Supplementary Reading >> Culture Notes

I. About the Author

i. Introduction to Tory Johnson

Tory Johnson is an American author and life coach who educates viewers on a wide range of job-related issues and challenges as a business and career coach.

In addition to her television segments, Johnson writes a weekly column for ABC News in which she addresses topics related to work / life balance, job searching, and career advancement in all fields. She provides strategies and solutions for women and men to find success and satisfaction at work.

ii. Tory Johnson: A Live Show on TV

(视频略)

Career Expert Tory Johnson mentions LivePerson.com during her segment on “The View”. What is her topic today?

(It is about Stay-at-Home Mom jobs.)

II. Workaholics Anonymous Meeting

Workaholics Anonymous (WA) is a fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problems and help others to recover from workaholism. Anybody with a desire to stop working compulsively is welcome at a WA meeting. 

In 1983, one of the first formal efforts to create a fellowship around work addiction recovery began in New York when a corporate financial planner and a school teacher met. They formed Workaholics Anonymous to stop working compulsively themselves and to help others who suffered from the disease of workaholism.

Supplementary Reading >> Reading

I. Difficult Sentences

1. And we’re not just talking about Fortune 500 executives. (Para. 3)
Paraphrase the sentence.
(And we’re not just talking about Fortune 500 executives who are workaholics.)

2. Work issues distract you from relationships and those thoughts speed through your mind as you lie in bed at night. (Para. 4)
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(工作上的问题使你分心，无暇顾及人际关系。当你夜晚躺在床上时，有关工作的思绪在你脑海里奔驰。)

3. … nothing is ever good enough for them. (Para. 6)
Paraphrase the sentence.
(There is nothing which is good enough and makes them satisfied.)
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(没有什么事能让他们觉得满意。)

4. Workaholics would rather handle everything themselves, which doesn’t always produce the necessary results because often we need the input and help of others. (Para. 6)
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(工作狂宁愿事事亲自处理，但这样做并不总能取得所要结果，因为我们常常需要他人的投入和帮助。)

5. They have difficulty with intimacy. (Para. 7)
Paraphrase the sentence.
(They have trouble in having intimate / close relationships with others.)

6. Research has also found that children of workaholics have a higher rate of depression and anxiety mainly because the workaholic parent has placed severely high expectations on his or her kids, which links back to that desire for perfection. (Para. 9)
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(研究还发现，工作狂的子女变得抑郁、焦虑的机率更高，主要是因为工作狂家长对孩子寄予太高期望，而这又和追求完美的欲望相关联。)

7. Look for other benchmarks to measure your overall well-being such as achieving fulfilling personal relationships — being a terrific, reliable partner, parent, and / or friend — or even trying a new hobby that offers a complete diversion from work. (Para. 15)
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(寻找其他基准来全面衡量自身幸福与否，例如建立自感满意的人际关系——做个了不起的可靠的合伙人、父母和／或朋友——甚或尝试新的业余爱好，使注意力完全从工作中转移出来。)

II. Words & Expressions

pop up:  appear or occur, esp. when not expected

- Mushrooms tend to pop up overnight.

- 在电视上、杂志上以及百老汇，到处都看见那个电影明星。 (The film star pops up everywhere, on TV, in magazines, on Broadway.)

among others / among other things:  as well as other people or things

- He moved to England in 1980 where, among other things, he worked as a journalist.

- 宾客包括伊莉莎白·泰勒和迈克尔·杰克逊。 (The guests included, among others, Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson.)

distract: vt.  stop (sb.) concentrating on sth. (used in the pattern: distract sb. / sth. from sth.)

- Tony admits that playing video games sometimes distracts him from his homework.

- 爸爸开车时别让他分心。 (Don’t distract your father while he’s driving.)

relationship: n.  links or contacts; state of being connected (followed by with)

- Relationships between people of different cultures are often extremely difficult.

- 科学家们已经确定吸烟和肺癌有一定的关系。 (Scientists have established a relationship between lung cancer and smoking.)

delegate: v.  entrust (duties, etc.) to sb. in a lower position or grade (used in the pattern: delegate sth. to sb.)

- A good manager knows when to delegate.

- 如果你很忙，为什么不分点工作给助理做呢？ (If you’re so busy, why don’t you delegate some of your work to your assistant?)

input: n.  what is put in; action of putting sth. in

- We value the input of everyone who answered the questionnaire.

- 我们听取雇员的意见，珍视他们的投入。(We listen to our employees and value their input.)

typically: adv.  representing a particular type of person or thing

typical:  adj. showing the main signs and qualities of a particular kind, group, or class (followed by of)

- It was typical of him to get angry very easily.

