Theabilitytodoseveralthingsatoncehasbecomeoneofthegreatmeasuresofself-worthfor21-centuryAmericans.Itiscalledmultitaskingandittakesmanyforms.Asoneexamplewhygoouttolunchwhenyoucaneatatyourdesktalktoaclientonthephonescrollthroughyoure-mailandscanamemosimultaneously?Andwhysimplyworkoutontreadmill(单调的工作)whenyoucouldbewatchingtelevisionandtalkingonaportablephoneatthesametime?Whatafeelingofsatisfactionandaccomplishment---threeactivitiesforthetimecommitmentofone!Ahsuchefficiency.Nowonderthosewhoturn“todo”listsintoatime-managementartformtendtoboast(自夸):“LookmehowmanythingsIcanaccomplishatonce.IfI’mthisbusyImustbeimportant.”
YetlastweektheNewYorkAssemblystruckablowagainstmultitaskingatleastbehindthewheelwhenitapprovedabillbanningdriversinthestatefromusinghandheldcellularphones.Toodangeroustheassemblysaidcitingresearchshowingthatdriversarefourtimesmorelikelytohaveacollisionwhentheyaretalkingonacellphone.
Noonecanargueagainstusingtimeeffectively.Butaccompanyingthesupposedgainsarelosses.Considerthewomanoutforanearly-morningwalkinasuburbanneighborhood.Shestridesbrisklyheaddowncellphoneclampedtoherearchattering(喋喋不休)awayobliviousofthebirdsandflowersandglorioussunshine.Didthewalkhaveanyvalue?
Morethanadecadeagolongbeforemulti-taskingbecameawordineverydayusearetiredprofessoroftheology(神学)inIndianawithwhomIcorresponded(通信)madeacaseforwhatmightbecalleduni-tasking—theold-fashionedpracticeofdoingonethingatatime.
Offeringthesimplestexamplehesaid“Whenyouwashthedisheswashthedishes.”GoodadviceI’vefoundwhateverthetask.
Perhapstoothebanonphoning-on-the-roadwillevensparkamoveawayfromotherformsofdualactivity.Whocantell?Itcouldmarkthefirststepinawelcomereconsiderationofwhatreallyconstitutesproductivityandaccomplishment.
1.Theauthorthinksthatmultitaskinghasbecomeoneofthegreatmeasuresofself-worthbecause________.
A.ithelpspeopletousetimeeffectively
B.itmakespeoplefeeltheyareimportant
C.itmeanstheabilitytodoseveral