高分求新编大学英语第4册视听说教程原文和答案

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Doyouviewworkasaburdenoranopportunity?Areyouthekindofpersonwholooksforwaystosaveyourenergyorthekindthatfindsspendingyourenergysatisfying?Whydopeopleliketocomplainaboutwork?Findtheanswerstoquestionliketheseinthefollowingessay.

WHYPEOPLEWORK

LeonardR.Sayles

Jobsandworkdomuchmorethanmostofusrealizetoprovidehappinesssandcontentment.We'reallusedtothinkingthatworkprovidesthematerialthingsoflife--thegoodsandservicesthatmakepossibleourmoderncivilization.Butwearemuchlessconsciousoftheextenttowhichworkprovidesthemoreintangible,butmorecrucial,psychologicalwell-beingthatcanmakethedifferencebetweenafullandanemptylife.

Historically,workhasbeenassociatedwithslaveryandsinandpunishment.Andinourowndayweareusedtohearingthetraditionalcomplaints:Ican'twaitformyvacation,IwishIcouldstayhometoday,Mybosstreatsmepoorly,I'vegottoomuchworktodoandnotenoughtimetodoit.Againstthisbackground,itmaywellcomeasasurprisetolearnthatnotonlypsychologistsbutotherbehavioralscientistshavecometoacceptthepositivecontributionofworktotheindividual'shappinessandsenseofpersonalachievement.Workismorethananecessityformosthumanbeings;itisthefocusoftheirlives,thesourceoftheiridentityandcreativity.

Ratherthanapunishmentoraburden,workistheopportunitytorealizeone'spotential.Manypsychiatristsheadingmentalhealthclinicshaveobserveditshealingeffect.Agoodmanypatientswhofeeldepressedinclinicsgainrenewedself-confidencewhengainfullyemployedandlosesome,ifnotall,oftheirmostacutesymptoms.Increasingly,institutionsdealingwithmentalhealthproblemsareestablishingworkshopswhereinthosetoosicktogetajobinoutsideindustrycanwork,whileeveryeffortisexertedtoarrangerealjobsforthosewellenoughtoworkoutside.

Andthereverseistrue,too.Forlargenumbersofpeople,theabsenceofworkisharmfultotheirhealth.RetirementoftenbringsmanyproblemssurroundingtheWhatdoIdowithmyself?question,eventhoughtheremaybenofinancialcares.Largenumbersofpeopleregularlygetheadachesandotherillnessesonweekendswhentheydon'thavetheirjobstogoto,andmustfendforthemselves.Ithasbeenobservedthatunemployment,quiteasidefromexertingfinancialpressures,bringsenormouspsychologicaltroublesandthatmanyindividualsdeterioraterapidlywhenjobless.

Butwhy?Whyshouldworkbesuchasignificantsourceofhumansatisfaction?Agoodshareoftheanswerrestsinthekindofpridethatisstimulatedbythejob,bytheactivityofaccomplishing.

PrideinAccomplishment

Thehumanbeinglongsforasenseofbeingaccomplished,ofbeingabletodothings,withhishand,withhismind,withhiswill.Eachofuswantstofeelheorshehastheabilitytodosomethingthatismeaningfulandthatservesasatributetoourinherentabilities.

Itiseasiesttoseethisinthecraftsmanwholovinglyshapessomecheapmaterialintoanobjectthatmaybeeitherusefulorbeautifulorboth.Youcanseethecarpenterorbricklayerstandasideandadmiretheproductofhispersonalskill.

Butevenwherethereisnoobviousendproductthatissolelyattributabletooneperson'sskill,researchershavefoundthatemployeesfindprideinaccomplishment.Ourownresearchinhospitalssuggeststhateventhehouskeepingandlaundrystaffstakeprideinthefactthatintheirownwaystheyarehelpingtocuresickpeople--andthusaccomplishinggooddeal.

We'reoftenmisledbythecomplaintssurroundingdifficultwork;deepdownmostpeopleregardtheirwoncapacitytoconquerthetoughjobasthemarkoftheirownuniquepersonality.ComplainingisjustpartofworkingAfterall,howelsedoyouknowwhoyouare,exceptasyoucandemonstratetheabilityofyourmindtocontrolyoulimbsadhandsandwords?Youare,insignificantmeasure,whatyoucando.

Somearedeceivedintothinkingthatpeopleliketostoreupenergy,torestandsavethemselvesasmuchaspossible.Justtheopposite.Itisenergyexpenditurethatissatisfying.