- 这幅画正是他早期的代表作品。 (This painting is fairly typical of his early work.)

focus on:  concentrate on

- He has focused on the solution of this issue for years but isn’t getting anywhere.

- Modern medicine has tended to focus too much on developing highly complicated surgical techniques.

- 事实上，我认为始终盯住酗酒（alcoholism）问题不放，是没有抓住问题的要害。

(Indeed, always to focus on alcoholism is, I think, to miss the point.)

link: v.  connect (followed by to / with)

- All the PCs in the office are linked to a main server.

- 吸烟和肺癌有一定的关系。 (Lung cancer has been linked to smoking cigarettes.)

concern: n.  worry; anxiety; matter of interest or importance to sb. (used in the patterns: concern for, concern about / over / with, concern that)

- They showed their concern for the children’s safety.

- I did voice my concern about the firm’s financial management, but was told to stay quiet.

- 人们越来越关注我们的城市污染问题。 (There is growing concern about pollution in our cities.)

extreme: adj.  of the highest degree or intensity

- It is necessary to use extreme caution with chemicals.

- 在那个国家的广大农村仍然存在着极度贫困问题。 (Extreme poverty still exists in many rural areas in that country.)

in short:  in a few words; briefly

- He’s disorganized, inefficient, never there when you want him — in short, the man’s hopeless.

- 我们既没有资金也没有技术工人；总而言之，我认为我们干不了。 (We have neither money nor skilled workers. In short, I don’t think we can do it.)

solution: n.  answer to a problem, question, etc. (followed by to)

- The solution to this week’s puzzle will be published in next week’s magazine.

- 对于人口过剩没有简单的解决方法。 (There are no simple solutions to the problem of overpopulation.)

survey: n.  investigation (followed by of / on)

- We conducted / carried out a survey of white-collar workers in the city’s joint ventures.

- The survey on consumer confidence was conducted in late December. (调查显示人民生活条件比以往改善很多。)

- The survey showed / revealed that people’s living conditions are much better than before.

relax: v.  become less anxious, worried or formal in manner; (make sth.) become less tight, stiff, etc.

- Her features suddenly relaxed.

- 按摩（massage）可以使疲劳的肌肉放松。 (A massage will relax your tired muscles.)

detail: n.  small, particular fact or item

- To apply for a loan, first fill in the section marked “Personal Details”.

- 托德把旅行中的每个微小细节都考虑到了。 (Todd had planned the journey down to the smallest detail.)

in detail

- This issue will be discussed in detail in Chapter 5.

schedule:

1. n. program of work to be done or of planned events

- The majority of holiday flights depart and arrive on schedule.

- I’m going to be working to a very tight schedule.

- 飞机提前两分钟抵达伦敦。 (The jet arrived in London two minutes ahead of schedule.)

2. vt. include sth. in a schedule

- Her first album is scheduled for release in September.

- 会议已安排在周五举行。(The meeting has been scheduled for Friday.)

overall: adj.  including everything; total

- We don’t want all the details now, just the overall picture.

- 减少运动总量，专心于学习。 (Cut down your overall amount of physical activity and focus on your studies.)

reliable: adj.  deserving trust; dependable

- Jordan is very reliable — if he says he’ll do something, he’ll do it.

- 适当饮食和常规运动是减肥的可靠方法。(Eating sensibly and taking regular exercise is a fairly reliable way of losing weight.)

on one’s own:  alone; without help

- I can manage on my own, thanks.

- 那个老妇人独自生活。 (The old lady lives on her own.)

staff: n.  people working together in a business, etc.

- Our library staff will be happy to help if you are unable to find the book you want.

- 学校里的工作人员和学生保持着良好关系。(There is a good relationship between staff and pupils at the school.)

let go:  release (one’s hold of) sb. / sth.

- Let go! You’re hurting me.

- 紧握住，别松手！ (Hold on tight and don’t let go!)

Supplementary Reading >> Comprehension Tasks

I. Listening and Discussion

i. A Case Study of Workaholic

(视频略)

1. When did Michael realize he is a workaholic?

(When he first became aware that he was writing far more than any rational person would.)

2. Is his wife a workaholic?

(Yes, she is. After some therapy involved, she is much better.)

3. Why does he believe he is a workaholic?

(Because he is only really happy when he is working and writing and can’t seem to stop.)

ii. Discussion

Discuss the following two questions according to what we’ve learned in this unit.

1. What are the trouble signs of workaholic?

Useful Words and Expressions:

controlling

perfectionists

troubled personal life

extreme level of stress

high rate of divorce

2. What are the solutions to help workaholics kick the habit?

Useful Expressions:

Schedule time to relax and play.

Learn to delegate.

II. Pair Work

1. Look at the following two pictures.

2. Two students work together to figure out how hard they will work after they join the work force.