本文选自吴应时主编的《大学英语六级阅读真题精读——晨读伴侣》。本书对历年国家大学英语六级考试(CET-6)的仔细阅读部分进行了详尽而精准的分析、翻译和注释,对四六级考生有着事半功倍的效果,对提升整体英语能力也很有帮助。

学习导读:

女权主义是当今流行的社会思潮,而且传播范围很广,影响群体较大。很多时候我们甚至会有这样的错觉,似乎男性反而成了社会的弱势群体。但不论是从生理还是社会层面来看,男性仍旧占据着优势。社会上的歧视可以从表面上消解,但深层次的差别对待想要消除的话并非一朝一夕之事。文章从MBA的招生说起,来看看作者笔下的男女是否平等了。

Picture (a typical 1MBA) lecture theatre [twenty years ago]. [In it] the majority 2(of students) will have conformed 3 to the standard model (of the time): {male, middle class and Western}. Walk into a class [today], [however], and you’ll get a completely different impression. [For a start], you will [now] see plenty more womenthe University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, ^for example^, boasts 4 that 40% of its new enrolment 5 is female. You will [also] see a wide range (of ethnic 6groups) and nationals (of practically 7 every country).
设想一下二十年前典型的MBA课堂是什么样子。大多数学生和那个时代的标准完全一致:男性、中产阶级、西方人。然而,走进今天的课堂你会得到截然不同的印象。首先,你会看到更多的女同学,例如宾夕法尼亚大学沃顿学院自称他们的新生中女生占40%。同时,你还会看到,这些学生来自不同的民族和几乎每一个国家。

注:1. typical adj. (of)典型的,有代表性的。例:

a typical example典型的例子

He is a typical man of hard work.
他是努力工作的典型。

Women typically spend six months to a year or more before making a decision.
女性总得来说要花半年到一年或更多的时间方能做决定。

[选自:CNN: updated]

【派】typically(adv.典型地,有代表性地)

2. majority n. 多数,大多数;成年。例:

Today the majority of jobs are in the service industry.
如今,大多数工作职位来自服务行业。

majority status成人身份

3. conform vt. 遵守,依照,顺应。例:

conform to/with符合,遵照,遵守

All of the citizens shall conform with the traffic regulations.
所有的市民都应该遵守交通规则。

In other words, they do not conform in the slightest to the popular stereotype.
换句话说,他们一点儿也不遵循主流的那一套。

[选自:ECONOMIST: Muslims in Europe]

【派】conformity(n.遵守;一致);nonconformist(n.非国教徒)

4. boast v. 自夸,夸耀。例:

boast of/about 夸耀

nobody should boast of his learning.
谁都不应当夸耀自己的学识。

n. 自夸,大话。例:

Annie made many boasts about her son.
安妮把她的儿子夸得天花乱坠。

Even in this respect, the generals cannot boast that they have done better than the politicians.
即便是在这个方面,将军们也不能夸耀他们比政治家要做得好。

[选自:ECONOMIST: Thailand]

5. enrolment n. 登记,注册。例:

The deadline for enrolment is two days before the class.
注册最后期限是上课前两天。

6. ethnic adj. 种族的,民族的。例:

The experts focus in the study of ethnic issues.
这些专家致于研究种族问题。

And some ethnic groups such as African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to develop it.
某些种族,比如非裔美国人和西班牙人都更容易得糖尿病。

[选自:MSN: Diabetes shame plus denial a risky combo]

【参】ethics(n.道德规范)

7. practically adv. 几乎,实际上;简直。例:

When the planet’s richest man drops by,the occasion is practically a state visit.
全国首富顺道来访,其场面隆重得简直像是一次国事访谈。

【参】impractical(adj.不切实际的);practicable(adj.可行的,能行的);practicality(n.实用性)

