研究生英语听说教程

63 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO When MTV Goes CEO 1. A generation is defined by a common age location in history and a collective peer personality. What do you know about the different generations in America in the 1900s? Look at the following chart. Match the generation names on the left column with their birth years on the right. Say something about each of the generations. Greatest Generation 1965–1976 Silent Generation 1965–1980 Baby Boomers 1925–1945 Beat Generation 1911–1924 Baby Busters 1977–1994 Generation X 1948–1962 Generation Y 1946–1964 2. Look at the title of the following text: When MTV Goes CEO. What does MTV possibly refer to here? What does the title mean? What do you expect to read from this passage? 64 新视角研究生英语 读说写 Text 1 2 3 4 When MTV Goes CEO by Susan M. Keaveney As professor of marketing at the University of Colorado, Keaveney teaches marketing management, international marketing, and services marketing for the graduate School of Business and Executive MBA programs. She has also worked in retail, financial services, and health care, and has been active in the ―internationalization‖ of business schools. In the following article, Susan Keaveney provides a broad definition of Generation Xers, under headings such as ―latchkey kids‖, ―techno-babes‖, ―life-balancers‖, and ―free agents‖. She concludes with a number of questions about how members of this generation will behave by the middle of the millennium. This article is taken from Acting on Words. What happens when the ―unmanageables‖ become managers? ―Who will take the helm?‖ is one question that will keep CEOs awake at night in the next millennium. Most wonder what corporate culture in services firms will look like when the 40 million Gen Xers1 in the work force — now twenty-and thirty-something employees — take over as managers. Much has been written about Gen X employees, most of it negative. Early studies accused them of being arrogant, uncommitted, unmanageable slackers — disrespectful of authority, scornful of paying dues — tattooed and pierced youths who ―just don’t care.‖ Recent interpretations, however, offer some new and somewhat different insights. Arrogance or Independence? Gen Xers have been characterized as the ―latchkey kids2‖ of the 70’s and 80’s; often left on their own by divorced and / or working parents, these young people became adept at handling things on their own and in their own ways. Many became self-motivating, self-sufficient, and creative problem-solvers. Their independence, which baby-boom3 managers sometimes interpret as 1 Gen X: refers to the namelessness of a generation that was born between mid 1960s and late 1970s, right following the peak of the post-World War II baby boom, especially in Canada and the United States. X一代 2 latchkey kid: also latchkey child, refers to a child that returns from school to an empty home because their parents are away at work, or a child that is often left at home with little or no parental supervision. Called ―latchkey kids‖ because the kids often had the telltale keys around their necks or in their pockets. 钥匙儿童 3 baby-boom: most often refers to the dramatic post-World War II increased birthrate (1946–1964) in the U.S., with the term Baby Boomer referring to the persons born during that iconic era. 婴儿潮 65 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO 8 9 10 7 11 arrogance, may also reflect a need to feel trusted to get a job done. As employees, Gen Xers enjoy freedom to manage their own schedules. They don’t watch a clock and don’t want their managers to do so. Whether work is done from nine-to-five or noon-to-eight — at home, in the office, or over lattes — is irrelevant to this group because Gen Xers are results-oriented. They seek guidance, inspiration, and vision from their managers but otherwise prefer to be left alone between goal-setting and deliverables. Many Gen Xers excel at developing innovative solutions, but need clear, firm deadlines to set boundaries on their creative freedom. They have been known to bristle under micromanagement but flourish with coaching and feedback. Techno-Babes Gen X grew up with rapidly changing technology and the availability of massive amounts of information. Many developed skills at parallel processing or sorting large amounts of information quickly (which is sometimes interpreted as a short attention span). Most are skilled at understanding and using technologies, adapt quickly to new platforms, and are practiced at learning through technological media. They value visual as well as verbal communication. Gen X employees excel in a technologically advanced environment. They demand state-of-the-art capabilities, such as telecommuting, teleconferencing, and electronic mail, in order to work efficiently and effectively. To babyboom managers this may seem to be a preference for impersonal means of communicating, living and working, but Gen Xers do not see it that way; for example, they have modified electronic language and symbolism to express emotions such as surprise, anger and pleasure. Get a Life Gen X employees don’t live to work, they work to live. They place a high value on prototypical family values that they feel they missed. Having observed their parents trade personal lives for ―the good of the company,‖ this group wants balance in their lives, demanding time for work, play, family, friends, and spirituality. Gen X employees are skeptical of forgoing the needs of today for a later, uncertain payoff. When on the job market, Gen Xers will openly ask life-balance questions. This can be a turnoff for unprepared interviewers used to classic baby-boomer scripts featuring such lines as ―How can I best contribute to the company?‖ and ―My greatest weakness is that I work too hard.‖ In contrast, Gen Xers want to know ―What can you do to help me balance work, life, and family?‖ They expect companies to understand and respect their needs as individuals with important personal lives. This focus on ―getting a life‖ causes some to label them as slackers. Viewed from another perspective, however, Gen Xers could be seen as balanced individuals who can set priorities within time limits. 