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为什么在任何地方办公并不现实(上)

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对于大多数白领来说,曾经一切都非常简单。家是你为了工作而不得不离开的地方,办公室基本上是你必须去的地方。

为什么在任何地方办公并不现实(上)

双语精读

For most white-collar workers, it used to be very simple. Home was the place you left in order to go to work. The office was almost certainly the place you were heading to.

对于大多数白领来说,曾经一切都非常简单。家是你为了工作而不得不离开的地方,办公室基本上是你必须去的地方。

Co-working spaces were for entrepreneurial people in T-shirts who wanted to hang out with other entrepreneurial people in T-shirts. You could stay at a hotel on a work trip but it was not a place to get actual work done, which is why a hotel's "business centre" defined all of business as using a printer.

联合办公空间是为穿着T恤衫的创业者准备的,他们想和其他穿着T恤衫的创业者一起消磨时间。你可以在出差时住在酒店里,但酒店不是完成实际工作的地方,这就是为什么酒店的“商务中心”将所有的业务定义为使用打印机。

The pandemic has thrown these neat categories up into the air. Most obviously, home is now also a place of work. According to a recent Gallup survey, three-quarters of American workers whose jobs can be performed remotely expect to spend time doing just that in the future.

疫情将这些简洁明晰的分类抛到了九霄云外。最明显的是,家现在也是办公地点了。根据最近的一项盖洛普调查,四分之三可以远程完成工作的美国员工希望未来可以完全远程办公。

And offices are increasingly where you go to put the company into company -- through collaborative work as well as through social activities. But the boldest version of remote working extends well beyond these two locations.

办公室也越发成为你融入集体的地方: 通过协同工作和社交活动。但最大胆的远程工作模式远远超出了这两个地点。

"Working from anywhere" envisages a completely untethered existence, in which people can do their jobs in Alaska or Zanzibar. Plenty of destinations are keen to blur the lines between business and leisure ("bleisure", the world's ugliest chunk of word-vomit).

“在任何地方工作”设想的是一种完全不受束缚的生活方式,人们可以在阿拉斯加或桑给巴尔岛从事他们的工作。许多旅游目的地都热衷于混淆“商务”和“休闲”这两个概念(“商旅休闲化”是世界上最丑陋的词)。

Hotels are revamping some of their rooms as offices and rolling out work-from-hotel offers. Entire countries are reinventing themselves as places to mix play and work ("plork"?): the Bahamas, Costa Rica and Malta are among those that offer visas for digital nomads.

酒店正在将部分房间改造成办公室,还推出了酒店办公服务。所有国家都在将自己重塑为娱乐工作(“娱工?”)两不误的场所:巴哈马群岛、哥斯达黎加和马耳他都可为数字游民提供签证。

The work-from-anywhere world edged a little closer on April 28th, when Brian Chesky, Airbnb's boss, outlined new policies for employees of the property-renting platform.

4月28日,当爱彼迎的老板布莱恩·切斯基向该房屋租赁平台的员工概述新政策时,“在任何地方工作”的时代又向前迈进了一步。

As well as being able to move wherever they want in their country of employment without any cost-of-living adjustment, Airbnb staff can also spend up to 90 days each year living and working abroad.

爱彼迎的员工不仅可以在工资不变的情况下随意搬到,每年还可以在国外生活和工作长达90天。

Mr Chesky has been living out of Airbnb properties himself for the past few months, and thinks this is the future.

切斯基已经在爱彼迎的房间里住了好几个月,他认为这就是未来(的办公形式)。

词汇预习

  • increasingly [高考]

    美[ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli] | 英[ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli]

    adv. 逐渐地;越来越多地

  • obviously [高考]

    美[ˈɑːbviəsli] | 英[ˈɒbviəsli]

    adv.明显地

  • property [高考]

    美[ˈprɑːpərti] | 英[ˈprɒpəti]

    n. 财产;所有物;地产,房地产;性质;道具

  • employment [高考]

    美[ɪmˈplɔɪmənt] | 英[ɪmˈplɔɪmənt]

    n. 职业;雇用;使用

  • leisure [高考]

    美[ˈliːʒər] | 英[ˈleʒə(r)]

    n. 闲暇;休闲

  • centre [高考]

