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Safe and Sound 实用商业大全（十）：创造优质工作环境（下）

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Ben has been called in to see the company counselor, Ms. Huang:  班被叫进去见公司的辅导员黄小姐：

H: Do you know why I’ve asked to see you again?

你知道我为什么又要请你过来吗？

B: It’s my witty conversation, isn’t it?

因为我妙语如珠对不对？

H: No, though I must admit you do seem to have the gift of gab. Actually, it’s because you’ve clocked in late every single day this week –again!

不对，不过我必须承认你似乎真的是伶牙俐嘴。事实上是因为你这礼拜又每天上班迟到了！

B: But I’m only a few minutes late each time; that’s not a major infraction, isn’t it?

可是我每次也只不过晚个几分钟而已啊；那不算什么重大违规吧？

H: No, tardiness is a minor offense, but if minor offenses accumulate, things become much more serious.

不算，迟到只能算轻微的违规，但是如果将轻微的违规累积起来，事态就会变得严重许多。

B: And since you’ve already reprimanded me once this month, I guess I must be near my quota.

既然你这个月已经训过我一顿，我想我一定很接近临界点了。

H: Ben, you’re a valued employee, and I want to help you. Why can’t you arrive punctually?

班，你是我们重视的员工，我很想帮你。你为什么就不能准时到呢？

B: I don’t know – I just can’t seem to get out of bed in the morning.

我不晓得──我早上就是没办法从床上爬起来。

H: Is it alcohol or drug related?

跟喝酒或吃药有关吗？

B: No, but I do have an addiction: I stay up until five o’clock playing computer games.

没有，但我的确有个瘾：我会熬夜打电动打到五点。

H: Well then, I think we’ve pinpointed the problem. Maybe you should get some help because this, I’m afraid, is your last warning: next time, it’s going to be –

那就对了，我想我们已经确切找出问题的症结。或许你该想办法解决，因为这次恐怕是给你的最后一次警告了：再有下一次，事情就──

B: Game over?

玩完了？

H: Right, and you won’t be able to start again.

没错，而且你将没有从头开始的机会。

Vocabulary

单词发音

call in 请来

counselor [ˋkaʊns!ɚ] n. 顾问，参事

witty [ˋwɪtɪ] adj. 机智的；说话风趣的

the gift of gab 口才 an ability to speak easily and confidently and to persuade people to do what you want

gab [gæb] n. 饶舌, 爱说话, 多嘴空谈, 瞎扯, 唠叨

clock in 打上班卡 begin work

infraction [ɪnˋfrækʃən] n.【正式】违规行为﹐ 违法行为

tardiness [ˋtɑrdɪnɪs] n. 缓慢；迟延

offense [əˋfɛns] n. 罪过；犯法（行为）；过错

reprimand [ˋrɛprə͵mænd] n. 训斥，斥责；谴责

quota [ˋkwotə] n. 限额; 配额

punctually [ˋpʌŋktʃʊəlɪ] adv. 准时地; 正确地,精确地

addiction [əˋdɪkʃən] n. 成瘾; 癖好

stay up 不去睡觉，熬夜 not go to bed;

pinpoint [ˋpɪn͵pɔɪnt] v. 准确地找出〔某物的位置〕

Sentence of the Day

Better late than never

晚到总比不到好。(喻：亡羊补牢犹未迟。)

课文朗读

课文讲解

Two senior managers, Monica and Don, are talking shop over lunch:  两位资深主管莫妮卡和唐恩在午饭时说行话：

M: What do you think about implementing a safety program for the company?

公司要实施一项安全计划，你觉得如何？

D: Why? We already have safety procedures at the plant.

为什么？我们工厂里已经有安全措施了。

M: I mean for head office.

是针对主管们的。

D: You want me to wear a hard hat to work every day? How am I going to find a tie to go with a yellow plastic hat?

你要我每天戴工地帽上班吗？我怎么找得到能搭配黄色塑料帽的领带啊？

M: I’m serious – injuries once confined to factory floors and construction sites are now creeping into the office.

我是认真的──从前只在工厂和工地发生的伤害，现在已经悄悄蔓延到办公室里来了。

D: Like the nagging lower-back pain I have from sitting all day?

像是我坐一整天造成的烦人下背痛？

M: Yes, and the computer technicians’ wrist injuries caused by repetitive motion.

是的，还有计算机技术人员因为重复性动作造成的手腕伤害。

D: So what should we do? Bring in a massage therapist for coffee breaks?

那我们该怎么做？在休息时间找个按摩师来？

M: That’s not so unusual: many companies already do it.

那也不怎么稀奇：很多公司都这么做了。

D: It makes sense; it would certainly boost morale if we showed we really care about workers’ health and safety.

那是有道理啦；如果我们表现出我们由衷关心员工健康及安全，一定能提振士气的。

M: We could also incorporate other ergonomic ideas, such as scientifically designed workstations that reduce strain on the upper body.

我们还可以一并采用其他人因工程的办法，例如合乎科学设计、能减轻上半身负担的办公外围产品等等。

D: Or how about installing softer lights for reading, or even allowing a short afternoon nap to help improve efficiency.

或是改装更柔和的阅读光线，甚至允许短短的午觉来提高效率如何？

M: Now that’s your best idea yet; I think I’d be ready to put that into practice right after lunch.

那是到目前为止你最好的构想；我想我在午饭后就可以立刻付诸实行了。

－by Howie Phung

Vocabulary

单词发音

talk shop 在工作地点外谈论本行之事

implement [ˋɪmpləmənt] v. 履行；实施；执行

go with 与...相配

confine [kənˋfaɪn] v. 限制；使局限[（+to）]

creep [krip] v. 不知不觉地到来；渐渐产生

nagging [ˋnægɪŋ] adj. 无法摆脱的; 烦人的; 让人头痛的

wrist [rɪst] n. 腕；腕关节

morale [məˋræl] n. 士气，斗志

incorporate [ɪnˋkɔrpə͵ret] v. 包含；加上

ergonomic [͵ɝgəˋnɑmɪk] adj. 工效学的，人类工程学的; 人类环境改造学的

workstation [ˋwɝk͵steʃən] n.〔办公室中设有办公桌﹑计算机等的〕工作区; 操作岗位

strain [stren] n.（身体的）失常；扭伤; 负担，沉重压力

Sentence of the Day

She'll sleep on it.

她会仔细思忖这事。

sleep on it 把问题留在第二天解决; 好好想一想