6 5 66 新视角研究生英语 读说写 Just Do It Gen X grew up with scandals in politics (Watergate4, Whitewatergate5), literature (The Education of Little Tree6), journalism (Janet Cooke7), business (Ivan Boesky8, Michael Milliken9), entertainment (Milli Vanalli10), professional sports (Pete Rose11, Tonya Harding12), and religion (Jim13 and Tammy Bakker14). It’s not surprising that they’re cynical about authority, irreverent about hierarchy, hate bureaucracy, loathe hidden agendas, and disdain politicking. They demand honesty and clarity, and respect substance over style. Gen X employees tend to focus on the big picture, to emphasize outcomes over process or protocol. They respect clear, unambiguous communication — whether good news or bad. Gen Xers prefer tangible rewards over soft words. Cash incentives, concert tickets, computer equipment, or sports outings go farther with this group than ―attaboys,‖ plaques, or promises of future rewards. Free Agents Growing up in a period of corporate downsizing and right-sizing fostered Gen X beliefs that the future depends on their resumes rather than loyalty to any one company. Not surprisingly, Gen X employees seek challenging projects that help them develop a portfolio of skills. What might appear to a baby-boom manager as job-hopping can be 14 15 12 13 4 Watergate: 即the Watergate Affair 水门事件, 指1972年6月17日美国共和党总统候选人尼克松 利用其竞选班子刺探对方民 主党的竞选政策而在民主党总部水门大厦安装窃听器所引发的政治丑闻。 5 Whitewatergate: 也称为the Whitewater Scandal 白水门事件, 指上世纪80年代阿肯色州某银 行破产后的一桩地产交易， 克林顿夫妇被怀疑滥用权力而卷入其中。 6 The Education of Little Tree: 《少年小树之歌》 7 Janet Cooke: born on July 23, 1954， was an American journalist who became famous when she won a Pulitzer Prize for a fabricated story that she wrote for The Washington Post. 新闻记者珍妮特?库克 8 Ivan Boesky: born on March 6, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan, was notable for his prominent role in a Wall Street insider trading scandal that occurred in the United States in the mid-1980s. 金融家伊万?波斯基 9 Michael Milliken: was accused of committing crimes of insider trading. He invented and used junk bonds with interest disproportionate to the risks involved and thus made massive amounts of money for both his employer and himself. 保债券大王 迈克尔?米利肯 10 Milli Vanalli: 德国米力?瓦尼力二人演唱组，曾获格莱美(Grammy)最佳新人奖。1990年爆 90年代流行音乐最大假唱丑 闻。 11 Pete Rose: born on 14 April, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio, one of the greatest professional baseball players in the history of the game — and also one of the most controversial. In 1989, he was accused of betting on baseball. The charges were proved and he was banned from baseball for life. 职业棒球运动员彼得?罗斯 12 Tonya Harding: born on November 12, 1970, a two-time US national figure skating champion (花 样滑冰冠军). She is best known as ―Champion skater who had her opponent’s knee whacked‖. 托亚?哈丁, 1994年因和前夫 一起用金属棒袭击主要 对手南西?克里根(Nancy Kerrigan)而遭惩罚。 13 Jim Bakker: 金?贝克, 曾为“赞美主”(Praise the Lord)电视频道负责人，美国有名的传道人、 电视布道家及大型福音 机构负责人。 因与教会女秘书Jessica Hahn有染而受到调查。调查发现他在1984–1987年间，将 奉献金480万美元占为己 有。 14 Tammy Bakker: born in 1942, a Christian singer and U.S. television personality, the former wife of Jim Bakker. 塔米?巴克 67 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO interpreted as Gen Xer’s pattern of skills acquisition. Similarly, a refusal to just ―do time‖ in an organization, often interpreted as disloyalty and a lack of commitment, may come from an intolerance of busywork and wasted time. Gen Xers will thrive in learning organizations where they can embrace creative challenges and acquire new skills. Smaller companies and work units will be valued for the opportunities they provide for Gen X employees to apply their diverse array of skills and, thereby, prove their individual merit. Managers who enact their roles as teachers and facilitators rather than ―bosses‖ will get the most from their Gen X employees. Training is valued by this group but should be immediately relevant: the best training seems to be self-directed or tied to self-improvement, personal development, and skillsbuilding. Some baby-boom managers hope that the differences between themselves and their Gen X employees will fade away as less-conforming behaviors are abandoned with age and experience. But what if the wished-for assimilation into corporate culture — as presently defined by baby-boomers — doesn’t occur? Or, what if, more likely, the assimilation is less than complete? What vestiges of Gen X’s culture will be maintained? What will be absorbed, what will fade away? Unmanageable or Entrepreneurial? As a group, Gen X was not predicted to become ―the establishment,‖ yet the establishment will claim them nevertheless. Having rebelled against standard business hours and micromanagement, they might find it difficult to make such demands of their subordinates. Having distained bosses, they might be uncomfortable being bosses themselves; having shunned hierarchy and titles, they may find their own managerial monikers awkward to bear. Their emphasis on independence, combined with technological expertise, suggested that Gen X managers will support continued growth in telecommuting. This trend could put particular stresses on services firms that require contact personnel on-site to service customers. However, the creative problem-solving excellence of Gen X managers, combined with their technological prowess, will support new approaches to the issue of front-line service coverage. Their life-balance beliefs suggest that Gen X managers will support familyfriendly corporate policies. Firms will experience a continued drive toward flexible work schedules and reduced hours that benefit both Gen Xers (who strive for balance throughout their careers) and baby boomers (who put off ―life‖ until their career dues were paid). Firms will manage differences in needs for employee benefits with cafeteria plans15 that allow Gen Xers to select benefits that support early family concerns (insurance, child care) and allow baby boomers to focus on 401ks [U.S.] and retirement plans. Gen Xers’ ―just do it‖ attitudes and impatience with corporate cultures that seem to support style over substance indicate that Gen X managers will support a more casual workplace. Expect ―dress-down Fridays‖17 to expand to encompass the entire workweek, with formal business attire required on an asneeded basis such as in the presence of customers. (Gen Xers will respect social niceties when they agree that there’s a good reason.) Some ―free-agent‖ Gen Xers will ultimately be unable or unwilling to make the transition to corporate manager. As Scott Adams’18 Dilbert19 cartoons make painfully clear, many Gen Xers fear ending up in dead-end support jobs, especially when