1、Unit 1Each day, many people are looking for trends in workplace clothing, so that they can “fit in” with the fashionable or well-dressed crowd. They believe that dressing in the latest fashion trends may give them the reputation of being fashionable and trendy. While it is more than possible to do t
2、his, you need to display caution. 许多人每天都在捕捉职场时装的潮流，以便能与那些衣着时尚得体的人们步调一致。他们认为按最新潮流穿衣打扮能为自己赢得时尚和时髦的好名声。尽管这样做合情合理，你还是要小心谨慎。What many people do not realize is that there are a number of pros and cons of relying on workplace fashion trends. One of those pros was mentioned above. When you wear a fashionabl
3、e outfit to work, there is a good chance that you will receive a lot of compliments on your outfit. This is a nice feeling and it is one that makes many feel proud.许多人并没有意识到，追随职场时装潮流有利也有弊。好处之一，正如上面所提到的，穿一套时髦的衣服去上班，很可能会得到一堆夸奖。这种感觉很不错，也让人引以为豪。But the truth is that there are many more cons of relying o
4、n workplace fashion trends than there are pros. For instance, workplace fashion trends do not always distinguish between jobs and careers. If you work at a trendy coffee shop or retail store, chances are that the dress code would be casual clothing. However, if you work at a law office or an insuran
5、ce company, you may be required to dress more professionally. Unfortunately, many workplace fashion trends are designed for the working population in general, not specific careers. This is where you can run into trouble if you are not careful.然而事实上这种追随弊大于利。例如，职场时装潮流往往不区分工作和职业。在一家新潮的咖啡馆或零售店工作，着装要求很可能
6、是休闲服。而在一家法律或保险公司上班，着装则需要更职业化。不幸的是，很多职场新潮时装是为工作中的一般大众而设计，而非为特定职业设计。因此一不小心就可能出问题。Before relying on workplace fashion trends, you will want to take a good, close look at the trend in question. For instance, does the trend require the wearing of a skirt or a dress, no matter what the length? If so, it i
7、s important that you look at what you do for a living. If you are in a professional office setting, a dress may be perfect for you. On the other hand though, if you work in a retail store as a manager, a dress or skirt may actually get in the way and hamper your efforts to work and be productive.在追随
8、这种时装潮流之前，要好好地仔细审视一下所谓的潮流。比如，潮流是不是时兴半身裙或连衣裙，而不论其长短呢？如果确实如此，那么最重要的是要考虑自己的工作性质。如果是办公室的职业白领，连衣裙就非常适合。但如果是在零售店当经理，连衣裙或半身裙则可能会妨碍工作，影响工作效率。By wearing trendy workplace fashion pieces, many people are given compliments, but not always. The last thing that you want to do is get a bad name for yourself instead
9、 of compliments. That is why it is also advised that you take what others may think of you into consideration. You need to make sure that the impression that you would be making is a good one.很多人会因为穿了时髦的职场时装而备受称赞，但事情并非总是如此。最不希望的是不但没有受到夸奖，还落下坏名声。正是因为这个原因，你必须考虑别人对你的看法，你必须确保给别人留下的是个好印象。The decision as
10、to whether or not you want to incorporate the latest workplace fashion trends into your wardrobe is yours to make, but please take the above-mentioned points into consideration before doing so.到底要不要将职场最时髦的潮流带入衣柜，这个决定得自己做，但在做出决定前请考虑考虑上面提到的问题。Unit2The meeting spills over into its second hour. We are d
11、iscussing a productivity initiative. At this moment, our most talkative member chimes in with the idea that we need some kind of system to reward employees. This is the same solution he offers for every problem at every meeting. Then, another member cuts in with a long storyjust to make the point th
12、at we are not the proper entity to recommend the kinds of changes we are proposing. I, meanwhile, contribute nothing useful. Finally, the woman who set the meeting calls it quits and tells us well continue next week. We drift back to our offices, wondering how to make up for the wasted time. This me
13、eting occurred many years ago, but similar ones happen at companies everywhere every day. 会议已经拖拖拉拉开了一个多小时，我们正在讨论如何提高生产效率的提案。这时，最能言善道的同事插话说需要某种制度来激励员工。每次会上，不管讨论什么问题，他都会提出同一个方案。紧接着，另一位同事长篇累牍地说明我们都不是提出这些建议的合适人选。我也没说啥有用的。最后，召集会议的女同事宣布散会，并告知下周继续开会。我们游荡回各自的办公室，盘算着怎样才能把浪费的时间补回来。这是多年前的一次会议，但类似的情景仍然随时随地在不同公司
14、上演。Part of the problem at such meetings is that the leader has not set clear objectives or an agenda, and didnt assign pre-meeting preparation tasks. Instead, the leader seems to hope that magic will occur, producing solutions to the problems. Of course, that doesnt happen.这种会议的问题部分在于会议召集人没有明确的目标或议程
15、，也没有布置好会前的准备工作，而是寄希望于奇迹发生，带来解决问题的方法。当然，奇迹从未发生。The main reason we dont make meetings more productive is that we dont value our time properly. The people who call meetings and those who attend them are not thinking about time as their most valuable resource. But time is the most perishable good in the
16、 world. You cant earn an extra hour to use on a busy day. Nonetheless, we usually have a vague feeling that there is plenty of timesomewhere in the futureso we waste it now and carelessly steal time from our families, friends or ourselves.会议之所以效率不高，主要是因为没有很好地珍惜时间。召开和参加会议的人都没有将时间当做最宝贵的资源。但时间是世上最易逝的东西
