A typical manager’s desk and a typical secretary’s desk

Ø 1) Answer the questions:

a) Do you work much at the desk?

b) What is there on your desk?

 

Managers often have desks that are surprisingly empty! These empty desks can show that the manager often travels and is out of the office most of the time. An empty desk can also demonstrate how powerful the manager is by its representative status.

Sometimes, in the United States of America, you can see footmarks on the desk because some managers like to put their feet up on the desk when they are talking on the telephone! In the USA, managers put their feet up on the desk to show that they are in control in their office.

Managers usually have a laptop computer on their desk. In fact, this laptop computer is their true desk. These days, most managers do almost all their work on their laptops. Another thing you might find is a cell phone - another sign of the mobility most managers demand.

Secretaries usually have an older computer and a telephone on their desk. They usually have an older computer because the managers are often the first to receive the latest technological equipment. Secretaries’ desks are often tidy because they are usually tidier than their bosses. You will also find an agenda of some sort on secretaries’ desks because secretaries need to make appointments for their bosses. Secretaries’ desks often have pictures of their children and family that they look at from time to time during the day.

In the past, secretaries were usually women. Today, however, more and more men are becoming secretaries as more and more women become managers and the workplace becomes more equal.

 

Ø 2) Choose the best answer to the questions:

a) Managers often have (laptop; beautiful; fax) computers.

b) Some managers in the USA like to … (talk a lot; put their feet up on their desk; work from home)

c) Many managers have (portable; cell; walkable) phones.

d) Most managers need to … (stay in the office; travel a lot; type their own letters)

e) A clean, empty desk represents … (laziness; power; indecision)

 

Ø 3) Say if the statements are true or false:

a) Secretaries are usually tidier than their bosses.

b) Secretaries often have pictures of their families on their desks.

c) Secretaries usually have a new computer.

d) Secretaries make appointments for their bosses.

e) Secretaries are always women.

 

 

MY OFFICE

 

Ø 1) Answer the questions:

a) What equipment do you need at work?

b) Do you keep family photos at work?

c) Do you stay late at work?

 

Like most offices, my office is a place where I can concentrate on my work and feel comfortable at the same time.

Of course, I have all the necessary equipment on my desk. I have a telephone next to the fax machine on the right side of my desk. My computer is in the center of my desk with the monitor directly in front of me. I have a comfortable office chair to sit on and some pictures of my family between the computer and the telephone.

In order to help me read, I also have a lamp near my computer which I use in the evening if I work late. There is plenty of paper in one of the cabinet drawers. There are also staples and a stapler, paper clips, highlighters, pens, pencils, a pencil sharpener, a ruler, scissors, a glue stick, adhesive paper, a hole punch, and erasers in the other drawer.

In the room, there is a comfortable armchair and a sofa to sit on. I also have a low table in front of the sofa on which there are some industry magazines.

 

Ø 2) Choose the best answer to the questions:

a) What does this person do in his office? (relaxes; concentrates; studies; reads magazines)

b) Which piece of equipment does he not have on his desk? (a fax; a computer; a lamp; a photocopier)

c) Where are the pictures of his family located? (on the wall; next to the lamp; between the computer and the telephone; near the fax)

d) He uses the lamp to read (all day; never; in the morning; in the evening)

e) What does he keep on the table in front of the sofa? (company reports; fashion magazines; books; industry magazines)

f) What is the author of the text? (a manager; a secretary; a student)

 

 

TWO WORKERS IN AN OFFICE

Ø 1) Answer these personal questions:

a) Do you have a schedule at work? Do you follow it?

b) