Unit 8 课文

Unit 8

T1

Are you the right person for the job?

1 In the old days it was easy. They were going to be the best three years of your life, and you knew it. You spent your time chatting late into the night with new-found friends in coffee bars and pubs, playing your heart out in the squash courts and on the cricket field, or strutting across the stage as a leading light of the university dramatic society. Whatever your interest, university life catered for it. And, let's not forget, you would usually manage to keep up with the work too, by doing the required reading and dashing off the week's essay at the last minute. The only thing you didn't find time for was thinking about what came afterwards, at the end of those three exciting years. But you didn't need to, because whatever your chosen career, the companies were all lining up to offer you a job.

2 That was what it was like in the old days as a student in the UK. But things have changed. A recent study of Britain's major multinational companies reveals that even with a good degree graduates can no longer walk into the top jobs. Today there are twice as many universities as there were just 30 years ago, and 40 per cent of young people now go on to higher education. So with no shortage of graduates, a good degree has become vital in the search for a job. Competition is tough, and today's students are spending more time than ever preparing for those dreaded final exams, or doing low-paid part-time jobs to pay off debts.

3 But that's just the problem. In the opinion of managers from more than 200 British companies, students are spending too much time studying, or worrying about making ends meet, instead of joining clubs and acquiring basic skills such as teamwork and making presentations. The managers also said that they were prepared to leave jobs unfilled rather than appoint graduates who didn't have the necessary skills to get ahead in the global market.

4 But what can be done about the problem? The solution, the managers believe, is to include social skills in degree courses; and some universities are taking the advice. At the University of Southampton, for example, history students have to do a 12-week project – frequently related to the local context – working in teams of six. This includes making a presentation, writing a group thesis, and carrying out a public service, which might involve teaching schoolchildren or making a radio programme about the topic.

5 There can be no doubt that this sort of cooperative approach can help many students develop personal skills which will help improve their prospects in their search for a job. One of the most well-known personality tests used by employers when interviewing candidates, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), puts the extrovert / introvert dichotomy at the top of the list of personality traits it tries to analyze. There are no "right answers" in such tests, but extroverts, it is assumed, are going to be more suited to jobs in which they have to work in teams or deal with other people.

6 Equally interesting in the Southampton project is the conviction that students should be aware of the wider community, and find ways to make contributions to it. In today's shrinking world, students are increasingly aware that a university is not an ivory tower of learning, cut off from the real problems of the world, but on the contrary, can itself be an agent for change for a better world. There are numerous ways in which students can be volunteers – before, during, or after their degree courses. With courses making heavy demands on students' time, as we have seen, a popular option is to take a gap year before or after university.

7 Typically, volunteering might mean helping the sick or elderly, entertaining underprivileged children on holiday camps, teaching in  a Third World country or perhaps working on agricultural or environmental projects.

8 For students who choose to offer their talents in this way, one side effect is to gain a wealth of experience to be added to the CV, which will not go unnoticed by future employers. But a word of warning is in order : You should remember what your priorities are. As Shane Irwin, who worked for two years in Papua New Guinea, puts it: "Volunteering teaches you valuable career skills, but I don't think you should be looking to bolster your CV through volunteering – the main reason you should get involved is because you want to help."

你适合做这个工作吗？

1 过去，大学生活很轻松。那将是你一生中最美好的三年，你知道这一点的。你是这样消磨时光的：在咖啡馆和酒吧里与新结交的朋友聊到深夜，在壁球场和板球场上尽情地挥舞球拍，或是作为大学戏剧社的大腕在舞台上昂首阔步。不管你有什么爱好，大学生活都能为你创造条件。而且，别忘了，你的学习还总能跟得上，能完成指定的阅读，并在最后一分钟匆忙写完那一周的文章。你唯一没有时间考虑的是过完这激动人心的三年后要做什么。不过这个问题并不需要考虑，因为无论选择什么职业，都有一大堆公司排着队来聘用你。

2 那是过去英国大学生校园生活的情形，现在情况已经改变了。最近一项对英国各大跨国公司的研究表明，即使拥有一个不错的学位，大学毕业生也不再可能轻而易举就得到最好的工作了。今天的大学数量比30年前翻了一番，40%的年轻人接受高等教育。由于并不缺少大学毕业生，拥有一个不错的学位对找工作就变得尤其重要了。竞争很激烈，结果是如今的大学生花了比任何时候都要多的时间来复习功课，为那些可怕的期末考试做准备，做报酬低的兼职以偿还债务。

3 然而，这恰恰是问题之所在。英国两百多家公司的经理认为，学生花在学习或挣钱维持生计上的时间太多了。他们本应该去参加各种俱乐部，学习一些基本的技能，如团队合作和现场演示。这些经理还说，他们宁可让职位空缺，也不愿意聘请那些缺乏必要技能、无法在国际市场上占领商机的毕业生。

