- •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
Vocabulary
dwarf – (v) (usually passive) to be so big that other things are made to seem very small ( The cathedral is dwarfed by surrounding skyscrapers.); dwarf (n)
chore – a job that you have to do regularly, which is monotonous and boring
perception – the way you regard sth and your beliefs about what it is like; perceptible (adj) – noticeable though very small
toll – money you pay for using the road; a number of people killed or injured in an accident: death toll; take its toll on – to have a very bad effect on sth over a long period of time
erupt - start suddenly: a volcano erupts; erupt into a laughter/ shouting; eruption (n)
yearn – to have a strong desire for sth, especially sth that is difficult or impossible to get: yearn for sth/ to do sth; yearning (n)
Match the words from the article with their definitions.
flexible scheduling with four participants
quadrennial prove false
downsize having same job or purpose
flood easily changeable hours
explode exceed
counterpart a child or an elderly parent
surpass judge as the most important
place high value cut in number
dependent a large number of people
in gridlock in deadlock
Choose the most suitable answer.
This article is from
a union newsletter / a business newspaper / a psychology text
B. The title is
long, and a good summary of the contents / short, but followed by a long, useful lead
C. Which of the following is truer?
Every paragraph in this article is loaded with details and figures—it's impossible to skim. / There are some general conclusions in the article, so it's skimmable.
3. Concentrate on the main ideas.
A. Which subhead was not in the article? Or were they all present?
Job-Family Conflicts
Explodes Gender Stereotypes
Less Loyal to Employers
All were present
The main conclusion reached by this massive study is that American workers value pay incentives—money—above all other factors in their jobs.
true
false
C. This privately funded study is
the most comprehensive one in many years
fairly small, but conducted each year
D. The ending section (prime placement) of the article deals with
the trauma of being laid off
problems arising from work-family conflicts
the importance of job recruiting
4. Answer the following questions.
What does the survey depict?
What body conducted the survey?
What notion does the survey challenge?
What are the survey’s findings concerning racial and ethnic interaction?
What stereotypes does the survey explode?
What do the employees place high value on?
5. Sum up the information of the article.
6. For discussion
- Were you surprised, like many employers and the study's architects, at the importance workers assigned to conflicts between their work and their families? Why or why not?
- The article also gives much space to the subtopics "gender" and "race/ ethnicity" in the workplace. Give your reactions to and opinions on either subtopic.
- Imagine you own a business or factory. After reading this survey of workers' perceptions, you want to "assume strong leadership" (paragraph 8) in helping your workers accept diversity among their co-workers. How would you go about it?
■ 4.7 E. The Key to Success? It’s Drive, Not Talent, Study Finds
by David G. Savage
A five-year study of 120 of the nation's top artists, athletes and scholars has concluded that drive and determination, not great natural talent, led to their extraordinary success.
"We expected to find tales of great natural gifts," said University of Chicago education professor Benjamin Bloom, who led the team of researchers who studied the careers of America's top performers in six fields: concert pianists, Olympic swimmers, sculptors, tennis players, mathematicians, and research neurologists.
"We didn't find that at all. Their mothers often said it was their other child who had the greater gift," Bloom said.
The most brilliant mathematicians often said they had trouble in school and were rarely the best in their classes. Some world-class tennis players said their coaches viewed them as being too short ever to be outstanding, and the Olympic swimmers said they remember getting regularly "clobbered" in races as 10-year-olds.
ANONYMOUS INTERVIEWS
The foundation-supported research team conducted in-depth, anonymous interviews with the top 20 performers in the six fields, as judged by national championships or similar honors.
They also interviewed their families and teachers, hoping to learn how these individuals developed into extraordinary performers.
Instead, the researchers heard accounts of an extraordinary drive and dedication through which, for example, a child would practice the piano several hours daily for 17 years to attain his goal of becoming a concert pianist. A typical swimmer would tell of getting up at 5:30 every morning to swim two hours before school and then two hours after school to attain his or her goal of making the Olympic team.
Bloom, an eminent educational researcher, said his findings "remind me of the old joke about the young man walking down a New York street who stops to ask a little old lady, 'How do I get to Carnegie Hall?' And she looks up and says, 'Practice, young man. Practice.'"
Although practice and motivation seemed to explain their success, the top performers, regardless of their field, appeared to follow a similar course of development, the researchers found.
In practically every case, the parents played the key role, first by exposing their children at an early age to music, sports or learning. The vast majority of the parents were not themselves outstanding musicians, athletes or scholars. For example, fewer than half of the parents of the distinguished pianists had ever played any musical instrument.
VALUED COMPETITION
But the parents of the swimmers and tennis players did enjoy sports and valued competition, Bloom reported. The families of the pianists and sculptors appreciated art and music, while the parents of the research scientists displayed a great love for learning.