they see the road to the top clogged with baby-boom managers. We are likely to see many choose an alternative lifestyle by becoming entrepreneurs. Indeed, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics20 reports that 80% of Americans starting their own businesses today are between ages 18 and 34. The trend may dilute corporate pools of promotable junior managers but provide a needed infrastructure for corporate outsourcing. Culture Clash or Diversity Other Labor Bureau Statistics show that in the next decade one in three workers will be over age 55. This has tremendous implications for a burgeoning culture clash between Baby Boomers and Gen Xers within corporations. Facing the issue squarely and approaching Gen X workplace issues as issues of cultural diversity are necessary to get the most from the two groups of managers. Firms must understand, respect, and respond to the needs of each group. Lines of communication must be opened and maintained. For example, mentoring programs that pair the institutional memory and experience of baby boomers with the technological prowess and creativity of Gen Xers can help to foster mutual respect between the two groups. The Vision Thing Before mid-millennium, Gen Xers will be the CEOs of the future. This is a time when Gen X’s visionary qualities will be most valued by firms. Will their anger with pollution, devastation of natural resources, and waste inspire them to responsible environmental stewardship? Will their disgust with corruption and scandal stimulate ethical corporate leadership? Will their experiences as the forgotten generation motivate them to create supportive corporate cultures? Will their experiences as a marginal group help them to envision, and sponsor, corporate cultural diversity? Only time will tell. 17 dress-down Fridays: the policy of a number of companies which allow their staff to dress casually in the office on Fridays 公 司里“星期五可以着便装”的规定 18 Scott Adams: cartoonist, creator of the popular cartoon character Dilbert. Born in 1957 and raised in Windham, New York. 著 名漫画家及作家史考特?亚当斯 19 Dilbert: 迪伯特，史考特?亚当斯 (Scott Adams) 系列漫画中的主人公 20 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: 美国劳动统计局 24 25 22 23 26 69 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO helm /helm/ n. handle or wheel for moving the rudder of a ship or boat 舵柄, 舵轮 arrogant /9{r5g5nt/ adj. behaving in a proud and superior manner 傲慢的，自大的 slacker /9sl{k5(r)/ n. person who is lazy or avoids work 懒惰的人, 偷懒的人 scornful /9skO:nf(U)l/ adj. showing or feeling a strong contempt for sth 鄙视的, 轻蔑的 tattoo /t{9tu:/ v. mark (sb’s skin ) with a permanent picture or pattern by pricking it and inserting a dye 给 (某人的皮肤) 刺染图案;纹身，刺青 pierce /pI5s/ v. make a hole in or through sth, esp with a sharp-pointed instrument 在 (某物) 上穿孔 latchkey /9l{tSki:/ n. key of an outer door, esp the front door of a house or flat (房门) 钥匙 adept /59dept,9{dept/ adj. expert or skillful in (doing) sth 对 (做) 某事内行的，熟练的 latte /9lA:teI/ n. a strong coffee made with hot milk 奶咖 inspiration /8InspI9reISFn/ n. stimulation of the mind, feelings, etc to do sth beyond a person’s usual ability 灵感 excel /Ik9sel/ v. be exceptionally good (at sth) 擅长 innovative /9In58vetIv/ adj. introducing or using new ideas, techniques, etc 革新的, 采用新技术 的 bristle /9brIsl/ v. 1) show anger 显示愤怒，被激怒 2) (of an animal’s fur) to stand up stiffly in fear or anger (因惧怕或发怒而) 毛发竖起 state-of-the-art adj. incorporating the newest ideas and the most up-to-date features (技术、 设备等) 最先进的 impersonal /Im9pÆ:s5nl/ adj. not influenced by, showing or involving human feelings 不牵涉个人 感情的，没有人情味的 symbolism /9sImb5lIzFm/ n. use of symbols to represent things, esp in art and literature 符号的使 用;象征手法 prototypical /8pr5Ut59tIpIkl/ adj. of a typical example of sth 典型的， 样本 保单样本pdf木马病毒样本下载上虞风机样本下载直线导轨样本下载电脑病毒样本下载 的 spirituality /8spIrItSU9{lItI/ n. 精神性，脱俗 skeptical /9skeptIkl/ adj. unwilling to believe sth; often doubting that claims, statements, etc, are true (对某事物) 不肯相信的，常怀疑的 forgo /fO:9g5U/ v. give up or do without 放弃 payoff /9peIÁf/ n. deserved reward or punishment (应有的) 报偿，惩罚 turnoff /9tÆ:nÁf/ n. 1) person or thing that bores or disgusts sb 令人厌烦或反感的人或事 2) road that leads away from a larger or more important one 支路, 岔 道 cynical /9sInIkl/ adj. believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity 愤世嫉俗的 irreverent /I9revFr5nt/ adj. feeling, or showing no respect for sacred things (对神圣之物) 不敬的 bureaucracy /bjUF9rÁkr5sI/ n. excessive or complicated official routines, esp because of too many departments and offices 官僚作风 loathe /l5UD/ v. feel great hatred or disgust for sb/sth 憎恨, 厌恶 disdain /dIs9deIn/ v. feel that sb/sth is not good enough to deserve one’s respect; despise 鄙 视，蔑视 politicking /9pÁlItIkIOE/ n. political activity, esp to win votes or support 政治活动 New Words 70 新视角研究生英语 读说写 protocol /9pr5Ut5kÁl/ n. system of rules governing formal occasions 礼仪 tangible /9t{ndZ5bl/ adj. that can be perceived by touch 可触知的，有形的 incentive /In9sentIv/ n. thing that encourages sb to do sth; stimulus 刺激，激励 outing /9aUtIOE/ n. short pleasure trip; excursion 短途旅行;远足 attaboy /9{t5bÁI/ int. an informal expression of encouragement or admiration, typically to a man or boy (美口) 好样的! (对男性 表 关于同志近三年现实表现材料材料类招标技术评分表图表与交易pdf视力表打印pdf用图表说话 pdf 示赞许、鼓励或钦佩) plaque /plA:k,pl{k/ n. an ornamental tablet, typically of metal, porcelain, or wood, that is fixed to a wall or other surface in commemoration of a person or event 饰板，匾 downsize /9daUnsaIz/ v. make (a company or organization) smaller by shedding staff 裁员 right-size /raIt saIz/ v. convert sth to an appropriate or optimum size 精简 foster /9fÁst5(r)/ v. help the growth or development of sth 培养，培育 portfolio /8pO:t9f5UlI5U/ n. a large, thin, flat case for carrying loose sheets of paper 公文包，文件 夹 job-hop /dZOb hOp/ v. change a job (esp frequently) 跳槽， (频繁) 更换职业 enact /I9n{kt/ v. perform (a part, play, etc) on, or as if on, the stage of a theatre 扮演?? 角色，演出，展现 a person who makes (an action or process) easy or easier 促进者，帮 facilitator /f59sIlIteIt5/ n. 助者 assimilation /58sImI9leISFn/ n. process of becoming absorbed into or part of another social group 同 化 vestige /9vestIdZ/ n. small remaining part of what once existed; trace 残余部分;遗迹， 痕迹 entrepreneurial /8Ontr5pr59nZ:rI5l/ adj. 