It might be tempting 1, [therefore], to think that the old barriers 2 have been broken down and equal opportunity achieved. But, [increasingly], this apparent 3diversity is becoming a mask [for a new type of conformity]. [Behind the differences in sex, skin tones and mother tongues], there are common attitudes, expectations 4 and ambitions (which risk creating a set of 5 clones [among the business leaders] (of the future).)
由此你可能会以为陈规桎梏已被打碎、平等机遇已经实现。但是,这种表面上的多样性正在逐渐成为新的一致性的外衣。在不同性别、肤色、母语背后暗藏着相同的态度、期望和雄心,可能会有这样的风险:在未来的商界领导人中创造出一批千篇一律的人。

注:1. tempt vt. 诱惑,引诱;吸引,使感兴趣。例:

Nothing could ever tempt me to betray my motherland.
无论何时都没有什么能诱使我背叛我的祖国。

We refused the offer even though it tempted us.
尽管给出的条件让我们很感兴趣,但是我们还是拒绝了。

Setbacks, which are inevitable, may well tempt Beijing’s leaders to call a halt to the experiment.
难以避免的挫折可能会引发北京领导人暂停该尝试。

[选自:CNN: Ballot Power?]

【派】temptation(n.引诱,诱惑)

2. barrier n. 栅栏,屏障;障碍(物)。例:

The pedestrian jumped the barrier when the police watched elsewhere.
那个行人趁警察瞅别的地方的时候越过了栅栏。

3. apparent adj. 明显的,显而易见的,表面的,貌似的。例:

Tom was confused by his apparent change in personality.
汤姆对他性格的明显变化感到困惑。

Apart from the apparent deformity the frogs seem to be in good condition and are spawning.
除了明显的畸形之外,青蛙看上去状态不错,还在产卵。

[选自:BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Cambridgeshire | Five legged frogs spark inquiry]

4. expectation n. 期望,期望,指望。例:

I had no expectation that the team would win.
我预计那个队赢不了。

5. a set of 一组,一套。例:

Can I borrow a set of playing cards?
我能借一副扑克吗?

We have a set of issues on which we have to deal with the Chinese.
我们跟中国人之前有一堆议题需要解决。

[选自:CNN: THE ALBRIGHT AGENDA]

Diversity 1, ^it seems^, has not helped to address fundamental 2 weaknesses [in business leadership]. So what can be done to create [more] (effective) managers (of the commercial world)? [According to Valerie Gauthier], {associate dean 3 at HEC Paris}, the key lies in the process (by which MBA programmes recruit 4their students.) [At the moment] candidates are selected on a fairly narrow set of criteria 5 {such as prior 6 academic and career performance, and analytical and problem solving abilities}. This is [then] coupled to a school’s picture (of what a diverse class should look like,) [with the result] (that passport, ethnic origin and sex can [all] become influencing factors.) But schools [rarely] dig down to find out what [really] makes an applicant eed>, to create a class (which [also] contains diversity (of attitude and approach)) – [arguably] the only diversity (that, ^in a business context^, [really] matters.)
多样性似乎不能解决商业领导力的根本弱点。那么如何才能创造出更高效的商界经理呢?巴黎高等商学院副院长Valerie Gauthier认为关键在于MBA项目的招生程序。招生时,候选人以相对狭小的标准来筛选,比如主要看学术、职业表现以及分析和解决问题的能力。这就和多样化课堂应有的样子联系起来,结果是,护照、民族和性别都可能成为影响因素。但是,学校很少去发掘申请者的成功原因,很少致力于创造一个包容多种态度和方法的课堂——可以说,这样的多样性才是商业环境中最重要的。

注:1. diversity n.差异,多样化,(人在种族、民族、宗教等方面)多样的。例:

How does diversity affect supervisors?
多样性将如何影响管理者。

【参】diverse(adj.多种多种样的,不同的)

2. fundamental adj. 基础的,基本的。例:

fundamental innovation基础性的创新

fundamental process基础过程

fundamental element基本元素

Families, she said, are the fundamental economic unit — and they need money and jobs.
她表示,家庭方为经济的基本单位——而家庭成员需要金钱和工作。

[选自:NPR: Economy Trumps Social Issues In Conservative SC]

n. [pl.]基本原则,基本原理。例:

This math class covers the fundamentals of algebra.
这堂数学课上讲授了代数的基本原则。

【派】fundamentally(adv.基础地,根本地)

3. dean n. 教长,主持牧师;(大学的)学院院长,系主任,训导主任。例:

At any rate ,to become a dean in the parish is my aim.
无论如何,当该教区的主持牧师是我的目标。

The dean of our college set up a special award for hardworking students.
我们院的院长为那些刻苦学习的学生设立了一个特别奖项。

4. recruit v. 招募(新兵),招收(新成员)。例:

The Argentine ants can quickly recruit a huge army from their network of nests.
阿根廷蚂蚁很快地从它们的巢穴网中招募起一直庞大的蚁军。

n. 新兵,新成员。例:

The new recruits will be sent to the front soon.
新兵将被立即派往前线。

5. criteria n. 准则(criterion的名词复数),(批评、判断等的)标准。例:

The main criteria is value for money.
主要的标准是用得划算。

Ms Ramsey said the criteria defining which courses were eligible for EMA was too traditional.
Ramsey女士表示在认定什么课程符合教育进修津贴时所用的标准已然过时。

[原文中EMA指:education maintenance allowance]

[选自:BBC: Maintenance allowance]

6. prior adj. 优先的,先前的;(to)优先,在...之前。例:

In most families,the children have a prior claim on the mothers’ time.
在大多数家庭中,母亲的时间首先得先花在孩子身上。

Prior to his departure ,he addressed a letter to his daughter.
他临行钱给女儿写了封信。

We did not see any of these documents prior to their being put online.
在这些文件放到网上之前我们并未见到。

[选自:WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing]

Professor Gauthier believes schools should [not] [just] be selecting candidates [from traditional sectors 1] {such as banking, consultancy 2 and industry}. They should [also] be seeking individuals (who have backgrounds [in areas] {such as political science, the creative arts, history or philosophy},) (which will allow them [to put business decisions into a wider context].)
Gauthier教授认为,学校不应该只从银行业、咨询业和工业等传统行业选择申请者。校方也应该从有政治科学、创造性艺术、历史或哲学等领域背景的人中选材,这样才能使他们在更广泛的背景下做出商业决定。

注:1. sector n. 部分,部门,行业;防御地段,防区;扇形。例:

We are discussing how to assign the private sector of the interests.
我们正在讨论如何分配利润中的个人部分。

The way we look at the Japanese agricultural sector is their average age is 66.
我们考察日本农业的方式是农业人口的平均年龄为66岁。

[选自:BBC: Trade talks pit Japanese farmers against industry]

2. consultancy n. 顾问工作,顾问职位,咨询公司。例:

I’m one of three directors at a small consultancy.
我是一家小型咨询公司的三个董事之一。

[Indeed], there does seem to be a demand [for the more rounded leaders] (such diversity might create.) A study [by Mannaz], {a leadership development company}, suggests that, [while the bully-boy 1 chief executive 2(of old) may not have been eradicated 3 [completely],] there is a definite shift 4 [in emphasis towards less tough styles of management] – [at least] [in America and Europe]. [Perhaps] most significant, [according to Mannaz], is the increasing interest (large companies have [in more collaborative 5management models], {such as those prevalent 6 in Scandinavia},) (which seek to integrate 7 the hard and soft aspects (of leadership) and encourage delegated 8 responsibility and accountability 9.)
似乎确实需要因多样性而培养的能力更全面的领导人。领袖力培训公司Mannaz的一份研究表明,尽管旧式的粗暴主管可能还没有完全消失,至少在美国和欧洲,重心已经明确地转向温和的管理风格。根据Mannaz的观点,或许更重要的是,大公司采用的合作性更强的管理模式带来了更多的效益,例如在斯堪的纳维亚盛行的模式,即在管理上刚柔并济、并鼓励放权负责。

注:1. bully-boy n. <口>(受人雇佣且尤其是与政治有关的)流氓,打手。例:

He is a bully-boy.
他是个流氓。

adj. 流氓(行为)的。例:

Some people accuse the tax inspectors of bully-boy tactics.
有些人质控税务稽查员使用了;流氓的手段。

2. executive n. 总经理,董事,行政负责人。例:

This company has an outgoing chief executive.
这个公司有一位出色的首席执行官。

adj. 执行的,实施的。例:

Our manager is a man of great executive ability.
我们经理是个执行能力非常强的人。

3. eradicate vt. 连根拔除,根除。例:

We are determined to eradicate racism from our sport.
我们决心要根除运动中的种族歧视。

Both the UK and Welsh governments have pledged to eradicate all child poverty by 2020.
英国政府和威尔士政府保证在2020年之前彻底消灭儿童贫困问题。

[选自:BBC: Save the Children warning on Wales child poverty target]

4. shift v. 替换,转移,移动。例:

He shifted the conversation to a more comfortable subject.
他将话题转移到一个比较愉快的话题上。

n. 转移,转换,转变;轮班,换班。文中为名词。例:

Her shift in foreign policy angered the senators.
她在外交政策上的转变让议员们很生气。

My shift begins at 6:00pm and ends at midnight.
我下午六点上班,午夜十二点交班。

But even a small shift in driving habits can have a big impact on transit.
但哪怕是驾驶习惯的细微改变,也能对交通带来大的影响。

[选自:MSN: Transit ridership up, highway travel down]

5. collaborative adj. 合作的,协作的。例:

Business is a collaborative art that persuasion and negotiation.
经营是一门关于合作的艺术,需要的是说服和协商。

【派】collaboratively(adv.合作地)。例:

He was not the kind of artist who worked collaboratively.
他不是那种善于与人合作的艺术家。

6. prevalent adj. 流行的,普遍的。例:

a prevalent belief普遍的信仰

Colds were never so prevalent as they have been this winter.
以往,感冒从未像今年冬天这么流行过。

It seems to be common knowledge that tapping-up has been prevalent in football for years.
这些年在足球圈里面,劝导球员私自转会很是流行,而这似乎也成了常识。

[tapping-up这个词在词典里面查不到,维基百科给出了专业解释:In professional team sports, tapping up (British English) or tampering (American English) is an attempt to persuade a player contracted to one team to transfer to another team, without the knowledge or permission of the player's current team. This kind of approach is often made through the player's agent. 在职业队伍中,该词指绕过队员所属球队而试图劝服该球员签署转会协议。这种行为常由球员的经纪人进行。][如果在阅读中遇到这类词语,一定要联系上下文看看该词讲的是怎样的事情。][选自:BBC: By Ian Hughes]

7. integrate vt. 使一体化;使整合。例:

Integrate your learnings into your plans for the future.
将你的学习收获整合进将来的计划。

【派】integrated(adj.和谐的,融合的) 。例:

He thinks we are living in a fully integrated, supportive society.
他认为我们活在一个完全和谐、相互扶持的社会里。

integration(n.融合)

It was a failure to connect and integrate and understand the intelligence we had.
我们在沟通、整合和理解所掌握的情报上失败了。

[intelligence指智力,也可指情报,这是白宫的文件,按上下文取情报之意。]

[选自:WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing on Security Review]

8. delegate n. 代表。例:

He was the chief te to the Paris peace talks.
他是美国派往巴黎进行和平会谈的首席代表。

vt. 委派...为代表,授权。例:

We decided to delegate Jim to attend conference.
我们决定委派吉姆作为出席这次会议。

【派】delegation(n.代表团;授权,委托)

但值得注意的是,原文中并未使用delegate的动词形式,而是用过去分词,在文中相当于形容词,作responsibility and accountability的前置定语。

9. accountability n. 责任感,义务。例:

Accountability implies risk and reward.
责任意味着风险和回报并存。

【参】accountable(adj.有责任的)。例:

Public official can finally be held accountable for their actions.
终于要对政府官员实行问责了。

The new governing body must create a clear accountability between school management, governors and trustees.
新的管理部门必须厘清置于学校管理、管理员和受托人的责任。

[选自:BBC: Catholic school St Benedict's sorry for sex abuse 'legacy']