Lesson 4

These days, people who do manual work often receive far more money than people who work in offices.
如今，从事体力劳动的人往往比在办公室工作的人挣钱多得多。
People who work in offices are frequently referred to as 'white-collar workers' for the simple reason that they usually wear a collar and tie to go to work.
在办公室工作的人经常被称作“白领工人”，原因很简单，那就是他们通常穿着领子、系着领带去上班。
Such is human nature, that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white-collar workers.
这就是人性，以至于许多人往往愿意为了当上白领而牺牲高薪。
This can give rise to curious situations, as it did in the case of Alfred Bloggs who worked as a dustman for the Ellesmere Corporation.
这可能会引起奇特的情况，正如在埃尔斯米尔公司当清洁工的阿尔弗雷德·布洛格斯身上所发生的情况一样。
When he got married, Alf was too embarrassed to say anything to his wife about his job.
当他结婚时，阿尔夫太尴尬了，以至于没对他妻子说任何关于他工作的事。
He simply told her that he worked for the Corporation.
他只是告诉她他在那家公司工作。
Every morning, he left home dressed in a smart black suit.
每天早晨，他都穿着一套帅气的黑色西装出门。
He then changed into overalls and spent the next eight hours as a dustman.
他随后换上工装裤，作为一名清洁工度过了接下来的八小时。
Before returning home at night, he took a shower and changed back into his suit.
在晚上回家之前，他洗了个澡并换回了他的西装。
Alf did this for over two years and his fellow dustmen kept his secret.
阿尔夫这样做持续了两年多，他的清洁工同事们为他保守了秘密。
Alf's wife has never discovered that she married a dustman and she never will, for Alf has just found another job.
阿尔夫的妻子从未发现她嫁给了一个清洁工，而且她永远也不会发现，因为阿尔夫刚刚换了份工作。
He will soon be working in an office.
他很快就会在办公室工作了。
He will be earning only half as much as he used to, but he feels that his rise in status is well worth the loss of money.
他将只能赚到他过去所赚的一半，但他觉得他在地位上的提升是非常值得这笔金钱损失的。
From now on, he will wear a suit all day and others will call him 'Mr. Bloggs', not 'Alf'.
从现在起，他将整天穿着西装，其他人将称呼他为“布洛格斯先生”，而不是“阿夫”。