A new era is upon us. Call it what you will： the service economy， the information age， the knowledge society. It all translates to ① a fundamental change in the way we work. The percentage of people who earn their living by making things has fallen dramatically. Today the majority of jobs are in the service industry， and the number is on the rise.

　　More women are in the work force than ever before. There are more part- time jobs. More people are self-employed. Above all， the economic transformation is giving rise to② a radical~ new way of thinking about the nature of work itself. Long-held notions about jobs and careers， the skills needed to succeed， even the relation between individuals and employers——all these are being challenged.

　　难点提示：

　　①转变为，转化为

　　②引起，导致

　　③根本的，彻底的

　　参考译文：

　　一个新时代降临在我们身上。随你怎么称呼它：叫它服务型经济、信息时代，或者知识社会都行。它都反映在我们工作方式的根本改变上。靠生产物品谋生的人的比例大幅度下降。今天，大多数的人们都从事服务性行业的工作，而且人数呈上升趋势。

　　劳动力中妇女的人数比以往任何时候都多。有更多兼职的工作。更多的人成为个体劳动者。最重要的是，经济的转变带来了对于工作本身的一种全新认识。工作和事业，成功所必需具备的技能，甚至就连个人与雇主的关系——长期以来对所有这些问题所持的看法都受到了挑战。