「做四休三」离我们究竟还有多远？

11月18日，国内知名电器品牌格力迎来了30岁的生日。
不少员工在 30 周年签名墙写上周末能“双休”的心愿，引起网上热议。
22日下午，格力官方微博宣布，将单双休工作制调整为双休工作制，工作时间改为上午 8:30-11:45；下午 13:30-17:30。

正当格力员工庆祝“双休”革命胜利成果之时，远在大洋彼岸的美国掀起了一场“大辞职”浪潮。
许多人表示如果老板能将工作时间改为“做四休三”，他们可以选择留下。
一周只上四天班究竟可不可行？又会遇到哪些阻碍呢？让我们一起在今天的文章中寻找答案。

学习要点

如何理解the Great Resignation？

legislation和law的区别

“上班/下班打卡”如何表达？

“bottom line”在商务语境下的含义

长难句的翻译

带着问题去精读

*文章来源：CNN*本文中原文及部分例句翻译均采用机翻+译后编辑，仅供参考，不当之处欢迎大家在评论区讨论。*机翻平台：DeepL

1

精读原文

Workers are crying out for a four-day week. 

It's time for their bosses to pay attention

员工强烈要求“做四休三”工作制

是时候让他们的老板们注意了

A key lesson of the Great Resignation is becoming increasingly clear: It's time to shave a day off the workweek.

“大辞职”浪潮给人们带来的深刻教训愈发突显：是时候将一周的工作时间缩短一天了。

📒精读解析：

No.1

cry out for sth

【释义】

to need sth very much 迫切需要（通常用于进行时）

【例句】

The company is crying out for fresh new talent. 公司迫切需要新的人才。

《初代吸血鬼》 第三季 第9集

【拓展】

cry out 这个词组单独拿出来还可以表示：

① （因伤痛、害怕、惊讶等）大叫，叫喊

【词组】

to cry out in fear/alarm/pain 害怕/惊慌/疼痛得大叫起来

【例句】

She tried to stop herself from crying out. 她试图控制住自己不叫出声来。

② cry out (sth) 大声呼喊

【例句】

She cried out for help. 她大声呼救。

No.2

the Great Resignation

Wikipedia的解释是: 

The Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit, is the ongoing trend of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs, from spring 2021 to the present, primarily in the United States.

这个表达在形式上很像“经济大衰退/大萧条(the Great Recession)”，指的是从2021年春天到现在，员工不断主动离职的趋势。

该现象主要发生在美国，这几个月来也有许多外刊进行了相关报道：

【例句】(NPR-20211019) The Great Resignation is real, and it can be seen across virtually all industries. “大辞职”现象确实在发生，几乎所有行业都遇到了这一问题。
(The Atlantic-20211015) In April, the number of workers who quit their job in a single month broke an all-time U.S. record. Economists called it the “Great Resignation.”4月，辞职的工人数量打破了美国单月辞职数的记录。经济学家将该浪潮称为“大辞职”。

No.3

shave sth off (sth) | shave off sth

① shave 这个词大家应该不会陌生，表示“剃（须发）；（尤指）刮脸”。因此该词组本意就表示to remove a beard or moustache by shaving 剃掉，刮去（胡须）
【例句】
Charles decided to shave off his beard. 查尔斯决定刮掉胡子。
《遇见你之前 Me Before You》
② 不过在此处，该词组表示的则是 to reduce a number by a very small amount （微量地）减少，缩小，削减
【例句】
He shaved a tenth of a second off the world record. 他把世界纪录缩短了十分之一秒。
《福尔摩斯：基本演绎法》第一季
③ 除此之外，还可以表示 to cut very thin pieces from the surface of wood, etc. 削掉；刨去；切掉
【例句】I had to shave a few millimetres off the door to make it shut. 我把门刨去了几毫米才能关上。

2

精读原文

American workers are quitting in record numbers—4.3 million in August, and another 4.4 million in September. Managers across industries are having trouble hiring, even as they raise wages and offer incentives.美国的辞职人数已破历史记录——8月共430万人，9月又新增440万人。即使各行各业的老板都提高了工资，也出台了奖励措施，招聘仍旧是一大难题。
Researchers for financial firm Jefferies asked young Americans (ages 22 to 35) who had quit their jobs recently what their former bosses could have done to persuade them to stay. Thirty-two percent said they would have stayed if they'd been offered a four-day work week. That was the second most-common answer, right behind the 43% who would have stayed for more money.金融公司杰富瑞的研究人员询问了近期辞职的美国年轻人（年龄在22-35岁之间），他们的前老板需要做什么才能说服他们留下来。32%的受访者回答，如果老板允许他们一周只上四天班，自己便愿意留下。这在所有回答中排名第二，仅次于43%“愿意为更高的薪水留下”的人。

