居家办公不利于工作效率(上)

从视频会议到公司会议室的反向迁移正在逐步进行中。在把员工召集到办公室方面，华尔街的公司一直是态度最强硬的，但最近几个月，就连许多科技巨头--苹果、谷歌、Meta等--也要求员工每周至少有三天在办公室坐班。

双语精读

Don't be workshy: Whoops, working from home is detrimental to productivity after all

别偷懒：唉，居家办公终究还是不利于提高工作效率

A gradual reverse migration is under way, from Zoom to the conference room. Wall Street firms have been among the most forceful in summoning workers to their offices, but in recent months even many tech titans-Apple, Google, Meta and more-have demanded staff show up to the office at least three days a week.

从视频会议到公司会议室的反向迁移正在逐步进行中。在把员工召集到办公室方面，华尔街的公司一直是态度最强硬的，但最近几个月，就连许多科技巨头--苹果、谷歌、Meta等--也要求员工每周至少有三天在办公室坐班。

For work-from-home believers, it looks like the revenge of corporate curmudgeons. Didn't a spate of studies during the covid-19 pandemic demonstrate that remote work was often more productive than toiling in the office?

对于居家办公的信徒来说，这种举动看起来像是公司里的暴躁老头的报复。新冠肺炎大流行期间的大量研究不都表明，远程办公往往比在办公室里辛苦工作更有效率吗？

Unfortunately for the believers, new research mostly runs counter to this, showing that offices, for all their flaws, remain essential.

但对居家办公信徒来说，不幸的是，新的研究大多与此相反，表明办公室虽然存在许多缺陷，但仍然必不可少。

A good starting point is a working paper that received much attention when it was published in 2020 by Natalia Emanuel and Emma Harrington, then both doctoral students at Harvard University.

可以先从一篇研究报告看起，这篇报告在2020年发表时受到了极大的关注，作者是当时在哈佛大学读博士的娜塔莉亚·伊曼纽尔和艾玛·哈林顿。

They found an 8% increase in the number of calls handled per hour by employees of an online retailer that had shifted from offices to homes.

她们发现，一家在线零售商的员工从办公室坐班变为居家办公后，他们每小时处理的电话数量增加了8%。

Far less noticed was a revised version of their paper, published in May by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The boost to efficiency had instead become a 4% decline.

受关注较少的是她们这篇报告的修订版，由纽约联邦储备银行在5月份发表。在修订版中，效率提高反而变成了效率下降4%。

The researchers had not made a mistake. Rather, they received more precise data, including detailed work schedules. Not only did employees answer fewer calls when remote, the quality of their interactions suffered.

研究人员没有弄错。相反，他们收到了更准确的数据，包括详细的工作时间表。员工在远程办公时不仅接听的电话更少，而且他们的沟通质量也更差。

They put customers on hold for longer. More also phoned back, an indication of unresolved problems.

他们让客户等待的时间更长。再次回拨电话的次数也更多，表明还有问题尚未解决。

The revision comes hot on the tails of other studies that have reached similar conclusions. David Atkin and Antoinette Schoar, both of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Sumit Shinde of the University of California, Los Angeles, randomly assigned data-entry workers in India to labour either from home or the office.

修订版紧随已得出类似结论的其他研究而出现。麻省理工学院的大卫·阿特金和安托瓦内特·肖尔以及加州大学洛杉矶分校的苏米特·辛德随机安排一些印度的数据录入人员在家或在办公室工作。

Those working at home were 18% less productive than their peers in the office. Michael Gibbs of the University of Chicago and Friederike Mengel and Christoph Siemroth, both of the University of Essex, found a productivity shortfall, relative to prior in-office performance, of as much as 19% for the remote employees of a large Asian IT firm.

那些在家工作的人的工作效率比在办公室里工作的人低18%。芝加哥大学的迈克尔·吉布斯和埃塞克斯大学的弗雷德里克·孟格尔和克里斯托弗·西姆罗斯发现，一家大型亚洲信息技术公司的员工，与之前在办公室里的工作表现相比，他们远程办公的效率下降了19%。

Another study determined that even chess professionals play less well in online matches than face-to-face tilts. Yet another used a laboratory experiment to show that video conferences inhibit creative thinking.

另一项研究发现，即使是国际象棋专业棋手在网络比赛中的表现也不如面对面的比赛。还有人用实验室实验证明，视频会议抑制创造性思维。

The reasons for the findings will probably not surprise anyone who has spent much of the past few years working from a dining-room table. It is harder for people to collaborate from home.