创业的，具有企业精神的 shun /Sˆn/ v. keep away from (sth/sb); avoid 避开，回避，躲避 (某人/某事物) moniker /9mÁnIk5(r)/ n. a name 名字，绰号 expertise /9ekspÆ:taIz/ n. expert knowledge or skill, esp in a particular field 专门知识或技能 prowess /9praUIs/ n. outstanding skill or ability; expertise 高超的技艺, 非凡的才能, 专长 coverage /9kˆv5rIdZ/ n. 1) extent to which sth is covered 覆盖范围,覆盖程度 2) reporting of events, etc 新闻报道 encompass /In9kˆmp5s/ v. include or comprise sth 包含，包括 attire /59taI5(r)/ n. clothes; dress 衣服, 服装 nicety /9naIs5tI/ n. subtle distinction or detail 细微的区别, 微小的细节 clog /klÁg/ v. become blocked with thick or sticky material 堵塞，塞住 entrepreneur /8Ántr5pr59nÆ:(r)/ n. person who starts or organizes a commercial enterprise, esp one involving financial risk 企业家 (尤指涉及财务风险的) dilute /daI9lu:t/ v. make (a liquid or color) thinner or weaker (by adding water or another liquid) 稀释, 冲淡 infrastructure /9Infr5strˆktS5(r)/ n. subordinate parts, installations, etc that form the basis of a system, an organization or an enterprise (组成一 制度 关于办公室下班关闭电源制度矿山事故隐患举报和奖励制度制度下载人事管理制度doc盘点制度下载 、企业或组织的) 基础结 构，基础设施 outsource /8aUt9sO:s/ v. obtain (goods or a service) by contract from an outside supplier 外包 burgeon /9bÆ:dZ5n/ v. begin to grow rapidly; flourish 迅速生长;茂盛 mentor /9ment5/ v. advise or train (someone esp a younger colleague) 培训 institutional /8InstI9tju:SFnFl/ adj. of, from or connected with long-established custom, practice or group 由来已久的，习以为常的 71 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO visionary /9vIZ5nFrI/ adj. having or showing foresight or wisdom 具有或显示出远见或智慧的 devastation /8dev59steISFn/ n. being destroyed completely 毁灭 stewardship /9stjU5dSIp/ n. position and duties of a person employed to manage another’s property, esp a large house or estate 管理员、服务员的职位和 职责 岗位职责下载项目部各岗位职责下载项目部各岗位职责下载建筑公司岗位职责下载社工督导职责.docx marginal /9mA:dZInl/ adj. 1) of secondary or minor importance; not central 不重要的, 次要的 2) relating to or situated at the edge of sth 空白边缘的，页边空白的 envision /In9vIZFn/ v. imagine as a future possibility; visualize 想象，展望 become / be adept at be good at (doing sth that needs care and skill) 擅长于 excel in / at do (sth) much better than most other people 突出，胜过他人 place a high value on attach great importance to 重视，看重 trade ... for ... exchange (sth) for (sth else) 用??换取?? forgo ... for ... give up (sth) in order to get (sth else) 为了??而放弃(某物) fade away gradually disappear over a long time 渐渐消失 in the presence of when sb / sth is at present 在??的面前 make the transition to change to sth else 转变为 end up come to be in a situation or state eventually 结束, 告终 be clogged with be filled up or crowded with (sth / sb) 挤满/塞满了(人或物) I. Reading Comprehension Answer the following questions based on the text. 1. In paragraph 2, the author says that ―’Who will take the helm?’ is one question that will keep CEOs awake at night in the next millennium.‖ Why do you think the CEOs feel so worried about people who will take over as managers? 2. Why are Gen Xers so independent? In paragraphs 4–6, what examples does the author give to show their independence? 3. What kind of environment do Gen Xers prefer to work in? Why? 4. According to paragraph 9, what makes Gen Xers place a high value on work-life balance? 5. Why do Gen X job applicants usually make the interviewers surprised and irritated at a job interview? 6. The author gives a subtitle ―Just Do It‖ to paragraphs 12–13. How do you understand the meaning of ―Just Do It‖ from the two paragraphs? 7. According to paragraphs 14–17, Gen Xers are constantly changing jobs instead of working for a single employer all their lifetime like their parents. What are the two reasons we can find to explain Gen Xers’ frequent change of their jobs? Exercises Phrases and Expressions 8. In what way will Gen X’s life-balance beliefs affect corporate policies in the future according to the author’s forecasts in paragraph 21? 9. In paragraph 23, the author forecasts that many Gen Xers will choose to become entrepreneurs rather than take a job in a company. What advantage and disadvantage are mentioned by the author about Gen Xers’ trend to start their own business? 10. In paragraph 25, what suggestion does the author give to deal with the culture clash between Baby Boomers and Gen Xers within the workplace? II. Structure of the Text Complete the following outline based on the text. 1. Introduction: (Paras. 1–3) Much has been written about Gen X employees, but most of it is ____________________. Recent interpretations, however, offer some ______________________________________. 2. Body (Paras. 4–23) 1) The characteristics of Gen X (Paras. 4–18) A. ___________________________________________________ rather than arrogant B. _____________________________________________________________________ C. _____________________________________________________________________ D. Demand honesty and clarity; respect substance over style E. Change jobs often to __________________________________________________ 2) Changes that Gen X managers will likely bring to corporate culture and leadership (Paras. 19–23) A. They will ________________________________________ due to their emphasis on independence and their skills in technology. B. They will _________________________________ due to their life-balance beliefs. C. They will _____________________________________ and expand informal dressing to the whole workweek owing to their ―just do it‖ attitude and impatience with the old corporate cultures. D. Many of them will _____________________________________________ and become entrepreneurs themselves owing to their independence and their doubt about their future in a corporate workplace. 3. Conclusion (Paras. 24–26) 1) Cultural differences between Baby Boomers and Gen Xers should be _____________ _________________________________________________________ in the workplace. 2) ________________________________________________________________________. III. Topics for Discussion Discuss the following questions in small groups. 1. What answers would you give to the author’s questions in the last paragraph of the text? Will Gen Xers hold true to their principles on the environment, resources, corporate ethics, and multicultural tolerance? Why do you think so? 2. Do you think it’s appropriate for job applicants to ask work-life balance questions in a 73 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO job interview? Do you think you will do that yourself? 