1     Travis waited tables on weekends at a restaurant. He had worked there for more than a year and liked the job.But his feelings toward work changed after Helene, an assistant manager, was hired. This was because Helene often exploded at Travis in front of customers.

2     He complained to the manager, who only made excuses for Helene. Travis wondered how much longer he could work with such a difficult person.

3     Difficult people are the folks who frustrate and dampen the spirits of the people who work with them. While we can all be difficult at times, difficult people are seen as problems by most of the people around them most of the time. Worst of all, they tend to be reluctant to change their ways.

4     The good news is that there are ways to cope with difficult people. But make no mistake. Coping has nothing to do with changing someone else. The only person’s behavior you can change is your own. It also has nothing to do with winning or losing battles with others. Coping requires that you learn ways to help you and the difficult person function together at work as effectively as possible.

5     What follows is a guide to dealing with two difficult personality types you’re likely to meet on the job: Helene Hostile and Walter Whiner.

Rx for Hostiles

6     Helene Hostile gets her way at work by bullying others. Hostiles usually have strong opinions about how others “should” behave. When they sense a lack of confidence in others, they attack. When their targets run from them, they become even more aggressive.

7     Dr. Robert Bramson, a business management consultant and author of Coping with Difficult People in Business and in Life, says, “The first rule of coping with anyone aggressive is that you stand up to that person.” But, Bramson emphasizes, you must stand up to them without fighting.

8     Why? Hostiles are good at fighting. If you become aggressive toward them, they’ll probably become even more aggressive toward you. You are likely to lose. And even if you do win a particular battle, by becoming aggressive yourself, you damage your own reputation at work.

9     How do you stand up for yourself without fighting? Bramson suggests that you give Hostiles time to run down. Then, get their attention and state your opinions firmly.

Warning: Whiners at Work

10     Walter Whiner is another difficult person on the work scene. Whiners complain about problems on the job, but don’t do anything to improve things. They tend to believe that it is someone else’s responsibility to “fix it.”

11     The employees at the bank where Walter works avoid him when he starts complaining about the bank being mismanaged. Missy, who works there after school, says, “I groan inside when Walter comes over to talk to me. I know I’m in for a long monologue of gripes. Sometimes, he even blames me. To top it off, he never tries any of the things I suggest.”

12     How to cope? Listen to what whiners have to say, Bramson says, but put a time limit on it. This allows them to let off steam, but doesn’t lock you into having to listen indefinitely. Let them know that you heard what they said by restating their complaints. Don’t agree or apologize for any of the things they may be dumping on you as “your fault.” And try to get them to problem-solve.

Wishing Doesn’t Work

13     Wishing that a difficult person were different is a waste of time.It’s only by developing our own interpersonal and problem-solving skills that we can cope with them. Viewed positively, difficult people are some of the best teachers we will ever have.

(609 words)

1.Travis waited tables on weekends at a restaurant.

特拉维斯周末在一家餐馆做服务员。

句中wait tables意为“ (在餐馆)当服务员”。

2.But his feelings toward work changed after Helene, an assistant manager, was hired.

但在海伦娜受聘担任助理经理后，特拉维斯对工作的感情发生了变化。

注意assistant manager与manager assistant的区别。前者是助理经理，类似副经理，即经理级别的，而后者是经理助理，类似秘书。

3.Difficult people are the folks who frustrate and dampen the spirits of the people who work with them. 

难以相处的人是些令共事者精神沮丧、情绪低落的人。

句中who frustrate and dampen the spirits of the people who work with them是the folks的定语从句，该从句中又有一个定语从句who work with them，修饰名词the people。

4.Coping requires that you learn ways to help you and the difficult person function together at work as effectively as possible.

成功对付需要你学会一些办法帮助你和那个难以相处的人在工作中尽可能有效地一起行使职责。

动词require作“要求”解时，从句中的谓语动词用虚拟语气，should可以省略。注意require的习惯用法：It requires that...“有… 的必要”； require sth. of sb. “对某人有…的要求”require sb. To do sth. “要求某人做某事 ”。

5.What follows is a guide to dealing with two difficult personality types you’re likely to meet on the job: Helene Hostile and Walter Whiner.

下面是一份对付你在工作中可能会遇到的两类难以相处者的行动指南：心怀敌意者海伦娜类型和哭哭啼啼的抱怨者沃尔特类型。

guide作“指南；指导”解时，后接介词to，所以此句中a guide to后面用动名词短语dealing with…; Helene Mostile和Walter Whiner是人名后跟名词(hostile，whiner)表示这一类人。

6.Hostiles usually have strong opinions about how others “should” behave.

心怀敌意者通常对别人“应该”如何行事有着坚定的看法。

句中的引号用于强调单词should。

7.The first rule of coping with anyone aggressive is that you stand up to that person.

对付任何咄咄逼人者的第一条准则是勇敢地面对此人。

当形容词修饰不定代词时需要后置。又如：

There is nothing interesting in the newspaper.

报纸上没有什么有趣的东西。

8.They tend to believe that it is someone else’s responsibility to “fix it.”

他们往往认为“把事情搞定”是别人的责任。

fix it意为“处理问题，把事情搞定”。引号表示所用的词语具有特殊意义，以引起读者注意。第12段中“your fault”的引号用法相同。

9.It’s only by developing our own interpersonal and problem-solving skills that we can cope with them.

唯有提高我们自己的人际关系和解决问题的技能我们才能成功应付他们。

此句采用了强调结构It’s… that…，一般句型则是：We can cope with them only by developing our own interpersonal and problem-solving skills.

10.Viewed positively, difficult people are some of the best teachers we will ever have.

从积极的方面看，难以相处的人是我们可能遇到的一些最好的老师。

Viewed positively是过去分词短语作状语。由于主句的主语是difficult people，所以前面状语部分的非谓语动词用被动形式。该过去分词短语可以用状语从句When they are viewed positively来代替。