 擅长；善于
【例】Rick has always excelled at foreign languages.
里克一向擅长外语。
2. 胜过平时
【例】You have excelled yourself with the new exhibition.
你新办的这次展览特别成功。
beyond belief 令人难以置信
【例】What she did was stupid beyond belief.
她所做的事情傻得叫人难以相信。
【拓展】beggar belief 难以相信
【例】It beggars belief how things could have got this bad.
真是难以置信，情况怎么会恶化到这种地步。
There are aspects of the workplace, like “reply all” email threads and any kind of role-playing, which are completely beyond redemption. This column is here to administer the balm of consolation for some of work’s recurring irritations.
工作中的某些方面，比如“回复全部”的一连串往来邮件和任何类型的角色扮演，都是没有办法补救的。但对于工作中反复出现的一些烦心事，本专栏倒是可以提供一些慰藉的灵药。
thread n. & v.
1.作名词
（1）（棉、毛、丝等的）线
【例】a needle and thread针线
（2）线索；思路
【例】The speaker lost his thread halfway through the talk.
讲话者讲到一半乱了思路。
（3）（网上讨论区涉及同一个主题的〕一连串帖子
【例】I’d like to refer to something that was posted in an earlier thread.
我想提一下早前的那些帖子中说到的一件事。
2. 作动词
（1）穿（针）；纫（针）
【例】to thread a needle (with cotton)（用棉线）纫针
（2）（使）穿过；通过
【例】It took me a long time to thread my way through the crowd.
我花了很长时间才从人群中挤过去。
（3）穿成串；串在一起
【例】to thread beads (onto a string)
（在绳子上）把珠子串起来
administer v.
1. 管理（公司、组织、机构等）；治理（国家）
【例】Our office administers the affairs of the Society.
我们办公室管理协会的事务。
2. 施行；执行
【例】to administer justice/the law司法；执法
3. 给予；提供
【例】The teacher has the authority to administer punishment.
老师有权处罚。
balm n.
1. 镇痛软膏；护肤膏
【例】He used a skin balm after shaving.
剃须后他用了润肤膏。
2. 慰藉, 安慰
【例】The gentle music was a balm to his spirit.
柔和的音乐是他精神的慰藉。
Start with a pervasive problem: being interrupted.
首先是一个普遍存在的问题：被打断。
mute a. & v. & n.
1. 作形容词：沉默的；无声的；哑的
【例】The child sat mute in the corner of the room.
这孩子坐在屋子的角落里，一声不吭。
2. 作动词
（1）静音，消音；减弱声音
【例】A button on the speaker mutes the microphone.
扬声器上的按钮使麦克风静音。
（2）减弱；缓解
【例】She thought it better to mute her criticism.
她觉得还是婉转地提出批评比较好。
3. 作名词：弱音器；哑巴
【例】During a phone call, press mute to turn off the microphone.
在通话过程中，按静音可关闭麦克风。
poised a.
1. 处于准备状态；蓄势待发
【例】Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone.
蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。
2. 介于某事物和某事物之间的
【例】The world stood poised between peace and war.
世界处在和平和战争之间。
3. 镇定的，自信的
【例】He is a remarkably poised young man.
他是个特别稳健的年轻人。
You have muted notifications on Slack and cleared your calendar; the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No 1 is playing; your fingers are poised above the keyboard and a thought of world-altering profundity is gradually taking shape in your mind.
你将Slack上的通知静音，做完了日历上的待办事项，巴赫第一号大提琴组曲的前奏正在播放，你的手指悬于键盘上方，一个足以改变世界的深刻想法正在你的脑海中逐渐成形。
mute a. & v. & n.
1. 作形容词：沉默的；无声的；哑的
【例】The child sat mute in the corner of the room.
这孩子坐在屋子的角落里，一声不吭。
2. 作动词
（1）静音，消音；减弱声音
【例】A button on the speaker mutes the microphone.
扬声器上的按钮使麦克风静音。
（2）减弱；缓解
【例】She thought it better to mute her criticism.