3. From the text, we can learn that Gen Xers have many unique characters. Can you compare and contrast Gen Xers in America with the young generation in today’s China? In what ways are they different from or similar to each other? IV. Reading and Reciting A. Read and recite the following paragraphs from the text. Many Gen Xers excel at developing innovative solutions, but need clear, firm deadlines to set boundaries on their creative freedom. They have been known to bristle under micromanagement but flourish with coaching and feedback. (Para. 6) Gen X employees don’t live to work, they work to live. They place a high value on prototypical family values that they feel they missed. Having observed their parents trade personal lives for ―the good of the company,‖ this group wants balance in their lives, demanding time for work, play, family, friends, and spirituality. Gen X employees are skeptical of forgoing the needs of today for a later, uncertain payoff. (Para. 9) Before mid-millennium, Gen Xers will be the CEOs of the future. This is a time when Gen X’s visionary qualities will be most valued by firms. Will their anger with pollution, devastation of natural resources, and waste inspire them to responsible environmental stewardship? Will their disgust with corruption and scandal stimulate ethical corporate leadership? Will their experiences as the forgotten generation motivate them to create supportive corporate cultures? Will their experiences as a marginal group help them to envision, and sponsor, corporate cultural diversity? Only time will tell. (Para. 26) B. Study and recite the following sayings or quotations. What one generation sees as a luxury, the next sees as a necessity. Anthony Crosland It’s all that the young can do for the old, to shock them and keep them up to date. George Bernard Shaw The longer I live the more keenly I feel that whatever was good enough for our fathers is not good enough for us. Oscar Wilde V. Vocabulary A. Complete the sentences with words given below, making sure that each word is used in the right form. shun envision outsource assimilate margin institutional burgeon telecommute encompass prowess forgo strive 74 新视角研究生英语 读说写 1. Our company is one of the leading manufacturers of commercial and ________ kitchen equipment, such as ovens, freezers, refrigerators, blenders, etc. 2. An annual increase of 1.3% in food production is necessary at the present time to feed the ________ human population, assuming present diets remain invariant. 3. You can ________ the joy of your beloved ones when they receive the DVD shows made by your own hands as a special gift. 4. This book depicts the cultural history of race and the complicated relationship between ________ and mainstream culture in early twentieth-century America. 5. These sorts of jobs are available between late May and late August and often ________ a wide range of work. 6. There is currently a trend for companies to ________ much of their IT to third-parties, in some cases to overseas third-parties. 7. In ancient China, women would compete to show off their __________ in needlecraft on Qixi, the most important way of celebrating the festival. 8. Morgan ________ publicity of any kind, and never permitted signs bearing her name at construction sites. 9. Immigrants need time to overcome difficulties when they are ____________ into new cultures. 10. Electronics chain stores are sometimes willing to ________ profits for a period of time in order to gain market share. B. Choose the word or phrase that best completes each of the following sentences. 1. ________ leaders are those courageous individuals who throughout history have refused to accept the status quo. A. Scornful B. Visionary C. Impersonal D. Respectful 2. The thick soap won’t foam properly, so it is necessary and economical to ________ it with water. A. pierce B. dip C. dilute D. balance 3. I’ve been on suspension for over 2 weeks because I stood up to a rude, ________ boss. A. arrogant B. disloyal C. corporate D. uncommitted 4. The successful candidates are all creative in solving problems and ________ at learning new technologies and skills. A. capable B. marginal C. adequate D. adept 5. She ________ as she talked about the messy young boys who had drunk up all her milk and eaten up all her chocolates. A. bristled B. disdained C. downsized D. shunned 6. Not only does he have one of those distinctive radio voices that sets him apart, he also brings a fun and a slightly ________ attitude to his show. A. irrelevant B. irreverent C. burgeoning D. mentoring 7. ________ assets comprise items such as land, buildings, plants, machinery, fixtures and fittings, IT equipment and vehicles. A. Diverse B. Massive C. Classical D. Tangible 8. These few old-style wooden shops are soon to be demolished. With them will go the last ________ of the town’s original look. 75 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO A. prowess B. moniker C. vestige D. portfolio 9. Our way to stay ahead of the competition is by continually creating ________ products and services while building new value in existing product lines. A. unmanageable B. deliverable C. innovative D. institutional 10. He always smiled and never had a negative comment about anyone or a _________ remark about any situation. A. cynical B. skeptical C. hierarchical D. prototypical VI. Cloze Choose an appropriate word from the following list to fill in each of the following blanks. Each word can be used only ONCE. Change the word form where necessary. give create when with serious assure previous include to waste rigid about trait face alone since offer play initiative stay future for interest fluid The 51 million members of Generation X, born between 1965 and 1976, grew up in a very different world than 1 generations. Divorce and working moms 2 ―latchkey‖ kids out of many in this generation. This led to 3 of independence, resilience (弹性) and adaptability. At the same time, this generation expects immediate and ongoing feedback, and is equally comfortable 4 feedback to others. Other traits 5 working well in multicultural settings, desire for some fun in the workplace and a pragmatic (重实效的) approach 6 getting things done. Generation X saw their parents get laid off or 7 job insecurity. Many of them also entered the workplace in the early ’80s, 8 the economy was in a downturn. Because of these factors, a Gen Xer doesn’t 9 time complaining if he is dissatisfied 10 the company — he sends his resume out and accepts the best 11 he can find at another organization. At the same time, Generation X takes employability 12 . But for this generation there isn’t a career ladder. There’s a career lattice (格子). They can move laterally (横向的), stop and start, their career is more 13 . Members of Generation X dislike authority and 14 work requirements. Therefore, providing feedback on their performance should 15 a big part, as should encouraging their creativity and 16 to find new ways to get tasks done. As a mentor, you’ll want Gen Xers to work with you, not 17 you. Start by informing them of your expectations and how you’ll measure their progress and 18 them that you’re committed to helping them learn new skills. (Members of Generation X are eager to learn new skills because they want to 19 employable.) Gen Xers work best when they’re given the desired outcome and then left 20 to figure out how to achieve it themselves. This means a mentor should guide them with feedback and suggestions, not stepby- step instructions. 