随身英语
Working from bed 在床上办公的利与弊
对我们中的许多人来说，自己的家已经成为新的办公地点。不论是餐桌还是沙发，都是摆放电脑的常见地方。不过，也有人选择在软绵绵的床上办公。本期节目讨论在这个看似舒适的地方办公有哪些利弊。
词汇：comfort 舒适
Our working lives are becoming more flexible. The coronavirus pandemic has made us rethink how and where we work. For many, working from home has become the new norm, with some people finding the cosiest place to do this is in bed! But is this really the best place for your mind and body to carry out your job?
A ‘duvet day’ used to be an informal way of describing taking a day off sick from work, but with improvements in technology, such as good wi-fi, you can now do most of your work tasks reclining in bed while still tucked under your duvet and maybe snuggled up in your pyjamas. The benefits are obvious: no travel time to work, no need to get dressed or even get out of bed – unless you want a cup of tea!
The trend seems to be growing. But for some, it’s not a matter of choice – it might be the only spare space in their home where they can work. According to a BBC online article “this is especially true of young workers; in the UK, workers aged 18 to 34 are the least likely to have a proper desk and chair and are twice as likely to work from bed than older workers.”
Online retailers have reported a huge increase in people searching for laptop stands and support pillows. Although they might make the bed-working regime more comfortable, the reality is that your long-term health, particularly your posture, could suffer. Your neck, back, hips and more are all strained when you’re on a soft surface that encourages you to slump or sprawl.
Working from bed can also affect your mental health. Sophie Bostock, founder of The Sleep Scientist, told the BBC: “If you don’t have a good day at work, you start to change your associations with your bed as being about stress, deadlines, an awkward conversation with your boss.” Stress, of course, can lead to insomnia and the only cure for that is a long Zoom work meeting to help you doze off!
词汇表
new norm 新常态
cosy 温暖舒适的，惬意的
duvet day “卧被偷懒假”，员工在感到劳累或稍有不适时可享受的一天假期
recline 向后倚靠
tuck under 卧在、缩在…下面
snuggle up 舒适地躺，偎倚
pyjamas 睡衣裤
laptop stand 笔记本电脑支架
support pillow 支撑颈背等部位的背靠式枕头
bed-working 在床上办公的，卧床工作的
comfortable 舒适的，舒服的
posture （坐立的）姿势
strained （身体部位）使用过度的，负担过大的
slump 驼背弯腰地坐着
sprawl 摊开四肢坐，懒散地瘫坐
stress 紧张，压力
insomnia 失眠
doze off 打瞌睡，睡着
测验与练习
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. According to the article, what can you wear while working in bed?
2. Why might younger people be more likely to work from their bed?
3. What aids are people buying to help them work from bed more comfortably?
4. True or false? Surfaces that encourage you to slump can affect your posture.
5. Why might you develop a bad association between work and your bed?
2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。
1. There’s nothing better on a cold winter’s night than to _______ with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate.
snuggle up tucked up slump up cosiest
2. My boyfriend’s been working so hard, I found him _______ over his computer when I got home.
tucked under cosy slumped posture
3. On holiday I was _______ on a sun bed, drinking cocktails, when all of a sudden it started to rain!
reclined reclining recline reclines
4. On the bus, the man was _______ across the seat, so I had to stand up for the whole journey.
slumped tucked posture sprawled
5. The lecture was so boring, I started to _______.
dozing off doze off dozed off doze out
答案
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. According to the article, what can you wear while working in bed?
You can work from bed snuggled up in your pyjamas.
2. Why might younger people be more likely to work from their bed?
In the UK at least, workers aged 18 to 34 are the least likely to have a proper desk and chair or a space in the house to work in.
3. What aids are people buying to help them work from bed more comfortably?
Online retailers have reported a huge increase in people searching for laptop stands and support pillows.
4. True or false? Surfaces that encourage you to slump can affect your posture.
True. Your neck, back, hips and more are all strained when you’re on a soft surface that encourages you to slump or sprawl.
5. Why might you develop a bad association between work and your bed?
According to Sophie Bostock “If you don’t have a good day at work, you start to change your associations with your bed as being about stress, deadlines, an awkward conversation with your boss. ”
2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。
1. There’s nothing better on a cold winter’s night than to snuggle up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate.
2. My boyfriend’s been working so hard, I found him slumped over his computer when I got home.
3. On holiday I was reclining on a sun bed, drinking cocktails, when all of a sudden it started to rain!
4. On the bus, the man was sprawled across the seat, so I had to stand up for the whole journey.
5. The lecture was so boring, I started to doze off.
