A SPEAK Work in groups and discuss the questions.
小组讨论，共同完成 SPEAK 任务。
1 Do you ever use social media sites? Which ones?
你经常使用社交媒体网站吗？都用哪些？
2 What sort of information do people usually post on social media?
"2 常常人们在社交媒体上发布什么类型的信息？"

B PREDICT Match the pictures (1-3) with the social media status updates $(a-c)$$(a-c)$(a-c)(a-c). How do you think the people in the pictures are feeling? What can you guess about their lives?
请将图片（1-3）与社交媒体状态更新 $(a-c)$$(a-c)$(a-c)(a-c) 进行匹配。你认为图片中的人是何种感受？你能猜出他们的生活状况吗？
a On my way to the top! Looking forward to an amazing view!
我在通往顶峰的路上！期待一个惊人的景色！
b Can’t believe we’re on holiday again! We’re having a wonderful time!
真不敢相信我们又放假了！我们玩得非常开心！
c Our lovely new kitchen! Looks good, doesn’t it?
我们的新厨房真漂亮！看起来不错，不是吗？
C READ FOR GIST Read the social media posts quickly to check your predictions from Exercise B. Make notes about the true stories behind the pictures.
请快速阅读社交媒体帖子，以检查你在练习 B 中的预测。关于图片背后的真实故事，请做笔记。

D READ FOR DETAIL Read again and answer the questions.
请仔细阅读以下内容，并再次阅读后回答问题。
1 How do Katia and Elisa know each other?
第 1 问：卡蒂亚和艾莉莎是怎么认识的？
2 Why was Katia confused?
为什么卡蒂亚感到困惑？
3 When did Katia go to the top of the mountain?
何时卡特亚登上山顶？
4 How does Katia feel about her new kitchen?
第 4 题：卡蒂亚对她新厨房的感受如何？
5 How does Katia feel about her ‘boring’ life?
5 她对她的“无聊”生活有何感受？
6 Why doesn’t Elisa post pictures when she isn’t on holiday?
为什么艾莉莎不休假的时候不发照片呢？

Had a very strange experience today. I met my old school friend @Elisa for the first time in eight years. ‘You’re so lucky!’ she said. ‘You have such a perfect life! I’m so jealous!’
今天经历了一件非常奇怪的事情。我八年后第一次见到了我的老同学@Elisa。她说：“你真幸运！你过着如此完美的生活！我太羡慕你了！”
A perfect life? Me? I have a very normal life: I get up early every day, take the bus to work, watch TV … and that’s all. In fact, Elisa seems to have a perfect life: her pictures always show her wonderful family relaxing in the sunshine on a beautiful beach.
一个完美的生活？我？我过着非常普通的生活：每天早起，坐公交上班，看电视……就这些。事实上，艾莉莎似乎过着完美的生活：她的照片总是展示她那美好的家庭在阳光明媚的海滩上悠闲地放松。
But now I’m writing this post, I think I understand what happened: on social media, our lives look perfect, but the reality is very different.
但现在我正在写这篇帖子，我觉得我明白了发生了什么：在社交媒体上，我们的生活看起来很完美，但现实却截然不同。
For example, last week I posted a selfie from the top of a mountain. In the picture, you can see l’m smiling. But in fact, I felt absolutely exhausted and just wanted to go home as quickly as possible! But you can’t see that in the picture!
上周我发了一张在山顶的自拍。照片里，你可以看到我正在微笑。但实际上，我感到非常疲惫，只想尽快回家！但照片里看不到这一点！
And did you see the picture of our new kitchen a few weeks ago? Well, yes, it’s lovely, but I didn’t mention that it took six months to finish. Six months without a kitchen! And it cost us twice as much as we expected, so now we’re getting worried about money. But no one ever talks about money problems on social media, do they? I’m not complaining, though. I’m very happy with my life! I love being normal … and I don’t mind that my life is becoming a bit boring! In fact, I’m thinking of staying at home this evening - just me, my husband and a takeaway pizza! Perfect!
几个月前你看到我们新厨房的照片了吗？嗯，是的，很漂亮，但我没提过它花了六个月才完工。六个月没有厨房！而且花费是我们预期的两倍，所以我们现在开始担心钱的问题了。但社交平台上谁会谈论钱的问题呢？不过，我并不是在抱怨。我对我的生活非常满意！我喜欢过正常的生活……而且我不介意我的生活变得有点无聊！事实上，我今晚打算待在家里——就我和我丈夫还有一份外卖披萨！完美！
a Reply from @Elisa
回复来自@Elisa
4 hours ago
Hey, @Katia! Great to see you this morning. I know what you mean about our ‘perfect lives’. I guess I need to explain about all those beach pictures. You see, I work really hard all year, and the only time I use social media is when I’m on holiday. That’s why I’m sitting on the beach in all my pictures! It usually rains for most of the week we’re on holiday, but of course we only take pictures when the sun’s shining!
嘿，@Katia！今天早上见到你真高兴。我知道你在说什么“完美生活”。我想我得解释一下那些海滩照片了。你看，我一年到头都很努力工作，只有在度假的时候才会用社交媒体。这就是为什么我的照片里总是坐在海滩上！我们度假的那一周通常大部分时间都在下雨，但当然，我们只拍照的时候太阳才会出来！

