英语听力精选进阶版 6249
时间：2019-02-21 作者：英语课 分类：英语听力精选进阶版
Does a Tea Break Make You More Efficient? 茶间休息能提高工效吗？
According to tradition, China has been drinking tea since the time of Shennong, 5,000 years ago.
Britain's relationship with the invigorating brew 1 is much shorter, but the beverage 2 nonetheless enjoys pride of place as the UK's national drink. In fact the UK Tea Council claims Britons drink an average of three cups a day, or a staggering national total of 165m cups every day.
With figures like these it is no surprise that time spent taking tea eats into the working day of the British labour force. A recent survey found that 24 minutes a day are lost to making, buying and drinking tea and coffee. This equates 3 to ￡400 (4,000 yuan) a year in lost man hours per employee, or 190 days over a lifetime.
So, should employers be worried about this lost working time, or does the tea break compensate 4 in other ways?
One argument in its defence is that caffeine improves mental performance: a drink of tea or coffee can perk 5 you up and help you focus on work.
Professor Peter Rogers of the University of Bristol disagrees. After years of studying caffeine he sees no evidence that it improves mental alertness.
"Workers would perform equally well if not consuming it at all," he says. "But if they're consuming it frequently and then go without, they'll feel tired and won't perform well."
Occupational psychologist Cary Cooper instead emphasises the role breaks play in coping with sedentary office life, and in building social relationships.
"We need to make people more active and see other people. The coffee break is one way of doing this," says Cooper.
And Professor Rogers also points out the soothing 6 effect of a hot drink: "We warm our hands on them on a cold day, they're comforting and play a big role in our everyday life.
"Whatever the caffeine's doing, I'd say these 24 minutes aren't wasted."
Glossary 词汇表
invigorating brew 提神的（泡）茶
beverage 饮料
pride of place 地方的自豪感
staggering 极高的
eats into 渗透
labour force 劳动力
equates to 相当于
man hours 工时
lifetime 一生
compensate 弥补
argument 论点/观点
caffeine 咖啡因
perk you up 提神
mental alertness 大脑灵敏度
consuming 饮用
go without 没有/失去
occupational psychologist 职业心理学家
sedentary 久坐不动的
active 积极的
soothing effect 舒缓作用
- Let's brew up some more tea.咱们沏些茶吧。
- The policeman dispelled the crowd lest they should brew trouble.警察驱散人群，因恐他们酿祸。
- The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
- Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。
- He equates success with material wealth. 他认为成功等同于物质财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- This equates to increased and vigor, better sleep and sharper mental acuity. 也就是说可以起到增强活力，改善睡眠，提高心智的作用。 来自互联网
- She used her good looks to compensate her lack of intelligence. 她利用她漂亮的外表来弥补智力的不足。
- Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health. 一个人失去了键康是不可弥补的。
- His perks include a car provided by the firm.他的额外津贴包括公司提供的一辆汽车。
- And the money is,of course,a perk.当然钱是额外津贴。