17、。忙碌的一天中你无法得到额外的一个小时来做事。尽管如此，我们还总是依稀觉得未来有大把时间，故而不珍惜当下，漫不经心地把家庭、朋友和自己的时间浪费掉。I used to be the disengaged participantone who had good ideas about how to solve a problem, but didnt contribute. I now take a more active role, aiming to make meetings more effective. Here are three simple principles I use. F
18、irst, whoever calls a meeting should be explicit about its objectives. This means specifying tangible goals and assigning responsibilities. Second, everyone should think carefully about the costs of a meeting: How many participants are really needed? How long should the meeting last? Finally, after
19、meetings, assign credit or blame to the person in charge. If people have records of leading ineffective meetings, they are not allowed to lead future sessions. 过去，我开会时参与度不高，对要解决的问题有好想法却不说。现在，我采取更积极的态度，希望会议能更有效。我遵循以下三个简单的原则。第一，无论谁召集会议，都必须明确目的。这意味着说明会议的切实目标并将任务布置下去。第二，每个人都要仔细考虑会议成本：到底需要几人参加？要开多久？最后，会议
20、结束后，要给会议负责人评评分。如果谁有开会效率低的记录，那么下次他就不能再担任召集人。I know that meetings may serve other functions. Sometimes, they can communicate a solution, make sure that there are no fatal flaws in it and give those who are unhappy with it a chance to voice their dissatisfaction. Other meetings serve a cultural functio
21、n, allowing participants to renew social connections, establish relationships, and deepen a sense of belonging. So, its possible to justify a few of those too-long and apparently unproductive meetings by finding hidden payoffs.我知道会议还有其他作用。有时，在会上大家可以讨论预定方案，确保其没有致命错误并给那些有异议的人一个表达心声的机会。有些会议则有人文功能，创造机会让
22、与会者叙叙旧、交交新朋友，并增强归属感。这些倒是能为那些冗长而明显无效的会议找到些许召集的理由。But, please, dont just call a meeting and hope the magic happens. Take charge and take personal responsibility for meeting its objectives, whatever they are. 但是，千万不要随随便便就召集会议，然后心存幻想，期待奇迹出现。不管会议目标是什么，都要负起责任去达成目标。Unit3Its important to know your objective
23、s on a business trip, and to set out with those goals in mind and how to accomplish them. But along the way, something rather amazing happens when you travel on business. You may go to some pretty amazing places, and get chances to see things you would have never sought out on your own.了解出差的目标、出发时牢记
24、目标并清楚如何达成目标，这些都是很重要的。但在途中也会发生一些有趣的事情。你可能会去到一些令人惊叹的地方，有机会看到你自己可能永远都发现不了的东西。Business trips dont have to be all about business. There are times when you have completed your work and you can take in some of the local color, attractions and good food. The first resource to find out what is really cool to
25、 enjoy in the city or town you are visiting is the locals. If you go to a faraway town to conduct business with a partner or vendor, they are often more than happy to show you the lay of the land and what is fun to see and do in town.商务旅行不必都是生意。完成工作后，就可以去领略一下地方特色，参观当地的风景名胜，品尝当地的美味佳肴。如果想要了解出差城市里有些什么真
26、正好玩的东西，第一大资源就是当地居民。如果你去一个很远的城市与合伙人或卖家谈生意，他们会非常乐意带你去了解当地的环境，去好玩的去处做有意思的事。If you can secure the evening of a local in your destination town, you can get quite an amazing tour of the area and see things that tourists may never find. It isnt that hard to invite a local to be your guide. If you have expe
27、nse account money, you can arrange to buy your guide dinner. They get a good meal for free, and you get a guided tour of the area. But dont be afraid to be a tourist if you are in a great city and you want to see the big sites. It can be a fine memory of your visit to the town, and after all, youve
28、worked hard on your business objectives so you are entitled to some relaxation.如果能让某个当地人晚上随行的话，那你在目的地城市的旅行将会非常棒，可以欣赏到游客们可能永远都发现不了的东西。要请当地人当导游也并非难事。如果你公司允许报销经费，那么你可以花公司的钱请导游吃顿晚饭。这样，他们可以吃上免费大餐，而你就可以有导游陪你游览。但是，如果你在大城市出差并且想参观大景点的话，那就大胆去当一回游客吧。这些都将会是旅途中一段非常美好的回忆，毕竟你已经努力完成了出差使命，所以理应放松放松。If you are there o
29、n Friday, but your work must be continued on Monday, most businesses would rather pay for two nights in a hotel and meals than fly you home and back out again. So you can keep your rental car and simply put aside your business for a while and really explore the local haunts.如果你周五出差，但下周一还得继续，那么大多数公司会
30、宁愿花钱让你在当地吃住两天，而不让你坐飞机回家然后再飞回来出差。所以你不必归还租来的车，大可暂且放下工作，好好探索一番当地人常去的地方。To find those unique events in town that not many know about, you can read the local paper and look for those little local culture or arts papers. They will carry details of festivals going on around the area as well as what is happ
31、ening in the clubs and theaters. You may find a regional celebration not far away that you can be part of, and pretend to be a local for a few hours and have plenty of fun along the way.要想了解当地不为外人所知的特色活动，你可以阅读地方报纸，翻阅当地的文化艺术小报。这些报纸除了登载俱乐部及影剧院正在举办的活动之外，还会有周边地区详细的节庆活动介绍。你可能会发现没多远就有地区性的庆祝活动，而你则可以权作一回当地人
32、，好好玩上几个小时。Take advantage of your business travel to see the world and have some fun as the song says “stop and smell the roses along the way”. If you do, you will come home with successful business to deliver to your company and a nice set of new memories to keep for a long time to come.请好好利用你的商务旅行吧，去看看世界、寻寻开心，正如歌里唱的那样“停下脚步去闻闻路边的玫瑰”。这样，你回来后不但可以成功地向公司交差，还能带回一段值得长期回味的美好记忆。