jealous (adj) unhappy because someone has something that you would like or can do something that you would like to do
嫉妒（形容词）因别人拥有你想要的东西或能做你想要做的事情而不高兴

READING 阅读
A SPEAK Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
请两人一组，讨论以下问题。
1 Look at the title of the magazine article. What do you think it means?
1 查看杂志文章的标题。你认为它是什么意思？
2 Think of some examples where you can lose something if you stop using it. Have you ever lost a skill or an ability because you didn’t use it?
2. 想想看，有哪些例子是如果你停止使用某样东西，就会失去它。你有没有因为不使用而失去过某种技能或能力？

B READ FOR GIST Read Use it or lose it? quickly and answer the questions.
阅读以获取主旨 快速阅读并回答问题。
1 Is the writer generally positive or negative about learning languages?
1 是否作者对学习语言总体持积极态度？
2 What’s the connection between the pictures, the word cloud and language learning?
2 这张图片、词云和语言学习之间有什么联系呢？

1 Which offices would you like to work in? Why?
您希望在哪几个办公室工作？为什么？
2 Which wouldn’t you like to work in? Why?
2 您不愿意在哪个地方工作？为什么？

B READ FOR MAIN IDEA Read Are we in the middle of a workplace revolution? Which is the best subtitle? Why?
阅读以下文章，找出主旨大意。阅读《我们正处于职场革命之中吗？》哪一个是最好的副标题？为什么？

1 Why digital technology companies are so successful
为什么数字技术公司如此成功

2 Why office life is changing and how to manage it
为什么办公室生活正在改变以及如何应对它
3 Why modern offices and unusual benefits are bad for business
nuances 3 为何现代办公室和特殊福利不利于商业发展