📒精读解析：

Researchers for financial firm Jefferies asked young Americans (ages 22 to 35) who had quit their jobs recently what their former bosses could have done to persuade them to stay.
这句话不难理解，但句子较长且补充成分比较多，阅读时可能会不小心混淆。
首先我们可以找出主干：Researchers asked young Americans sth. 要注意“young Americans”后面的“who had quit their jobs recently”是其定语；而之后的“what their former bosses could have done to persuade them to stay”则是宾补，即调查人员询问这些年轻人的具体内容。
还要注意的一点是，宾补中的虚拟语气could have done，“本来可以/应当做却没做”，表示一种假设。

No.1

in record numbers

record的这个词我们再熟悉不过了，但它在本段中的用法值得我们学习。
【释义】这里的 record 就是表示the best result or the highest or lowest level that has ever been reached, especially in sport（最高或最低的）纪录，较常见于体育运动中
文中的in record numbers意思是（辞职的）人数创了新高；类似的表达还有in record time，表示“以最快的速度”。
此外，还有“reach/hit a record high; be at / reach an all-time high/low”等表达都可以用来替换最基础的“break the record”，来丰富自己的写作与翻译。
【例句】Japanese cars are selling in record numbers there. 日本汽车在那里的销量屡创纪录。
I got to work in record time. 我以历来最快的速度赶到单位上班。
You'll get tenure in record time, way before me. 你肯定能打破得到终身教职的最短纪录，远胜于我。（逍遥法外 第三季）
There was a record number of candidates for the post. 这个职位的候选人数量空前。
Unemployment has reached a record high (= the highest level ever). 失业数字已经达到了最高纪录。
Profits reached an all-time high last year. 去年的利润空前的高。

3

精读原文

The study also found 80% of respondents support a four-day workweek. As for the remaining 20%: Only 3% said they were against a shorter week, and 17% were neutral. Among workers with Bachelor's degrees, feeling burned out was the No. 1 reason they quit.该研究还显示，80%的受访者都赞成一周四天的工作制。而剩下的20%中，只有3%的人反对缩短工作天数，17%的人持“中立”态度。在拥有学士学位的员工中，“感到筋疲力尽”是他们辞职的首要原因。

📒精读解析：

No.1

burn out | burn oneself/sb out

【释义】to become extremely tired or sick by working too hard over a period of time 耗尽体力；积劳成疾；累垮
【例句】If he doesn't stop working so hard, he'll burn himself out. 他要是继续这样拼命工作，就会把自己累垮。
By the age of 25 she was completely burned out and retired from the sport. 她到25岁时就已耗尽体力，退出了体坛。
《辛普森一家》第三十二季 第20集
*合起来变为名词burnout，我们在下文还会看到。也可以用来表示“精疲力竭；过度劳累”，或是“（火箭）熄火点，燃烧终止”。
【拓展】① burn out / burn itself out该词组的本意就是(of a fire) to stop burning because there is nothing more to burn （火）烧尽；熄灭
【例句】The fire had burnt (itself) out before the fire engines arrived. 救火车到达之前火就熄灭了。
② burn out (sth) / burn sth out表示to stop working or to make sth stop working because it gets too hot or is used too much （因过热或使用过多）出故障
【例句】The clutch has burnt out. 离合器因过热而失灵了。
③ burn sth out表示to destroy sth completely by fire so that only the outer frame remains 把…烧成空架子（常用于被动态）【例句】The hotel was completely burnt out. 旅馆被烧得只剩一片废墟。

4

精读原文

Growing support支持率持续上升
The idea of a four-day week is hardly new, but the pandemic and the overwork that came with it have reinvigorated proponents.一周四天的工作制并非什么新提议，但疫情和随之而来的过度工作又让支持者们踊跃了起来。

📒精读解析：

No.1

reinvigorate /ˌriːɪnˈvɪɡəreɪt / v.