76 新视角研究生英语 读说写 VII. Oral Practice A. Speaking tasks and activities 1. Discuss the following questions in small groups. 1) How is your generation different from your parents’? Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between your attitudes towards life, work, family and friend and those of your parents. Make your ideas well organized. 2) When there is a conflict between work and family matter, which do you think you will put at the first place? Do you think you will trade work for family matter, or family matter for work? Why? 3) Describe the environment you have grown up in. How has it affected you positively and/or negatively? Please well-organize your ideas and support them with examples. 2. From the text, we learn that Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are different from each other in many ways. To help them better accept each other and result in successful collaboration in the workplace, both groups should try to make some behavior changes about themselves. The following is a list of advice for Baby Boomers and Gen Xers respectively. Can you add more advice to the lists by working in small groups? Advice for Baby Boomers • Accept that you don’t know everything. • Talk in present and future terms. • Don’t say things like: “We’ve always done it that way.” “We’ve tried that in the past.” “You’ re too young to remember how it really was.” Advice for Gen Xers • Ask questions and listen. • Find out what didn’t work in the past to save you time in the future. • Don’t say things like: “You don’t understand how technology can improve this business.” “Just look for your answers in the online manual.” “That’s the way it was done in the dinosaur days.” B. How to present 1. Developing the conclusion The conclusion is like beautiful wrapping paper on a gift — it’s the final detail that ties up your speech with a review and a memorable statement. 1) Signaling the close of the presentation Using a transition statement or a phrase is a good way to alert the audience that the presentation is about to end. For example, ―finally‖, ―looking back‖, ―in conclusion‖, and ―let me close by saying‖ all signal closure. 2) Summarizing the main points Following your brief abstract, repeat or rephrase the two to five main points you presented in the body of your presentation. A restatement of main points brings the speech full circle. This can be done in one long, well-constructed sentence, or at most, one sentence for each point. For example As I’ve highlighted, X Company can meet your requirements for price reductions, flexibility in delivery dates, and quality standards in production. 77 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO 3) Challenging the audience to respond A strong conclusion challenges audience members to put to use what the speaker has taught them. In informative speeches, the speaker challenges the audience to use what they’ve learned in a way that benefits them. In persuasive presentations, the challenge to the audience usually comes in a form of a call to action, a challenge to see the problem in a new way, change their beliefs about the problem, or change both their actions and their beliefs about the problem. For example Board members, with the benefits we presented, I urge you to vote to accept our proposal today, so we can initiate the program by February. 4) Making the presentation memorable A good conclusion increases the odds that the speaker’s message will linger after the speech is over. A speech that makes a lasting impression is one that listeners are most likely to remember and act on. To do this, make use of the same devices for capturing attention described for use in introductions—quotations, stories, questions, startling statements, and humor. For example, in John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” 5) Some do’s and don’ts for conclusion Don’ts Do’s a. Don’t merely stop. a. Do work on your conclusion carefully. b. Don’t introduce new points. b. Do end with strength. c. Don’t stretch it out. c. Do get to the point and summarize. d. Do bring your presentation to a smooth ending. e. Do signal your audience that you are concluding. 2. Let’s practice The author elaborates six characteristics of Gen X from paragraphs 4 to 23. Choose three of them and develop an informative presentation about Gen Xers. Expand the subheading into a topic sentence, and prepare your own introduction and conclusion. VIII. Translation A. Translate the following sentences into English. 1. 经过五年的实践, 他现在对同国际投资和贸易相关的法律事务已很在行了。(be adept at) 2. 根据一项调查，X一代对退休后依靠社会保障 (social security) 持怀疑态度。和先辈们相 比，他们早已开始在为退休而省钱了。(be skeptical of/about) 3. 通过这种轻松舒适的脚摩治疗，你白天所有的烦恼和压力好象都消失了。(fade away) 4. 研究表明大部分员工都很看重他们卓有成效的工作能够得到认可或赞赏。(place a high value on) 5. 急诊室里挤满了来看常见病的病人，因为他们没有固定的医生。(be clogged with) 6. 任何一个试图训练或帮助一名新技术经理转变角色成为领导的人都可以从这本书中获得 有用的想法。(make the transition to) 7. 大多数时候如果你走捷径完成一个项目，结果则需要你做一些修补工作, 而其所花的时 间会是你走捷径所省下的时间的两倍。(end up) 8. 那些不能在个人和职业生活之间设置合理界限的员工是不能理解生活和工作的意义的。 (set boundaries) 9. 这一运动的目的是训练人们在面对危险时有序而职业地作出反应。(in the presence of) 10. 大多数X一代人都有放弃职业发展而花费更多时间来陪妻子和孩子的愿望, 特别是在他们 孩子还小的那几年。(forgo … for …) B. Translate the following underlined sentences into Chinese. The Generation Power Struggle by Sue Romero Both baby boomers and Gen Xers have experienced difficult historical and societal events that have molded their work style views. After two world wars and the Great Depression, the economy in 1946 was ready for expansion. Families boomed with babies and optimism. Children were treated as stars and were indulged by parents. Baby boomers entered the workplace with self-serving ideas and motives. They pursued their own careers to achieve great success, even if it meant being away from their families. Important values for this generation include optimism, team playing, personal gratification, health, wellness and work contribution. 