The parents of the mathematicians and research neurologists reported that their children showed both an unusual curiosity about how things work and an "independent nature" that allowed them to play or work alone for hours.
Although it is not uncommon for children to ask repeatedly "why?," "what appears to make the parents of the (scientists) unique is the nature of their response to their children's questions," Bloom wrote. "They responded to the questions seriously, often encouraging even more questions."
Beyond specific attitudes or interests, the parents also taught their children to value hard work and competition.
"These parents placed great stress on achievement, on success, and on doing one's best at all times. They were models of the 'work ethic,' believing that work should come before play and that one should always work toward distant goals," Bloom said. The results of the research will be published this week in a book entitled Developing Talent in Young People.
The families said in the interviews that they wanted their sons and daughters to have "normal" childhoods and that they had no inkling that the children would achieve unusual success.
PARENTS ENCOURAGED THEM
But once a child displayed an interest and enthusiasm in a particular area, these parents encouraged them at every step and were willing to spend countless hours shuttling them to and from piano, tennis, or swimming lessons.
"Even in homes where money was tight, no sacrifice was too great in order that the child have whatever he needed to learn to become a musician. 'My parents didn't have nickels to rub together,' Bloom quoted one pianist as saying. '"Those were the bad old days. But there was always money for music.'"
Several of the families reported moving to new homes just to get their children in better academic environments or to be closer to a coach or instructor.
Bloom's study also found that these extraordinary achievers, all of whom were younger than 40 when interviewed, appeared to have gone through three distinct stages of development, regardless of their field.
At first, the parents exposed the children to playing a piano, tinkering with scientific games or hitting a tennis ball, but it was just fun. They played tennis with their families, for example, and developed the habit of regular practice. Usually, the children also had some outside instruction—perhaps a neighbor who gave piano lessons or an uncle who was a good tennis player.
Then, at some point, they began to gain recognition for their ability. A 7-year-old would play the piano for a school performance. An 8-year-old would beat all the other children at his local tennis or swimming club.
"Within two to five years, most of the individuals in our study began to see themselves in terms of the talent field," Bloom wrote. "They began to see themselves as 'pianists' and 'swimmers' before the age of 11 or 12, and 'mathematicians' before the age of 16 or 17."
"Most of our talented individuals had very good experiences with their initial teachers, and many had developed a very comfortable relationship with them," Bloom wrote.
At the second stage of development, as a child's rapid progress became apparent, the parents usually sought out a more expert instructor or coach.
Typically, the new teachers "were perfectionists who demanded a great deal of practice time for the student and looked for much progress in a relatively short period of time," Bloom wrote. They usually stressed the refining of the child's technique, whether it be their fingers on the keyboard or their strokes in the water or on the tennis court.
In the middle years, these young people first tasted extraordinary success. Some set national swimming records as adolescents. The pianists got opportunities to perform with symphony orchestras. The future mathematicians and neurologists were already doing independent research projects and winning science fairs. The tennis players were winning state championships.
GREATER COMMITMENT
At this point, their commitment to their field escalated one step further. The subjects said they began "living" for swimming, or tennis or the piano and devoted hours each day to practice. They also sought out the nation's best coaches or teachers, those who were recognized masters at training the best.
Sixteen of the world-class pianists reported having studied at some time with one of five master teachers. The mathematicians and scientists, who often had become attached to a special teacher or gained the attention of a local university professor, gravitated to the nation's top universities in math and science.
At this final stage of development, the focus was less on technique than on developing a personal style. The swimmers and tennis players said their master teachers helped them with strategy and psychology. The pianists said they learned about expressing their own interpretation of the music.
"During these years the student was completely committed to the talent field. Now most of the motivation was internal and related to their larger goals," Bloom wrote.
Few of the talented individuals expressed any regret about devoting so much of their time to pursuing a single goal.
"I loved tennis. To me, it was productive," said one former player. "To sit in a (fast-food) parking lot in a car with four or five 16-year-olds didn't interest me a bit. I never felt I missed that."
A few swimmers reported a great feeling of letdown after the Olympics ended and their swimming careers were over. Most of the top achievers, even those who had left their field, said they had retained a feeling of pride in their accomplishments.
Bloom said the study convinced him that talent must be carefully nurtured over many years.
"The old saw that 'genius will win out' in spite of the circumstances just doesn't hold up," he said.
Because natural talent seemed to play such a minor role in the development of these performers, Bloom said he was also convinced that a large number of individuals could achieve at extraordinary levels if given the right encouragement and training.
The research "points to the enormous human potential available in each society and the likelihood that only a very small amount of this human potential is ever fully developed," he concluded. "We believe that each society could vastly increase the amount and kinds of talent it develops."
David G. Savage, "The Key to Success? It's Drive, Not Talent," Los Angeles Times, February 17, 1985