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.
      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'.

【探询作者思路】
      文章的标题概括了整个文章的内容，也是文章的主线，从标题上看，文章将要围绕Alfred Bloggs这个人物展开，所描述的内容将是该人物的"double life"，究竟什么样的双重生活，我们只有看了文章的正文才得知。
      文章的开头，作者以当今社会存在的一个普遍现象为载体，用了一个比较句，将"do manual work"和"work in offices"两类人作比较，紧接着，作者用一个被动句，直接陈述了社会上对people who work in offices的一种大众看法，并解释了原因，最后作者引入了自己的观点，即this can give rise to curious situations，……，从而提出了本文的主人公Alfred Bloggs。
      从第三段开始，作者切入了本人主人公，体现了本文的主题，介绍了Alfred Bloggs的双重生活，以时间为顺序，介绍了Alfred Bloggs从结婚到目前的生活状况，与第一段相呼应，Alfred Bloggs过着"manual work"和"mental work"两种生活，重点叙述了前后的变化，从过着"隐瞒着妻子"的生活到"找到新职"的工作，以人物为依托，表现了当今社会的职业观念，文章虽短，但意蕴尤长。
【词汇超链接】
1、manual
   在文中作为一个形容词，表示"手工的，体力的"（involving using the hands or physical strength）。
   Eg：manual labour/jobs/skills 体力劳动，体力活.
          manual and non manual workers 体力劳动者和脑力劳动者.

【词汇链接】 manually adv.  Manually operated 手工操作的.
                       on manual 处于非自动状态的，处于手动状态的（not being operated automatically）.
                       manual work  体力工作；  mental work  脑力工作

2、receive
   receive1：get/accept 得到，接受（receive sth from sb/sth），这也是该词在本篇文章中的意思.
               eg：I received a letter yesterday.  我昨天收到一封信.
                       I received an award for bravery from the police sevice.
我以勇敢的行为受到警务部门的嘉奖.
   receive2:treatment/injury 待遇，伤害（receive sth from sb）
              Eg：We received a warm welcome from our hosts.
我们受到了主人的热情欢迎.
   receive3：react to sth 作出反应（receive sth with sth）
Eg：The play was well received by the critics. 剧评家们对这出戏反应良好.

3、frequently
   是一个副词，意为"频繁地，经常（often）"，比如：Buses run frequently between the city and the airport.  公共汽车频繁地来往于市区与机场之间.

【词汇链接】frequent （adj）频繁的，常发生的；（v）常去某处
            eg： He is a frequent visitor to this country. 他常常访问这个国家（形容词用法）.
                 Her calls became less frequent.  她打电话的次数减少了（形容词用法）.
                 There is a frequent bus service into the center of town.
                   公共汽车有很多班次开往市中心（形容词用法）.
                 We met in a local bar much frequented by students.
                   我们在学生经常去的一家酒吧相遇（动词用法）.
另外，要注意"frequent"这个词的反义词，即"infrequent".

4、sacrifice
这个词有名词（n）和动词（v）两种形式，详述如下：
（1）作名词时，有两种含义，分别为"牺牲，舍弃"和"祭祀"。
      Eg：Her parents made sacrifices so that she could have a good education.
           为了让她受到良好的教育，她的父母作了很多牺牲.
           They offered sacrifices to the gods.  他们向众神献上祭品.
（2）作动词时，有"牺牲"之意，
     Eg：Her parents sacrificed everything for her children.
          她的父母为她牺牲了一切.
          The designers have sacrificed speed for fuel economy.
设计者为节省燃料牺牲了速度.
【词汇链接】sacrifice one's life for the country  为国牺牲
        sacrifice one's advantage       牺牲某人的好处

5、privilege
    这个词比较常见，重点掌握以下几层含义:
Privilege1：特殊利益，优惠待遇.（a special right or advantage that a particular person or group of people has）
Eg:Education should be a universal right and not a privilege.
    教育应当是全民的权利而非某部分人特别享有的.
   You can enjoy all the benefits and privileges of club membership.
    你可以享受俱乐部成员的一切福利和优惠.
Privilege2:（有钱人的）特权（the rights and advantages that rich and powerful people in a society have）
Eg:As a member of the nobility,his life had been one of wealth and privilege.
    身为贵族中的一员，他过着有钱有势的生活.
Privilege3:给予特权（to give sb/sth special rights or advantages that others do not have）

