B
It was a Tuesday night. In my apartment,I was doing three things at once—packing for a trip,trying to get dinner on the table and taking turns with my husband to calm a crying baby. Behind me,one work message after another popped up on my computer screen. I ignored them all. During dinner,a text appeared on my phone:"Where are u????" asked my colleague(同事).
I didn't reply to the text. This wasn't the first time I'd ignored a digital summons(召唤).
A
,but I was also aware of what I wanted my silence to communicate:This is not a priority for me now.
For those who want to be polite,text-based digital communications can be extremely demanding(费力的). Ignoring a text message or an email feels rude,but should it?
Cal Newport,the author of A World Without Email:Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload,has argued in his book that the etiquette of digital communications is and should be different from that of in-person or phone conversation,especially when it comes to the back and forth of hellos,goodbyes and other pleasantries(打趣话). "In an in-person conversation it can feel rude not to finalize an exchange," he explained. " But in the background of digital communication, the sender often prefers avoiding getting additional messages when possible."
Besides,in an era when we understand more and more the importance of rest and time away from screens,it is essential to prioritize our peace of mind and relationships with the people in our lives:when we're on vacation;when it's after 7 p.m.;when we're at the dinner table.
It's also worth asking yourself who pushes you to reply right away. Perhaps it's not the message sender,but you. A recent study found that we tend to overestimate our colleagues' expectations for non-urgent work emails outside of work hours. So instead of criticizing yourself for not responding right away,consider slowing down and giving yourself a break.
5. 新考法
补全文章 Which of the following can be put in "
"?
A. I didn't mean to be disrespectful
B. I was just too busy to check my phone
C. I didn't see the text from my colleague
D. I thought my colleague would know my situation
6. How does Cal Newport view the etiquette of digital communication compared to that of in-person conversation?
A. It should be the same.
B. It should be given up.
C. It should be more formal.
D. It should be less demanding.
7. What should we do according to the last paragraph?
A. Remember to put our family in the first place.
B. Find a good way to balance our work and life.
C. Realize the urgency and importance of our work.
D. Avoid pushing ourselves to respond to messages immediately.
8. 新考法
创新设问 Which of the following questions can be answered in the text?
A. Is it always rude to ignore digital communications?
B. Does politeness matter a lot in digital communications?
C. Why should we depend less on digital communications?
D. How can we express ourselves in digital communications?