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These days, people who do manual work
如今 从事体力劳动的人的收入
often receive far more money than people who work in offices.
一般要比坐办公室的人高出许多
People who work in offices are frequently referred to as
坐办公室的之所以常常被称作
white-collar workers' for the simple reason
白领工人
that they usually wear a collar and tie to go to work.
就是因为他们通常是穿着硬领白衬衫 系着领带去上班
Such is human nature,
许多人常常情愿
that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay
放弃较高的薪水以换取做白领工人的殊荣
for the privilege of becoming white-collar workers.
此乃人之常情
This can give rise to curious situations,
而这常常会引起种种奇怪的现象
as it did in the case of Alfred Bloggs
在埃尔斯米尔公司
who worked as a dustman for the Ellesmere Corporation.
当清洁工的艾尔弗雷德.布洛斯就是一个例子
When he got married,
艾尔弗结婚时
Alf was too embarrassed to say anything to his wife about his job.
感到非常难为情 而没有将自己的职业告诉妻子
He simply told her that he worked for the Corporation.
他只说在埃尔斯米尔公司上班
Every morning, he left home dressed in a smart black suit.
每天早晨 他穿上一身漂亮的黑色西装离家上班
He then changed into overalls
然后换上工作服
and spent the next eight hours as a dustman.
当8个小时清洁工
Before returning home at night,
晚上回家前
he took a shower and changed back into his suit.
他洗个淋浴 重新换上那身黑色西服
Alf did this for over two years
两年多以来 艾尔弗一直这样
and his fellow dustmen kept his secret.
他的同事也为他保守秘密
Alf's wife has never discovered that she married a dustman
艾尔弗的妻子一直不知道她嫁给了一个清洁工
and she never will, for Alf has just found another job.
而且她永远也不会知道了 因为艾尔弗已找到新职
He will soon be working in an office.
不久就要坐办公室里工作了
He will be earning only half as much as he used to,
他将来挣的钱只有他现在的一半
but he feels that his rise in status is well worth the loss of money.
不过他觉得 地位升高了 损失点儿钱也值得
From now on, he will wear a suit all day
从此 艾尔弗可以一天到晚穿西服了
and others will call him 'Mr. Bloggs', not 'Alf'.
别人将称呼他为 布洛格斯先生 而不再叫他 艾尔弗 了