Pool tables, nap-pods and free food. They sound like things at an all-inclusive holiday resort rather than in an office. However, digital tech companies have redesigned the office and provided unusual benefits to make
台球桌、午睡舱和免费美食。听起来更像是全包式度假村里的设施，而不是办公室里的。然而，数字科技公司已经重新设计了办公室，并提供了不寻常的福利来吸引员工。
5 the workplace a more pleasant and productive place to be. Need a massage to help reduce stress? Want to bring your pet to work? No problem. For these companies, the days of individual cubicles where people would work on their own for eight hours a day are no more.
5 让工作场所变得更加愉快和高效。需要按摩来缓解压力吗？想要带宠物来上班？没问题。对于这些公司来说，那些人们每天独自在独立隔间里工作八小时的日子已经一去不复返了。
10 This trend is now spreading outside Silicon Valley. Bob Randell, director of MiCareer, says, ‘Everyone’s realising that tech companies don’t provide fancy perks or games areas in order to seem cool and trendy. They want their staff to feel good about themselves and their jobs. Happy employees are less
10 这股趋势现在正蔓延至硅谷之外。MiCareer 总监 Bob Randell 表示：“大家逐渐意识到，科技公司并不是为了显得酷炫和时尚而提供豪华的福利或游戏区域。他们希望员工对自己的工作和自我感觉良好。快乐的员工更少……
15 likely to leave to work for a competitor and, most importantly, they are more productive.’
15 人可能会跳槽去竞争对手那里工作，更重要的是，他们的工作效率更高。
This new kind of workplace also encourages people to collaborate and to be creative. Playing table tennis with a colleague you rarely work with can lead to new ways of
这种新型的办公场所也鼓励人们协作和创新。和很少一起工作的同事打乒乓球，可能会带来新的工作方式。
20 working and fresh thinking. Thinking over a problem while lying in a hammock might be the best way to find its solution. However, this doesn’t mean employers should immediately offer free ice cream, replace desks with sofas or let staff bring pets to work. ‘Firms have to make sure their perks are of real
20 个工作日加清新思维。在吊床上思考问题可能是找到解决方案的最佳方式。然而，这并不意味着雇主应该立即提供免费冰淇淋，用沙发代替办公桌，或者允许员工带宠物上班。‘公司必须确保他们的福利是真正有价值的’
25 interest to their employees, and that they can afford them for the long term. If a company stops offering a perk, staff happiness goes down and people are less satisfied,’ says Anna Tang, head of HR at DigitalForest.
“公司必须长期为员工提供 25%的福利，并且他们能够负担得起。如果公司停止提供福利，员工幸福感会下降，人们的不满也会减少，”DigitalForest 人力资源部负责人安娜·唐（Anna Tang）表示。

We advise our managers to monitor the effects of the perks 30 carefully. We now offer free breakfasts instead of free lunches.
我们建议管理者们仔细监控福利措施的效果。我们现在提供免费早餐，而不是免费午餐。

This persuades people to arrive early and to start work with good energy levels, which makes them more productive. Large free lunches just made them feel sleepy.’
这促使人们提前到达并带着良好的精力水平开始工作，这使得他们更加高效。丰盛的免费午餐却让他们感到困倦。
This revolution in the workplace is unlikely to slow down.
这场职场革命不太可能放缓。
35 As Randell says, ‘All businesses can improve by increasing creativity, collaboration and happiness at work. The most successful ones do exactly that, and which companies don’t want to be successful?’
35 如 Randell 所说，“所有企业都可以通过提高创造力、协作和职场幸福感来提升。最成功的企业正是这样做的，哪家公司不想成功呢？”

A SPEAK How much extra do you think you pay when you buy these products? Match the products (1-3) with the percentages in the box. There are two extra percentages. Then work in pairs and compare your answers.
说一说，当你购买这些产品时，你认为你多支付了多少额外费用？将产品（1-3）与方框中的百分比匹配。然后两人一组，比较你们的答案。

40 per cent 300 per cent 600 per cent
    1200 per cent 4000 per cent

1 bottled water rather than tap water
1 瓶瓶装水而非自来水
2 pre-cut vegetables and fruit rather than uncut
2 份预先切好的蔬菜和水果，而不是未切分的
3 take-away espresso coffee rather than making it at home
3 喝 3 杯速溶咖啡，而不是在家自己煮咖啡
B SPEAK Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
B SPEAK 小组合作讨论以下问题。
1 How often do you buy the items in Exercise A?
您多久购买一次练习 A 中的物品？
2 What’s your opinion of these products and the prices charged for them?
你对这些产品和它们的价格有什么看法？

C PREDICT You are going to read an article about a new company, Aethaer. Before you read, answer the questions below. Then work in pairs and compare your answers.
C 预测 你将阅读一篇关于新公司 Aethaer 的文章。在阅读之前，请回答以下问题。然后两人一组，比较你们的答案。

1 Look at the picture and the title of the article. What product does Aethaer sell?
1. 仔细观察图片和文章标题。Aethaer 销售什么产品？
2 Which four of the following topics do you think will be in the article?
以下四个话题，您认为文章中会涉及哪几个？
a personal information about the owner of Aethaer
关于 Aethaer 所有者的个人信息
b the production method
生产方法
c Aethaer’s business model - product, price and target customers
艾瑟尔公司的商业模式 - 产品、价格和目标客户
d full details of how to order, including delivery costs
详细订购说明，包括配送费用
e information about other similar businesses
其他类似企业的信息
f why people buy the product
为什么人们购买这个产品
D READ FOR GIST Read The new bottled water? Check your answers to Exercise C.
阅读新装瓶水？检查你完成练习 C 的答案。

News and views on the business of doing business
新闻与商业运作的见解

At Business Business, we are always looking for the next bottled water, and we think we have found it bottled air.
在 Business Business，我们一直在寻找下一款瓶装水，而现在我们认为我们找到了瓶装空气。

Businessman Leo de Watts is selling jars of fresh air from the British countryside to the residents of polluted cities around the world. He claims Britain has ‘designer quality’ fresh air, and he sells Aethaer as a luxury product. Each jar costs a breathtaking $\pounds 95$$\pounds 95$£95£ 95.
商人利奥·德·沃茨正在向全球污染城市的居民出售来自英国乡村的罐装新鲜空气。他声称英国的空气具有“设计师品质”，并将 Aethaer 作为奢侈品出售。每个罐子的价格令人瞠目结舌，为 $\pounds 95$$\pounds 95$£95£ 95 元。
The business was launched two months ago. Orders can be made online only, and already 200 jars have been delivered to China. Not many small businesses achieve sales of $\pounds 16,000$$\pounds 16,000$£16,000£ 16,000 in their first months, and none have a product that is so cheap to produce. With plans to start marketing Aethaer in India, Watts could be made a millionaire by selling almost nothing, nothing but air. ‘Air-farming’ is incredibly easy. The air is collected from different places in the countryside, from the seaside to the mountains, from the green hills to the forests. The glass jars are held high in the air, and are closed after a few minutes. That’s it - the simplest production process ever. Next, a label saying where the air comes from is put on
该业务两个月前启动。订单只能在线下单，目前已经向中国交付了 200 罐。很少有小型企业在最初的几个月就能实现 $\pounds 16,000$$\pounds 16,000$£16,000£ 16,000 的销售额，而且没有哪种产品的生产成本如此之低。随着计划开始在印度推广 Aethaer，Watts 只需卖出几乎什么都没有的东西，就能成为百万富翁，那就是空气。‘空气种植’极其简单。空气是从乡村的不同地方收集的，从海边到山区，从绿色山丘到森林。玻璃罐被高高举起，几分钟后就关闭。就是这样——这是最简单的生产过程。接下来，会在罐子上贴上标签，标明空气的来源。
the jars. Then, after they have been packed for delivery, they are sent overseas. Job done. There are currently 15 different ‘airs’ in the product range. Watts claims that each one has different qualities, depending on where they were collected. While some customers do buy the air to inhale, many people buy the jars as gifts that will be kept and won’t be opened. Aethaer air is sold as a luxury item for wealthy people, but other new businesses have started selling cans of compressed air for everyday or sports use. Each can contains 200 breaths of air, and they come with a face mask for efficient and easy use.
罐子装好。然后，在包装好准备发货后，它们就被发送到海外。任务完成。目前产品系列中有 15 种不同的“空气”。Watts 声称，每种空气的品质都不同，这取决于它们是在哪里收集的。虽然有些顾客购买空气是为了吸入，但许多人购买这些罐子作为礼物，这些礼物将被保存而不会打开。Aethaer 空气作为一种奢侈品，面向富裕人群销售，但其他新企业也开始销售用于日常或运动用途的压缩空气罐。每个罐子包含 200 次呼吸的空气，并附有面罩，以便高效且方便地使用。
People laughed when bottled water was first sold in convenience stores, but now everyone buys it. With urban air pollution increasing, it may not be long until you buy a can of clean air as well as a bottle of water every day.
人们当初在便利店卖瓶装水时都笑了，但现在每个人都在买。随着城市空气污染的加剧，不久的将来，你可能每天都会像买一瓶水一样买一罐清洁空气。

