Unit  8        Employment

Part  A        

Communicative Function       Expressing Apologies

We make apologies for various reasons, such as being late, causing inconvenience, dialing the wrong number, rendering bad service, etc. This part focuses on expressing apologies.

Listen to the conversations and write down the reasons why an apology is made in each case.

1. Because he dialed the wrong number.

2. Because she was late for work. She overslept.

3. Because he didn't notify her earlier about quitting.

4. Because he couldn't hire the woman.

Script

1.    --Mr. Power's office.

       --Could I speak to Steve?

       --Steve? Nobody by that name works here. You've dialed the wrong number.

--I’m sorry.

Q:    Why did the man say sorry?

2.    --I'm sorry I was late for work, Mr. Smith, but I overslept.

       --How come, Linda?

       --My alarm clock didn't work this morning.

       --Well, it's OK this time. But it's disturbing the rest of your colleagues, you know.

       --Yes, I know. I won't let it happen again. I'm sorry.

       --That's all right.

       Q: Why did Linda say sorry?

3.    --I heard that John quit his job this morning.

       --How do you know that?

--I overheard him talking to Ms. Jones when I passed by the office. She was very annoyed about it.

       --What did John say to her?

       --He apologized again and again for not notifying her earlier.

       Q: Why did John apologize to Ms. Jones?

4.    --Mr. Baker, I can speak two foreign languages and I'm friendly on the phone. I'm the right person for the job as a secretary, I think.

       --But you've only just finished school and don't have any office experience.  I'm sorry.

       Q: Why did Mr. Baker say sorry?

Useful Expressions for Making and Accepting an Apology

Apologizing

l  I'm (awfully) sorry (I'm late again).

l  I do apologize for (what I've done).

l  I must apologize for (having taken up so much of your time).

l  Sorry to have kept you waiting.

l  I hope you won’t mind (waiting a little longer).

l  Please forgive me for (not keeping my promise).

l  Sorry, it's my fault.

l  I really didn't mean (to hurt your feelings).

l  I’m awfully sorry to (have given you so much trouble).

Accepting Apologies

l  You don’t need to apologize.

l  You don’t have to say sorry. I quite understand.

l  Don’t worry. It can happen to anyone.

l  You couldn’t help it.

l  We all make mistakes.

l  It’s quite all right. Forget it.

l  It doesn’t matter.

l  Please don’t blame yourself.

Notes

1.        Generally speaking an apology consists of two parts. 1) a simple apologetic statement of what one has done wrong, e.g. “I’m sorry I’m late”; 2) an explanation, e.g. “I overslept.”

2.        There are various ways to respond to an apology.

Formal responses are: 1) That’s quite all right; 2) I understand; 3) It can happen to anyone; 4) It’s not your fault, etc.

Informal responses are: 1) It’s OK; 2) That’s OK; 3) Don’t worry about it; 4) Forget it; 5) Never mind; 6) It doesn’t matter, etc.

Listening Strategy

Identifying the Speaker’s Job

       The ability to identify what the speaker does is an important skill in listening comprehension. Notice that the recording does not say exactly what the speaker’s job is but we can find this out from the context.

You’re going to hear three speakers. Guess what the speakers do. Choose the right answers.

1. 

a.        A travel agent.

b.       A tour guide.

c.        An airhostess.

d.       A waitress.

2.

a.        A salesman.

b.       A grocer.

c.        A farmer.

d.       A clerk in a grocery store.

3.

a.        An operator.

b.       A clerk.

c.        A secretary.

d.       A receptionist.

Script

1.       I’m Laura smith. I find my job very interesting. It’s good for me because I’m crazy about traveling and flying. And I enjoy serving others. I’ve been to many countries and I like my uniform a lot.

What does Laura do?  

2.       My name is Tim Black. I’m busy all day. Many people come to my store to buy vegetables and fruits because everything sold in my store is fresh.

What is Tim Black’s job?

3.       My name is Sarah Johnson. I work at the Dean’s office. I do filing, check e-mails, answer phone calls and so on. When a day’s work is over I’m worn out.

What does Sarah do?

Part  B                           

Pre-listening  Task

Questions for Discussion   

You are going to talk about jobs and careers. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner.