【释义】to give new energy or strength to sth/sb 给…增添精力（或力量）；使再振作*其中的“vigor (英式英语写作vigour)”就表示“精力；力量；活力；热情”
【例句】We need to reinvigorate the economy of the area. 我们需要给这个地区的经济注入新的活力。
I felt reinvigorated after a rest and a shower. 我休息了一会儿，冲了个淋浴，感到精神焕发。
【拓展】去掉表示again的前缀“re-”后的单词invigorate我们也可以一并积累起来
① to make sb feel healthy and full of energy 使生气勃勃；使精神焕发（常用于被动态）
【例句】They felt refreshed and invigorated after the walk. 散步之后他们感到精神焕发。The cold water invigorated him. 冷水让他打起了精神。
② to make a situation, an organization, etc. efficient and successful 使蒸蒸日上；使兴旺发达
【例句】They are looking into ways of invigorating the department. 他们正在寻找激发这个部门活力的方法。
*形容词为invigorating /ɪnˈvɪɡəreɪtɪŋ / adj.
【短语】an invigorating walk/shower 令人精神振作的散步/淋浴

5

精读原文

Over the summer, Congressman Mark Takano of California introduced legislation that would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938—which codified the 40-hour model we now live with—to reduce the standard workweek to 32 hours.今年夏天，加利福尼亚州众议员Mark Takano提议对1938年的《公平劳动标准法案》进行修订，将一周的标准工作时间降至32小时。该法案规定了每周40小时的工作制，也就是我们现行的工作制。

📒精读解析：

这段话只有一句话，虽然内容不难理解，但翻译时如果按照原文处理成一个长句的话，会发现因为中间对《公平劳动标准法案》的补充内容过多，主句的连贯性会被打断。

因此，不妨将其拆成两部分，首先叙述一下Mark Takano的提议（Over the summer, Congressman Mark Takano of California introduced legislation that would amend...to reduce the standard workweek to 32 hours），再介绍一下《公平劳动标准法案》（the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 codified the 40-hour model we now live with）。

No.1

introduce

这也是一个我们都很熟悉的单词，不过要注意它在本段的语境中表达的含义：
【释义】to formally present a possible new law to be discussed （将一项新法律/法案）提交讨论
【例句】Several senators introduced legislation aimed at sexual harassment. 几个参议员提交了针对性骚扰的法规进行讨论。
《总统之路 All the Way》

No.2

legislation /ˌledʒɪsˈleɪʃn /

① a law or a set of laws passed by a parliament 法规；法律
【例句】New legislation on the sale of drugs will be introduced next year.有关药物销售的新法规将于明年出台。
② the process of making and passing laws 立法；制订法律【例句】Legislation will be difficult and will take time. 立法既费力又耗时。
*这个词比较正式，和平时常见的“law”具体有什么区别呢？
有兴趣的同学可以看一下differencebetween.info上的解释：
Laws are actually rules and guidelines that are set up by the social institutions to govern behavior. These laws are made by government officials that in some countries are elected by the public to represent their views. In simple terms, laws are basically things that a person can and cannot do.
Legislation is another term meaning statutory law (*statutory /ˈstætʃətri/ 法定的；依法必须执行的). These laws have been enacted by a legislature(立法机关) or the governing body of a country. Legislation can also mean the process of making the law.

No.3

codify /ˈkəʊdɪfaɪ/

这也是一个比较专业的法律术语，表示：
to arrange laws, rules, etc. into a system 把…（法律、条例）编成法典；编纂；整理
*名词形式为codification /ˌkəʊdɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/
【例句】The latest draft of the agreement codifies the panel's decision. 最新的协议草案把专家小组的决定加以整理，编成了条文。
《生活大爆炸》 第五季 第10集

6

精读原文

There have been plenty of experiments to support the idea. 大量实践证明了缩减工作日的可行性。
When Microsoft tried a shorter workweek in Japan in 2019, it found productivity went up by almost 40%. Elephant Ventures, a software and data engineering company started testing a four-day workweek in August 2020 to help prevent employee burnout during the pandemic. Notably, Elephant Ventures compressed its workweek to four 10-hour days, but the three-day weekend was so well received, the company is making the change permanent.2019年，微软公司在日本进行了减少工作日的尝试，结果发现生产率提高了近40%。为避免员工在疫情期间积劳成疾，软件和数据工程公司Elephant Ventures于2020年8月开始尝试“做四休三”。不过要注意的是，Elephant Ventures是将工作周压缩成了4天，即每天工作10小时。即使如此，3天的周末仍十分深得人心，于是该公司决定就这么长久实施下去。

📒拓展内容：

据美国《华盛顿邮报》报道，2019年8月，微软公司在日本推出了一项颇具挑战性的试验——每周工作4天。该公司的业务部门在官方网站上的一篇文章中称，在这个以加班文化闻名的国家，缩短每周的工作时间极大地提高了生产率。
本次实验在不减薪的情况下，让微软日本的2300名员工连续5个周五休息。公司敦促员工将会议时间限制在30分钟以内，充分利用工作软件进行更多非正式交流或在线会议。公司还为员工提供每人最高10万日元（约合人民币6385元）的家庭度假补贴。
该公司在试验结束时总结道，缩短的工作周带来了更高效的会议、更快乐的员工，并将生产率提高了40％。员工在试验期间的休假时间减少了25％。得益于每周额外的休息日，办公室的用电量减少了23％。试验期间的打印纸消耗量减少了59％。绝大多数员工（92％）说他们喜欢更短的工作周。

