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

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

A "paper clip" is a small piece of bent 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 staples (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 gathering 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.