大家在讀書(shū)時(shí)身邊總是會(huì)遇到那么一群考證達(dá)人，他們不分晝夜、廢寢忘食、占盡學(xué)校自習(xí)室和圖書(shū)館的位置，只為考取一張張“有用”的證書(shū)——教師資格證、計(jì)算機(jī)等級(jí)證、中高級(jí)口譯證、高級(jí)會(huì)展設(shè)計(jì)師證、秘書(shū)證……這樣的一群人就是“哈證族”。在他們看來(lái)，“藝多不壓身”，只有考取各種各樣的證書(shū)才能為自己的簡(jiǎn)歷增加砝碼。

Samuel： Alright. I’ve held my tongue this long， but I’ve gotta say something. You’ve had your nose stuck firmly in one book or another for the past few months. And the books don’t have anything to do with your job. So what exactly are you studying over there？

Astrid： Not that a loser like you， who’s content with 1）mediocrity， would understand， but I’m 2）honing my language skills in different fields to better myself and help my 3）prospects on the job market.

Samuel： As much as I 4）resent being called a loser， I’ll let that slide for now.

Astrid： ①That’s certainly out of character for you， not getting mad at me when I call you names.

Samuel： And that’s because， for once， I’m actually proud of you. And I’m happy to see you expanding your horizons.

Astrid： Thanks Sam. ②In all honesty， it’s really taking a toll on me. This is harder than I ever worked in school.

Samuel： You should take it easy. Try not to work too hard.

Astrid： ③But I need to work my tail off， or else the person next to me at the next job fair may just 5）snatch that dream job right out from under my nose.

Samuel： Look， I realize that there’s mounting pressure out there， with millions of people 6）vying for a limited number of employment opportunities.

Astrid： True. And true.

Samuel： ④But landing that perfect job in the first few years after graduation is not “the be-all and end-all” of one’s career.

Astrid： Not according to most head-hunters out there. They say that if you want a great job， you need a handful of certifications 7）pertaining to said job. And to get all the necessary certificates， you need to hit the books like never before.

Samuel： I know it sounds like 8）settling， and that you feel you deserve better， but， at this point in your climb up the 9）proverbial 10）occupational ladder， you might wanna consider taking things one step at a time， and accepting a job that doesn’t require all this extra studying. I mean， if you get all these certificates but don’t get the job you want， you might be doing all this 11）prep work for no reason at all.

塞繆爾：好吧，我已經(jīng)忍著不說(shuō)好久了，但是我必須說(shuō)出來(lái)。過(guò)去幾個(gè)月以來(lái)你一直在埋頭苦讀什么書(shū)，而這些書(shū)與你的工作無(wú)關(guān)。所以你到底在學(xué)些什么呢？

阿斯特麗德：像你這樣甘于平凡的失敗者是不會(huì)明白的，我在鍛煉自己在不同領(lǐng)域中的語(yǔ)言技能，以此來(lái)提升自己，從而在職場(chǎng)中有更好的前景。

塞繆爾：（雖然）我非常討厭被叫作失敗者，但現(xiàn)在我會(huì)讓這事過(guò)去。

阿斯特麗德：我說(shuō)你壞話但你卻不生我的氣，這不像你的個(gè)性。

塞繆爾：那是因?yàn)?，僅此一次，我確實(shí)為你感到驕傲。我很高興看到你開(kāi)拓眼界。

阿斯特麗德：謝謝你，塞繆爾。老實(shí)說(shuō)，這真的對(duì)我有影響。我可比在學(xué)校讀書(shū)還努力。

塞繆爾：你應(yīng)該放輕松，別太用功了。

阿斯特麗德：但是我真的需要非常努力，不然在下次招聘會(huì)上，我旁邊的人就會(huì)在我眼皮底下?lián)屪呶覊?mèng)寐以求的工作。

塞繆爾：嗯，數(shù)百萬(wàn)人都在競(jìng)爭(zhēng)著有限的就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)，我意識(shí)到這真的是壓力山大。

阿斯特麗德：對(duì)，沒(méi)錯(cuò)。

塞繆爾：但是在畢業(yè)后的頭幾年找到那樣一份完美的工作不是一個(gè)人職業(yè)生涯的全部。

阿斯特麗德：大多數(shù)的獵頭公司可不是這么認(rèn)為。他們說(shuō)如果你想找一份好的工作，你就需要有一堆與該工作相關(guān)的證件。而為了獲得這些所需的證件，你就得往死里讀書(shū)。

塞繆爾：我知道這聽(tīng)起來(lái)會(huì)有些安于現(xiàn)狀，也知道你覺(jué)得自己值得擁有更好的，但是當(dāng)你在攀登人們所說(shuō)的職業(yè)階梯的時(shí)候，你應(yīng)該考慮一步一步來(lái)，接受一份不需要額外學(xué)習(xí)的工作。我的意思是，如果你獲得了所有的這些證件卻得不到你想要的工作，那么你所有的這些準(zhǔn)備工作就變得毫無(wú)意義。

Astrid： But， on the other hand， my 12）pessimistic pal， I’ll have no chance at any of those upper-tier jobs without the proper qualifications. So， when all is said and done， isn’t it worth the risk？

Samuel： I suppose， when you put it that way. I guess I’m just the type of guy who likes to know， beyond the shadow of a doubt， that his efforts will eventually bear fruit.

Astrid： And mine will. You just wait and see！

阿斯特麗德：但是，我悲觀的朋友，從另一方面來(lái)看，如果沒(méi)有這些合適的證件，我就不可能得到那些上層的工作。所以，說(shuō)到底，這不值得冒險(xiǎn)嗎？

塞繆爾：你這樣說(shuō)的話，我想是值得的。我想我是那種希望肯定地知道付出一定會(huì)有收獲的人。

阿斯特麗德：我的付出一定會(huì)有收獲！你就等著瞧吧！

Smart Sentences

① That’s certainly out of character for you， not getting mad at me when I call you names. 我說(shuō)你壞話但你卻不生我的氣，這不像你的個(gè)性。

out of character： unlike one’s usual behavior（與某人的脾性不符）。例如：

It was out of character for Mom to act so stubborn suddenly.

老媽突然間這么固執(zhí)，與她的性格不符啊。

② In all honesty， it’s really taking a toll on me. 老實(shí)說(shuō)，這真的對(duì)我有影響。

take a toll （on sb. or sth.）： cause damage or loss to sb. or sth.（造成某人或某物的損失）。例如：

Air pollution really takes a toll on people’s health.

空氣污染確實(shí)給人的健康造成傷害。

③ But I need to work my tail off， or else the person next to me at the next job fair may just snatch that dream job right out from under my nose. 但是我真的需要非常努力，不然在下次招聘會(huì)上，我旁邊的人就會(huì)在我眼皮底下?lián)屪呶覊?mèng)寐以求的工作。

work one’s tail off： work really hard（非常努力地工作）。例如：I spent the last five years working my tail off and it finally paid off. I’m now in charge of the new bridge project.

過(guò)去的五年我非常努力地工作，現(xiàn)在終于有回報(bào)了?，F(xiàn)在我負(fù)責(zé)新橋的項(xiàng)目。

④ But landing that perfect job in the first few years after graduation is not “the be-all and end-all” of one’s career. 但是在畢業(yè)后的頭幾年找到那樣一份完美的工作不是一個(gè)人職業(yè)生涯的全部。

be-all and end-all： sth. that is most important（根本，全部，終極目的）。例如：

Finishing the book is the be-all and end-all of Todd’s life.

寫(xiě)完這本書(shū)是托德生活的全部。