《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》17 Tips on Getting More Efficiency

　　Unit 17
Tips on Getting More Efficiency out of Women Employees
This is an actual excerpt¹ from the July 1943 issue of Mass Transportation. It was written for male supervisors² of women in the work force during WW II.
There's no longer any question whether companies should hire women for jobs formerly³ held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has settled that point. The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and how to use them to the best advantage. Here are nine helpful tips on the subject:
1. Pick young married women. They have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they are less likely to be flirtatious⁴, and they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it, and they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently⁵.
2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be fussy⁶. It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness⁷ and courtesy.
3. General experience indicates that the girls who are just a little on the heavy side are more even-tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.
4. Stress at the outset the importance of time -- the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious delays on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.
5. Give the female employees a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they'll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous managers say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.
6. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology⁸. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick⁹ and wash her hands several times a day.
7. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can't shrug¹⁰ off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule¹¹ a woman -- it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.
8. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear frequently, she'll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.
9. Get enough size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy.

1 excerpt   

n.摘录，选录，节录

参考例句：

• This is an excerpt from a novel.这是一部小说的摘录。
• Can you excerpt something from the newspaper? 你能从报纸上选录些东西吗？

2 supervisors   

n.监督者，管理者( supervisor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I think the best technical people make the best supervisors. 我认为最好的技术人员可以成为最好的管理人员。 来自辞典例句
• Even the foremen or first-level supervisors have a staffing responsibility. 甚至领班或第一线的监督人员也有任用的责任。 来自辞典例句

3 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

4 flirtatious   

adj.爱调情的，调情的，卖俏的

参考例句：

• a flirtatious young woman 卖弄风情的年轻女子
• Her flirtatious manners are intended to attract. 她的轻浮举止是想引人注意。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 efficiently   

adv.高效率地，有能力地

参考例句：

• The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
• Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。

6 fussy   

adj.为琐事担忧的，过分装饰的，爱挑剔的

参考例句：

• He is fussy about the way his food's cooked.他过分计较食物的烹调。
• The little girl dislikes her fussy parents.小女孩讨厌她那过分操心的父母。

7 friendliness   

n.友谊，亲切，亲密

参考例句：

• Behind the mask of friendliness,I know he really dislikes me.在友善的面具后面，我知道他其实并不喜欢我。
• His manner was a blend of friendliness and respect.他的态度友善且毕恭毕敬。

8 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

9 lipstick   

n.口红，唇膏

参考例句：

• Taking out her lipstick,she began to paint her lips.她拿出口红，开始往嘴唇上抹。
• Lipstick and hair conditioner are cosmetics.口红和护发素都是化妆品。

10 shrug   

v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)

参考例句：

• With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩，走出了房间。
• I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。

11 ridicule   

v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄

参考例句：

• You mustn't ridicule unfortunate people.你不该嘲笑不幸的人。
• Silly mistakes and queer clothes often arouse ridicule.荒谬的错误和古怪的服装常会引起人们的讪笑。