新世纪研究生公共英语教材阅读B-课文原文及翻译

药学与生物工程学院研究生学生会编辑2011.6.14新世纪研究生公共英语教材阅读B课文原文及翻译Unit1PartyPoliticsJudithMartin1.Etiquetteatanofficeparty?Why,thesepeoplehavebeensocializinghappilyeveryworkingdayoftheirlives,giveortakeafewmelees,rumors,andcomplaintpetitions.Allittakestoturnthisintoholidaymerrimentisabitofgreeneryloopedaroundtheoffice—thestaffwillsoonbelooped,too.SurelyitisenoughthattheannualChristmaspartyhasthemagicingredients:timeofffromwork,freefoodanddrink,andaspiritoffunreplacingsuchuglyworkrealitiesassexualharassment.2.Furthermore,partygoersfigure,itoffersrelieffromsuchpeskyobligationsasthankinganyoneorbeingkindtowallflowersbecausetherereallyaren‟tanyhosts.Nobodyhastopay(thatsameNobodywhogenerouslyprovidesthetelephonelineforlong-distancepersonalcalls),andsonobody‟sfeelingsneedbeconsidered.3.Thisisallpurehospitality—thereforthetaking,liketheoffice-suppliedfelt-tippedpenseveryonehasbeenpocketingallyear.Outofthenaturalgoodnessofitscorporateheartandthespiritoftheholidayseason,thecompanywishesonlytogiveitsemployeesaroaringgoodtime,andtheemployees,outofloyaltyandthethrillofgettingtoknowtheirbossesoff-dutyasequals,delightintheopportunity.4.Forthosestilldimlyawareoftheonce-standardgive-and-takeofrealsociallife,thisno-faultapproachtobusinessentertainingseemsagodsend.Inthenow-raredomainofgenuinesociety,hostsaresupposedtoplanandpayfortheentertainmentoftheirguests,ontheirowntimeandintheirownhouses.Guestshavestrictduties,aswell—fromansweringinvitationstocooperatingwithallarrangements,eventotheextentofpronouncingthemperfectlylovely.5.Businessentertainingappearstoremovetheburdensoftime,effort,money,individualresponsibility—andtheetiquetteconnectedwiththem.Thepeoplewhodotheplanningarepaidfortheirtrouble,sothosewhobenefitneednotconsidertheyhaveincurredadebt.Why,theannualChristmaspartyoughttobeaninspirationtolower-levelemployeestoworktheirwayintorealmswherecompany-sponsoredpartyingcanbeenjoyedallyearlong.6.Notsofast.FlintyMissMannersdoesnotrecognizeanyholidaysfrometiquette.(Employees,ifnotemployers,shouldconsiderthemselvesluckythatsheisonlyonthePartyCommittee,nottheonethatmighttakeupethicalquestionsaboutthosepensandcalls.)Officepartiesdifferfromprivateonesbutarenofreerfromrules.7.Ifitwereindeedtruethateveryonehasabettertimewithoutetiquette,MissMannerscouldeasilybepersuadedtotakethedayoff.ButhavinglongservedontheOfficePartyEtiquetteCleanupsubcommittee,sheisawarethatthingsgenerallydonotgowellwhenthereisnorecognizedetiquetteandeveryoneisforcedtoimprovise.8.Letuslookatallthisspontaneous,carefreefun:Therebeingnoproperplacefortheboss,heorshehangsaroundthedoor,concernedaboutmixingwitheveryone.Itmightdiscouragehospitablebossestoseeguestsstaringattheminhorrorandthenslitheringinbyasidedoor.Butetiquette‟ssolutionofhavingeveryonegreetedinareceivinglinewasrejectedastoostiff.Soonecanhardlyblameemployeesforrecallingalong-ingrainedprincipleoftheworkplace:Seeingthebossandhavingagoodtimearebestnotscheduledatthesametime.9.Desperatetomakethetimecount,thebossgrabsthenearestavailablepersonandstarts药学与生物工程学院研究生学生会编辑2011.6.14deliveringpracticedwordsaboutthecontributionhemakestotheirgreatenterprise.Thereactionisnotquitewhatwashopedfor.Discreetquestioningestablishesthatthisisanemployee‟sguest.Hedoesn‟tworkforthecompany,recognizetheboss,orappreciatetheattention—and,asamatteroffact,hasonlyapassingacquaintancewiththeemployeewhoissuedtheinvitation.Whatthisguestwantsisnotprofessionalfellowshipbutafreshdrink,ifthebosswouldkindlystepoutoftheway.10.Now,thereasontheinvitationsaid“andguest”wastoavoidtheticklishissueofwhoisstillmarriedtowhomandwhatthespousecallsitself.Lastyear,unmarriedemployeeswerefuriouswhentheirpartnerswerenotincluded,andmarriedemployeescomplainedthattheformsbywhichtheirspouseswereaddressedwereoffensive:“Mrs.”offendedwomenwhopreferred“Ms.,”andwiveswhohadthesamesurnamesoutragedeverybodywhodidn‟t.Thisyear,thecomplaintswillbefromspouseswhowerenottoldthattherewasapartyorwhoweretoldthatspousesweren‟tinvited—butfoundoutotherwise.Therewon‟tbemanycomplaints.Theywill,however,bememorable,darklychargingthecompanywithpromotingimmorality.11.Meanwhile,whataboutthosewhoareinterestedinpromotingabitofimmorality,orjustplainromance,oftheirown?They,too,arecreatingproblemsthatwillreachfarintothenewyear.Trueofficeromancesaretheleastofthem,withtheirchargesoffavoritismandmeldingprofessionalandpersonaltime.Moreseriousisthefactthat,inspiteoftheliquorandhighspirits,itstillcountsassexualharassmentwhenanyonewithsupervisorypowersmakesunreciprocatedoverturestoalower-rankingemployee.Andfoolhardywhenalower-rankingemployeeannoysahigher-rankingone.12.Someemployeeshavetheirmindsonlyonbusinessandwillbespendingpartytimeactivelypromotingworkadayconcerns.Rememberingthecompanyrhetoricaboutopencommunicationsandallbeinginthistogether,theywillactuallyseekouttheboss,whobythistimeisgratefultobeaddressedbyanyoneatall.13.Buttheydon‟twanttoengageinplatitudes.Theyacceptcomplimentswith:“Well,thenhowaboutaraise?”Theypleadforpromotions,explainconfidentiallywhooughttobefired,andadvancepreviouslysubmittedideasaboutrevolutio