职业虚景

David： Hey Claire， do you feel like your job prospects are trending in the right direction？

Claire： I guess so. Why do you ask？

David： Because I get the distinct feeling that our superiors are not being as forthright as they claim to be， as far as if and when we’ll be able to move up in the company.

Claire： They do have a tendency to lay it on a bit thick with their wild prognostications.

David： I know， right？ ①Like， “You’ll be head of marketing in no time flat，” or “I see upper management in your future young man.” Yet， with all their boisterous claims， I’ve got nothing to show for it but a dollar-an-hour raise and an extra weekend shift.

Claire： So， does this sort of thing happen all the time， giving false hope to devoted employees？

David： As a matter of fact， tons of companies， including the biggest of them all， McDonalds， have a way of painting this altogether inaccurate， unattainable picture of what’s to come. And it’s called a career veneer.

Claire： Wow—what a catchy name for such an unfair practice.

David： And the ones who benefit most are industry superpowers like Mickey D’s and Walmart， who， more than anyone， can take advantage of their employees’ financial struggles. Think about it： if these workers are barely able to make ends meet， then they’re more likely to accept whatever small advancement they’re given in the company， even if it’s far less than what they were previously promised.

Claire： I see. ②And it really puts us poor workers between a rock and a hard place， because the conglomerate has all the power and leverage and we have absolutely none. So what can we do？

David： ③Sorry to say， not a whole lot. The only choice is either to stick it out or quit. Claire： But most people can’t afford to quit， since the only reason they have such a low-level job is because， for whatever reason， be it a lack of education or a criminal record， they can’t work anywhere else.

David： Unfortunately， that doesn’t stop the world’s bosses from filling subordinates’ heads with unrealistic aspirations.

Claire： But how can they get away with it？ Can’t we hire a lawyer and see how it plays out in the courts？

David： Many have had similar notions， only to realize that the ongoing cavalcade of fees would eventually drive them to bankruptcy. ④While， for a multi-national company， they have the world’s best lawyers on 24-hour retainer， and those hundred thousand dollar fees are just a drop in the bucket for these evil empires.

Claire： So it’s hopeless？

David： Sorry to disappoint.

Claire： Well， that sucks.

David： Tell me about it…

大卫：嗨，克莱尔，你有没有觉得你的工作前景正朝着正确的方向前进？

克莱尔：我想是有吧。为什么这么问？

大卫：因为我明显地感觉到，就我们是否能够在公司得到晋升这点而言，我们的领导们并没有他们声称的那样直率。

克莱尔：他们确实会倾向于夸大他们口中的宏图前景。

大卫：我知道的，好吗？比如说，“你会很快就能提升为市场部主管”，或者说，“小伙子，我看得出来你未来会在高级管理层大展宏图”。然而，相信着他们喧闹的声明，除了每小时一美元的加班费和额外的周末轮班，我一无所获。

克莱尔：所以，给予尽心尽力工作的员工虚无的希望，这种事情是不是老是发生？

大卫：事实上，无数的公司，包括它们当中最大的公司，比如麦当劳，都设法描绘着既不准确又无法触及的未来画面。而它被称作职业虚景。

克莱尔：哇——对于这样一种不公平的行为来说，这真是个引人注目的名字。

大卫：最受益的那些行业里的巨头，像麦当劳和沃尔玛，他们比其他任何一间公司都更能利用员工的为财务问题而挣扎的状况。想想看：如果这些员工几乎没有办法平衡收支，那他们就更倾向于接受他们在公司获得的任何一种小进步，即便它们与当初许诺的相差甚远。

克莱尔：我知道。因为企业集团拥有全部的势力和手段，而我们却一无所有，这真的把我们这些可怜的员工逼到一种进退两难的境地。那我们能怎么办呢？

大卫：很遗憾，做不了什么。唯一的选择是要么坚持要么放弃。

克莱尔：但是大部分的人并不能承担放弃的后果，因为他们选择这样一份低级工作的唯一原因，不管是什么原因，可能是因为缺乏教育或是碍于犯罪记录，他们并不能在其他地方工作。

大卫：不幸的是，那也不能阻止世界的老板们在下属的脑袋塞满不现实的愿望。

克莱尔：但是他们是怎么避免这种事情的？难道我们不能雇佣一个律师去看看这种事情在法庭上该被怎样审判？

大卫：许多员工拥有相似的想法，（但最后）只会意识到一系列持续上升的费用最终会导致他们破产。然而，对于一个跨国公司来说，他们有全世界最好的律师无时无刻提供服务，而那几十万的费用对于这些黑心大集团来说只不过是沧海一粟。

克莱尔：所以没希望了吗？

大卫：很遗憾让你失望了。

克莱尔：好吧，真是糟透了。

大卫：跟我说说吧……

Smart Sentences

① Like，“You’ll be head of marketing in no time flat，” or “I see upper management in your future young man.”

比如说，“你会很快就能提升为市场部主管”，或者说，“小伙子，我看得出来你未来会在高级管理层大展宏图”。

in no time flat： very quickly; immediately（很快，马上）。例如：I can fix the machine in no time flat.

我马上就能把机器修好。

② And it really puts us poor workers between a rock and a hard place， because the conglomerate has all the power and leverage and we have absolutely none.

因为企业集团拥有全部的势力和手段，而我们却一无所有，这真的把我们这些可怜的员工逼到一种进退两难的境地。

between a rock and a hard place： confronted with equally unpleasant alternatives（进退两难，难以抉择）。例如：

My wife needs money for her surgery and my constant care， but I need to work longer hours to earn extra money so I’m now caught between a rock and a hard place.

我妻子等着钱做手术，也需要我照顾，但我必须延长工作时间，多挣点钱，这让我陷入了一个两难境地。

③ Sorry to say， not a whole lot.

很遗憾，做不了什么。

not a whole lot： very limited amount; not very much（少量）。例如：—What are you planning to do before the college entrance exam？

大学入学考试前你打算做什么？

—Well， not a whole lot. It’s too late to do anything now.

呃，不打算做什么，現在做什么都晚了。

④ While， for a multi-national company， they have the world’s best lawyers on 24-hour retainer， and those hundred thousand dollar fees are just a drop in the bucket for these evil empires.

然而，对于一个跨国公司来说，他们有全世界最好的律师无时无刻提供服务，而那几十万的费用对于这些黑心大集团来说只不过是沧海一粟。

a drop in the bucket： a small and inadequate quantity（沧海一粟，九牛一毛）。例如：

Justin lost thousands of dollars in the stock market crash， but that was just a drop in the bucket for him.

贾斯汀在股市崩盘时损失了好几千块钱，不过那对他来说只不过是九牛一毛。