- •4.1 Anticipating the Issue
- •4.1 A. The Job that Fits
- •1. You will need the following words to speak about skills and abilities necessary for certain jobs. Think which of them apply to you.
- •3. What would be the ideal job for you, and why?
- •4. Study the following verbs describing very important ways of reacting to other people’s emotions which are essential for working in a team.
- •5. Use the words in the following sentences in the correct form.
- •4.1 B. Seeking Employment
- •1. Explain the meaning of the words in bold which are quite often to be found in job advertisements.
- •3. Don’t forget that you should also actively participate in the interview. You should also ask questions which are interesting to you, such as:
- •4.1 C. Watching and Listening
- •1. Before you listen to the tape, discuss the following:
- •2. Listen to the recording and tick only the advice and information that the speakers actually give.
- •3. Discuss the following questions.
- •4.1 D. Group Discussion. Brainstorm Ideas
- •1. Imagine you are a career adviser. What advice would you give to someone who is
- •2. Chinese astrology organizes years into cycles of twelve with each year named after an animal. The Chinese believe that the year you are born in affects your character.
- •4.1 E. Creative Consolidation
- •4.2 Raise the Issue
- •4.2 A. Words in Context
- •1. Tick the word closest in meaning to that of the each boldfaced word. Use the context of the sentences to help you figure out each word’s meaning.
- •2. Write the word next to its definition. The sentences in the previous exercise will help you decide on the meaning of each word.
- •3. Using the answer line provided, complete each item below with the correct word from the box. Use each word once.
- •4.2 B. Headhunters
- •1. Read the article.
- •2. Match the words with their definitions.
- •3. Find words or phrases in the text which match the definitions below.
- •4. Answer the following questions.
- •5. Choose the best answer a, b, c or d. Only one answer is correct.
- •4.2 C. Group Discussion. Brainstorm Ideas.
- •4.2 D. Watching and Listening
- •2. Sally Muggeridge is Management Development Director at Pearson plc.
- •4.2 E. Vocabulary in Focus
- •1. Use the following idioms in the correct form in these situations.
- •3. Aspects of employment
- •4. Common work-related expressions
- •4.2 F. Creative Consolidation
- •2. Project-Making
- •3. Study different job advertisements.
- •4.3 Raise the Issue
- •1. Fill in the following expressions in the dialogue below. You might need them to speak about your plans.
- •4. 3 A. Words in Context
- •1. Tick the word closest in meaning to that of the each boldfaced word. Use the context of the sentences to help you figure out each word’s meaning.
- •2. Write the word next to its definition. The sentences in the previous exercise will help you decide on the meaning of each word.
- •3. Using the answer line provided, complete each item below with the correct word from the box. Use each word once.
- •4.3 B. Inflated Qualifications
- •1. Read the article.
- •2. Match the following words from the article with their definitions.
- •4.3 D. Vocabulary in Focus
- •1. Complete the expressions below using these verbs:
- •2. Use the expressions in these sentences.
- •3. Use the words from the box to complete each sentence.
- •4.3 E. Creative Consolidation
- •4.4 A. Words in Context
- •1. Tick the word closest in meaning to that of the each boldfaced word. Use the context of the sentences to help you figure out each word’s meaning.
- •2. Write the word next to its definition. The sentences in the previous exercise will help you decide on the meaning of each word.
- •3. Using the answer line provided, complete each item below with the correct word from the box. Use each word once.
- •4.4 B. Working Environment
- •2. Explain the meaning of the following words from the article.
- •3. What is your idea of the best organization of business?
- •4.4 D. Vocabulary in Focus
- •1. Complete the dialogues using the following idiomatic expressions.
- •2. Use the following expressions in the sentences below.
- •3. Use expressions from the box in the correct form in the following situations, connected with climbing the career ladder.
- •5. Over to you.
- •4.4 E. Creative Consolidation
- •4.5 Raise the Issue
- •4.5 A. Words in Context
- •1. Tick the word closest in meaning to that of the each boldfaced word. Use the context of the sentences to help you figure out each word’s meaning.
- •2. Write the word next to its definition. The sentences in the previous exercise will help you decide on the meaning of each word.
- •3. Using the answer line provided, complete each item below with the correct word from the box. Use each word once.
- •4.5. B Global Companies
- •1. Read the article.
- •2.Match the following words with their explanations.
- •3. Explain the meaning of the following words and word combinations from the text.
- •9. Word search.
- •10. For discussion.
- •4.5 C. Group Discussion. Brainstorm Ideas
- •4.5 D. Watching and Listening
- •1. Before you listen, decide which points below you think Miguel will make about Latin America and which ones Tong will make about China. Tick the appropriate column on the right.
- •2. What are the similarities and differences between the two cultures?
- •3. Listen to the rest of the interview. Summarize how business decisions are made in China, according to Tong.
- •4.5 E. Vocabulary in Focus
- •1. Match the words that collocate.
- •2. Choose the adjectives that collocate.
- •4.5 F. Creative Consolidation
- •1. Case Study
- •2. Write an essay on the following topics.
- •4. Project – Making
- •4.6 Raise the Issue
- •1. Change the underlined words, using more formal and more appropriate words from the list given. Make all necessary changes.
- •4.6 A. Words in Context
- •1. Tick the word closest in meaning to that of the each boldfaced word. Use the context of the sentences to help you figure out each word’s meaning.
- •2. Write the word next to its definition. The sentences in the previous exercise will help you decide on the meaning of each word.
- •3. Using the answer line provided, complete each item below with the correct word from the box. Use each word once.
- •4.6 B. A Short Cut to Success
- •1. Read the article.
- •2. Match the words from the article with their equivalents.
- •3. Read the article in detail and decide which paragraph mentions the following.
- •3. Distinguish between true and false statements.
- •4. Over to you.
- •4.6 E. Vocabulary in Focus
- •3. Study the following description of the written work for courses.
- •4. The writing process and evaluation.
- •4.6 F. Creative Consolidation
- •1. Write an article for a magazine about the importance of education in contemporary competitive world, developing one of the following theses.
- •2. Write an essay expressing your own opinions on the following statements.
- •3. Project Making
- •4.7 Reading Selection
- •Vocabulary
- •4. Understanding main points.
- •5. Understanding details.
- •6. How the text is organized.
- •7. Discuss the following questions.
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Match the words from the article with their meaning.
- •2. Explain the meaning of the following phrases.
- •3. Decide whether these statements are true or false.
- •4. Answer the following questions.
- •5. Comment on the title and sum up the information of the article.
- •Vocabulary
- •5. For discussion
- •Vocabulary
- •4. Answer the following questions.
- •5. Sum up the information of the article.
- •6. For discussion
- •Vocabulary
- •3. Decide whether the following statements are true or false.
- •4. Using phrases or sentences, outline the "three distinct stages of development" of the high achiever.
- •5. Comment on the title and summarize the article.
- •6. For discussion
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Find equivalents in the article.
- •2. Match the following words and expressions from the article with their definitions.
- •3. Explain the meaning of each adjective used by the author to characterize the ‘blessed barons’.
- •Vocabulary
- •2. What do the following phrases mean?
- •3. Explain the meaning of the following sentences.
- •4. The author paraphrases the common phrase ‘ vicious circle’ into ‘virtuous circle’. What is the difference between the two?
- •6. For discussion
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Match the phrases below with their meaning in the context.
- •2. Find the following expressions and phrases in the article. What are the meanings out of context (literal meanings)? Now decide what they mean in the context (figurative meanings).
- •3. Answer questions 1-5 by choosing a, b, c or d.
- •4. Does the author approve or disapprove of meetings? What pros and cons does he bring? Sum up his arguments.
- •Culture
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Find ten words and phrases in the text associated with each of the following:
- •2. Read the text again in detail to complete the following statements.
- •3. For discussion
- •4.8 Group Discussion
- •4.9 Panel Discussion
- •4.9 A. Vocabulary in Focus
- •1. Fill in the blanks with the words from the box.
- •4.9 B Watching and Listening
- •1. Listen to the first part of the interview and answer the following questions.
- •2. Listen to the second part of the interview and choose the best answer.
- •3. After you listen to the third part of the interview answer the following questions.
- •4.9. C. Brainstorm Ideas
- •4.10 Creative Consolidation
- •2. Write an article developing one of the following theses.
- •4.11 Group Project-Making
3. Using the answer line provided, complete each item below with the correct word from the box. Use each word once.
Collaborate, morale, regress, juxtapose, irreparable, sedentary, liaison, turbulent, espouse, bolster, corroborate |
1. I am afraid I can’t ………….. Todd’s claim that he has never been in trouble with the law. The fact is that he has been in jail several times.
2. Serving time in prison leaves a stigma that can do ……….. harm to someone’s ability to find a job. Ex-convicts who try to redeem themselves may find that any attempt to get honest work is impeded by their record.
3. The photograph dramatically …………(d) white birch trees and grey sky.
4. The information about the firm I found in the net …………(d). my determination to fill the vacancy in it.
5. When my friend and I were asked to …………… on an article for the journal, we found it difficult to work together.
6. Some politicians ………. whatever ideas they think will win them votes.
7. The woman wasn’t permitted to visit her husband, a political prisoner, so it gave her some solace to have a minister act as a ………… between them.