1.       What kind of career would you like to follow after you graduate?

2.       What attracts you to that career?

3.       What factors are most important in a job for you?

4.       Which is more important to you: a job with a high salary or a job with low stress?

5.       What do your parents do? Would you like to follow in their footsteps? Why and why not?

6.       Why do some laid-off workers find it hard to get work?

Demo

1. What kind of career would you like to follow after you graduate?

      Well, I haven't decided yet. In my mind my career and my future jobs should have a close relationship with my major. That means, after graduation, I can apply what I have learned in college to my future jobs. I may choose a career that will benefit both society and my family, for example, a research job with a handsome pay. Or teaching might be a good choice for me too. In the future, no matter what career I may follow, I will do my best and my parents will be proud of me.

3. What factors are most important in a job for you?

      Different people may have different preferences. Generally speaking, when we apply for a job, we have to first ask ourselves whether we really like the job or not. Or what jobs are suitable for us. Well, in our society today, people become more practical. Money is important in this high-cost society, so salary might be the first consideration to most people who need to support their families. Secondly, fixed working hours might be the second important factor, because most people want to relax on weekends and enjoy themselves.

Language Focus

Here are some useful sentences and structures that you might find handy in discussing the above questions: 

l  I’d like to be a/an biologist/physician/surgeon musician/ artist/ diplomat/ photographer/ interpreter/college professor/civil engineer/lawyer/programmer/ librarian / financial planner / real estate agent / social worker / accountant / architect /entrepreneur/ businessman, etc./

l  I can travel to a lot of interesting places if I work as a sales manager.

l  I like kids / teaching and that's why I want to become a school teacher.

l  Education / Science and technology / Social stability / International trade, etc., is of vital importance / essential to the development of our country, so I want to have a career in…

l  I admire scientists / doctors / teachers / businessmen, etc., so I want to be one of them.

l  I think I’m suitable for this job because I'm not afraid of / ready to face any challenges. What matter(s) most to me is / are a friendly atmosphere / an understanding boss / comfortable working environment / handsome pay / challenging tasks / good prospects of promotion. 

l  My father / mother is / used to be a …and I would like to follow in his / her footsteps.

l  I’d like to go my own way and live a life that is entirely different from that of my parents.

l  I think work is only part of my life and not everything.

l  A job with a high salary tends to be stressful/ exhausting.

l  I think being happy and healthy are more important than having lots of money.

l  It is hard for people who lack necessary skills/are too picky to find satisfactory work.

l  People who don’t have necessary qualifications/ fail to keep up with the development of their subjects/ stop updating their knowledge or skill/ neglect their duties are likely/ tend to lose their jobs.

l  Companies that are ill managed / can't compete with others / fail to adapt themselves to change lose business and their employees suffer.    

Listening   Tasks

A Passage

A Steady Job

Word Bank

conscientious     a.   dutiful   尽职的

flaw            n.         defect   缺点，瑕疵

clumsy          a.   awkward and ungraceful   笨拙的

spoil            v.   to  ruin  搞坏

warehouse       n.   a building for storing goods 仓库

furnishings       n.   articles of furniture 家具 

unpack         v.   to open and remove the contents of a package 打开并取出

merchandise     n.   goods  货物，商品

assign          v.   to designate  指定

temporary       a.  lasting only for a short time临时的，暂时的

Fragile         a.   easily broken, breakable 易碎的

trip            v.   to stumble  绊倒

 crash          n.   a sudden loud noise   突然发生的巨响

shatter         v.   to break into pieces  (使)破碎

deduct         v.  to take away from a total  扣除，减去

grin           n.  a wide smile   咧嘴的笑

steady         a.  stable   稳定的

Script

A  Steady Job

       Fred, a very conscientious worker, had one serious flaw: he was clumsy. The poor boy spoiled everything he did and for that reason could never keep a job. He'd had many jobs over the years but only for a few weeks at a time. For six months, Fred was out of employment. Finally, he got a job in a warehouse where many different types of home furnishings were stored. Fred's job was to unpack the merchandise that had newly arrived from the factory and put each item in its assigned place. The work was only temporary, but after so long with no employment at all it was better than nothing.

       One morning Fred unpacked a large and quite fragile vase. He picked it up to carry across the warehouse. But he had only walked two steps and he tripped. There was a loud crash as the vase fell from Fred's hands and shattered into a thousand pieces.

       Fred was called immediately to the manager's office, and he was sure he would be fired. The young man's spirits began to drop.

        "I'll have to deduct something from your wages every week until the vase is paid for," the manager said sternly.

“How much is the vase worth?” Fred asked.

“$350.”

   A wide grin spread across the young man’s face. “That’s wonderful!” he shouted happily. “At last I have a steady job!”

