Lesson OneLesson OneLesson OneLesson OneThe Company in Which I WorkThe Company in Which I Work

The lower your position is, the more people you are afraid of.

• 此处采用“ the+ 比较级， the+ 比较级”结构，表示“越…，就越…”

• The harder he worked, the more progress he made.

他工作越努力，进步越大。

• drain: v. to use too much of sth. so that there is not enough left 耗尽 drain sb./sth. of sth.…time and success drained them of energy and ambition --Their energy and ambition are depleted ( 耗尽 ) by long years of effort and success; they no longer have energy and ambition because they are old and successful

• credit sb. with sth.: v. to believe that someone has a quality, or has done something good

• fitful: adj. happening irregularly for short periods of time; from time to time 一阵阵的

• When he slept it was short and fitful and then he would awaken, crying again.

• 当他睡着时，有片刻间歇，可一当他醒来，就会接着哭。• fit: be fit to do sth.

be fit for sth.　　　 physical fitness　　 a fit of coughing/laughing/anger/rage 一阵　　 adj. fitful adv. Fitfully

He makes it clear to me every now and then that…

• 句中 every now and then 的意思是“时而，不时”

• He goes shopping with his wife every now and then.

他时常和他妻子一起去购物。

• bypass: n. 旁道

• v. to avoid obeying sb. [a rule, or system], in an official position 走旁道以绕过或避开 ignore, avoidWe manage to bypass the shopping center by taking side-streets. 我们尽量走小路以绕过购物中心区。bypass a difficulty, problemtake up one’s time: occupy one’s time 占用某人时间

• You shouldn’t take up the manager’s time. 你不应占用经理的时间。

take one’s time: take it easy, easy does it

Most of the work we do in my department is, in the long run, trivial.

• 句中 we do in my department 为 most of the work 的定语从句，其中的先行词 that 已省略。

• in the long run 为插入部分，意为“终究，到最后”

• He will lose money in the long run. 他最终会把钱都赔掉。

• He turns scarlet with rage and embarrassment: his face flushes because of anger and embarrassment 。

• trialtrial: (in the textin the text) a short process during which you use sth. or employ sb. to find out whether they are satisfactory for a particular purpose or job 试验；审讯；努力；磨炼

[be on trialbe on trial]&[take/have sth. on trialtake/have sth. on trial]—be in the process of being tested or tried

• on the verge ofon the verge of : very near to (the stated condition or action)

• on the verge of 处于…的边缘• I’m on the verge of bursting into tears when learning

his victory. 得知他的胜利，我激动地几乎要哭出来了。• collectively and individuallycollectively and individually: as a group and as an ind

ividual

• They are always on trial, always on tThey are always on trial, always on the verge of failure, …he verge of failure, …--they are watched and examined by others as a group and as an individual all the time and are always about to fail

•

• They They strainedstrained, even the most secure and , even the most secure and self-assuself-assuredred of them, to look good on paper. of them, to look good on paper.

• strainstrain: v. try very hard to do sth. using all your physical and mental strength

• The terrible disease even stained the relationship of the two countries.

• strain: n. a state in which one is greatly troubled by anxiety and difficulty 极度紧张；重负；过劳

• Young people are under great strain during the examination period.

• Examinations of all kinds put a great strain on young people.

• V. self-assuredself-assured: adj. self-confident• They, even those who are the safest and most

self-confident, tried their best to look good in written form.

• Scrutiny being studied or observed very carefully. 仔细研究 ; 仔细观察

• His private life came under media scrutiny. 他的私生活开始受到媒体的密切关注。

• scrutinize V.• examine sth. very carefully, often to find out some info

rmation from it or about it. 仔细察看• Her purpose was to scrutinize his features to see if he

was an honest man. • 她的目的是仔细察看他的特征看他是不是个诚实的人。• [carefulcareful/closeclose] scrutinyscrutiny: n. careful and thorough exa

mination• ( 翻译 )— 比如，每星期都会记录下上一个星期公司每个

销售办事处和销售部的销售结果 , 然后同前一年同期（同一个星期）的销售结果相比较。

…for fear they may start doing worse.