那些过去几年里大部分时间都在餐厅饭桌上工作的人，可能对这些研究发现的原因并不感到惊讶。人们在家里更难进行协同工作。

Workers in the Fed study spoke of missing their "neighbours to turn to for assistance". Other researchers who looked at the communication records of nearly 62,000 employees at Microsoft observed that professional networks within the company become more static and isolated.

美联储研究论文中的工作者谈到，他们失去了"可以求助的工作上的邻居"。其他研究人员观察了微软近6.2万名员工的交流记录，发现公司内部的职业关系网变得更加静态和孤立。

Teleconferencing is a pale imitation of in-the-flesh meetings: researchers at Harvard Business School, for example, concluded that "virtual water coolers"-rolled out by many companies during the pandemic-often encroached on crowded schedules with limited benefits.

远程会议不如面对面会议：例如，哈佛商学院的研究人员得出结论，许多公司在疫情期间推出的"虚拟饮水机谈话"经常会侵占忙碌的工作时间，带来的好处也并不多。

To use the terminology of Ronald Coase, an economist who focused on the structure of companies, all these problems represent an increase in co-ordination costs, making collective enterprise more unwieldy.

用专注研究公司结构的经济学家罗纳德·科斯的话来说，所有这些问题都表明协调成本在增加，从而使整个企业变得更加不灵活。

词汇预习

essential [高考]
美[ɪˈsenʃl] | 英[ɪˈsenʃl]
adj. 本质的；必要的；重要的 n. 要素；必需品
virtual [高考]
美[ˈvɜːrtʃuəl] | 英[ˈvɜːtʃuəl]
adj. 实质的；【计】虚拟的
productive [高考]
美[prəˈdʌktɪv] | 英[prəˈdʌktɪv]
adj. 富有成效的；多产的；生产性的；具有创造性的
efficiency [高考]
美[ɪˈfɪʃnsi] | 英[ɪˈfɪʃnsi]
n. 效率；功率
corporate [高考]
美[ˈkɔːrpərət] | 英[ˈkɔːpərət]
adj. 法人的；公司的；社团的；共同的；全体的
imitation [高考]
美[ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃn] | 英[ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃn]
n. 模仿；效法 adj. 假造的；冒充的
productivity [高考]
美[ˌprɑːdʌkˈtɪvəti] | 英[ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvəti]
n. 生产率；生产力
collective [高考]
美[kəˈlektɪv] | 英[kəˈlektɪv]
adj. 集体的；共同的 n. 集体
migration [高考]
美[maɪˈɡreɪʃn] | 英[maɪˈɡreɪʃn]
n. 移民；移往；移动
indication [高考]
美[ˌɪndɪˈkeɪʃn] | 英[ˌɪndɪˈkeɪʃn]
n. 指示；表示；迹象
forceful [高考]
美[ˈfɔrsfl] | 英[ˈfɔ:sfl]
adj. 有力的；强烈的
prior [高考]
美[ˈpraɪər] | 英[ˈpraɪə(r)]
adj. 优先的；在前的；更重要的 adv. 居先；在前
economist [高考]
美[ɪˈkɑnəmɪst] | 英[ɪˈkɒnəmɪst]
n. 经济学家；[古]节俭的人
reverse [高考]
美[rɪˈvɜːrs] | 英[rɪˈvɜːs]
v. 逆转；倒退；互换；改变 adj. 相反的；反面的；颠倒的 n. 相反；背面；失败；倒档
static [高考]
美[ˈstætɪk] | 英[ˈstætɪk]
adj. 静态的；静止的；稳定的；静力的；静电的 n. 静电；静电干扰
revenge [高考]
美[rɪˈvendʒ] | 英[rɪˈvendʒ]
n. 报仇；报复；报复心；雪耻机会 vt. 报复；报仇
boost [高考]
美[buːst] | 英[buːst]
v. 提高；增加；鼓励；举起；为...做宣传 n. 增加；推进；鼓励
demonstrate [高考]
美[ˈdemənstreɪt] | 英[ˈdemənstreɪt]
