Preparing To Read

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 422.

Approaching the Topic

A. Predicting

Look at the picture. What qualities do you think are necessary for a person running a company?

B. Sharing Information

1. In your experience which of the qualities listed below are the most important for a true manager. Number the given qualities from 1 to 8, with 1 being what you think to be the most important quality and 8 being the least important quality. Do this individually. Then discuss the reasons for your answers in class.

- life experience

- strong will

- reliability

- politeness

- honesty

- being a good communicator

- being industrious

- competence

2. Choose what you consider the 4 most important attributes of an ideal manager. Compare your answers with the answers of your group-mates.

An ideal manager is a person who

- makes decisions quickly

- plans effectively

- thinks well

- organizes skillfully

- works a lot

- directs properly

- gets on well with people

- monitors efficiently

A. Vocabulary for comprehension

Read the words and phrases and their definitions below. Then complete the sentences using these words or phrases.

Executive – someone who has an important job as a manager in a company or business

Supervise – to be in charge of a group of workers

Be unfit – be not good enough for a particular purpose (or job)

Rewards – something that you receive for your work (money, health insurance, etc.)

Tempting – very good, attractive

Drawback – a disadvantage

Resentment – a feeling of anger

CEO (chief executive officer) – the manager with the most authority in the everyday management of a company; this job is sometimes combined with the job of President

Contradictory – two things that are different and therefore cannot both be true

Demands – difficult things that someone or something makes you do

Sensitive – able to understand other people's feelings and problems

Imperative – something that must be done urgently

Tough – difficult to do, needing a lot of effort

1. His … for help awfully frightened me.

2. One … of New York in summer is the heat.

3. The reporters were asking a lot of … questions.

4. Solving the demographic problems has become an … for the government.

5. She is very responsible and able to … the Department.

6. We must be … to this poor man's needs.

7. The … of her job weren't enough. She was happy with the work, but she wasn't making enough money.

8. The contract was signed during the business trip to France by Michael Spector, … .

9. The employees gave two completely … reports.

10. He is so lazy, I'm afraid he's … for this job.

11. His daughter's … disappointed him a lot.

12. That pie looks … .

13. She is Scottish Power's most senior woman … .

B. Below is an article from Newsweek. Read it and learn what Robert J. Samuelson has to say about the topic.