Step 1: Intensive reading.
Try to answer the question below while you’re reading:
Question: Why did Alf want a white-collar job?
Vocabulary:
manual adj. 体力的
collar n. 衣领
sacrifice v. 牺牲，献出
privilege n. 好处
dustman n. 清洁工
corporation n. 公司
overalls n. 工作服
shower n. 淋浴
secret n. 秘密
status n. 地位
Passage:
These days, people who do manual work often receive far more money than people
who work in offices. People who work in offices are frequently referred to as
“white-collar workers’’ for the simple reason that they usually wear a collar and tie to
go to work. Such is human nature, that a great many people are often willing to
sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white-collar workers. This can give
rise to curious situations, as it did in the case of Alfred Bloggs who worked as a
dustman for the Ellesmere Corporation.
如今，从事体力劳动的人的收入一般要比坐办公室的人高出许多。坐办公室的之
所以常常被称作“ 白领工人”，就是因为他们通常是穿着硬领白衬衫，系着领带去
上班。许多人常常情愿放弃较高的薪水以换取做白领工人的殊荣，此乃人之常情。
而这常常会引起种种奇怪的现象，在埃尔斯米尔公司当清洁工的艾尔弗雷德 ·布
洛斯就是一个例子。
Notes:
1 People who work in offices are frequently referred to as ‘white-collar workers’, 那
些坐在办公室的人，往往被称为“ 白领工人” 。 white-collar workers 往往指脑力劳
动者，而体力劳动者则被称为 blue-collar workers, 蓝领工人。
2 for the simple reason that…这里 that 引导的从句是 the reason 的同位语。
3 Such is human nature, that…such 位于句首，起强调作用，后面要用倒装语序，
that 引导的是 such 的同位语从句。
4 as it did in the case of Alfred Bloggs who… worked as a dustman for the Ellesmere
Corporation. 正如给埃尔斯米尔公司当清洁工的艾尔弗雷德 ·布洛格斯的情况所
造成的怪现象那样。 as it did 中的 it 是指上一句中 that 从句所指的情况，而 did
是替代 give rise to curious situations。
When he got married, Alf was too embarrassed to say anything to his wife about his
job. He simply told her that he worked for the Corporation. Every morning, he left
home dressed in a smart black suit. He then changed into overalls and spent the next
eight hours as a dustman. Before returning home at night, he took a shower and
changed back into his suit. Alf did this for over two years and his fellow dustmen kept
his secret. Alf’s wife has never discovered that she married a dustman and she never
will, for Alf has just found another job. He will soon be working in an office. He will
be earning only half as much as he used to, but he feels that his rise in status is well
worth the loss of money. From now on, he will wear a suit all day and others will call
him ‘Mr. Bloggs’, not ‘Alf’.
艾尔弗结婚时，感到非常难为情，而没有将自己的职业告诉妻子。他只说在埃尔
斯米尔公司上班。每天早晨，他穿上一身漂亮的黑色西装离家上班，然后换上工
作服，当 8 个小时清洁工。晚上回家前，他洗个淋浴，重新换上那身黑色西服。
两年多以来，艾尔弗一直这样，他的同事也为他保守秘密。艾尔弗的妻子一直不
知道她嫁给了一个清洁工，而且她永远也不会知道了，因为艾尔弗已找到薪职，
不久就要坐办公室里工作了。他将来挣的钱只有他现在的一半。不过他觉得，地
位升高了，损失点儿钱也值得。从此，艾尔弗可以一天到晚穿西服了。别人将称
呼他为“布洛格斯先生”，而不再叫他“艾尔弗”了。
Notes:
5 half as much as he used to, 只相当于过去的一半。
4.2【阅读理解】The double life of Alfred Bloggs
Step 2: Comprehension questions.
Comprehension:
1 Who generally earn more, manual workers or office workers? (Manual workers.)
2 People who work with their hands often earn more than office workers, don't they?
(Yes, they do.)
3 How do we often refer to office workers? (As white-collar workers.)
4 Why 'white-collar workers'? (Because they wear a white collar and tie to go to
work.)
5 What are some people prepared to sacrifice to be white-collar workers? (Higher
pay.)
6 What was Alfred Bloggs ’job at the Ellesmere Corporation? (He was a dustman.)
7 Was Alf married? (Yes, he was.)
8 What did Alf fail to tell his wife? (That he was a dustman.)
9 How did he dress every morning? (In a smart black suit.)
10 What did he change into when he got to work? (Overalls.)
11 How did he spend the next eight hours? (Working as a dustman.)
12 What did he do before going home? (He took a shower and changed back into his
suit.)