    美[ˈsentər] | 英[ˈsentə(r)]

    n. 中心;集中点 v. 居中;使集中 adj. 中心的;中央的

  • remote [高考]

    美[rɪˈmoʊt] | 英[rɪˈməʊt]

    adj. 遥远的;偏僻的;远程的;(感情等)距离很大 n. 远程操作

  • wherever [高考]

    美[werˈevər] | 英[weərˈevə(r)]

    adv. 无论什么地方 conj. 无论在哪里

  • existence [高考]

    美[ɪɡˈzɪstəns] | 英[ɪɡˈzɪstəns]

    n. 存在;生存

  • actual [高考]

    美[ˈæktʃuəl] | 英[ˈæktʃuəl]

    adj. 实际的;事实上的

  • platform [高考]

    美[ˈplætfɔːrm] | 英[ˈplætfɔːm]

    n. 平台,站台,月台,讲台,(政党的)政纲 v. 把…放在台上;起草政纲;站在讲台上演说

  • neat [高考]

    美[niːt] | 英[niːt]

    adj. 整洁的;简洁的;利索的 adv. 整洁地;利索地

  • adjustment [高考]

    美[əˈdʒʌstmənt] | 英[əˈdʒʌstmənt]

    n. 调整;调节

  • collar [高考]

    美[ˈkɑːlər] | 英[ˈkɒlə(r)]

    n. 衣领;项圈;[机]轴环 vt. 抓住;为 ... 戴上项圈;为 ... 上领子

  • in order [高考]

    美[ɪn 'ɔːrdər] | 英[ɪn 'ɔːdə]

    整齐;秩序井然;按顺序

  • living [高考]

    美[ˈlɪvɪŋ] | 英[ˈlɪvɪŋ]

    adj. 活着的;生动的 n. 生活;生计

  • where [高考]

    美[wer] | 英[weə(r)]

    adv. 在哪里;在那个地方 conj. 在 ... 地方

  • collaborative [四级]

    美[kəˈlæbəreɪtɪv] | 英[kəˈlæbərətɪv]

    adj. 协作的;合作的

  • blur [四级]

    美[blɜːr] | 英[blɜː(r)]

    v. 弄脏;使 ... 模糊 n. 污点;模糊

  • up to [四级]

    美[ʌp tu] | 英[ʌp tu]

    胜任;直到;多达;该由 ... 决定

  • white-collar [六级]

    美[ˌwaɪt ˈkɑːlər] | 英[ˌwaɪt ˈkɒlə(r)]

    adj. 白领阶层的

  • out of [六级]

    美[aʊt ʌv] | 英[aut ɔv]

    prep. 离…一段距离;从…里;离开 ...;出于

  • heading [六级]

    美[ˈhedɪŋ] | 英[ˈhedɪŋ]

    n. 标题;题目;航向

  • chunk [六级]

    美[tʃʌŋk] | 英[tʃʌŋk]

    n. 大块,厚块;大量,大部分;〈语言学〉话语组成部分,组块;矮胖的人或物 vt. (高尔夫球)没击中 vi. 发出猛冲的声音

  • vomit [专四]

    美[ˈvɑːmɪt] | 英[ˈvɒmɪt]

    v. 吐出;呕吐;喷出 n. 呕吐;呕吐物

重点讲解

For most white-collar workers, it used to be very simple. Home was the place you left in order to go to work. The office was almost certainly the place you were heading to.

对于大多数白领来说,曾经一切都非常简单。家是你为了工作而不得不离开的地方,办公室基本上是你必须去的地方。

hang out

1. 晾出,挂出

【例】I was worried I wouldn't be able to hang my laundry out.

我担心不能把洗的衣服晾到外面去。

2. 闲逛

(英文释义:If you hang out in a particular place or area, you go and stay there for no particular reason, or spend a lot of time there.)

【例】I often used to hang out in supermarkets.

我过去常常到超市闲逛。

Co-working spaces were for entrepreneurial people in T-shirts who wanted to hang out with other entrepreneurial people in T-shirts. You could stay at a hotel on a work trip but it was not a place to get actual work done, which is why a hotel's "business centre" defined all of business as using a printer.