【词汇链接】  give sb. the rivilege of doing sth.  特许某人做某事.
  privileged 有特权的，受特别优待的；荣幸的；特许保密的.
6、curious
curious1：表示"好奇的；求知欲强的"，经常用的词组是"curious about sth"or"curious to do sth"，比如说：
They were very curious about the people who lived upstairs.
他们对住在楼上的人感到非常好奇.
I was curious to find out what she had said. 我真想弄清楚她说了些什么.
She is such a curious boy,always asking questions.
她这个孩子求知欲很强.
curious2：表示稀奇古怪，如：
It was curtious that she didn't tell anyone. 她没有告诉任何人，这很反常.
It was a curtious feeling,as though we were floating on air.
那是一种很奇怪的感觉，我们仿佛在空中漂浮.

7、dustman
意为"垃圾工，清洁工"，复数形式为"dustmen"，在美国英语的表达方式中，dustman也可以表达成"garbage man"表示"a person whose job is to remove waste from outside houses".

8、embarrassed
这是一个形容词（adj），有以下两层含义，务必掌握：
embarrassed1:窘迫的，尴尬的，害羞的.经常用embarrassed about/at sth.或者embarrassed to do sth.
Eg：She is embarrassed about her height. 她因自己个子高而困窘.
     He felt embarrassed at being the centre of attention.
他因自己成为受瞩目而感到尴尬.
   embarrassed2:指拮据的，经济困难的 eg：financially embarrassed.

9、simply
这个词除了大家都知道和了解的"简单"的含义外，有一个经常会碰到的意思即"仅仅，只不过（强调简单）"，在本文中也是这个意思，下面举几例加深理解：
Eg：Simply add hot water and stir. 只需加上热水搅动就行.
     The runway is simply a strip of grass. 所谓跑道不过是一长条草地而已.

【词汇链接】simplify 使简化，使简易.
如：I hope his appointment will simplify matter. 我希望他被任命以后事情会好办一些.
           simplistic （把问题、局面等）过分简单化的
   
10、smart
（1）整洁（clean/neat）
      Eg：They were wearing their smartest clothes. 他们都穿了最讲究的衣服.
           a smart car   漂亮的汽车
（2）聪明（intelligent）
     Eg：She is smarter than her brother. 她比他哥哥聪明.
          That was a smart career move.  那是个人事业发展上的一着妙棋.
（3）时髦的（fashionable）
     Eg：smart hotels/restaurants 高档旅馆/餐馆
（4）快速的，敏捷的（quick）
Eg：He was stunk with a smart crack on the head. 他头上被猛击了一下.

【词汇链接】smartly(adv) 衣着光鲜；smartness是它的名词形式.
               
11、overalls
     在文中这个词用作名词，作"工作服"解，再如：The mechanic was wearing a pair of blue overalls. 机修工穿着一件蓝色工装裤.
其实这个词的用法是比较广泛了，除了文中所表达的意思以外，还有以下两种用法：
（1）adj.全面的，综合的
     Eg：the person with overall responsibility for the project 全面负责本项目的人
          an overall improvement in standards of living 生活水平的全面提高
          overall effect 总体效果
（2）adv.全部，总计；大致上，总体上
     Eg：The company will invest $1.5m overall in new equipment.
           这个公司将总计投资150万购置新设备.
          Overall,this is a very useful book. 总的来讲，这是一本很有用的书.
   
12、secret 
   重点要掌握和"secret"相关的几个词组：
（1）keep secret  保密
      Eg：He tried to keep it secret from his family. 这件事他试图瞒着家里.
          secret information/meetings/talks  秘密信息/会议/会谈
（2）in secret  私下里
该词组= secretly, in private, privately
Eg：I was told about it in secret.  我私下告诉的.
（3）in the secret  知道内情
Eg：He was in the secret from the beginning. 他刚开始就知道内情.

【词汇链接】confidential  机密的，保密的（一般情况下是指文件的机密，或者指说话方式的隐秘）
            Eg：confidential information/documents 机密情报/文件

13、status
（1）地位（the social or professional position of sb/sth in relation to others）
      Eg:low status jobs 地位低下的工作
to have a high social status  拥有很高的社会地位
         Women are only asking to be given equal status with men.
           妇女只是要求得到和男人平等的地位.
（2）状况，进展（the situation at a particular time during a process）
     Eg:What is the current status of our application for funds?
          我们申请资金目前进展状况如何？

【词汇链接】注意和这个单词的一个形似词，容易混淆"statue"，表示雕塑、雕像.
            另外注意一个词组：status symbol 社会地位与财富的象征，如：Exotic pets are the latest status symbol. 养珍禽异兽是表现社会地位的最时髦方式.