13 How long did Alf do this? (For over two years.)
14 Did his fellow dustmen keep his secret? (Yes, they did. )
15 Did Alf's wife discover his secret? (No, she didn't.)
16 Will she ever discover it? (No, she won't.)
17 Where will Alf soon be working? (In an office.)
18 How will his salary compare with his work as a dustman? (He'll be earning half as
much.)
19 How does Alf feel about the loss of money? (He thinks it's worth it because of his
rise in status.)
20 What will he now be wearing every day? (A suit.)
21 How will people address him? (‘Mr. Bloggs’, not ‘Alf’.)
4.3【拓展写作】The double life of Alfred Bloggs
Step 3: Composition
Write a composition of about 200 words using the ideas given below. Do not write
more than three paragraphs.
Title: Nearly caught.
Introduction: Alf and three other dustmen were collecting rubbish— arrived at Mrs.
Frost's house.
Development: Alf's wife was visiting Mrs. Frost at the time—Alf was just getting out
of the dustcart—saw his wife leaving Mrs. Frost's house—hid in dustcart—dustmen
helped him— his wife talked to Mrs. Frost on the doorstep.
Conclusion: The dustcart drove away just as Mrs. Bloggs came towards it.
Key to composition
A possible answer
Nearly caught
One morning Alf and three other dustmen were collecting rubbish in Merton
Street and they stopped outside Mrs. Frost's house.
Though Alf didn't know it, his wife was visiting Mrs. Frost at the time. She and
Mrs. Frost were old friends, though Mrs. Frost had never met Alf. Alf was just getting
out of the dustcart to go into Mrs. Frost's backyard when he saw his wife leaving Mrs.
Frost's house. He quickly returned to the dustcart and hid in the driving cabin. While
he was hiding, his fellow dustmen helped him by collecting Frosts' rubbish.
Meanwhile, Alf's wife and Mrs. Frost talked on the doorstep. It looked as though their
conversation would never end!
At last Mrs. Bloggs said goodbye to Mrs. Frost. She waved to one of the dustmen
whom she recognized and she went towards the dustcart to greet him. The dustman
waved back and gave her a big smile as the dustcart drove off. Mrs. Bloggs stood on
the pavement and watched the dustcart disappear down the street. Then she began to
walk home. ‘It’s all right, Alf,’ his friend said. ‘She can't see you now.’
‘Thanks, Jim, ’ Alf said. ‘That was a lucky escape!’
课外练习：
1 What does the case of Alfred Bloggs illustrate?
(a)That people often care more about the status of a job than the salary.
(b)That ‘white-collar workers’ usually wear a suit to go to work.
(c)That manual workers prefer to keep their job a secret.
(d) That office workers usually earn less than manual workers.
2 What did Alfred Bloggs do for over two years?
(a)He told his wife he worked for the Corporation, when in fact he did not.
(b)He disguised himself as a dustman.
(c)He led a double life.
(d) He earned twice as much as he used to.
3 Why did Alfred Bloggs consider wearing a suit all day and being called 'Mr. Bloggs’
so important?
(a)His new job is worth more than his previous one in every respect.
(b)He will no longer need a shower before returning home from work
(c)He can now tell his wife about his previous job without embarrassment
(d)He feels that other people will respect him more.
4 They usually wear collar and tie …
(a) as they work
(b) to work
(c) going to work
(d) order to work
5 Alf was anything to his wife.
(a) so embarrassed he said
(b) very embarrassed and said
(c)very embarrassed, so he said
(d) so embarrassed he did not say
6 He told her that he worked for the Corporation ...
(a)simply
(b)in a simple way
(c) and no more
(d)only
7 Before he home at night, he took a shower…
(a)was returning
(b) returned
(c) had returned
(d) will return
8 His earnings were only half the amount .
(a)as they used to
(b)they used to
(c)they used to be
(d) they were used to
9 Manual workers often receive much higher than people who work in
offices.
(a)gains
(b)fees
(c) payments
(d) wages
10 His kept his secret.
(a)brothers
(b)workmates
(c)companions
(d)comrades
11 His rise in status more than the loss of money.
(a) pays back
(b) rewards
(c)compensates for
(d) values
12 He wanted to be ‘Mr. Bloggs’, not ‘Alf’.
(a)addressed as
(b)named
(c)cried out
(d) shouted
答案：1a 2c 3d 4b 5d 6c 7b 8c 9d 10b 11c 12a
4.1【故事精讲】The facts