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

2、this, you need to display caution.許多人每天都在捕捉職場時裝的潮流，以便能與那些衣著時尚得體的人們步調一 致。他們認為按最新潮流穿衣打扮能為自己贏得時尚和時髦的好名聲。盡管這樣做合情合理，你還是要小心謹慎。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 fashionab

3、le 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.許多人并沒有意識到，追隨職場時裝潮流有利也有弊。好處之一，正如上面所提 到的，穿一套時髦的衣服去上班，很可能會得到一堆夸獎。這種感覺很不錯，也 讓人引以為豪。But the truth is that there are many more cons of relyin

4、g on 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 insu

5、rance 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.然而事實上這種追隨弊大于利。例如，職場時裝潮流往往不區分工作和職業。在一家新潮的咖啡館或零售店工作，著裝要求

6、很可能是休閑服。而在一家法律或保 險公司上班，著裝則需要更職業化。不幸的是，很多職場新潮時裝是為工作中的 一般大眾而設計，而非為特定職業設計。因此一不小心就可能出問題。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,

7、it is 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

8、.在追隨這種時裝潮流之前，要好好地仔細審視一下所謂的潮流。 比如，潮流是不 是時興半身裙或連衣裙，而不論其長短呢？如果確實如此， 那么最重要的是要考 慮自己的工作性質。如果是辦公室的職業白領，連衣裙就非常適合。但如果是在 零售店當經理，連衣裙或半身裙則可能會妨礙工作，影響工作效率。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 yoursel

9、f instead 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.很多人會因為穿了時髦的職場時裝而備受稱贊，但事情并非總是如此。最不希望 的是不但沒有受到夸獎，還落下壞名聲。正是因為這個原因，你必須考慮別人對 你的看法，你必須確保給別人留下的是個好印象。The d

10、ecision as 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.到底要不要將職場最時髦的潮流帶入衣柜，這個決定得自己做，但在做出決定前請考慮考慮上面提到的問題。Unit2The meeting spills over into its second hou

11、r. We are discussing 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 storyst to make the

12、 point that 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 w ell continue next week. We drift back to our offices, wondering how to make up for the wasted tim

13、e. This meeting occurred many years ago, but similar ones happen at companies everywhere every day.會議已經拖拖拉拉開了一個多小時，我們正在討論如何提高生產效率的提 案。這時，最能言善道的同事插話說需要某種制度來激勵員工。每次會上，不管 討論什么問題，他都會提出同一個方案。緊接著，另一位同事長篇累牘地說明我 們都不是提出這些建議的合適人選。我也沒說啥有用的。最后，召集會議的女同事宣布散會，并告知下周繼續開會。我們游蕩回各自的辦公室，盤算著怎樣才能把浪費的時間補回來。這是多年前的一次會議，但類似的情

14、景仍然隨時隨地在不 同公司上演。Part of the problem at such meetings is that the leader has not set clear objectives or an agenda, and didin t assign pre-meeting preparation tasks. Instead, the leader seems to hope that magic will occur, producing solutions to the problems. Of course, that doesn t happen.這種會議的問題部分在

15、于會議召集人沒有明確的目標或議程，也沒有布置好會前的準備工作，而是寄希望于奇跡發生，帶來解決問題的方法。當然，奇跡從 未發生。The main reason we don t 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 peri

16、shable good in the world. You can't 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.會議之所以效率不高，主要是因為沒有很好地珍惜時間。召開和參加會議的 人都沒有

17、將時間當做最寶貴的資源。 但時間是世上最易逝的東西。忙碌的一天中 你無法得到額外的一個小時來做事。盡管如此，我們還總是依稀覺得未來有大把 時間，故而不珍惜當下，漫不經心地把家庭、朋友和自己的時間浪費掉。I used to be the disengaged participanone who had good ideas about how to solve a problem, but didn t contribute. I now take a more active role, aiming to make meetings more effective. Here are three

18、 simple principles I use. First, whoever calls ameeting 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 meet

19、ing last Finally, after 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.過去，我開會時參與度不高，對要解決的問題有好想法卻不說。現在，我采 取更積極的態度，希望會議能更有效。我遵循以下三個簡單的原則。第一，無論 誰召集會議，都必須明確目的。這意味著說明會議的切實目標并將任務布置下去。 第二，每個人都要仔細

20、考慮會議成本：到底需要幾人參加？要開多久？最后， 會 議結束后，要給會議負責人評評分。如果誰有開會效率低的記錄，那么下次他就 不能再擔任召集人。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 meet

21、ings serve a cultural function, allowing participants to renew social connections, establish relationships, and deepen a sense of belonging. So,'it s possible to justify a few of those too-long and apparently unproductive meetings by finding hidden payoffs.我知道會議還有其他作用。有時，在會上大家可以討論預定方案，確保其沒 有致命錯誤

22、并給那些有異議的人一個表達心聲的機會。有些會議則有人文功能， 創造機會讓與會者敘敘舊、交交新朋友，并增強歸屬感。這些倒是能為那些冗長 而明顯無效的會議找到些許召集的理由。But, please, don t just call a meeting and hope the magic happens. Take charge and take personal responsibility for meeting its objectives, whatever they are.但是，千萬不要隨隨便便就召集會議，然后心存幻想，期待奇跡出現。不管 會議目標是什么，都要負起責任去達成目標。Uni

23、t3It' s important to know your objectives 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

24、 never sought out on your own.了解出差的目標、出發時牢記目標并清楚如何達成目標， 這些都是很重要的。 但在途中也會發生一些有趣的事情。你可能會去到一些令人驚嘆的地方，有機會 看到你自己可能永遠都發現不了的東西。Business trips don t 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 fi

25、rst resource to find out what is really cool to 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.商務旅行不必都是生意。完成工作后，就可

26、以去領略一下地方特色，參觀當 地的風景名勝，品嘗當地的美味佳肴。如果想要了解出差城市里有些什么真正好 玩的東西，第一大資源就是當地居民。如果你去一個很遠的城市與合伙人或賣家 談生意，他們會非常樂意帶你去了解當地的環境，去好玩的去處做有意思的事。If you can secure the evening of a local in your destination town, you can get quitean amazing tour of the area and see things that tourists may never find. It itsthat hard to in

27、vite a local to be your guide. If you have expense 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 doht 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 o

28、f your visit to the town, and after all, you' ve worked hard on your business objectives so you are entitled to some relaxation.如果能讓某個當地人晚上隨行的話，那你在目的地城市的旅行將會非常棒，可以欣賞 到游客們可能永遠都發現不了的東西。要請當地人當導游也并非難事。如果你公司允許報銷經費，那么你可以花公司的錢請導游吃頓晚飯。這樣，他們可以吃上免費大餐，而你就可以 有導游陪你游覽。但是，如果你在大城市出差并且想參觀大景點的話，那就大膽去當一回游客吧。這些都將會是

29、旅途中一段非常美好的回憶，畢竟你已經努力完成了出差使命，所以理應放松放松。If you are there on 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，但下周一還得繼續，那么大多數公司會寧愿花