Language and Culture Notes

1. Background information   In present day Western society, the job market is very competitive. To get and, more importantly, to keep a good job, you have to have a university degree, experience in a particular field of work, necessary skills and training and readiness to upgrade your knowledge and skills. Even for low-pay jobs, in the text, the story of Fred, the clumsy young man, is just such a case. His job as a warehouse worker may well come to an abrupt end once the broken vase is paid for, leaving his dream of having a steady job to crumble.

2.  furnishings  Articles of furniture and things such as curtains and carpets, and decorations such as pictures

3.     to deduct something from your wages every week  To take away a part of your wages to pay for (the vase). Note the difference between "wages" and "salary". "Wages" are the money paid each week to an employee, usually for manual or unskilled work. The income of professional and office workers is usually paid monthly and is referred to as a "salary".

4.     A wide grin spread across the young man's face.  The young man had a broad smile, showing his teeth.

Exercise 1:  Listening for general understanding 

Listen to the recording once and choose the right answers to the questions you hear.

1.    What does the story mainly tell us?

       a. What Fred did.

       b. Where Fred worked.

       c. How clumsy Fred was.

       d. How Fred found a steady job.

2.    What can be inferred from the story?

       a. Fred would never lose his job again.

       b. It was difficult for Fred to find a steady job.

c. Fred did not like his earlier jobs.

d. The manager was a kind-hearted man.

3. Which of the following is not appropriate to describe Fred?

   a. Poor.

   b. Clumsy.

   c. Humorous.

   d. Conscientious.

Exercise 2: Listening for details

Listen to the recording again and answer the following questions by completing the sentence under each question.

1.       Why couldn’t Fred keep any job for long?

He was clumsy and spoiled everything he did.

2.       Where did Fred finally get a job?

   In a warehouse.

3.    What did he do there?

   He unpacked the goods that had newly arrived from the factory and put them in assigned places.

4.    What happened one morning?

   Fred broke a large vase.

5.    How much did the vase cost?

   $350.    

6.    What did the manager decide to do to punish Fred?

   To deduct something from Fred's weekly wages until the vase was paid for.

7. Why did Fred feel happy when he heard that the vase he had broken was worth a lot?

    As it would take a long time to deduct $350 from his wages, he could keep his job while he was paying for what he had broken.

Speaking   Tasks

Pair Work

Listen to the conversations and repeat after the recording. Practise the conversations with your partner, playing the role of A or B. Then create your own conversations by replacing the underlined parts with your own words. 

Conversation  1

A:   Did you see the ad 1) on the bulletin board?

B:   No. What's it about?

A:  Well, the Sunflower Restaurant in the Foreign Students Building 2) wants to hire two part-time waitresses.

B:    Really?  What are the hours?

A:    Every evening from 5: 30 to 7: 30.  And 6 to 10 pm. on Saturdays.

B:    3) What about the pay?

A:    They are offering 4) 10 yuan an hour plus 5) free supper.

B:    Mm. That's not bad.  Are you going to apply for it?

A:  I’m not sure. I don’t know if I can handle both study and work.

B:         Well, seven-thirty is 6) not too late. There’s still plenty of time for study.

A:  Maybe you’re right. Seems you want to apply for it, don’t you?

B:  Well, you know, I’m 7) sharing an apartment with two other girls.  That money can help me pay the rent.

A:  That’s true.

B:    OK.  8) Why don't we go and find out straight away?

A:    All right.

Conversation  2

A:    So you want to be a volunteer for our 1) Save the Earth project.

B:    Yes, very much.

A:    Can I ask you a few questions?

B:    2) Certainly.

A:    You are a first-year student at college.  What do you study at college?

B:  I'm a major in 3) Environment Protection. We do environment science, geography, chemistry.

A:  4) Indeed.  I'm sure they'll be very useful for our project.  

B:    I hope so.

A:  Now when are you free to work with us?  You see, we need to 5) prepare a lot of material for the coming Earth Day.   That's next Sunday.

B:    Well, I'm 6) available during the weekends and Friday afternoons.

A:    It's Friday today. 7) Can you start right now?

B:    Sure.  8) I can't wait to start.

A:    Good.  Welcome to the team.

B:    Thank you.

Part C

Additional Listening

A Passage                  Mark Hill

A. Listen to the passage and answer the following questions by filling in the blanks.

1)      Where does Mark Hill work?

He works on some of the busiest motorways in Britain.

