高级英语阅读Lesson 4 The Cult of Busyness.pptx

Lesson 4 The Cult of Busyness;Not too long ago a former friend and soon-to-be acquaintance called me up to tell me how busy she was.;A major report, upon which her professional future depended, was due in three days; ;her secretary was on strike; her housekeeper had fallen into the hands of the Immigration Department; ;she had two hours to prepare a dinner party for eight; and she was late for her time-management class.;Stress was taking its toll, she told me: her children resented the fact that she sometimes got their names mixed up, and she had taken to abusing white wine.;Stress was taking its toll, she told me: her children resented the fact that she sometimes got their names mixed up, and she had taken to abusing white wine.;Stress was taking its toll, she told me: her children resented the fact that she sometimes got their names mixed up, and she had taken to abusing white wine.;Stress was taking its toll, she told me: her children resented the fact that she sometimes got their names mixed up, and she had taken to abusing white wine.;All this put me at a distinct disadvantage, since the only thing I was doing at the time was holding the phone with one hand and attempting to touch the opposite toe with the other hand, … ;All this put me at a distinct disadvantage, since the only thing I was doing at the time was holding the phone with one hand and attempting to touch the opposite toe with the other hand, … ;… a pastime that I had perfected during previous telephone monologues.;Not that I’m not busy too: as I listened to her, I was on the alert for the moment the dryer would shut itself off and …;Not that I’m not busy too: as I listened to her, I was on the alert for the moment the dryer would shut itself off and …;… and I would have to rush to fold the clothes before they settled into a mass of incorrigible wrinkles.;… and I would have to rush to fold the clothes before they settled into a mass of incorrigible wrinkles.;But if I mentioned this little deadline