Justwatchanemployeewhomustdealwithcountlessotherpeoplebecausehisorherjobisatsomecentralpointinacommunicationsnetwork:asalesmanatabusycounter,astockbrokeronthephone,acustomerrepresentative.Theywilltellyouhowmuchskillandexperienceittakestoanswercountlessquestionsandhandlevariouskindsofpersonalitieseveryhouroftheday.Noteveryonecaninteractwithsuchpersistenceandoverlonghours,butthosewhodo,pridethemselvesonadistinctiveabilitythatcontributesmightilytotherunningoftheorganization.

Butworkismorethanaccomplishmentandprideinbeingabletocommandthejob,becauseexceptforafewcraftsmenandartistsmostworktakesplaceoutintheworld,withanthroughotherpeople.

Espritdecorps

Perhaspsanexamplewillmakethepoint:

Irememberviewingahalfdozenmeinachairfactorywhosejobitwastobendseveralpiecesofsteelandattachthemsothatafoldingchairwouldresult.Whilethereweretenortwelveoftheseteamsthatworkedtogether,oneinparticularwasknownforitsperfectcoordinationandlightning-likeefforts.Themenknewtheyweregood.Theywouldworkspurtsfortwentyorthirtyminutesbeforetakingabreak--toshowthemselves,bystandersandothergroupswhatitwastobesuperblyskilledandself-controlled,tobethebestinthefactory.

WhenItalkedwiththem,eachexpressedenormousprideinbeingapartofthefastest,bestteam.Andthissenseofbelongingtoanaccomplishedworkgroupisoneofthedistinctivesatisfactionsoftheworldofwork.

Onefurtherwordaboutworkgroupsatisfactions.Unlikemayotheraspectsoflife,relationshipsamongpeopleatworktendtobesimpler,lesscomplicated,somewhatlessemotional.Thisisnottosaytherearen'targumentsandjealousies,but,onthewhole,behavioralresearchdisclosesthathumanrelationsatworkarejusteasier,perhapsbecausetheyaremoreregularandpredictableandthussimplertoadjusttothanthesporadic,themoreintenseandlessregularrelationshipsinthecommunity.Andtheworkgroupalsogentlypressuresitsmemberstolearnhowtoadjusttooneanothersothattheroughedgesareworkedoffbecausepeopleknowtheymustdocertainthingswithandthroughoneanothereachday.

Beyondtheteamandtheworkgroup,thereistheorganization,whetheritbecompanyorhospitaloruniversity.Thesameprideinbeingpartofawell-coordinated,successfulunitisderivedfrombeingpartofalargercollectivity.Workingforacompanythatisthoughofasbeingpartofthebestinthecommunitycanprovideemployeeswithbothstatusandself-confidence.Theyassume,usuallywithgoodreason,thatothersregardthemmorehighly,evenenvythem,andthattheyaremorecompetentthantheaveragebecauseofthisassociationwithawinner,aprestigiousinstitution.Weintruthbaskinthereflectedgloryoftheinstitution,andweseekwaysofassertingourmembershipsothatotherswillknowandcanrecognizeourgoodfortune.

NewWords

contentment

n.happiness;satisfaction满足

civilization

n.文明

intangible

a.thatcannotbetouchedorgrasped触摸不到的

crucial

a.decisive;critical决定性的，关键的

pschological

a.ofthesoulormind心理的

historically

ad.inthecourseofhistory,inaccordancewithorinrespecttohistory

associate

vt.connectorbringtogetherinone'smind联想

slavery

n.thesystemofhavingslaves;theconditionofbeingaslave奴隶制度；奴隶身份

sin

n.behaviorthatisagainsttheprinciplesofmorality;animmoralact罪孽

punishment

n.punishingorbeingpunished惩罚

complaint

n.complaining;astatementexpressingunhappiness,pain,dissatisfaction抱怨

behavioral

a.oforhavingtodowithbehavior行为的

contribution

n.actofcontributing;sth.contributed

necessity

n.sth.thatisnecessary;theconditionofbeingnecessary,neededorunavoidable必需品；必要性

focus

n.thecentralpoint;centreofinterest焦点

creativity

n.theabilitytoproducenewandorignalideasandthings;inventiveness创造性

clinic

n.buildingorpartofahospitalwheredoctorsgivespecializedmedicaltreatmentandadvice;amedicalinstitutionforspecialpurposes诊所

heal

v.(causeto)becomehealthy治愈，愈合，痊愈

depressed

a.sad;lowinspirits精神抑郁的，情绪沮丧的

depress

vt.makesad,lowinspirits

renew

vt.reestablish;givenewlifeandfreshnessto使更新

gainfully

ad.profitably

acute

a.severe;strong严重的，急性的

symptom

a.achangeinthebody'sconditionthatindicatesillness症状

institution

n.asociety,club,collegeoranyorganizationestablishedforsomepublicorsocialpurpose公共机构