vt. 证明；演示；示范 vi. 示威
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
data [高考]
美[ˈdeɪtə] | 英[ˈdeɪtə]
n. 数据；资料
per [高考]
美[pər] | 英[pə(r)]
prep. 每；每一；经过；按照
decline [高考]
美[dɪˈklaɪn] | 英[dɪˈklaɪn]
v. 下降；减少；变弱；拒绝；倾斜 n. 减少，衰退
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
entry [高考]
美[ˈentri] | 英[ˈentri]
n. 进入；进入权；入口；条目
gradual [高考]
美[ˈɡrædʒuəl] | 英[ˈɡrædʒuəl]
adj. 逐渐的；逐步的；平缓的
assistance [高考]
美[əˈsɪstəns] | 英[əˈsɪstəns]
n. 援助；帮助
revision [高考]
美[rɪˈvɪʒn] | 英[rɪˈvɪʒn]
n. 修订本；校订；修正；复习
labour [高考]
美[ˈleɪbər] | 英[ˈleɪbə(r)]
n. 劳动；劳工；分娩 v. 努力；干苦力活；困难吃力地行进；反复说明 n. (英国)工党
enterprise [高考]
美[ˈentərpraɪz] | 英[ˈentəpraɪz]
n. 企业；事业；进取心；谋划
flesh [高考]
美[fleʃ] | 英[fleʃ]
n. 肉体；果肉；情欲；（动物或人的）肉 v. 用肉喂养(猎狗等)；使尽量吃肉；使(猎狗等)闻到肉味
precise [高考]
美[prɪˈsaɪs] | 英[prɪˈsaɪs]
adj. 精确的；恰好的；准确的；严格的
increase in [高考]
美[ɪnˈkris ɪn] | 英[inˈkri:s in]
增加；增大
thinking [高考]
美[ˈθɪŋkɪŋ] | 英[ˈθɪŋkɪŋ]
n. 思考；思想 adj. 好思考的；有理性的
limited [高考]
美[ˈlɪmɪtɪd] | 英[ˈlɪmɪtɪd]
adj. 有限的；被限制的
retailer [四级]
美[ˈritelɚ] | 英[ˈri:teɪlə(r)]
n. 零售商(店)
randomly [四级]
美['rændəmlɪ] | 英['rændəmlɪ]
adv. 任意地；随便地；胡乱地
face-to-face [四级]
美[ˈfestəˈfes] | 英[ˈfeɪstəˈfeɪs]
adj. 当面的；面对面的 adv. 面对面地
tech [四级]
美[tek] | 英[tek]
n. 技术学校；技术；技术人员
doctoral [四级]
美[ˈdɑktərəl] | 英[ˈdɒktərəl]
adj. 博士的
collaborate [四级]
美[kəˈlæbəreɪt] | 英[kəˈlæbəreɪt]
vi. 合作；通敌
up to [四级]
美[ʌp tu] | 英[ʌp tu]
胜任；直到；多达；该由 ... 决定
relative to [四级]
美[ˈrɛlətɪv tu] | 英[ˈrelətiv tu:]
关于；相对于
counter to [四级]
美[ˈkaʊntɚ tu] | 英[ˈkauntə tu:]
adv. 相反地
under way [四级]
美['ʌndər weɪ] | 英['ʌndə weɪ]
在进行中
determined [四级]
美[dɪˈtɜːrmɪnd] | 英[dɪˈtɜːmɪnd]
adj. 坚定的；坚决的；果断的；确定的，既定的
detailed [四级]
美[dɪˈteld,ˈdiˌteld] | 英[ˈdi:teɪld]
adj. 详细的
crowded [四级]
美[ˈkraʊdɪd] | 英[ˈkraʊdɪd]
adj.水泄不通的;拥挤的;肩摩踵接
inhibit [六级]
美[ɪnˈhɪbɪt] | 英[ɪnˈhɪbɪt]
v. 抑制；阻止；使不能
terminology [六级]
美[ˌtɜːrmɪˈnɑːlədʒi] | 英[ˌtɜːmɪˈnɒlədʒi]
n. 术语；术语学
detrimental [专八]
美[ˌdetrɪˈmentl] | 英[ˌdetrɪˈmentl]
adj. 有害的 n. 有害的人或事
spate [专八]
美[spet] | 英[speɪt]
n. 泛滥；洪水；突然的一阵
Federal [考研]
美[ˈfedərəl] | 英[ˈfedərəl]
adj. 联邦制的；联邦政府的；同盟的 n. 联邦主义者；同盟盟友
unwieldy [托福]
美[ʌnˈwildi] | 英[ʌnˈwi:ldi]
adj. 笨重的；笨拙的；庞大的
isolated [雅思]
美[ˈaɪsəleɪtɪd] | 英[ˈaɪsəleɪtɪd]
adj. 孤立的；隔离的；分离的

重点讲解

Don't be workshy: Whoops, working from home is detrimental to productivity after all

别偷懒：唉，居家办公终究还是不利于提高工作效率

after all

1. 毕竟；终归

【例】So you made it after all!

