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内容简介

英语中有个包含单词 “theatre” 的搭配，可以用来描述 “某人用戏剧化的表演让自己看起来很忙，其实并没有在认真工作的现象”。在工作中，你见过这样的 “影帝” 或 “影后” 吗？听节目，学习 “productivity theatre” 的用法。

文字稿

（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Jiaying
大家好，欢迎收听 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目，with you, Neil.

Neil
… and you, Jiaying. And for today's English phrase, we're off to the theatre – but not literally.

Jiaying
“The show must go on.” 和 “All the world's a stage.” 这两句话都和 “theatre（戏剧）” 有关，对吧？

Neil
They are – but this phrase is completely new and describes the act of someone appearing to work hard when in reality they're not being very productive. We call this 'productivity theatre'.

Jiaying
Productivity theatre. 名词 “productivity” 的意思是 “生产力，工作效率”，而名词 “theatre” 在这里的意思是 “做戏”，比喻 “某人给他人留下了工作忙、效率高的印象，但这其实是装的”。搭配 “productivity theatre” 就描述这种 “工作高效的假象”。

Neil
Correct. 'Theatre' used as an adjective can describe someone's exaggerated or insincere behaviour. We call this 'theatrical'. So, in the workplace, someone may try to look busy by speaking loudly or shuffling lots of paper, but it's an act – they are performing productivity theatre.

Jiaying
所以，我们不应该被这种 “假装忙碌” 的行为所欺骗。看上去忙可不意味着真忙，这很可能是 “productivity theatre（演出来的忙碌）”。I think we should hear more about this in these examples.

Examples
She says she hasn't time to write the report, but I know it's just productivity theatre.

Typing loudly at work isn't really being efficient, it's just productivity theatre!

She always claims she has to work late, but I know she slinks off when everyone’s gone home – it's productivity theatre!

Jiaying
在本期 “地道英语” 节目中，我们正在学习新搭配 “productivity theatre” 的含义和用法。我们用它来描述 “某人看起来在卖力工作，给人留以勤奋的印象，实则是装出来的假象”。Something you would never do, Neil?

Neil
Of course! But I have heard about people who work from home, and while watching TV, they occasionally send an email, so it looks like they're working. A great example of productivity theatre.

Jiaying
I know people who say they're very busy, and I see them on their computer doing online shopping!

Neil
Productivity theatre?

Jiaying
Yes, indeed.

Neil
Hmm, you know, I might give productivity theatre a try, Jiaying.

Jiaying
Not before you've finished all your work!

Neil
OK. More productivity and less theatre for now. See you next time.

Jiaying
Bye.