她觉得还是婉转地提出批评比较好。
3. 作名词：弱音器；哑巴
【例】During a phone call, press mute to turn off the microphone.
在通话过程中，按静音可关闭麦克风。
poised a.
1. 处于准备状态；蓄势待发
【例】Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone.
蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。
2. 介于某事物和某事物之间的
【例】The world stood poised between peace and war.
世界处在和平和战争之间。
3. 镇定的，自信的
【例】He is a remarkably poised young man.
他是个特别稳健的年轻人。
Then there is a knock at the door, and a colleague asks if you have a minute to discuss the air-conditioning. By the time they have gone, so has that momentous thought and any sense of well-being.
然后有人敲门，一位同事问你是否有时间讨论一下空调的问题。等他们离开了，那个重要想法和任何幸福感也都消失了。
resume v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）重新开始；（中断后）继续
【例】She hopes to resume work after the baby is born.
她想生完孩子后继续工作。
（2）回到（原来的座位、地方或位置）
【例】He resumed his seat opposite her.
他回到原来的座位，坐在她对面。
2. 作名词
（1）摘要；概述
【例】a brief resume of the day’s events 当天活动的概述
（2）（求职用的）履历，简历
【例】You can post your resume on the website free of charge.
你可以在网站上免费上传简历。
Context-switching of this sort is more than simply annoying. A survey conducted in 2021 found that it takes people nine and a half minutes to resume a focused state of mind after switching between apps.
这种环境切换不仅仅是令人讨厌。2021年进行的一项调查发现，在不同应用之间切换后，人们需要九分半钟才能恢复专注的精神状态。
resume v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）重新开始；（中断后）继续
【例】She hopes to resume work after the baby is born.
她想生完孩子后继续工作。
（2）回到（原来的座位、地方或位置）
【例】He resumed his seat opposite her.
他回到原来的座位，坐在她对面。
2. 作名词
（1）摘要；概述
【例】a brief resume of the day’s events 当天活动的概述
（2）（求职用的）履历，简历
【例】You can post your resume on the website free of charge.
你可以在网站上免费上传简历。
But there is a bright side to being interrupted. A paper by Harshad Puranik of the University of Illinois Chicago and his co-authors asked a sample of employees in America to record how often they were distracted by colleagues and to report their sense of belonging to their organisations.
但被打断也有积极的一面。伊利诺伊芝加哥大学的哈沙德·普拉尼克和其合著者发表了一篇论文，让被抽样的一些美国员工记录他们因同事而分心的频率，并报告他们在组织的归属感。
at least 至少
【例】Cut the grass at least once a week in summer.
夏天至少每周割一次草。
【拓展】last but not least最后但同样重要的
【例】Last but not least, I'd like to thank all the catering staff.
最后但同样重要的是，我要感谢所有的餐饮工作人员。
They found that being interrupted involves a social interaction with colleagues that can strengthen a worker’s feelings of connection.
他们发现，被打断涉及与同事之间的社交互动，这可以加强员工的与人连接之感。
at least 至少
【例】Cut the grass at least once a week in summer.
夏天至少每周割一次草。
【拓展】last but not least最后但同样重要的
【例】Last but not least, I'd like to thank all the catering staff.
最后但同样重要的是，我要感谢所有的餐饮工作人员。
The next time a knock comes, remind yourself that at least you are not lonely.
下次有人敲门时，提醒自己至少你并不孤独。
at least 至少
【例】Cut the grass at least once a week in summer.
夏天至少每周割一次草。
【拓展】last but not least最后但同样重要的
【例】Last but not least, I'd like to thank all the catering staff.
最后但同样重要的是，我要感谢所有的餐饮工作人员。
What about some of the characters who make office life so teeth-grinding? Every company has its share of toadies who specialise in managing up: flattering the bosses and claiming more credit than is their due.
对于那些让你在办公室生活中咬牙切齿的角色，又该怎么办呢？每家公司都有专会向上管理的马屁精：奉承老板，把多于他们应得的功劳揽在自己身上。
credit n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）赊购；赊欠
【例】We bought the dishwasher on credit.
我们赊购了一台洗碗机。
（2）存款金额，结余
【例】I have three credits on my bank statement.
我的银行结算单上有 3 笔存款。
（3）赞扬；认可
【例】We did all the work and she gets all the credit!
工作都是我们干的，而功劳却都归了她！
（4）学分
【例】My math class is worth three credits.
我的数学课为三个学分。
2. 作动词
（1）（给银行账户）存入
【例】The cheque has been credited to your account.
支票已存入你的账户。
（2）相信某人有某优点
【例】I credited you with a little more sense.
我认为你更有见识。
（3）认为是…的功劳；把…归于
【例】The company is credited with inventing the industrial robot.
发明工业机器人是那家公司的功劳。
due n. & a. & ad.
1. 作名词
（1）某人应得的东西/权益
【例】He accepted all the praise he received as his due.
他认为他得到这些表扬是当之无愧的。
（2）会费
【例】Robert failed to pay his dues last year.
去年罗伯特没有缴纳会费。
2. 作形容词
（1）由于，因为
【例】The team's success was largely due to her efforts.
这个队的成功主要是她努力的结果
（2）应给予；应归于
【例】Our thanks are due to the whole team.
我们要向全队致谢。
（3）适当的；合适的
【例】After due consideration, we have decided to appoint Mr Davis to the job.
经过适当考虑之后，我们决定委任戴维斯先生负责这项工作。
3. 作副词：正向；正对着
【例】The village lies five miles due north of York.
这个村庄位于约克正北五英里处。
Unctuousness is undoubtedly irritating. But it, too, can sometimes have wider benefits.
谄媚油滑无疑令人恼火，但有时也可能有更大的好处。
credit n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）赊购；赊欠
【例】We bought the dishwasher on credit.
我们赊购了一台洗碗机。
（2）存款金额，结余
【例】I have three credits on my bank statement.
我的银行结算单上有 3 笔存款。
（3）赞扬；认可
【例】We did all the work and she gets all the credit!
工作都是我们干的，而功劳却都归了她！
（4）学分
【例】My math class is worth three credits.
我的数学课为三个学分。
2. 作动词
（1）（给银行账户）存入
【例】The cheque has been credited to your account.
支票已存入你的账户。
（2）相信某人有某优点
【例】I credited you with a little more sense.
我认为你更有见识。
（3）认为是…的功劳；把…归于
【例】The company is credited with inventing the industrial robot.
发明工业机器人是那家公司的功劳。
due n. & a. & ad.
1. 作名词
（1）某人应得的东西/权益
【例】He accepted all the praise he received as his due.
他认为他得到这些表扬是当之无愧的。
（2）会费
【例】Robert failed to pay his dues last year.
去年罗伯特没有缴纳会费。
2. 作形容词
（1）由于，因为
【例】The team's success was largely due to her efforts.
这个队的成功主要是她努力的结果
（2）应给予；应归于
【例】Our thanks are due to the whole team.
我们要向全队致谢。
（3）适当的；合适的
【例】After due consideration, we have decided to appoint Mr Davis to the job.
经过适当考虑之后，我们决定委任戴维斯先生负责这项工作。
3. 作副词：正向；正对着
【例】The village lies five miles due north of York.
这个村庄位于约克正北五英里处。
课后练习
What is the subject of this article?
A. The reason why people find their jobs unsatisfying.
B. The solution to the anxiety and pressures of work.
C. The way to relieve repeated frustrations in office life.
D. The advice on how to achieve success in work.
What can be learned about being interrupted?
A. Social media is a major cause of the problem.
B. Introverted workers suffer most from it.
C. It may lead to conflicts with colleagues.
D. It can reduce people’s work efficiency.
One of the benefits of being interrupted is that ____.
A. people can come up with creative ideas
B. people find their work more interesting
C. people feel less isolated in the workplace
D. people’s social skills are strengthened
What can be learned about toadies?
A. They are competent and get promoted quickly.
B. They are often jealous of other people’s success.
C. They can bring good results despite being annoying.
D. They like giving dishonest praise to their colleagues.