联合办公空间是为穿着T恤衫的创业者准备的,他们想和其他穿着T恤衫的创业者一起消磨时间。你可以在出差时住在酒店里,但酒店不是完成实际工作的地方,这就是为什么酒店的“商务中心”将所有的业务定义为使用打印机。

hang out

1. 晾出,挂出

【例】I was worried I wouldn't be able to hang my laundry out.

我担心不能把洗的衣服晾到外面去。

2. 闲逛

(英文释义:If you hang out in a particular place or area, you go and stay there for no particular reason, or spend a lot of time there.)

【例】I often used to hang out in supermarkets.

我过去常常到超市闲逛。

The pandemic has thrown these neat categories up into the air. Most obviously, home is now also a place of work. According to a recent Gallup survey, three-quarters of American workers whose jobs can be performed remotely expect to spend time doing just that in the future.

疫情将这些简洁明晰的分类抛到了九霄云外。最明显的是,家现在也是办公地点了。根据最近的一项盖洛普调查,四分之三可以远程完成工作的美国员工希望未来可以完全远程办公。

up in the air   尚未决定,悬而未决

(英文释义:If a matter is up in the air, it is uncertain, often because other matters have to be decided first)

【例】The whole future of the project is still up in the air.

整个项目的未来仍然悬而未决。

【拓展】air相关的一些表达:

1. one's nose in the air   目中无人

【例】This person thinks he is better than everyone else. He has his nose in the air. 

这种人认为自己比任何人都好,他很自负。

2. clear the air   使空气清新;消除误会,澄清事实

(英文释义:to make the air cooler, fresher, and more comfortable; to remove the bad feelings between people)

【例】I had a massive argument with Sue, but at least it has cleared the air.

我和苏大吵了一架,但至少消除了误会。

And offices are increasingly where you go to put the company into company -- through collaborative work as well as through social activities. But the boldest version of remote working extends well beyond these two locations.

办公室也越发成为你融入集体的地方: 通过协同工作和社交活动。但最大胆的远程工作模式远远超出了这两个地点。

envisage   v.  想象;设想;展望

【例】I can't envisage her coping with this job.

我无法设想她如何应付这个工作。

【拓展】同义词:envision   v. 想象,预想

【例】Alana never envisioned her college career ending like this.

阿兰娜从未想到她的大学生涯会如此结束。

tether   n. & v.

1. 作名词,(拴动物的)绳;链

【例】...a dog that choked to death on its tether.

…一条被拴绳勒死的狗

【拓展】at the end of one’s tether   束手无策,山穷水尽

【例】I’ve been dealing with their lies for too long. I’m at the end of my tether.

我已经忍受他们的谎言太久了,我实在是无能为力了。

2. 作动词,拴住

【例】The officer dismounted, tethering his horse to a tree.

这位军官下了马,把马拴在一棵树上。

blur the line   难以区分界限;模糊了界限

【例】The line between good and evil is beginning to blur. 

善恶间的分界线正开始变得模糊。

"Working from anywhere" envisages a completely untethered existence, in which people can do their jobs in Alaska or Zanzibar. Plenty of destinations are keen to blur the lines between business and leisure ("bleisure", the world's ugliest chunk of word-vomit).

“在任何地方工作”设想的是一种完全不受束缚的生活方式,人们可以在阿拉斯加或桑给巴尔岛从事他们的工作。许多旅游目的地都热衷于混淆“商务”和“休闲”这两个概念(“商旅休闲化”是世界上最丑陋的词)。

envisage   v.  想象;设想;展望

【例】I can't envisage her coping with this job.

我无法设想她如何应付这个工作。

【拓展】同义词:envision   v. 想象,预想

【例】Alana never envisioned her college career ending like this.

阿兰娜从未想到她的大学生涯会如此结束。

tether   n. & v.

1. 作名词,(拴动物的)绳;链

【例】...a dog that choked to death on its tether.

…一条被拴绳勒死的狗

【拓展】at the end of one’s tether   束手无策,山穷水尽

【例】I’ve been dealing with their lies for too long. I’m at the end of my tether.

我已经忍受他们的谎言太久了,我实在是无能为力了。

2. 作动词,拴住

【例】The officer dismounted, tethering his horse to a tree.

这位军官下了马,把马拴在一棵树上。

blur the line   难以区分界限;模糊了界限

【例】The line between good and evil is beginning to blur. 