The rules are fairly simple, but Angus insists that having an effective strategy is the key to success. ‘You must work together as a team, be decisive and keep calm when under pressure from your opponents. You shouldn’t just run for the flag - you’ll soon get hit and be out. You need to be more creative than that. Your team only has 90 snowballs, which the referee gives you before the game. You mustn’t make any more during the game.’
规则很简单，但安格斯坚持认为制定有效的策略是成功的关键。‘你们必须作为一个团队协作，面对对手的压力时保持果断和冷静。你们不应该只是冲向旗帜——很快就会被击中，然后出局。你们需要比这更有创意。你们的队伍只有 90 个雪球，裁判在比赛开始前给你们。比赛过程中你们不能制作更多的雪球。’
Six teams are taking part in the event this weekend, and there will be taster sessions for anyone who wants to try it out. ‘It looks a little aggressive at first, but you needn’t feel nervous. It’s only snow, and all players have to wear a helmet, which we’ll provide. However, you should bring some warm gloves!’ If you fancy trying something active on these cold winter days, you simply must go. The games are impressive to watch, and great to play. After all, what’s more fun than playing in the snow? The first game starts at 2 pm , on Saturday, in the city park. Entrance is free. Families are welcome.
本周末将有六支队伍参加这项活动，任何想尝试的人都可以参加体验课。‘一开始看起来有点激烈，但你们不必紧张。这只是雪，所有球员都必须佩戴头盔，我们会提供，但你们需要带上一些保暖手套！’如果你们想在寒冷的冬日里尝试一些活跃的活动，那就一定要来。比赛观看起来令人印象深刻，玩起来也很棒。毕竟，还有什么比在雪地里玩耍更有趣的呢？第一场比赛将于周六下午 2 点在城市公园开始。免费入场。欢迎家庭参加。

If you think snowball fights are just for school kids, think again. Competitive snowball fighting (Yukigassen) is a sport for grown-ups that has just arrived in Scotland.
如果你认为打雪仗只是学校里孩子们的游戏，那你就错了。竞技雪仗（Yukigassen）是一项适合成年人的运动，它刚刚登陆苏格兰。
It began as an official sport in Japan in 1987 and since then it has spread to countries such as Canada, Australia, Norway and Sweden. And this weekend sees the first ever matches in Scotland.
1987 年这项运动在日本成为官方运动，此后它传播到了加拿大、澳大利亚、挪威和瑞典等国家。而这个周末，苏格兰将迎来首次比赛。
Angus Campbell, the captain of the Glasgow Ice Warriors, says ‘I think Yukigassenis going to be massive here. We have the snow and it’s a fun and inexpensive sport that’s attractive to everyone. Each match only lasts nine minutes, so you don’t have to be super fit to take part in a game.’
安格斯·坎贝尔，格拉斯哥冰战士队的队长表示：“我认为雪上拔河在这里将会非常火爆。我们有雪，这是一项既有趣又经济实惠的运动，对每个人都很吸引。每场比赛只需九分钟，所以你不需要非常健壮就能参加比赛。”
The snowball fights take place on a small court ( $40\mathrm{m}\times 10\mathrm{m}$$40\mathrm{m}\times 10\mathrm{m}$40mxx10m40 \mathrm{~m} \times 10 \mathrm{~m} ) between two teams of seven players - each team must include male and female members. To win a game, a team has to capture the other team’s flag or take out all their opponents with direct snowball hits. If a player is hit, he or she has to leave the game.
雪仗比赛在一个小场地上进行（ $40\mathrm{m}\times 10\mathrm{m}$$40\mathrm{m}\times 10\mathrm{m}$40mxx10m40 \mathrm{~m} \times 10 \mathrm{~m} ），由两支各七名球员组成的队伍进行——每支队伍必须包含男性和女性成员。要赢得比赛，一支队伍必须夺取另一支队伍的旗帜或用雪球直接击倒所有对手。如果球员被击中，他或她必须离开比赛。