4 该怎么做才能解决这个问题呢？经理们相信，解决的办法就是在学位课程里增加社交能力的训练。有的大学已经开始这样做了，例如南安普敦大学历史系学生必须做一个为期十二周、六人一组协同工作的项目——通常与当地的生活有关。项目内容包括：做一次演示、写一篇集体论文、做一项公众服务——可以是给中、小学生讲课，或做一期有关中、小学教学的广播节目。

5 毫无疑问，这种合作学习法能帮助许多学生培养有助于改善就业前景的个人技能。公司在面试应聘者时使用的最有名的人格测试之一是“迈尔斯—布里格斯性格分类法”（简称 MBTI），这种分类法把外向/内向性格两分法置于它所分析的人格特征列表之首。测试中没有“正确答案”，但是一般认为：性格外向者更适合做团队工作或与他人打交道的工作。

6 南安普敦大学项目中同样有趣的一个理念是：学生应该关注比校园更广阔的社区，并设法为之做出自己的贡献。在当今越来越小的世界里，学生们越来越清楚地意识到大学并不是与社会现实问题完全脱钩的学术象牙塔。正相反，大学本身可以促使世界变得更加美好。在学学位课程之前、期间、之后，学生们都可以通过多种渠道成为志愿者。正如我们所知的那样，大学课程需要学生花费大量的时间，一般人会选择腾出上大学前或大学毕业后的一年时间作为实践年。

7 通常，志愿工作指帮助病人或老年人、在假日营里招待贫困儿童、在第三世界国家教书，或者做农业或环境研究项目。

8 对那些选择在这些方面施展才能的学生而言，还有个意外的收获：可以把他们获取的丰富经历写进个人履历里，而未来的雇主是不会不注意到这些经验的。不过提醒一句：你应该记住自己的首要目的是什么。曾经在巴布亚新几内亚工作了两年的谢恩•欧文指出：“志愿者的工作能教给你宝贵的职业技能，但我认为你不应该只想着通过志愿者工作来给自己的履历表增添光彩——你做志愿工作的主要原因是你想帮助别人。

T2

Volunteer for peace

There are as many different volunteer experiences as there are places to go. Different jobs, locations and cultures all affect what the volunteer gains, and gives, during their program. Another important factor in volunteering is your length of stay. We decided to interview recent volunteers to get the straight story about their time volunteering, so that you can decide for yourself if it's for you.

Lisa Ginsburg volunteered often during her time at University of Southern California, which inspired her to spend two weeks working for Volunteers for Peace (vfp@vfp.org) in Bangladesh.

What did you do as a volunteer, and where?

1 I went to Bangladesh with Volunteers for Peace. We met in Dhaka, and then took an eight-hour bus ride to the village of Dinajpur. VFP worked side by side with another local agency in Dinajpur. We set up their annual cataract eye camp, with free cataract surgery for the local elderly or anyone that needed an eye check. We helped set up the school, cleaned it out, and turned the classroom into the surgery room. It was called the "operation theater". The first two days were dedicated to the eye surgery, and the rest of the week to the eye camp. On the last day of the clinic we helped remove the bandages and each of the patients was given prescription glasses. Everyone got the same glasses, though. The other part of the program was the installation of toilets. We traveled to different villages by bicycle or motorcycle, and just dug holes to put in latrines and cement rings.

How is volunteering different from traveling or working abroad?

2 I had to acknowledge that it was going to be kind of hard. Traveling before, I stayed in hostels that weren't so bad because things were pretty clean. While volunteering there were times I had to clean toilets. At times I was saying, "What am I doing here? I'd rather be doing something else." I had to acknowledge that living conditions can be pretty different sometimes. The bed was a piece of wood and I don't think there was even a mattress. We didn't have the flexibility of traveling. When you are traveling alone or with someone else you can do whatever you want; when you're tired, you rest. But this is work. We got up early and we worked, but it was fun.

What were your images or expectations of volunteering before you left, and how have your perceptions changed?

3 I think it satisfied my expectations. When I was a little girl I thought I was going to be a doctor, so that's why I chose the health position in the volunteer program. Other programs do research, have archaeological digs, but I wanted to work alongside health providers and doctors, and that's what I did.

The volunteer program you went on had participant fees. How did you feel about having to pay so that you could work for free?

4 I never thought about having to pay, really. This is not like a hobby that I do every week, but I knew there were some costs to what I was going to do. This is something I saved up for because I really wanted to go. I was passionate about it. Though it's expensive traveling to that part of the world, I never thought it was a burden. I just planned ahead and saved.