1) Gen Xers, on the other hand, watched the sacrifices that their parents made to move up the career ladder, only to be met with massive layoffs in American corporations. As a result, they are selfreliant, seek a sense of family, and want a better balance of work and lifestyle. They are skeptical of authority and don’t want to be closely managed. In fact, as long as they get the job done, how and when they do it doesn’t matter. Technology is their friend, not their enemy. The Problem: 2) These different perspectives can often lead to clashes in the workplace. Each group is prone to generalizations about the other. While there are always exceptions, here are some common themes: • Baby boomers want Gen Xers to pay their dues by working in the trenches for years, just like they did. 3) Gen Xers see no reason to pay their dues because they can get the job done better and faster and still have time for their lifestyles and family. • Baby boomers don’t want to give up control. Gen Xers are frustrated because they feel unable to progress in today’s organizations. • Baby boomers struggle with fast paced changes in technology. Gen Xers thrive on the leading edge of technology. • Baby boomers still want to work and be valued for their past experience. Gen Xers value experience that is ―right here, right now.‖ • Baby boomers offer advice even when not asked. Gen Xers see no need to ask for advice. • Baby boomers think they still have energy. Gen Xers have effortless energy. • Baby boomers think customers want more human interaction. Gen Xers think customers want faster and more efficient services. • Baby boomers want to stay in power. Gen Xers want to take over the power. 79 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO The Solution: These two generations will need to coexist for at least another decade, so they have to learn to work together. Ignoring each other is not the solution. 4) Some would say the only solution is the legal system, where age-bias lawsuits may rise as boomers age. How sad! Both generations offer unique skills and experiences to the workplace. There can be many synergistic (增效的), collaborative efforts to work together with greater benefits to the company. Imagine the positive energy of specialized training teams consisting of a baby boomer and Gen Xer who train nurses, sales reps (代表), customer service reps or managers. Imagine two employees, one of each generation, servicing a customer. Imagine managers of each generation working together to enhance the productivity of two different departments. The recipients would benefit from years of hands-on experience, technical knowledge and creativity. The ultimate goal is to satisfy the customer — and don’t forget that customers are both baby boomers and Gen Xers. While this power struggle may not be unique to these two generations, it’s the one we are living through now. 5) But history will repeat itself as the baby boomers leave the workforce, the Gen Xers rise to power and generation Y employees come on the scene. 80 新视角研究生英语 读说写 IX. Writing 1. Do you want to start your own business and be a boss yourself? What qualities does a person need to possess to be a good boss? Write an essay of about 250 words with the suggested title ―Qualities of a Good Boss‖. 2. As a well-educated member of the young generation in China, living in a society which is fast changing, what do you think are your opportunities and challenges? Write an essay of about 250 words with the suggested title ―Our Opportunities and Challenges‖. Further Reading 1 3 2 4 5 6 Generation Y: They’ve Arrived at Work with A New Attitude by Stephanie Armour Stephanie Armour is a reporter for USA Today — America’s top-selling newspaper, known as The Nation’s Newspaper. This article was published in November, 2005. They’re young, smart, brash. They may wear flip-flops (―人‖字型拖鞋) to the office or listen to iPods at their desk. They want to work, but they don’t want work to be their life. This is Generation Y, a force of as many as 70 million, and the first wave is just now embarking on (开始) their careers — taking their place in an increasingly multigenerational workplace. Get ready, because this generation — whose members have not yet hit 30 — is different from any that have come before, according to researchers and authors such as Bruce Tulgan, a founder of New Haven, Conn.-based Rainmaker Thinking, which studies the lives of young people. This age group is moving into the labor force during a time of major demographic change, as companies around the USA face an aging workforce. Sixty-year-olds are working beside 20-year-olds. Freshly minted (铸造) college graduates are overseeing employees old enough to be their parents. And new job entrants are changing careers faster than college students change their majors, creating frustration for employers struggling to retain and recruit talented highperformers. Unlike the generations that have gone before them, Gen Y has been pampered (娇惯), nurtured and programmed with a slew of (许多) activities since they were toddlers, meaning they are both high-performance and highmaintenance, Tulgan says. They also believe in their own worth. ―Generation Y is much less likely to respond to the traditional command81 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO and-control type of management still popular in much of today’s workforce,‖ says Jordan Kaplan, an associate managerial science professor at Long Island University — Brooklyn in New York. ―They’ve grown up questioning their parents, and now they’re questioning their employers. They don’t know how to shut up, which is great, but that’s aggravating (使恼火的) to the 50-year-old manager who says, ’Do it and do it now.’ ― That speak-your-mind philosophy makes sense to Katie Patterson, an assistant account executive at Edelman Public Relations in Atlanta. The 23-yearold says many of her friends want to run their own businesses so they can be independent. ―We are willing and not afraid to challenge the status quo,‖ she says. ―An environment where creativity and independent thinking are looked upon as a positive is appealing to people my age. We’re very independent and tech savvy (聪慧的).