2)      How many accidents do the traffic police on each shift have to deal with?

On average they have to deal with three to four accidents.

3)      Why do accidents happen according to Mark Hill?

Because people drive too fast, which is the cause of most accidents, and because people sometimes don’t follow the rules.

4)      Why does Mark Hill like his job?

He likes his job because it gives him a varied working day.

B. Arrange the following events in correct order. The first event has been numbered.

___4__  The traffic police must restore the flow of traffic.

___2__  The traffic police must deal with the injured.

___1__  The traffic police must be on the scene as soon as possible in case of an accident.

___3___ The traffic police must clear the road.

Script

Mark Hill

Mark Hill is a traffic police officer in Watford near London. He works on some of the busiest motorways in Britain, the M1 and the M25.

There are traffic police on duty twenty-four hours a day. There are three shifts, and each shift is eight hours. On average they have to deal with three or four accidents each shift. Here is Mark Hill talking about his job.

“We deal with anyone in the accident who is injured. That’s the first thing. Then we have to clear the road and get the traffic moving again.

“Most accidents happen because people drive too fast---especially when the roads are wet. Sometimes we get accidents that occur because drivers don’t follow the rules. For example, I’ve seen a number of cases of drivers overtaking on the left. That’s illegal in Britain. If you want to overtake, you have to go into the fast lane on the right.

“Not everyone can use a motorway in Britain. People that ride a bicycle or a small motorbike are not allowed to use it.

“I like my job. I have a varied working day---I never know what I’m going to do from one day to the next. And I meet all kinds of people. I don’t think there’s any other job that can give you the experience.”

Movie Time

Watch a video clip. After watching it, choose the right answer to each of the following questions

Word Bank

unacknowledged     adj. 不被承认的

vicious             adj. 恶劣的；邪恶的

whine              vi. 埋怨

Halston           （人名）Roy Halston Frowick 美国著名设计师

Lagerfeld          （人名）Karl Lagerfeld 国际时装设计师

De La Renta        （人名）Oscar De La Renta 著名设计师

beacon            n. 灯塔

Rhode Island      （美国地名）罗德州岛

Runway        电影里虚构的时尚杂志名。runway 的意思是“模特走秀的T台”

deign              vi.屈尊，将就

screw up         （口语）弄糟

Script:

The secretary: Excuse me! Where do you think you're going?

Andy: She hates me, Nigel.

Nigel: And that's my problem because ... Oh, wait. No, it's not my problem.

Andy: I don't know what else I can do because if I do something right, it's unacknowledged. She doesn't even say “thank you”. But if I do something wrong, she is vicious.

Nigel: So quit.

Andy: What?

Nigel: Quit.

Andy: Quit?

Nigel: I can get another girl to take your job in five minutes ... one who really wants it.

Andy: No, I don't want to quit. That's not fair. But, you know, I'm just saying that I would just like a little credit ... for the fact that I'm killing myself trying.

Nigel: Andy, be serious. You are not trying. You are whining. I ... What is it that you want me to say to you, huh? Do you want me to say, "Poor you. Miranda's picking on you. Poor you. Poor Andy"? Hmm? Wake up, six. She's just doing her job. Don't you know that you are working at the place ... that published some of the greatest artists of the century? Halston, Lagerfeld, De La Renta. And what they did, what they created ... was greater than art because you live your life in it. Well, not you, obviously, but some people. You think this is just a magazine, hmm? This is not just a magazine. This is a shining beacon of hope for ... oh, I don't know ... let's say a young boy growing up in Rhode Island with six brothers ... pretending to go to soccer practice when he was really going to sewing class ... and reading Runway under the covers at night with a flashlight. You have no idea how many legends have walked these halls. And what's worse, you don't care. Because this place, where so many people would die to work ... you only deign to work. And you want to know why she doesn't kiss you on the forehead ... and give you a gold star on your homework at the end of the day. Wake up, sweetheart.

Andy: Okay. So I'm screwing it up.

Nigel: Mmm.

Andy: I don't want to. I just wish that I knew what I could do to... Nigel?

Nigel: Hmm?

Andy: Nigel, Nigel.

Nigel: No.

Exercise

1. What might have happened to the woman before she walked in?

a. She had probably been criticized by her boss. 
b. She had probably quarreled with the man. 
c. She had been late again for work.
d. She had been asked to quit her job. 