7

精读原文

Why is it taking so long?为何做出改变需要花这么长的时间？
In 1930, the economist John Maynard Keynes famously predicted that working hours would wind down over time, and that by around 2030, we'd all be working 15 hours a week. Clock in on Monday and Tuesday, then settle in for a five-day weekend. Instead, working hours have only increased, especially among salaried employees.1930年，经济学家约翰·梅纳德·凯恩斯做了一个著名的预测：工作时长会随着时间的推移逐渐减少，到2030年左右，我们每周只需要工作15小时——每周一和周二上班打卡，然后享受5天的周末。然而事实上，工作时长只增不减，尤其是对那些领月薪的员工来说。

📒精读解析：

No.1

wind down

这个词组意思比较多，要注意wind在作动词时读 /waɪnd/ 哦。
① 我们首先来看看它在本段语境中的含义：
If someone winds down a business or activity, or if it winds down, they gradually reduce the amount of work that is done or the number of people that are involved, usually before closing or stopping it completely.
表示“使（业务、活动等）逐步结束；逐渐减少至终止”
【例句】
The government is winding down its nuclear programme. 政府在逐步取消核计划。
*其名词形式wind-down /ˈwaɪnd daʊn / (也作winding-down)也表示“逐渐减少至终止；逐步结束”。
【例句】
The wind-down of the company was handled very efficiently. 逐步关闭公司的事宜处理得十分高效。
② 也可以表示(of a person) to rest or relax after a period of activity or excitement （人）喘口气；喘息一下
《都市侠盗：救赎》 第7集
③ wind down还可以表示to make sth such as the window of a car move downwards by turning a handle, pressing a button, etc. 把（汽车窗玻璃等）摇下
【例句】Can I wind my window down? 我可以把我这边的窗户摇下来吗？

No.2

 clock in/on

【释义】(BrE) to record the time at which you arrive at work, especially by putting a card into a machine （尤指用机器）记录上班时间，上班打卡(美式英语中为punch in)
相应的，“记录下班时间，下班打卡”便是clock out/off（美式英语中为punch out）

8

精读原文

So what gives?为什么会出现这种情况呢？
Experts have offered a range of explanations — big corporations are reluctant to change, especially if the change impacts the bottom line. It's hard to imagine managers rushing to agree to pay workers the same amount of money for less work, even if productivity holds steady.专家们提出了各种各样的解释——如大公司不愿做出改变，尤其在这种改变会影响其最终盈利的情况下。即使在工作时长减少、生产力保持不变的情况下，也很难想象老板们会争相给员工支付和原来同等水平的薪资。

📒精读解析：

No.1

what gives?

【释义】what is happening?; what is the news? 发生了什么事；有什么消息
【例句】

What gives? How could he be so narcissistic?  他怎么能那么自我陶醉？

《摩登家庭》 第七季 第14集

No.2

 bottom line

① 该词组我们比较熟悉的含义为the most important thing that you have to consider or accept; the essential point in a discussion, etc.，即“底线；要旨；基本论点”【例句】The bottom line is that we have to make a decision today. 底线是，我们今天必须做出决定。
② 在本文的语境下则是表示：the amount of money that is a profit or a loss after everything has been calculated 最终赢利（或亏损）
【例句】The bottom line for 2008 was a pre-tax profit of £85 million. 2008年最终获得税前利润8500万英镑。
③ 也可以表示the lowest price that sb will accept 可接受的最低价格；底价
【例句】Two thousand — and that's my bottom line! 两千块，不能再低了！

今天的精读解析到这里就结束啦。
不瞒你们说，小编去查了一下资料，咱们国内也有人提过“做四休三”的想法。
由社会科学文献出版社出版的《休闲绿皮书：2017~2018年中国休闲发展报告》就曾提过建议——2030年实现“做四休三”。
在我国劳动生产率达到一定水平的前提下，可实行每天工作9小时，每周工作4天的四天(36小时)工作制。
虽然2030年距离现在还有点远，但是想想也挺美好的。
如果哪天真的实现“做四休三”了你的周末要怎么安排呢？快来评论区参与讨论吧！
编辑：Susy译后编辑：Susy排版：PGY品控：Jennifer

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