I run a PR agency and I am trying to cut £300,000 off my salary bill.I could do this by axing one of my "stars" - a man who has worked here longer than I have and who has some great client relationships. He is charismatic and quite difficult and will not go quietly. For the same money, I could axe six or seven more junior people, which might be easier politically. Yet some of them are talented, and the loss of so many will put intolerable strain on everyone else. Any ideas?
作为一家公关公司的管理者，我正努力将员工薪资支出削减30万英镑。要达到这个目标，我可以裁掉手下的一位"明星"员工--他在这家公司的任职时间比我还长，而且有不少重要的客户关系。他很有魅力也很难对付，不会安安静静的走人。为了节省这笔钱，我也可以裁掉六、七位级别较低的员工，从办公室政治的角度来说，这可能更容易一些。然而，在这几个低级职员中，有些人颇有才干，而且一下裁掉那么多人，会给公司其他员工带来无法承受的压力。你有什么建议吗？
LUCY (Manager, male, 42)
Which is worth more: a star or seven grunts? There is no answer to this question in the abstract. If the star in question brings in enough business he is worth more; otherwise he isn't.
谁更有价值：是一位"明星"还是七位普通员工？这个问题在理论上没有答案。如果问题中的那位明星职员带来了足够多的业务，那么他就更有价值，否则就不然。
However, most stars are not as bright as they are cracked up to be. The boom years have encouraged us to believe that the workforce is divided into stars and everyone else. In reality the difference between the two is murkier.
不过，大多数"明星"并不像人们吹嘘得那么"明亮"。多年的经济繁荣让我们相信，可以把员工划分为明星以及其他所有人。但在现实中，两者之间的区别更为模糊。
In your shoes I'd definitely keep the seven grunts. I get the idea that you do not like your star much, so the recession offers you an excuse to do what you might have wished to do all along.
如果站在你的立场上，我肯定会保留那七位普通员工。你给我的印象是，你不太喜欢你那位明星职员，因此经济衰退为你提供了一个借口，去做你可能一直就希望做的事情。
BEC备考书籍推荐：
新编剑桥商务英语PASS BEC口试必备手册
本书是针对可望获得剑桥商务英语证书、说好商务英语的学习者而编写的。作者在分析、参考历年试题和有关辅导用书的基础上，根据2002年改型后的实际口试样式和题型，针对多年来所接触的考生在实际口试过程中表现出来的弱点，精心设计编写了这一BEC口试专题辅导用书。本书的特点为：分类编写，专题设计；循序渐进，点面结合；针对性强，方面实用。本书可让读者深入了解和充分接触BEC口语考试的方方面面。读者对象：大、中专院校、参加剑桥商务英语证书考试的确相关人员，以及想说好英语的学习者。