Using English at Work：23 Working at My Desk(4)

Next, I take out the paper clips, stapler¹, and Scotch² tape I know I'll also need.

A "paper clip" is a small piece of bent³ metal or plastic that holds pieces of paper together temporarily.

When you remove the paper clip, the pages are no longer together.

A "stapler" is a small object that pushes a small piece of metal through pieces of paper to hold them together.

A paper clip is a good choice when you need to hold the papers together for only a little while, because it can be removed easily and doesn't damage the papers.

A stapler, on the other hand, is good for papers that need to be held together for a long time, because staples⁴ (small pieces of metal) are more difficult to remove and they leave two small holes in each piece of paper.

The third thing I take out is the Scotch tape.

"Tape" is a narrow piece of plastic that is sticky on one side and can be used to hold things together.

"Scotch tape" is a type of tape that is clear and colorless, meaning it does not have a color.

We use Scotch tape to put papers on the wall, to wrap presents, or just to put two pieces of paper together.

Paper will often rip, or tear, when Scotch tape is removed from it, so we have to be careful what we put it on.

Once I've found the pad of paper, paper clips, stapler, and Scotch tape, I have everything in front of me so I can get down to business.

The phrase "to get down to business" means to begin working on something very seriously, or to get serious about something.

So far I have been gathering⁵ all the things I need, but now it's time to get down to business and begin working on the report.

If you invite your friends to your house, for example, to help you plant a new garden, when everyone has arrived, you may say, "Let's get down to business," meaning let's being working now.

Those would be some very nice and very generous friends!

But the first thing I have to do is to get organized.

1 stapler   

n.订书机

参考例句：

• The stapler belongs to her.这订书机是她的。
• Can you hand me that stapler?请你把订书机拿给我，好吗？

2 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

3 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

4 staples   

n.（某国的）主要产品( staple的名词复数 )；钉书钉；U 形钉；主要部份v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The anvil onto which the staples are pressed was not assemble correctly. 订书机上的铁砧安装错位。 来自辞典例句
• I'm trying to make an analysis of the staples of his talk. 我在试行分析他的谈话的要旨。 来自辞典例句

5 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。