8. Dad was a constructive worker, but as soon as he reached 60 – though still robust as ever – his company relegated him to a ………….. desk job.
9. Many people call the years of “perestroika” …………referring to their vigor, pace and eventfulness.
10. People in bombed-out, war-torn cities sometimes…………… to more primitive ways of life.
11. The employees’ ……………… quickly fell when they learned that some of the company’s earnings were put into a business that was not legitimate and that was being investigated by the police.
4.4 B. Working Environment
➢ What is the most suitable working environment for you?
➢ What is a dream-office for you?
➢ What are the advantages of working at home? Can you name any disadvantages of such a working pattern?
Read the article.
New Century, New Office19
At the end of the nineteenth century, nearly 90 per cent of Americans were self-employed. The twentieth-century industrial revolution gave rise to the transition from farms to factories. Now the cyber revolution is bringing jobs and family back together.
Computers and electronic communications are allowing many people to use their homes as offices.
Currently, the fastest growing workforce is home-based. The advertisements for telework, juxtaposing rat race of the conventional employment and relaxed atmosphere of home office, have become familiar: picture a house with a swimming pool; at a table by the pool sits our teleworker with a laptop computer, cell phone and a case of files. No more traffic jams; no more clocking in, this is a technological revolution, this is a new way of life.
Sociologists however point out that the reality is often a far cry from this blissful scene. The majority of teleworkers or telecommuters (or “open-collar” workers as they are also called) do not spend their day working in a relaxed manner by the pool. Indeed, the working conditions of open-collar workers are frequently far from optimal. Many have their office set up in a bedroom or in a specially designed cupboard which opens out into a pseudo-office.
Open-collar workers are often more productive at the expense of working long-hours. They can become workaholics, frequently putting in 60 to 80 hours a week. Many do not take holidays for fear of missing out on that “big job”.
Loneliness and a lack of self-pride are two other factors psychologists say affect the open-collar worker. Sedentary style becomes prevailing, while turbulent and vigorous pace of life loses its reality. The absence of daily interaction with colleagues and face-to-face liaison with the like-minded produces a feeling of isolation. The need to adhere to office dress code is no longer there and whilst this seems liberating initially, working in pyjamas all day long can be dangerous from the psychological point of view.
The danger however can be mitigated by combining telework with workshops. So quite often firm’s headquarters are now in smallish offices used for meetings, get-togethers and customer demonstrations. As a result, companies say, their overheads have fallen 30 per cent, staff are more productive and morale is higher.
Many scientists studying the patterns of office work espouse the idea that even if telework doesn’t replace the conventional office completely, technology, better communications, rising inner-city land costs (once today's property bust is over) and the trials of commuting will prompt more workers to split time between a central office, a computer-equipped home office and perhaps a satellite office in a suburban business park.
Even those few workers based at the central office will be more mobile, moving between different work stations as their tasks change, taking their mobile telephones with them. This will cut the amount of wasted office space. It will also bolster communications between employees, by pushing them out of the tight and unchanging circle of people who sit nearby.
The central office will become mainly a place where workers from satellite and home-based offices meet to discuss ideas and to reaffirm their loyalty to fellow employees and the company. This will require new thoughts about the layout of office buildings.
Now, spaces for copying machines, coffee rooms, meetings and reception areas usually come second to the offices in which people spend most of the day working. These common areas will be gradually becoming the heart of an office. Many central offices will come to resemble a hotel lobby or somebody's home - a disturbing thought, that, for people who find in the calm of the office a refuge from the rigours of family life.
Managers will also have to abandon their long-cherished notion that a productive employee is an employee that can be seen. Appearing on time and looking busy will soon become irrelevant. Technology and new patterns of office use will make companies judge people by what they do, not by where they spend their time.
That does not mean the end of the office, just its transformation into a social centre. It was corroborated by Thomas Alien, a professor of management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who studied communication patterns between people, in the admittedly artificial environment of research laboratories. His less-than-startling conclusion is that people talk to each other more when they work in close proximity.
Quite often after moving into purpose-built accommodation companies start to regress showing meager or no improve of the quantitative or qualitative indices. It turned out that when the architects were designing the new building, they decided that the coffee room where everyone ate their sandwiches at lunch times was an unnecessary luxury and so dispensed with it The logic seemed that if people were encouraged to eat sandwiches at their desks, then they were more likely to get on with their work and less likely to idle time away. And with that, they inadvertently inflicted irreparable harm to the intimate social networks that empowered the whole organization. As while people gathered informally over their sandwiches in the coffee room useful snippets of information were casually being exchanged. Difficult problems were discussed and casual comments sparked the idea for a solution. It stimulated collaboration.
The bottom line seems evident. If offices never disappear entirely they may become like home. Though home should never completely substitute the office.