There is a lot of debate about the effectiveness of volunteer organizations. Do you think that you made a difference, and in what way?

5 I don't know if I made a difference. I knew before going that in only two weeks, I wouldn't change the world. I know they were very happy knowing that people in the States and around the world were willing to help them. We took the time to do things for them, and that made them glad. On the very last day when they had to leave the hospital and school grounds, some of them cried. We bonded in the short days that we were together.

What were the worst and best experiences while volunteering?

6 The worst part of my program was the waiting. We did a lot of unnecessary waiting because the head of the program wasn't sure about something or other and hadn't planned ahead. They were a bit unorganized, which could have been improved with better communication between the local agencies and VFP. The best part was bonding with the volunteers, and the agencies did a good job in varying our tasks. We played hard and we worked hard. We visited a lot of homes, families, and schools. We got to know the locals. Every time I think about riding through the rice fields, being invited in for tea, it makes me smile.

和平志愿者

世界上有多少地方就有多少种志愿者工作的经历。不同的工作、地点和文化都会使志愿者在其志愿活动中的收获和付出有所不同。另一个影响志愿活动的重要因素是你做志愿工作时间的长短。我们决定采访近期的志愿者，了解他们做志愿工作的真实故事，希望能帮你判断志愿工作是否适合你。

莉萨•金斯堡在南加州大学读书期间经常参加志愿活动，这使她产生了去孟加拉国当两周和平志愿者的想法。

作为志愿者你做了些什么工作？在哪里工作？

1 我与和平志愿者一同前往孟加拉国，我们在达卡集合，然后坐八小时的长途车到迪纳杰布尔。和平志愿者与迪纳杰布尔村当地的一家机构并肩工作，我们帮他们搭建每年一度的白内障治疗营地，为当地老年白内障患者免费做手术，或为有需求的人检查眼疾。我们帮他们在学校里安装设备，打扫环境，将教室变成外科手术室，称为“手术教室”。头两天帮忙做眼科手术，其余几天在白内障营地帮忙。在诊所的最后一天，我们帮着给患者解除绷带，每位患者都得到一副特配眼镜，不过他们得到的眼镜都是一模一样的。其他的工作还包括修建厕所。我们骑自行车或摩托车去了不同的村庄，在地上挖个坑把蹲式马桶和水泥环放进去。

志愿工作与在国外旅游或工作有何不同？

2 我不得不承认这项工作比较辛苦。过去我出去旅游都住在青年旅社，条件还不错，因为环境相当整洁干净。做志愿工作时，我有时要打扫厕所。有时候我会问自己：“我到底到这儿来干什么？我宁可干别的事儿。”我不得不承认有时生活条件也有很大的不同：床只是一块木板，连床垫都没有。我们也无法享受旅游的灵活性。当你单独或和别人一起旅游时，你喜欢做什么就做什么，累了就休息。但这是工作，我们得早早起床干活，但很有乐趣。

你出发前觉得志愿工作是什么样的？对它有什么期待？你的看法有改变吗?

3 我觉得志愿工作符合我的期望。我从小就想当医生，这也是我选择医疗作为志愿项目的原因。其他项目有做研究的，也有做考古挖掘的，但是我想和医疗工作者和医生一起工作，而这正是我所做的工作。

你参加的志愿活动要求志愿者付费参加，对于免费为别人工作还要自己掏钱，你是怎么想的？

4 我其实从来没有想过必须自己掏钱这件事。这不像我每周都参加的业余爱好，我当然知道我要做的事情会有一些花费，我攒钱的目的就是为了这个，因为我真的很想去，我对这个项目充满热情。虽然到世界的那个角落旅费很贵，但我从来就没觉得那是个负担，我只是提前计划并为此攒钱。

对于志愿者组织的有效性有很多争议，你认为你的加入带来什么变化了吗？在哪些方面？

5 我不知道我是否带来了什么变化，可我在出发之前就知道：在两周的时间内我不可能改变世界。我知道，他们非常高兴看到美国和其他国家的人愿意帮助他们，我们花时间来为他们做些事情，这让他们很高兴。最后一天，当他们离开医院和学校操场时，有的人哭了。我们在短短的几天内建立了感情。

你在志愿工作中经历的最糟糕和最好的事是什么？

6 我这个项目里最糟糕的事情是等待。因为项目主管对某些事情没把握，没有事先计划好，让我们做了很多不必要的等待。他们做事不太有条理，如果地方机构与和平志愿者组织之间能够更好地相互沟通的话，事情就会顺利一些。最好的经历是与其他志愿者建立友情，地方机构尽量给我们分配不同工种的活。我们玩得痛快，干得卖力。我们走访了许多民居、家庭和学校，并结识了很多当地人。每当想起骑车穿过稻田应邀去当地人家里喝茶时的情景，我就会发自内心地微笑。

T3

Red Cross, Red Crescent 

1 In the summer of 1859 a Swiss businessman, Henri Durant, was travelling in Italy. At the time, a war was in progress between the French and the Austrians, and by chance Durant arrived at the scene of its bloodiest battle, near the small town of Solferino. He found 40,000 dead or dying soldiers on the battlefield, and no one to care for the wounded. Durant was overwhelmed and horrified by the sight, but he managed to persuade local people to help him, and organized an emergency service for the wounded from both armies, without discriminating between them.