workshop

n.aroomofbuildingwhichcontainstoolsormachineryformakingorrepairingthings车间，工场

wherein

conj.inwhich

exert

vt.use(strength,skill,etc.)尽力

reverse

n.theopposite;theotherwayround,theback相反，背面

absence

n.non-existence;lack

retirement

n.instanceofretiringorbeingretired;conditionofbeingretired退休

financial

a.relatingtomoney财政的；金融的

weekend

n.SaturdayandSunday,esp.whenconsideredasaholidayfromwork

fend

vi.provide(for)供养；照料

unemployment

n.thestateofbeingunemployed

significant

a.ofnoticeableimportanceoreffect重大的

significancen.

satisfaction

n.bestateofbeingsatisfied满足

satisfactorya.

accomplished

a.skilled,expert有才艺的；有造诣的

tribute

n.materialevidenceofone'sworth,virtue,etc.

inherent

a.existingasanaturalandpermanentpartorqualityof内在的，生来的

craftsman

n.ahighlyskilledworkman手艺人，（名）工匠

bicklayer

n.aworkmanwhobuildswithbricks

attributable

a.thatcanbeattributed可归因于……的

attribute

vt.把……归因为

housekeeping

n.managementofahomeanditsaffairs家政

staff

n.thegroupofworkerswhocarryonajob（全体）员工

capacity

n.ability,power;theamountthatsth.canholdorproduce能力；容量

tough

a.difficulttodoordealwith艰巨的

unique

n.beingtheonlyoneofitstype独特的

limb

n.theleg,arm.orwingofananimal肢，翼

opposite

n.apersonorthingthatisentirelydifferentfromanother对立面，对立物

countless

a.verymany;toomanytobecounted

broker

n.personwhobuysandsellsforothers经纪人，掮客

stockbroker

n.apersonwhobuysandsellsstocksandbondsforotherforacommission证券经纪人

representative

n.apersonactinginplaceofoneormoreothers代表

interact

vi.actoneachother相互作用

persistence

n.theactorfactofkeepingondoingsthinspiteofdifficultyoropposition坚持

persistvi.

distinctive

a.clearlymarkingapersonorthingasdifferentfromother特殊的；与众不同的

mightily

ad.withpowerandstrength;greatly

espritdecorps

n.(French)spiritofloyaltyanddevotionwhichunitesthemembersofagrouporsociety团体精神，集体荣誉感

coordination

n.harmoniousadjustmentorworkingtogether协调

coordinatevt.

lightning

闪电

bystander

n.apersonstandingnearbutnottakingpartinaneventoractivity;onlooker旁观者

superbly

ad.magnificently;firstclass

aspect

n.onesideorviewofasubject方面

relationship

n.afriendshipbetweenpeople;connection关系

disclose

makeknown;showbyuncovering揭示

sporadic

a.occurringnowandthen;occasional零星发生的,偶尔的

collectivity

n.peoplecollectively,especiallyasformingacommunityorstate集体

collectivea.

status

n.(high)socialorprofessionalposition地位,身份

envy

vt.feeladmirationorill-willtoward(sb.)becausehehasthegoodfortuneonewishestohave羡慕;妒忌

winner

n.onethatwinsorseemsdestinedtowinorbesuccessful

prestigious

a.havingrespectthatresultsfromthegoodreputation(ofaperson,nation,etc.)有声望的

bask

vi.sitorlieinenjoyablewarmthandlight(舒适地)取暖,享受

reflect

vt.throwback(light,heat,soundorimage)反射;反映

assert

vt.demonstratetheexistenceof;declareforcefully宣称,断言

membership

n.thestateofbeingamember,ofaclub,society,etc.allthemembersofaclub,society,etc.

Phrases&Expressions

associatewith

connectwith(oftenmentally)把…与…联系在一起

ratherthan

insteadof

fendforoneself

lookafteroneself照料自己，自行谋生

asidefrom

besides,apartfrom除…以外

longfor

desire(tohave)sth.strongly渴望

takepridein

fellpleaseandhappybecauseof为…而感到得意

storeup

putawayforfutureuse储存，储备

prideoneselfon

regardasaspecialreasonforprideorsatisfaction以……自豪

makethe/one'spoint

provethatsth.istrue证明一个论点

inparticular

especially

atwork

busyatajob;doingwork

onethewhole

consideringeverything;ingeneral

workoff

getridof,dispose除去，清除