Episode 213

EPISODE 213
LEVEL A1.2/A2.1

 

 

READING COMPREHENSION

 

HOT-DESKING                                      

 

Many people start work and leave the office at the same time every day, which means they have a nine-to-five job (= regular working hours). They are usually lucky enough to have their own desk, unlike people who have to share office space (= a given place is not only yours, you use it at the same time as somebody else) and work flexible working hours (= they don’t start and finish work at the same time every day). There are companies in which most of the employees hot-desk (= different people work at the same desk, one after another). When you work in this system, you have to clear (= tidy) your desk before leaving work to make it free for your colleague. Sometimes you even need to reserve your work space in advance (= some time earlier).

Why do companies use such a system? They say it helps to save space and cut costs (= spend less money). Some employees like the system, they say they are more flexible (= they have more options). But people who prefer to have their own personal space at work are not fond of (= do not like) hot-desking. They say that daily routine (= doing the same things in the same place every day) helps to create a pleasant working atmosphere.

There are even studies that prove (= show that something is true) that some employees are more productive (= they do more) when they work regularly and have their own working space.

These days working from home is becoming popular in some professions. It’s called teleworking. Your home becomes your office then. But most people you ask like going into the office and working with other people around.

 

 

More contexts for the new words:

• I don’t share my political views with my parents. (= we don’t have the same feelings, ideas etc.)
• Bob will do anything to prove his point. (= show other people that he was right)

 

 

EXERCISE 1

Complete each gap with one word.

 

1. You should book a ticket for this performance in a……………………. . You may not get the ticket later.
2. Make sure you’ll c……………….. your desk before leaving. Do not leave any documents there, please.
3. Sarah was bored with a nine-to-f……………… job, so she decided to set up her own business.
4. His working hours are f……………………… . He can start and finish at any time he wants as long as he works a total of 40 hours a week.

 

EXERCISE 2

Put the words in order to make questions and then answer them yourself.

 

1. routine/ is/ What/ morning/ your?
2. Did / have / room / share / you / your / with / brother or sister / to / a / when you were a child? Did you like it?
3. What / sort / of / fond/ are / you / of / music?

 

ENGLISH IN USE 

 

” People who prefer to have their own personal space are not fond of hot-desking. „

TO BE FOND OF is a very useful expression to talk about things we (don’t) like very much.

Other expressions with a similar structure: an adjective + a preposition (in, on, at) include:

I am obsessed with sports.
I am mad about sports.
I am fascinated by sports.

These two mean we really love something very much.

We can also say:

I am fond of sports.
I am keen on sports.
and they mean we just like something.

 

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

 

A/ So, are we meeting on Friday?

B/ I’m afraid I can’t make it this week. I’M UP TO MY EYES IN WORK. 

 

When you are up to your eyes in work, you have a lot of work/things to do.

 

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

 

1. When you CLOCK IN/ON, you record the time at which you arrive at work (usually by putting a card into a machine).

When you leave work, youCLOCK OFF/OUT.

My card wasn’t working, so I couldn’t clock out today.

 

 

EXERCISE 3

Complete each gap with one word.

 

1. Whenever you talk to Jim, he will tell you he is ………………. to his eyes in work.
2. She goes to a fitness club every day, She is obsessed ……………………. sports.
3. Remember to clock ……………………… when you come to the office.
4. I am really fond ……………………. cats. I have three at home.

 

 

NEWS

 

WHAT DOES YOUR DESK SAY ABOUT YOU?

 

According to some experts, your desk reflects your personality. Truth or fact? Read and see.

 

TYPE 1

The owner wants to feel ‘at home’ and brings many personal objects like souvenirs, plants, photos to the office and puts them on the desk. The person is friendly and likes talking to other people.

 

TYPE 2

The desk looks messy, because there are papers, folders and post-it-notes everywhere. The owner has lots of ideas and is very communicative. Such people think they control the mess, but in fact they often lose thingsL

 

TYPE 3

You won’t see anything on this desk, so it looks very organized and professional. It may belong to a manager who wants to show he is in control.

 

 

GLOSSARY

– to reflect your personality – to show what kind of person you are

– to feel at home – to feel comfortable in a place different than your home

– personal objects – things that are yours, belong to you

– messy – untidy

– a post-it-note – a (usually) yellow piece of paper for taking notes that you can stick to a desk, computer screen etc.

– communicative – someone who likes talking to other people and it’s easy for them to give information to other people

– owner – a person who has a concrete thing

– organized – with everything in the correct place

 

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