一場疫情，牽動著國內外。近日，國外的疫情已經進入白熱化的狀態，確診人數還在持續上升。白宮發言人宣佈決定：強調美國在疫情期間受疫情影響的人和被隔離在家的人隔離期間依然可以得到薪水。中小企業會面臨現金流問題，政府將承擔責任，因為學校關閉，在家的孩子需要有人照顧，這些照看孩子和老人的人都會照常得到公司的工資支付，而且將用最快的途徑支付他們。
學長說
提高外刊閱讀能力需要少量精讀+大量泛讀。泛讀是為了提高閱讀速度，鍛鍊語言閱讀的意群能力。不然長時間的精讀會讓你的英語閱讀停留在破碎零散的句子上，而非一個又一個完整的意群。
學長的建議是：可以週一到週五精讀1-2篇，並不強求每天讀一篇，一天精讀一個自然段，從詞句語法篇章結構來分析，做好寫作積累。而週末就用零散的時間來泛讀，泛讀過程中控制自己不要輕易查字典，不要輕易分析句子結構，否則你的語言的連貫性和閱讀速度都不會有大幅提高。
今天給大家分享的是一篇CSMonitor （基督教科學箴言報）The Monitor's View板塊的評論文章 A corporate role in ending epidemics。歷年所有選擇基督教科學箴言報的考研閱讀均來自於該板塊。
值得一提的是，這篇文章除了內容比較有趣，講述的是美國大公司疫情下的反應外，該文章的用詞、語法均有值得探尋之處。
這篇文章應該是我分享過的閱讀難度最大的一篇，如果同學們第一遍沒有看懂是正常現象，多讀幾次就好了。
外刊選讀
A society’s response to an epidemic, writes historian Frank Snowden in a new book on the topic, is a lens on the moral priorities of its leaders. Did they create a resilient(有彈性的) community during more settled times(安穩的時期，settle除了定居，還有做出決定、安穩等常用意思)? Have they built up trust in institutions? Epidemics reveal “the moral relationships that we have toward each other,” the Yale scholar told The New Yorker.
A current example of moral priorities in the United States is the number of companies promising to keep paying employees – even temporary wage-earners – despite the shock and disruption of the coronavirus outbreak. Congress could decide soon to mandate(命令) paid leave(帶薪休假) during the health crisis. Yet many corporate leaders are a step ahead in announcing no layoffs(暫時解僱) or furloughs(無薪休假), creating a sort of cordon sanitaire(cordon sanitaire: 封鎖線) that protects jobs and eases fears.
本篇文章的閱讀難點通常都出現在一個段落的最後一句。造成這個現象的原因主要是段落最後一句通常為總結性句子，會不自覺的把句子結構弄複雜，長度拉長。
本句可翻譯為：
“比宣佈不會暫時解僱或無薪休假更進一步，很多企業領導人建立起了一種類似封鎖線的機制來保護工作崗位並消除恐懼。”
At Microsoft, 4,500 hourly employees “will continue to receive their regular wages even if their work hours are reduced,” says company President Brad Smith. Similar commitments have been made by Google and other big firms. “I encourage all of our peers(同等地位的人) to consider this as well,” tweeted Chuck Robbins, chief executive of Cisco.
One practical reason to retain(保留) workers during the crisis is that, up to now, the task of finding new workers has been difficult. The U.S. economy is in its 11th year of expansion. The jobless rate(失業率的非正式說法) is a low 3.5%. Many companies are enjoying record profits. They can afford a temporary loss.
結合上下文，最後一句的temporary loss說的是在疫情期間給員工支付工資。
Yet another reason may be a trend among companies, made strong since the 2008 financial crisis, to better consider how they treat workers, customers, suppliers, local communities, and the natural environment. Such “social responsibility” toward stakeholders(利益相關者) is oftengenuine(真誠的). It can also prevent a high cost to a corporation’s reputation.
最後一句實際上是一種英語化的簡寫，其表達的意思是：
It can also prevent a high cost to (rebuild) a corporation's reputation.
The promises of no layoffs during this crisis have become a signifier(指示符) of ethical progress. Other signs are showing up. Citigroup(花旗集團) is offering leniency(原義仁慈，此處指延期) to many debtors(債務人). Some health insurers are absorbing the cost of copays(一種在每次出險前先支付一筆固定費用的保險條例，多見於健康險) for customers. For many firms, belt-tightening will come in ways other than hits on the most vulnerable.
最後一句話同樣有一些抽象。belt-tightening就是勒緊褲腰帶的意思。簡單來說，這句話表達的是企業寧可自己承擔一部分損失，也不願意對疫情下艱難度日的客戶造成嚴重打擊。此處vulnerable是形容詞作名詞用。
理解這種羚羊掛角般的寫法，需要的是對上下文的理解、揣測能力，和英文水平關係不大（如果你單詞量夠的話）。因此大家不要對這種類型的句子感到緊張，中文閱讀沒問題，相信大家英文閱讀也不會差的。
Worldwide, business has become the most trusted institution, taking the lead role in global governance, according to the latest Edelman survey. Based on 40 years of surveys for its “trust meter,” the communication firm finds the “trust capital(capital除了有首府的意思外，在經濟學裡當‘資本’講)” for businesses depends on three ethical drivers: integrity(正直), dependability, and purpose.
“Business has leapt into the void left by populist and partisan government” states the 2020 report. “It can no longer be business as usual, with an exclusive(唯一的，另有高檔的，獨有的意思，對奢侈品感興趣的小夥伴可能會很眼熟這個單詞) focus on shareholder returns.” The survey finds 73% of employees want the opportunity to change society. Nearly two-thirds of consumers make buying choices based on core beliefs.
Epidemics are not extinguished only by new medicines, quarantines, and improved health practices. Societies also need to have their moral priorities in place. Healing the economy with fear-reducing actions is as important as healing the sick.
enior’s Analysis
這篇文章的難度主要有兩個，一為常見（大概吧）單詞的不常見用法，二為隨性的寫作風格。
單詞沒有辦法，只能是大家背單詞的時候也留意一下它的其他意思。但是那些隱晦的句子，其實是有跡可循的。這種不討人喜歡句子絕大多數都出現在段位，是對全段意思的一個總結和推進。因此同學們只要放寬心態，把段落意思好好的思考一遍，多少能掌握作者的寫作思路。
比方說，belt-tightening這段，段首句強調的是promises of no layoffs. 之後是對other signs的一個引申，因此同學們大概可以推斷出，作者想舉例表達企業在疫情期間的付出。沿著這個思路走，很明顯belt-tightening指的就是這種付出，而 the most vulnerable說的自然是類似殺雞取卵，將壓力轉交給普通客戶的做法。
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