TOEIC Speaking Express an Opinion (Question 11): Flexible Working Hours and Changing Jobs

Question eleven: Express an opinion.

第11题：表达观点。

In this part of the test, you will give your opinion about a specific topic.

在这部分考试中，你将就一个特定话题发表自己的观点。

Be sure to say as much as you can in the time allowed.

请务必在规定时间内尽量多说。

You will have forty-five seconds to prepare, then sixty seconds to speak.

你有45秒准备时间，然后有60秒作答。

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

你同意还是不同意以下说法？

Companies should let employees choose their own working hours.

公司应该让员工自己选择工作时间。

Begin speaking now.

现在开始作答。

On balance, I'd argue that flexible hours benefit both staff and employers.

总的来说，我认为弹性工作时间对员工和雇主都有好处。

To begin with, people simply aren't at their sharpest at the same time of day.

首先，每个人头脑最清醒的时段本来就不一样。

I'm a morning person, so my best work happens before nine.

我是早起型的人，9点前工作效率最高。

Yet for years, I was stuck at my desk until six, running on empty!

可好几年来，我都得在办公桌前耗到6点，早就筋疲力尽了！

When my firm brought in flexitime, my output went up noticeably!

公司实行弹性工作制后，我的工作产出明显提高了！

Secondly, flexibility signals trust, which in turn builds loyalty.

其次，灵活性传递的是信任，而信任又会带来忠诚度。

A case in point is a colleague of mine with two young children.

一个典型的例子是我的一位同事，他有两个年幼的孩子。

He was on the verge of resigning because of the school run.

他因为要接送孩子上学，差点就辞职了。

Once he could start at ten, he decided to stay,

后来他可以10点上班，就决定留下来了，

and he's now one of our most reliable team leaders!

现在他是我们最可靠的团队负责人之一！

Admittedly, some roles do require fixed hours, such as customer support.

诚然，有些岗位确实需要固定工时，比如客服。

That said, a simple system of core hours usually solves the problem.

话虽如此，简单设定核心工作时段通常就能解决问题。

So, overall, I strongly agree with the statement.

所以总的来说，我非常同意这个说法。

Practice set two.

练习第2组。

Some people prefer to stay with one company for their whole career,

有些人喜欢整个职业生涯都待在同一家公司，

while others change jobs every few years. Which do you prefer and why?

而另一些人每隔几年就换一次工作。你更喜欢哪一种？为什么？

Begin speaking now.

现在开始作答。

Personally, I'd much rather change jobs every few years.

就我个人而言，我更愿意每隔几年换一次工作。

Granted, staying put offers security and a clear path to promotion.

诚然，待着不动能带来稳定，升职路径也很清晰。

However, moving on is often the fastest way to grow.

不过，跳槽往往是成长最快的方式。

I started my career at a large bank, which was a superb training ground.

我的职业生涯始于一家大银行，那里是绝佳的历练场所。

But after four years, I realised I'd stopped learning.

但四年后，我意识到自己已经学不到东西了。

Switching to a tech start-up forced me to pick up new skills almost overnight!

跳槽到一家科技初创公司后，我几乎一夜之间就被逼着学会了新技能！

What's more, changing employers tends to pay off financially.

此外，换雇主往往在收入上也更划算。

My move came with a thirty per cent pay rise, which I hadn't expected at all!

那次跳槽让我加薪了30%，完全出乎我的意料！

Mind you, I wouldn't recommend switching every six months!

话说回来，我可不建议每半年就跳一次槽！

Employers might start to question your commitment.

雇主可能会开始质疑你的忠诚度。

But on the whole, a move every few years keeps your skills sharp and your career moving.

但总的来说，每隔几年换一次工作能让你保持技能敏锐，职业生涯不断向前。