第 4 课 · The Double Life of Alfred Bloggs

The double life of Alfred Bloggs

阿尔弗雷德·布洛格斯的双重生活

These days, people who do manual work often receive far more money than people who work in offices.

如今，干体力活的人挣的钱往往比坐办公室的人多得多。

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.

坐办公室的人常被称作“白领”，原因很简单：他们上班时通常要穿衬衫、打领带。

Such is human nature, that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white-collar workers.

人性就是如此：许许多多的人常常宁愿放弃较高的薪水，也要换取当白领的这份体面。

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.

这就可能造成奇怪的局面，阿尔弗雷德·布洛格斯就是一例——他在埃尔斯米尔公司当清洁工。

When he got married, Alf was too embarrassed to say anything to his wife about his job.

阿尔夫结婚时，实在太难为情了，关于自己的工作，他对妻子只字未提。

He simply told her that he worked for the Corporation.

他只是告诉妻子，他在那家公司上班。

Every morning, he left home dressed in a smart black suit.

每天早晨，他都穿着一套笔挺的黑西装出门。

He then changed into overalls and spent the next eight hours as a dustman.

然后他换上工装，接下来的八个小时就当清洁工。

Before returning home at night, he took a shower and changed back into his suit.

晚上回家之前，他会冲个澡，再换回自己的西装。

Alf did this for over two years and his fellow dustmen kept his secret.

这样的日子阿尔夫过了两年多，他的清洁工同事们也一直替他保守秘密。

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觉自己嫁的是个清洁工，而且她永远也不会发觉了——因为阿尔夫刚刚找到了一份新工作。

He will soon be working in an office.

他很快就要到办公室上班了。

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.

届时他的收入只有原来的一半，但他觉得，社会地位的提升完全值得这点收入上的损失。

From now on, he will wear a suit all day and others will call him 'Mr.Bloggs', not 'Alf'.

从今以后，他将整天穿着西装，别人也会叫他“布洛格斯先生”，而不是“阿尔夫”。