【文章超精读】
1、These days, people （who do manual work ）often receive far more money than people （who work in offices）.
   （1）、本文的第一句采用了比较的方式，是people1（指"do manual work"的人）和people2（指work in offices的人）的比较。
   （2）、……far more than….，是常用于比较中的句型，这里的far是一个副词，用来强调语气，相当于much。
   （3）、people who do manual work ＝blue-collar workers
          people who work in offices＝people who do mental work＝white-collar workers

2、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.
  （1）、前半句用被动句的形式直接摆出结果，后半句解释原因.
  （2）、文中的be referred to as 表示"把….看作为"，相当于我们常说的"regard…as".
         Eg：I always refer to him as bookworm.（＝I always regard him as bookworm）.   我总是认为他是书呆子.
  （3）、for the simple reason that 引导原因，相当于"for引导的原因状语从句".
         for the simple reason that 多用于正式文体，比because正式，because多用于口语中.
  （4）、文中的"they"指代"people who work in offices".

3、Such is human nature, that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white-collar workers.
  （1）、human nature 人性
  （2）、that引导同位语从句，进一步补充说明such的基本内涵，such放在句首，要用倒装.
         Eg：His kindness was such that we will never forget him.
＝ Such was his kindness…
＝He was so kind that we will never forget him.
（3）、be willing to do sth 表示"心甘情愿干某事"＝be ready to do sth
（4）、句中的for表示目的.

4、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.）
  （1）、give rise to是指"引起，惹起"＝ lead to, cause，result in
（2）、as it did中的 it是指上一句中that后面同位语从句所指代的情况，而did是替代give rise to curious situations.
（3）、注意以下两个词组：
in the case of: 至于，就……而言，在……的情况
   Eg：Stealing is no shame in the case of him.对他来说偷窃并不是一件羞耻的事情.
in case of: (连) 万一，以防
Eg: You should ensure your house in case of fire. 你应该保证的房屋免受火灾.
  （4）、Who引导定语从句，修饰前面的Alfred Bloggs.

5、When he got married, Alf was too embarrassed to say anything to his wife about his job.
  （1）、too…to…表示"太……而没有……"，本句的意思是Alf结婚的时候感到太难为情，而没有将他工作的事情告诉他的妻子。
  （2）、get married意思是"结婚".学习一下marry这个词：
如果强调动作，用He married the girl…
          如果表示过程，用get married, be married
          如果表示状态，表明和某人已经结婚多长时间了，用be married to sb.

6、Before returning home at night, he took a shower and changed back into his suit.
  （1）、Before returning home＝Before he returned home，在before 引导的时间状语从句中，return 的逻辑主语和主句的主语he是保持一致的，所以这个时间状语是由介词before和动名词搭配而成，相当于before 引导的时间状语从句。
注意：如果运用动名词形式，动名词的逻辑主语必须是主句的主语。
Eg：After getting home, he had a good rest. 回家之后，他好好的休息了一下.
Before having dinner, he finished all his homework.
吃午饭之前，他完成了所有家庭作业.
  （2）、shower 淋浴
change……into…… 换上，换成……

7、Alf did this for over two years and his fellow（他的同事） 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.
  （1）、句中的"this"代表前句中Alf"took a shower and changed back into his suit"
  （2）、she never will＝she will never discover the secret，注意在省略句中，never要放在助动词之前.
         Eg：'Will you go to see her?'
        ' I will never go to see her.' 或者 'No, I never will.'

【作文中可以借鉴的句型】
1、people who （……）often receive far more …… than people who （……）.这是一个用于比较时可以借鉴的经典句型，其中的far是一个副词，用于加强语气或者强调.

2、……are frequently referred to as……for the simple reason that……，用来表示某事物通常被认为或者被看作是……，因为……（用for the simple reason that来解释原因），在作文中可以广泛的被运用.

3、Such is……，that……，这是一个倒装句式，更能表达意思，更能起到强调的效果，后面紧跟着that同位语从句，用来进一步补充或者说明such所引导的句子的含义.

4、simply表示"只不过，仅仅"，在作文中可以起到强调的作用，加深自己对某个问题的看法的语气.

5、before＋动名词＋其它成分，sb……，这个句型在作文中也可以借鉴，但是一定要用准确，否则会闹出笑话，关键的注意点是动名词的逻辑主语和句子的主语要求一致.