一項調查發現，目前每個工作日中14%的時間竟然被用於“上網閑逛”。在各國的辦公室裡，員工在上班時間查看社交媒體網站、網上購物、閱讀新聞、瀏覽八卦等已很常見。人們為什麼會養成“上網閑逛”的習慣呢？這個習慣怎麼改？跟隨本集《隨身英語》瞭解造成人們“上網閑逛”背後的原因。
課文內容
Vocabulary: Procrastination 詞匯: 延遲
Time to own up. When you’re sitting at your computer, do you work solidly all day? Or do you allow yourself to become distracted now and again… to open a few extra tabs, check social media, read a spot of news, browse the latest fashion trends, maybe catch up on some celebrity gossip, and look at some…
Stop! You’re ‘cyberloafing’. The unwieldy word is a combination of ‘cyber’, which means ‘related to computers’, and ‘loafing’, which means ‘relaxing in a lazy way’. We do it, and we do it a lot. A study from the University of Texas suggests we are guilty of this form of procrastination for 14% of our working day. On a Friday afternoon, I expect it’s more than that.
I’ll admit to indulging in the odd bout of cyberloafing myself. In fact I’ve already done it in the course of writing this story. OK, more than once.
But it’s a slippery slope. It can damage your productivity and even your career. Because according to the Univeristy of Texas research, each time a worker gets sidetracked by the internet it takes an average of 23 minutes to get back to work.
More than that, cyberloafing has a dark side, according to a report published in The Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace. It argues that cyberloafing is connected to several negative personality traits. People who cyberloaf are more likely to be manipulative, self-interested and narcissistic. Furthermore, people with these traits are less likely to feel remorse about avoiding work, and less concerned about getting caught.
Why do we do it? For some, it’s undoubtedly an escape from the drudgery of what they’re supposed to be doing. Or a way of avoiding tackling that ever growing in-tray. Some might get a feeling of satisfaction, get a buzz from finding a great deal online. But overall, it’s something that takes you away from what you’re actually being paid to do, or paying to do: if you’re a student.
When you have the whole world of the internet at your fingertips, it’s hard to resist.
How do we nip it in the bud? If you can truly ask yourself why you are cyberloafing, then that can help identify the base problem. And if that sounds like too much hard work, you could just switch off the internet for a couple of hours!
So in the meantime, let me just close those extra tabs…
詞匯表
own up 承認，坦白（錯誤）
solidly 紮紮實實地，連續地
now and again 不時的
tab （瀏覽器）窗口
gossip 八卦，流言蜚語
unwieldy 笨拙的
indulge in 沉溺於
odd 偶爾的
bout（某活動的）一陣
slippery slope 滑坡效應，下坡路
productivity 生產率
get sidetracked 使分心，註意力被轉移瞭
dark side 陰暗面，黑暗面
manipulative 有控制欲的，愛擺佈（他人）的
self-interested 利己主義的，隻為自己著想的
narcissistic 自我欣賞的
get a buzz 讓人感到異常興奮
at your fingertips 近在手邊
to nip (something) in the bud 防患於未然
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Is cyberloafing a widespread problem?
2. What does the author say is the best way to stop cyberloafing?
3. Why can you say cyberloafing has a ‘dark side’?
4. Which word means ‘continuous boredom’?
5. True or false: The author has sympathy for cyberloafers.
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. Don’t spend too much on your credit card. It’s a ______. You get into serious financial trouble.
dark side buzz sidetrack slippery slope
2. Stop looking at yourself in the mirror. You really are ______.
manipulative unwieldy narcissistic sidetracked
3. I’ll admit I do like the ______ muffin now and again. Even though I’m putting on weight.
odd unusual strange slippery
4. With a ______, you have the world at your fingertips. It can do so many things.
frying pan smartphone pair of gloves toothbrush
5. I’ve been working solidly all morning. I need ______.
a break a buzz to speed up to focus
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Is cyberloafing a widespread problem?
According to one study, almost 14% of our working day is spent cyberloafing. So in terms of productivity, it’s a huge problem.
2. What does the author say is the best way to stop cyberloafing?
The best way is to ask yourself why you are cyberloafing and try to identify the base problem.
3. Why can you say cyberloafing has a ‘dark side’?
One study linked cyberloafing with negative personality traits, including being manipulative, narcissistic and self-interested.
4.Which word means ‘continuous boredom’?
Drudgery.
5. True or false: The author has sympathy for cyberloafers.
The author admits to cyberloafing and also uses language like “hard to resist”, so it appears he has sympathy for this behaviour.
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. Don’t spend too much on your credit card. It’s a slippery slope. You get into serious financial trouble.
2. Stop looking at yourself in the mirror. You really are narcissistic.
3. I’ll admit I do like the odd muffin now and again. Even though I’m putting on weight.
4. With a smartphone, you have the world at your fingertips. It can do so many things.
5. I’ve been working solidly all morning. I need a break.
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