• for fear (that) 以免… , 以防… She hid her jewelry for fear that it

would be stolen. 她把宝石藏起来，以防被偷。

• landland: vt. informalinformal to succeed in getting a contract, order, job, something that was difficult to get. [ 口语 ] 得到，赢得，弄到，获得：

• bring inbring in: to earn a particular amount or produce a particular amount of profit 引进；生产；增加

• elationelation: n. [U.] a feeling of extreme happiness and excitement

• He was filled with elation when her daughter was born. 喜出望外

• So there is crisis and alarm even in their So there is crisis and alarm even in their triumphs.triumphs.The story of his triumph is very moving. So even when they celebrate their success, they feel threatened and scared too.

• crampcramp: n. severe pain in the stomach 痉挛，绞痛 abdominal crampsabdominal cramps: troubles in digestion.

[This is a satire on their frequent, excessive eating in dinner parties with their clients.]

•

• brood brood +[overover/aboutabout/onon] : vi. to keep thinking for a long time about sth. that you are worried, angry, or upset about 计较（尤指忿恨不满）；郁闷地沉思

• He sat there brooding for hours. It doesn’t help to brood on your mistakes. 对所犯的错误耿耿于怀是无济于事的。adj. broody 沮丧的，抑郁的adv. broodily n. broodiness

• grudgegrudge [+againstagainst]: n.[C.] a feeling of anger or dislike you have for someone because you cannot forget that they harmed you [=reresentmentsentment] v./n. 怨恨，恶意

bear (sb.) a grudge bear (sb.) a grudge (=to continue to have a grudge)

　　　　 grudge against sb.grudge against sb. 　　 I bear him no grudge. 我对他没有怨恨。　　 He has a grudge against me. 他对我有怨恨。　　 He has been harboring/nursing a grudge against me. 　　他一直对我心怀嫉妒。　　 adj. grudging 不情愿的，勉强的 unwilling, reluctant 　　 adv. grudgingly 　　 The boss grudgingly raised my salary.

• incurincur: vt. to put yourself in an unpleasant sit

uation by your own actions, so that you lose s

th., get punished etc.招致，引发；蒙受 [招惹 ;

给自己惹起 ]

• incur the displeasure ofincur the displeasure of 触犯 ..., 得罪 ..., 伤害 ... 感

情

incur losses/debts etc.incur losses/debts etc. 造成损失 / 导致欠债

incur expensesincur expenses 不得不在…花钱

• 句中 to which they are subjected 为修饰 supervision的定语从句

• react to这一固定搭配，注意其后接名词，“回应， 对…产生反应”

• The eye reacts to light. 眼对光会起反应。• subject to1. 使服从于；使隶属于： You should subj

ect yourself to my command.• 你必须听从我的命令。• 2. 使经受，使经历： We were subjected to very clo

se questioning.• 我们受到严厉的盘问。• All our products are subjected toare subjected to rigorous testing.• Have they been subjected to the war?• 他们经历过战争吗 ?

• thrivethrive繁荣，兴旺；茁壮成长 • thrive on sth.thrive on sth.: to enjoy or be successful in

conditions that other people, businesses etc. find difficult or unpleasant.

• Your employees will thrive on them, but they need to work out how to meet those challenges themselves.

• 你的员工会在挑战中茁壮成长，变得能干无比。 但他们需要自己解决如何应对这些挑战。

fall prey/victim to sth/sb• fall victim tofall victim to: become victim of sth.; be deceived

by sth.成为…的牺牲品；成为…的受害者；被…降服

• to suddenly begin to suffer as a result of something or someone bad.

• E.g.: fall victim to a disease / an explosion / one’s own avarice (greed)

• Police fear that more pensioners could fall prey/victim to the thieves.

It’s a wise person, I guess, who knows he’s dumb, and an honest person who knows he’s a liar.• I guess 为插入语。•主句采用 it is…who… 的强调句型。• an honest person who knows he’s

a liar 为强调句型的省略形式，其完整形式为 and it is an honest person who knows he’s a liar.

• goose—geese　　 goose-step正步走　　 goose- flesh 鸡皮疙瘩

• means that we get into and out of the means that we get into and out of the company in a seemingly important bcompany in a seemingly important but actually foolish mannerut actually foolish manner.

• retard 放慢或迟缓，阻碍，妨碍 hinder 　　

• Lack of sun retards plant growth. •光照不足使植物生长缓慢。

n. retardation 智力迟缓 • mental retardation

　　 adj. retarded 智力迟钝的

• n. monotony 单调乏味，千篇一律adj. monotonous

• adv. monotonously

I frequently feel I’m being taken advantage of merely because I’m asked to do the work I’m paid to do.• 句中 merely because I’m asked do 为状语从句。

• I’m paid to do 为 the work 的定语从句。• take advantage of 利用（人或人的弱点等）

• I hope that this library is fully taken advantage of.