2 When he returned to Switzerland he wrote a book, calling for an international treaty to guarantee the protection and safety of wounded soldiers and people trying to assist them, and the creation of a voluntary organization which could provide emergency relief in wartime. This led to the signing of the Geneva Convention, which gives rights to prisoners in international conflicts, and the setting up of the first branch of the Red Cross: A red cross on a white background was chosen as a symbol of the organization because it reversed the colours of the Swiss national flag.

3 Today the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IRCRC) is the largest humanitarian aid organization in the world. It has branches in almost every country in the world. It has 30,000 paid permanent staff and around 90 million volunteers. In China alone, the Red Cross Society of China numbers around 70,000 groups across the country and 20 million members.

4 Since the 19th century, the mission of the IRCRC has widened. Its aim is to protect human life and health everywhere, in peacetime and in war. Whenever and wherever disaster strikes, including natural catastrophes such as earthquakes and floods, IRCRC relief teams are there. The biggest ever relief operation was launched in response to the tsunami which hit Asia and the east coast of Africa in 2004.

5 The IRCRC is a truly cross-cultural organization, sensitive to cultural differences as well as to basic human needs everywhere. This is why it has more than one symbol. The original symbol of the cross, associated with the Christian religion, was seen by Turkey and Egypt, two predominantly Islamic states, as inappropriate. So in 1929 a second symbol, the Red Crescent, was recognized, and has since been adopted in many Islamic countries. More recently, in 2006, the IRCRC adopted a third symbol, which has no obvious religious or cultural associations: the red crystal. The symbols are all clear and simple. They have to be, because beyond any symbolic or cultural significance, they must be clearly and instantly recognizable – and the people or vehicles displaying them protected – everywhere in the world.

红十字，红新月

1 1859 年夏，一位名叫亨利•杜兰特的瑞士商人正在意大利旅行，那时法国和奥地利正在交战，杜兰特碰巧来到了最血腥的战斗现场，那是索尔伏里诺小镇附近的一个地方。他在战场上发现了四万名已经阵亡或生命垂危的士兵，没有人照料伤员。杜兰特被眼前的景象惊呆了，他成功地说服了当地人帮他为交战双方的伤员组织紧急救护，对双方士兵一视同仁。

2 回到瑞士之后他写了一本书，呼吁订立国际条约，保护伤兵及救护人员并保证他们的安全，并成立一个志愿组织，在战时为伤员提供紧急救助。这直接导致了赋予国际冲突中被俘者权利的《日内瓦公约》的签署以及国际红十字会第一个分会的成立，该组织根据瑞士国旗的颜色，把白色背景上的红色十字选择为该组织的标志。

3 今天，国际红十字与红新月运动（IRCRC）是世界上最大的人道主义救援组织，它在几乎所有的国家都设有分部，拥有三万名在职员工及约九千万名志愿者。仅仅中国的红十字会在全国就有七万个分会，两千万个会员。

4 从19世纪开始，国际红十字与红新月运动的使命不断扩大，它的目标是：不论是在和平时期还是战争时期，在世界上的任何一个地方保护人类的生命安全和健康。在任何时间、任何地点，只要有灾难——包括像地震和洪灾这样的自然灾害——国际红十字与红新月运动的救援队就会出现。史上最大的一次救援行动是针对2004年袭击亚洲及非洲东海岸的海啸而开展的。

5 国际红十字与红新月运动是名副其实的跨文化组织，能敏锐地察觉世界各地人们的基本需求及文化差异。这就是它拥有不止一个标志的原因：最初的十字标志与基督教有关，被两个伊斯兰国家土耳其和埃及认为是不合适的，因此第二个标志“红新月”在1929年得到了承认，从此被许多伊斯兰国家采用。最近，也就是在2006年，国际红十字与红新月运动采用了第三个标志，即不含宗教或文化联想的红水晶。这些标志都简单明了。它们必须如此，因为在去除了象征或文化含义之后，它们必须能让人立即、清晰地辨认出来，让世界各地带有该标志的人员或车辆都受到保护。