2. How did the man react to the girl’s complaining?
a. He felt sympathetic for her.
b. He thought the girl was not fully involved. 
c. He felt happy for her suffering. 
d. He thought the girl was telling a lie.

3. What do you know about the man?
a. He was a dedicated person in the company.
b. He was the boss of a fashion magazine.
c. He decided to become a famous artist. 
d. He was eager to replace the woman.

4. What might the woman do after talking with the man?
a. To look for a job she was fond of. 
b. To think positively about her job. 
c. To fight for her rights. 
d. To say sorry to her boss.

Time to Talk

Look at these pictures and describe them one by one.

Hints:

  1. A teacher’s job:

to teach a class, discuss problems / seminars, doctor’s degree

duties: teach classes, help / guide / advise students, grade students’ work, write papers / articles / books, do research

  2. A worker’s job

required qualifications: education / training, knowledge of production and products, skills; build / assemble (组装) a product, produce a part, operate a machine, do a job according to instructions, cooperate with others

  3. A tour guide’s job

hike along the Great Wall, backpack (背包), watch tower (烽火台), a remote area；knowledge of culture, history, customs, places of interest, travelling, transportation, hotels, restaurants, etc., solve problems, overcome unexpected difficulties

Demos:

1. A professor is teaching a class. Students are sitting around him. They are paying close attention to him. Every student has a notebook for taking notes. When teaching a class, a teacher often asks students many questions and sometimes asks them to discuss these questions. Students must be prepared to answer the questions and take an active part in the discussions. 

   Many college teachers hold a doctor's degree. A teacher's duties include teaching classes, grading students' work, and advising students on their school work and special projects. In addition to their teaching work, many teachers do research and write papers, articles and books for publication.

2. This is a group of construction workers. They are posing for a picture on their work site.

   Most workers have at least a middle school education. There are many different types of work that require different skills. A worker must receive training related to his job before he starts work. He must learn necessary skills to perform his work. No matter what he does — building or assembling a product, operating a machine or constructing a building, etc, a worker must carry out instructions carefully, cooperate with others, and conform to quality standards in his work.

3. We see some travelers hiking along the Great Wall. Each of them has a backpack and some of them hold sticks in their hands. Judging from the condition of the watch tower behind them, we can be sure that this must be a remote area. However, it's hard to know which one is the tour guide.

    To be able to show tourists around and arrange sightseeing activities, a tour guide should have a good knowledge of culture, history, customs, places of interest, transportation, hotels, and restaurants in the area. A tour guide should also be helpful and ready to solve unexpected problems.

Part  D                           

Test Your Listening

A Passage   

Listen to the passage and choose the right answers to the questions you hear

Script

       Jack and Betty Smith are going through some difficult times. They were both laid off from their jobs last month. As the days go by, Jack and Betty are becoming more and more concerned about their future, since he hasn't been able to find another job yet, and neither has she.

       The layoffs weren't a surprise to them, though. After all, Jack's company hadn't been doing very well for a long time, and neither had Betty's. However, they had never expected both of them to be laid off at the same time.  Ever since they were laid off, Jack and Betty have been trying to find new jobs, but unfortunately, they haven't been successful.

       The main reason why they're having trouble finding work is that there simply aren't many jobs available right now. They can't find anything in the want ads, nor have they heard about any job openings. 

       Another reason why they're having trouble finding work is that they don't seem to have the right kind of skills and training. Neither of them knows anything about computers. And neither has had any vocational training.

       A third reason is that there are certain jobs they prefer not to take. For example, Jack doesn't like working at night and Betty isn't willing to work on the weekends. And both of them hate to commute very far to work.

       Despite all their problems, Jack and Betty aren't completely discouraged.  They don't have a very pessimistic outlook on life. They're both hopeful that things will get better soon.

1.        What does the passage mainly tell us?

a.  Why Jack and Betty lost their jobs.

b.    Why Jack and Betty are still unable to find new jobs.

c.     How Jack and Betty are dealing with the problems they face at present.

d.    How Jack and Betty can still remain hopeful about their future.   

2.        What do you know about Jack and Betty?

a.  They’ve been laid off for several months.

b.  They were surprised when they were laid off by their companies.

c.  They’re not ready for tough jobs.

d.  They have no skills or training.

3.        What can you infer about Jack and Betty from the passage?

a.     They don’t have any children.

b.    They didn’t have to commute far when working in their original companies.

c.     They are going to take computer courses.

d.    It’s impossible for them to find jobs that they will be happy with.

unit8.ppt