• melancholy n./adj.忧郁，抑郁 depression/depressedn. melancholia 抑郁症A funeral is a melancholy occasion.

•葬礼是令人悲伤的场合

• regardless of— 意为“不顾，不管”。• E.g. He says what he thinks, regardles

s of other people’s feelings. 他想到什么就说什么，毫不考虑别人的感受。

• induce v. I.劝诱，促使 induce sb. to do sth.We couldn’t induce the old lady to travel by air. = persuadeWhat induced you to do such a stupid thing? II. 引起，产生，造成　　 illness induced by overwork =caused　　 an induced labor 催生　　 We have to induce her. 我们得给她引产。n. inducement

(课外补充的）verge & edge n. 边缘

• verge 常用于短语 on/to the verge of sth/of doing sth 中，表示非常接近某事发生的时间，常译为“濒临”

She was on the verge of nervous breakdown. 她的精神快要崩溃了。

• edge 指物体表面或某区域的最外围部分。 Don’t put the glass on the edge of the

table.

strive & endeavor v. 试图，努力做

• strive 力求，奋斗，指去获得成就或征服困难。

He strives for the prize in mathematics. 他为获得数学奖而奋斗。

• endeavor 是书面用语，指竭尽全力地做新的或金库的努力或尝试。

• She walked up ad down the room endeavoring to compose herself. 尽力使自己平静下来。

convert & changev. 变化

• convert 意为转变，指通过改变使食物具有新的用途，也指改变形状、目的，体制或信仰等。

• Sheep skins are converted into parchment.羊皮被改制成羊皮纸。

• change 意为改变，指所有人和事物的变化和改变。

He changed his plan at the last minute.

credit & imputev. 归因于，归咎于

• credit归因于，含有褒义色彩• They credit the invention to him. 他们

把这一发明归功于他。• impute 常指把错误、失败或不足之处归咎于他人或其他原因

• They imputed the fire to him for his irresponsibility. 他们把火灾归罪于他的失职

assignment & taskn. 任务，工作

• assignment 分派的任务，有时也指学生的家庭作业。

• The foreman is responsible for the assignment of jobs. 工长负责分配工作

• task 指艰巨的或者令人厌烦的工作。• I have many household tasks to do t

oday. 我今天有许多家务要做。

• 1. It took him three years to pay off all the debts (occurred, incurred) by buying that new house.

• Occur: to happen • Incur: if you incur a cost, debt, or a fine, you have to p

ay money because of something you have done, or you do not make money

• 2. The boy gave an (ingenuous, ingenious) account of what had happened, concealing nothing.

• Ingenuous: an ingenuous person is simple, trusting, and honest, especially because they have not had much experience of life

• Ingenious: someone who is ingenious is very good at inventing things or at thinking of new ideas

• 3. He gave such (implicit, explicit) instructions that everyone understood them.

• Implicit: suggested or understood without being stated directly

• Explicit: expressed in a way that is very clear and direct

• 4. The two brothers (compliment, complement) each other; one is impulsive, the other, cautious.

• Compliment: to say something nice to someone in order to praise them

• Complement: to make a good combination with someone or something else(相辅相成 , 结合得很好 )

• 5. The little boy (stimulated, simulated) illness not to go to school.

• Stimulate: to encourage or help an activity to begin or develop further

• Simulate: to make or produce something that is not real but has the appearance or feeling of being real

• 6. Sitting alone in his room, he (wondered, brooded) over his failure to get a job after a whole year of trying.

• Wonder: to think about something that you are not sure about and try to guess what is true, what will happen etc

• Brood: to keep thinking about something that you are worried or upset about

• 7. She has had a (grudge, malice) against me ever since I turned down her unreasonable request.

• Grudge: a feeling of dislike for someone because you cannot forget that they harmed you in the past

• Malice: the desire to harm someone because you hate them

• 8. After graduating from the business school, he went to work in a big corporation and proved to be quite a (shrewd, cunning) businessman.

• Shrewd: good at judging what people or situations are really like

• Cunning: someone who is cunning is clever and good at deceiving people in order to get what they want