你毕竟成功了！

2. 别忘了，到底（用于解释或说明理由）

【例】He should have paid. He suggested it, after all.

他本来就应该付款，别忘了他自己也这么提出。

reverse v. & n. & a.

1. 作动词

（1）颠倒，彻底转变；交换（位置或功能）

【例】The government has failed to reverse the economic decline.

政府未能扭转经济滑坡的趋势。

（2）撤销，废除（决定、法律等）

【例】The Court of Appeal reversed the decision.

上诉法庭撤销了这项裁决。

2. 作名词

（1）相反的情况（或事物）

【例】This problem is the reverse of the previous one.

这个问题和上一个问题相反。

（2）损失；失败

【例】Property values have suffered another reverse.

房地产价值再次遭受损失。

3. 作形容词：相反的；反面的

【例】to travel in the reverse direction 向相反方向行进

summon v.

1. 召唤；传唤（出庭）

【例】She summoned the waiter.

她召唤服务员过来。

2. 召集，召开（会议）

【例】to summon a meeting 召集会议

3. 鼓起；振作

【例】I couldn't even summon the energy to get out of bed.

我甚至连下床的力气都没有。

A gradual reverse migration is under way, from Zoom to the conference room. Wall Street firms have been among the most forceful in summoning workers to their offices, but in recent months even many tech titans—Apple, Google, Meta and more—have demanded staff show up to the office at least three days a week.

after all

1. 毕竟；终归

【例】So you made it after all!

你毕竟成功了！

2. 别忘了，到底（用于解释或说明理由）

【例】He should have paid. He suggested it, after all.

他本来就应该付款，别忘了他自己也这么提出。

reverse v. & n. & a.

1. 作动词

（1）颠倒，彻底转变；交换（位置或功能）

【例】The government has failed to reverse the economic decline.

政府未能扭转经济滑坡的趋势。

（2）撤销，废除（决定、法律等）

【例】The Court of Appeal reversed the decision.

上诉法庭撤销了这项裁决。

2. 作名词

（1）相反的情况（或事物）

【例】This problem is the reverse of the previous one.

这个问题和上一个问题相反。

（2）损失；失败

【例】Property values have suffered another reverse.

房地产价值再次遭受损失。

3. 作形容词：相反的；反面的

【例】to travel in the reverse direction 向相反方向行进

summon v.

1. 召唤；传唤（出庭）

【例】She summoned the waiter.

她召唤服务员过来。

2. 召集，召开（会议）

【例】to summon a meeting 召集会议

3. 鼓起；振作

【例】I couldn't even summon the energy to get out of bed.

我甚至连下床的力气都没有。

For work-from-home believers, it looks like the revenge of corporate curmudgeons. Didn't a spate of studies during the covid-19 pandemic demonstrate that remote work was often more productive than toiling in the office?

对于居家办公的信徒来说，这种举动看起来像是公司里的暴躁老头的报复。新冠肺炎大流行期间的大量研究不都表明，远程办公往往比在办公室里辛苦工作更有效率吗？

a spate of 一连串，接二连三（通常指不好的事）

【例】The bombing was the latest in a spate of terrorist attacks.

这次炸弹爆炸事件是一连串恐怖主义袭击中最近的一起。

Unfortunately for the believers, new research mostly runs counter to this, showing that offices, for all their flaws, remain essential.

但对居家办公信徒来说，不幸的是，新的研究大多与此相反，表明办公室虽然存在许多缺陷，但仍然必不可少。

boost v. & n.

1. 作动词：使增长；使兴旺

【例】Getting that job did a lot to boost his ego.

得到那份工作使他信心倍增。

2. 作名词

（1）增长；提高

【例】a boost in car sales 汽车销售额的增长

（2）帮助；激励

【例】The tax cuts will give a much needed boost to the economy.

减税将给经济带来迫切需要的推动力。

A good starting point is a working paper that received much attention when it was published in 2020 by Natalia Emanuel and Emma Harrington, then both doctoral students at Harvard University.

可以先从一篇研究报告看起，这篇报告在2020年发表时受到了极大的关注，作者是当时在哈佛大学读博士的娜塔莉亚·伊曼纽尔和艾玛·哈林顿。

boost v. & n.

1. 作动词：使增长；使兴旺

【例】Getting that job did a lot to boost his ego.

