329. If, for instance, U.S. automobile company executives offered to reduce their own salaries before they asked their workers to take pay cuts, negotiations would probably take on a very different character.
译文 举个例子来说，如果美国汽车公司的管理人员在要求工人接受减薪前先主动减少自己的工资，那么谈判也许会呈现出极为不同的性质。
点睛 本句的主干是...negotiations would take on a...character。其中for instance为插入语；if引导的是条件状语从句，该从句中又包含before引导的时间状语从句before they...take pay cuts。
take pay cuts意为“减薪”。take on在句中意为“呈现”。如：
The city began to take on a new look after 1980. 1980年之后，这个城市开始有了新的面貌。
考点归纳 以下为take on的含义小结。
表示“承担，从事”。如：
He is ready to take on heavy responsibilities. 他乐于承担重任。
Don't take on more than you can cope with. 要量力而行。
表示“接受；接纳；聘用”。如：
The factory refused to take on fresh order. 该工厂拒绝接受新的订货。
This big company takes on only good-record graduates. 这家大公司只聘用成绩优异的学生。
表示“呈现”。如：
The insect can take on the color of its surroundings. 这种昆虫能随环境而变色。
All things take on a new aspect. 万象更新。