‖ A great deal is known about Gen Y: They have financial smarts. After witnessing the financial insecurity that beset (困扰) earlier generations stung by layoffs and the dot-com burst, today’s newest entrants into the workforce are generally savvy when it comes to money and savings. They care about such benefits as 401(k) retirement plans. Thirty-seven percent of Gen Yers expect to start saving for retirement before they reach 25, with 46% of those already working indicating so, according to a survey. And 49% say retirement benefits are a very important factor in their job choices. Among those eligible (有资格的), 70% of the Gen Y respondents contribute to their 401(k) plan. Work-life balance isn’t just a buzz word. Unlike boomers who tend to put a high priority on career, today’s youngest workers are more interested in making their jobs accommodate their family and personal lives. They want jobs with flexibility, telecommuting options and the ability to go part time or leave the workforce temporarily when children are in the picture. ―There’s a higher value on self fulfillment,‖ says Diana San Diego, 24, who lives with her parents in San Francisco and works on college campuses helping prepare students for the working world through the Parachute College Program. ―After 9/11, there is a realization that life is short. You value it more.‖ Change, change, change Generation Yers don’t expect to stay in a job, or even a career, for too long — they’ve seen the scandals that imploded (使内爆) Enron and Arthur Andersen, and they’re skeptical when it comes to such concepts as employee loyalty, Tulgan says. They don’t like to stay too long on any one assignment. This is a generation of multitaskers, and they can juggle e-mail on their BlackBerrys (黑莓机) while talking on cell phones while trolling (滚动) online. 11 12 14 8 9 10 13 7 15 82 新视角研究生英语 读说写 And they believe in their own self worth and value enough that they’re not shy about trying to change the companies they work for. That compares somewhat with Gen X, a generation born from the mid-1960s to the late-1970s, known for its independent thinking, addiction to change and emphasis on family. ―They’re like Generation X on steroids (类固醇),‖ Tulgan says. ―They walk in with high expectations for themselves, their employer, their boss. If you thought you saw a clash when Generation X came into the workplace, that was the fake punch (猛击). The haymaker (重击) is coming now.‖ A recent example is a young woman who just started a job at a cereal company. She showed up the first day with a recipe for a new cereal she’d invented. Conflicts over casual dress and other things In the workplace, conflict and resentment can arise over a host of issues, even seemingly innocuous (无关紧要的) subjects such as appearance, as a generation used to casual fare such as flip-flops, tattoos and capri pants (七分裤) finds more traditional attire is required at the office. And then there’s Gen Y’s total comfort with technology. While boomers may expect a phone call or in-person meeting on important topics, younger workers may prefer virtual problem solving. Conflict can also flare up over management style. Unlike previous generations who’ve in large part grown accustomed to the annual review, Gen Yers have grown up getting constant feedback and recognition from teachers, parents and coaches and can resent it or feel lost if communication from bosses isn’t more regular. ―The millennium generation has been brought up in the most childcentered generation ever,‖ says Cathy O’Neill, senior vice president at a career management company. ―Their expectations are different. The millennial expects to be told how they’re doing.― Perks and recruitment Employers are examining new ways to recruit and retain and trying to sell younger workers on their workplace flexibility and other qualities generally attractive to Gen Y. At Abbott Laboratories in Chicago, recruiters are reaching out to college students by telling them about company benefits such as flexible work schedules, telecommuting, full tuition reimbursement (偿还) and an online mentoring tool. Aflac (美国家庭人寿保险公司), an insurer based in Columbus, Ga., is highlighting such perks as time off given as awards, and recognition. Xerox (施乐公司) is using the slogan ―Express Yourself‖ as a way to describe its culture to recruits. The hope is that the slogan will appeal to Gen Y’s desire to develop solutions and change. Recruiters also point out the importance of diversity at the company; Gen Y is one of the most diverse demographic groups — one out of three is a minority. 24 25 20 23 26 19 21 22 18 17 16 83 Unit Four When MTV Goes CEO ―Gen Y is very important,‖ says Joe Hammill, director of talent acquisition. ―Xerox and other Fortune-type companies view this emerging workforce as the future of our organization.― Reading Comprehension Choose the best answer to each of the following questions. 1. What does Gen Y refer to? A. People in their 20s today. B. People in their 30s today. C. People in their 40s today. D. People in their 50s today. 2. What makes today’s US employers frustrated according to paragraph 3? A. They are about to retire but college graduates are too young to take their places. B. They face an aging workforce and young talented workers change jobs fast. C. Young talented workers are too few to find. D. Young workers do not respond to their management style. 3. Which of the following is not mentioned as the characteristic of Gen Yers? A. They have good command of technology. B. They value their family and personal lives a lot. C. They like to dress themselves casually. D. They have got many traveling and enriching experiences. 4. What does the example in paragraph 18 about the young woman who showed up the first day in the company with a recipe for a new cereal she’d invented shows us? A. Gen Yers want to change the company they work for. B. The young woman is too self-confident. C. Gen Yers and their managers often compete with each other. D. Older managers should be more creative to gain Gen Y’s respect. 5. What do paragraphs 23–27 mainly tell us? A. The reasons why Gen Y is important and should be treated with respect. B. The way to deal with various cultural differences in the workplace today. C. The different benefits provided by US companies to attract young workers. D. The solutions to the conflicts between Gen Y and older generations. 27