善恶间的分界线正开始变得模糊。

Hotels are revamping some of their rooms as offices and rolling out work-from-hotel offers. Entire countries are reinventing themselves as places to mix play and work ("plork"?): the Bahamas, Costa Rica and Malta are among those that offer visas for digital nomads.

酒店正在将部分房间改造成办公室,还推出了酒店办公服务。所有国家都在将自己重塑为娱乐工作(“娱工?”)两不误的场所:巴哈马群岛、哥斯达黎加和马耳他都可为数字游民提供签证。

roll out    推出 (新产品或服务)

(英文释义:If a company rolls out a new product or service, or if the product or service rolls out, it is made available to the public.)

【例】On Thursday Microsoft rolls out its new operating system.

在星期四微软推出了它的新操作系统。

The work-from-anywhere world edged a little closer on April 28th, when Brian Chesky, Airbnb's boss, outlined new policies for employees of the property-renting platform.

4月28日,当爱彼迎的老板布莱恩·切斯基向该房屋租赁平台的员工概述新政策时,“在任何地方工作”的时代又向前迈进了一步。

edge   n. & v.

1. 作名词

(1)边线,边缘;(尤指灾难的)边缘

【例】He stood on the edge of the cliff.

他站在悬崖边上。

They had brought the country to the edge of disaster.

他们使国家濒临灾难。

(2)(微弱的)优势

【例】The company needs to improve its competitive edge.

公司必须提高它的竞争力。

【拓展】edge on/ over sb/ sth   比...有微弱优势

【例】They have the edge on us. 

他们略胜我们一筹。

2. 作动词,(使)徐徐移动,渐渐移动

(英文释义:to move or to move sth slowly and carefully in a particular direction)

【例】She edged a little closer to me. 

她慢慢地向我靠近了一些。

As well as being able to move wherever they want in their country of employment without any cost-of-living adjustment, Airbnb staff can also spend up to 90 days each year living and working abroad.

爱彼迎的员工不仅可以在工资不变的情况下随意搬到,每年还可以在国外生活和工作长达90天。

live out of   依靠...过活

(英文释义:To survive off of that which is contained within something.)

【例】I've been living out of my car ever since I was evicted from my apartment.

自从我被赶出公寓,我就一直住在车里。

【拓展】live out of a suitcase   成天在外忙碌、奔波

(英文释义:to stay very briefly in several places, with only the belongings in your suitcase.)

【例】You’ve been living out of a suitcase for weeks. Why don’t you stay at home and rest for a while?

你这几周一直在外到处奔波,为什么不在家歇一歇呢?

Mr Chesky has been living out of Airbnb properties himself for the past few months, and thinks this is the future.

切斯基已经在爱彼迎的房间里住了好几个月,他认为这就是未来(的办公形式)。

live out of   依靠...过活

(英文释义:To survive off of that which is contained within something.)

【例】I've been living out of my car ever since I was evicted from my apartment.

自从我被赶出公寓,我就一直住在车里。

【拓展】live out of a suitcase   成天在外忙碌、奔波

(英文释义:to stay very briefly in several places, with only the belongings in your suitcase.)

【例】You’ve been living out of a suitcase for weeks. Why don’t you stay at home and rest for a while?

你这几周一直在外到处奔波,为什么不在家歇一歇呢?

课后练习

  • What was the general opinion about workplace before the pandemic?

    A. White-collar workers preferred to work in offices near home.

    B. Co-working spaces had a relaxing dress code.

    C. People couldn’t work at a hotel because there was no printer.

    D. The only place to get serious work done was the office.

  • What is the function of offices after the pandemic?

    A. Remote workers can perform special tasks in offices.

    B. The company can evaluate employees’ performance in offices.

    C. Colleagues can build a closer relationship in offices.

    D. People can meet new friends from other locations in offices.

  • What is the characteristic of “working from anywhere”?

    A. It is a more popular and efficient mode than remote working.

    B. It offers more choices of workplace and has no limit on location.

    C. It is a common practice for people working in the tourism industry.

    D. It is an advertisement invented by hotels and holiday destinations.

  • Which of the following statements is true about Airbnb?

    A. It has outlined policies on renting houses to office workers.

    B. It offers a 90-day paid holiday for its employees.

    C. It allows employees to choose where to work.

    D. It promotes work-from-anywhere mode to cut costs of living.