得到那份工作使他信心倍增。

2. 作名词

（1）增长；提高

【例】a boost in car sales 汽车销售额的增长

（2）帮助；激励

【例】The tax cuts will give a much needed boost to the economy.

减税将给经济带来迫切需要的推动力。

They found an 8% increase in the number of calls handled per hour by employees of an online retailer that had shifted from offices to homes.

她们发现，一家在线零售商的员工从办公室坐班变为居家办公后，他们每小时处理的电话数量增加了8%。

boost v. & n.

1. 作动词：使增长；使兴旺

【例】Getting that job did a lot to boost his ego.

得到那份工作使他信心倍增。

2. 作名词

（1）增长；提高

【例】a boost in car sales 汽车销售额的增长

（2）帮助；激励

【例】The tax cuts will give a much needed boost to the economy.

减税将给经济带来迫切需要的推动力。

Far less noticed was a revised version of their paper, published in May by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The boost to efficiency had instead become a 4% decline.

受关注较少的是她们这篇报告的修订版，由纽约联邦储备银行在5月份发表。在修订版中，效率提高反而变成了效率下降4%。

boost v. & n.

1. 作动词：使增长；使兴旺

【例】Getting that job did a lot to boost his ego.

得到那份工作使他信心倍增。

2. 作名词

（1）增长；提高

【例】a boost in car sales 汽车销售额的增长

（2）帮助；激励

【例】The tax cuts will give a much needed boost to the economy.

减税将给经济带来迫切需要的推动力。

The researchers had not made a mistake. Rather, they received more precise data, including detailed work schedules. Not only did employees answer fewer calls when remote, the quality of their interactions suffered.

研究人员没有弄错。相反，他们收到了更准确的数据，包括详细的工作时间表。员工在远程办公时不仅接听的电话更少，而且他们的沟通质量也更差。

precise a.

1. 准确的；确切的

【例】Can you give a more precise definition of the word?

你能给这个词下个更确切的定义吗？

2. （强调时间或方式等）恰好

【例】We were just talking about her when, at that precise moment, she walked in.

我们正谈论着她，恰好在这个时候，她走进来了。

3. 细致的；认真的

【例】She's rather prim and precise.

她拘谨严肃，一丝不苟。

They put customers on hold for longer. More also phoned back, an indication of unresolved problems.

他们让客户等待的时间更长。再次回拨电话的次数也更多，表明还有问题尚未解决。

precise a.

1. 准确的；确切的

【例】Can you give a more precise definition of the word?

你能给这个词下个更确切的定义吗？

2. （强调时间或方式等）恰好

【例】We were just talking about her when, at that precise moment, she walked in.

我们正谈论着她，恰好在这个时候，她走进来了。

3. 细致的；认真的

【例】She's rather prim and precise.

她拘谨严肃，一丝不苟。

The revision comes hot on the tails of other studies that have reached similar conclusions. David Atkin and Antoinette Schoar, both of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Sumit Shinde of the University of California, Los Angeles, randomly assigned data-entry workers in India to labour either from home or the office.

修订版紧随已得出类似结论的其他研究而出现。麻省理工学院的大卫·阿特金和安托瓦内特·肖尔以及加州大学洛杉矶分校的苏米特·辛德随机安排一些印度的数据录入人员在家或在办公室工作。

come hot on the heels/tails of something 紧接某事之后发生

（英文释义： to happen or be done very soon after something else）

【例】The news came hot on the tails of another plane crash.

这个消息是紧接在另一场坠机事故之后传来的。

那些在家工作的人的工作效率比在办公室里工作的人低18%。芝加哥大学的迈克尔·吉布斯和埃塞克斯大学的弗雷德里克·孟格尔和克里斯托弗·西姆罗斯发现，一家大型亚洲信息技术公司的员工，与之前在办公室里的工作表现相比，他们远程办公的效率下降了19%。

come hot on the heels/tails of something 紧接某事之后发生

（英文释义： to happen or be done very soon after something else）

【例】The news came hot on the tails of another plane crash.

这个消息是紧接在另一场坠机事故之后传来的。

Another study determined that even chess professionals play less well in online matches than face-to-face tilts. Yet another used a laboratory experiment to show that video conferences inhibit creative thinking.

另一项研究发现，即使是国际象棋专业棋手在网络比赛中的表现也不如面对面的比赛。还有人用实验室实验证明，视频会议抑制创造性思维。

tilt v. & n.

1. 作动词

（1）使倾斜，倾侧

【例】My mother tilted her head and smiled.

