◎　寫作中心公告——短期寫作班開課招生

寫作中心95學年度第二學期的英文應用寫作短期課程在自即日起受理報名，包括『留學申請書信寫作』、『英文求職履歷與求職書信』，讓您掌握應用文的寫作方法。歡迎大三以上各科系學生或教職員工參加。本課程採現場報名，名額有限，額滿為止。課程內容及報名方式請參考寫作中心網站......我想了解課程

◎　電子報編輯公告——填答問卷得大獎

學習報的讀者意見調查仍然持續進行中，目前填答的人數並不如小編預期的多，實在是太令小編心碎了，各位親愛好心的讀者，如果您有在看電子報，一定要來填問卷，給小編一些鼓勵或是改進的意見唷！......來去填問卷做功德

◎　英文小老師諮詢服務（長期公告）

英文小老師服務線上預約系統已經啟用，時間地點和諮詢的內容在網頁上也都可以看到喔，觀迎大家多多利用。...... 我要預約

National Geographic Podcast

國家地理頻道大概是無人不知、無人不曉了吧？！但是大家知道他們還有這麼個Podcast的網站嗎？本網站可說是個考托福必備的聽力資料庫！裡頭有各種天文、地理、科學以及音樂等主題，不但可以讓你增進英文聽力，還可吸收全世界最新的相關消息，讓你成為地球萬事通（那是什麼？）。有MP3 player的朋友，可以下載MP3來收聽，也有mp4影片可觀賞，不過也可以直接線上收聽和觀看喔！......點這裡看看怎麼用

LiveABC＿CNN新聞英語

How to Write Better Resumes and Cover Letters

畢業離開學校開始找工作，寫一份好的履歷表是十分重要的，相信中文的履歷表對大家來說不是太困難，但是要寫英文的履歷就頭大了，連把自己的履歷中翻英，或許也不是什麼容易事。正所謂「畢業找工作，履歷得先投，英文雖然懂，寫來卻發愁」...別怕！本書就是專門教大家如何寫出好的英文履歷表，當中最值得推薦的就是有幾十個範例供大家參考，相信對於要寫履歷又完全沒有頭緒的讀者們，是很好的幫手唷！...... 再看一點介紹

Multitaskers beware: haste makes waste.

你是多工一族嗎？常常一邊看書上BBS聽音樂講手機收email看網購聊MSN嗎？那你是否曾停下來想過，自己到底是在做哪件事呢？這樣真的比較節省時間嗎？越來越多研究指出，好像不是那麼一回事唷！

Boss: Where is the sales report for last month? I told you to hand it in no later than Monday, and it's already Tuesday now!

Staff: Oh, I am terribly sorry. I have been working on the project that you want me to present in the department meeting this Thursday.

Boss: Of course I know that. But there's no excuse for unfinished work. Couldn't you just multitask? Improve your productivity! And efficiency!

Staff: No, I can't do that. Carrying on several duties at the same time will only reduce my productivity and hamper my efficiency.

Boss: What?!

Staff: Yes, according to recent studies, people are all mistaken about the myth of multitasking. Most people overestimate their own ability to keep track of multiple threads of activity. The fact is, it takes more time than we suppose for our brains to switch attention from one task to another, especially when we do so repeatedly between tasks of varying complexity and familiarity. In this case, haste makes waste.

Boss: ……

Staff: Amazing, eh? The problem lies in thinking that human brains work in a similar fashion to a computer. Any typical PC can jump back and forth quickly between running tasks in mere nanoseconds. The human brain, however, can't do the same thing. It's true that we have an inordinately large amount of information in our heads, but it takes much longer time to access what we really need for the task at hand. And this process requires an intense concentration that can be easily broken. So…

Boss: So what's your point?

Staff: My point is, multitasking is never as efficient as focusing on one task. So I just tell myself to curb the multitasking behavior, complete one task first, and move on to the next. By doing so, I'll crank through my Next Actions list more easily.

Boss: And have you cranked through it yet?

Staff: Unfortunately, not. You know, over the course of the last century, there's been an exponential explosion of available information.

Boss: So what?

Staff: Therefore, we are living in an age of multi-distraction. Distractions like phone calls, emails, and instant messages are so ubiquitous that the temptation becomes overwhelming. Many a time I can't help stray off to reply to the messages or browse news, sports, or entertainment Web sites. Oh, and don't forget online shopping…….

Boss: Pardon?

Staff: Oh my God! What have I said? I can't remember anything. I am suddenly mentally deranged…

Boss: Don't worry, I've heard everything. Yes, online shopping. I won't forget that.

Staff: ……

Boss: Alright then… Give me the sales report, NOW!!

 

Wordbank：

multitask (v) 多工，同時進行多重任務	inordinately (adv) 無度地，非常地
producitivity (n) 生產力	access (v) 取得，使用（資料）
hamper (v) 阻礙	intense (adj) 極度的，強烈的
efficiency (n) 效率	crank (v) 曲折行進
overestimate (v) 高估	course (n) 過程，進程
keep track of (ph) 記錄	exponential (adj) 指數的
varying (adj) 不同的，有變化的	distraction (n) 分心，分散注意的事物
fashion (n) 方式	ubiquitious (adj) 到處存在的
back and forth (ph) 來來回回地	temptation (n) 誘惑
nano- (prefix) 十億分之一，極微小的	deranged (adj) 瘋狂的

 

相關連結：

KSL TV (有音檔)：Multitasking May Make Things Worse

NY Times (需註冊會員)：Slow Down, Brave Multitaskers, and Don't Read This in Traffic

Zenhabits：How NOT to Multitask—Work Simpler and Saner