我妈妈歪着头笑了。

（2）使倾向于；偏向

【例】Popular opinion has tilted in favour of the socialists.

公众舆论已倒向社会党人一边。

2. 作名词

（1）倾斜；倾侧

【例】The table is at a slight tilt.

这桌子有点儿倾斜。

（2）（意欲赢得某物或战胜某人的）企图，尝试

【例】The team is preparing for another tilt at the European Cup.

球队正在为再一次问鼎欧洲杯备战。

The reasons for the findings will probably not surprise anyone who has spent much of the past few years working from a dining-room table. It is harder for people to collaborate from home.

那些过去几年里大部分时间都在餐厅饭桌上工作的人，可能对这些研究发现的原因并不感到惊讶。人们在家里更难进行协同工作。

tilt v. & n.

1. 作动词

（1）使倾斜，倾侧

【例】My mother tilted her head and smiled.

我妈妈歪着头笑了。

（2）使倾向于；偏向

【例】Popular opinion has tilted in favour of the socialists.

公众舆论已倒向社会党人一边。

2. 作名词

（1）倾斜；倾侧

【例】The table is at a slight tilt.

这桌子有点儿倾斜。

（2）（意欲赢得某物或战胜某人的）企图，尝试

【例】The team is preparing for another tilt at the European Cup.

球队正在为再一次问鼎欧洲杯备战。

Workers in**** the Fed study spoke of**** missing their "neighbours to**** turn**** to**** for assistance****". Other researchers who looked**** at**** the communication records of**** nearly**** 62****,000 employees at**** Microsoft observed**** that**** professional**** networks**** within**** the company become**** more**** static**** and isolated****.****

美联储研究论文中的工作者谈到，他们失去了"可以求助的工作上的邻居"。其他研究人员观察了微软近6.2万名员工的交流记录，发现公司内部的职业关系网变得更加静态和孤立。

static a. & n.

1. 作形容词：静止的；静态的

【例】a static population level 稳定的人口水平

2. 作名词

（1）静电

【例】My hair gets full of static when I brush it.

我梳头时头发就有好多静电。

（2）抨击；指责

【例】His promotion has caused a lot of static.

他的晋升引起很多人不满。

Teleconferencing is a pale imitation of in-the-flesh meetings: researchers at Harvard Business School, for example, concluded that "virtual water coolers"—rolled out by many companies during the pandemic—often encroached on crowded schedules with limited benefits.

远程会议不如面对面会议：例如，哈佛商学院的研究人员得出结论，许多公司在疫情期间推出的"虚拟饮水机谈话"经常会侵占忙碌的工作时间，带来的好处也并不多。

pale imitation (of something) 不如某物的类似物品

（英文释义：something that is similar to, but not as good as, something else）

【例】 The cheese is a pale imitation of real Parmesan.

这种干酪是帕尔梅森干酪的仿制品，但味道要差一些。

encroach v.

1. 侵占（某人的时间）；侵犯（某人的权利）

【例】I won't encroach on your time any longer.

我不会再占用你的时间了。

2. 侵蚀，蚕食（地区）

【例】The fighting encroached further east.

战斗进一步向东推进。

To use the terminology of Ronald Coase, an economist who focused on the structure of companies, all these problems represent an increase in co-ordination costs, making collective enterprise more unwieldy.

用专注研究公司结构的经济学家罗纳德·科斯的话来说，所有这些问题都表明协调成本在增加，从而使整个企业变得更加不灵活。

collective a. & n.

1. 作形容词：集体的；共有的

【例】a collective decision made by all board members

董事会所有成员作出的集体决定

2. 企业集团；合作农场

【例】an independent collective making films for television

为电视制作影片的独立集体企业

课后练习

What is the current trend of working?
A. Companies begin to favor long meetings.
B. Workers are required to work in the office.
C. Tech companies tighten their control of employees.
D. Hybrid working is becoming more popular.
The revised paper by Natalia Emanuel and Emma Harrington showed that ____.
A. working from home increased the productivity
B. remote workers worked fewer hours at home
C. remote working led to a poorer efficiency
D. remote working caused a confusion about responsibilities
One of the negative influences of working from home is that ____.
A. people are too busy to socialize with their neighbors
B. people chat with their colleagues during working hours
C. people reduce their interactions with colleagues
D. people find it harder to reach an agreement
The author discusses the productivity of remote working by ____.
A. comparing the pros and cons of working from home
B. analyzing the possible causes of lower productivity
C. proposing solutions to increase the work efficiency
D. listing findings about the productivity of remote working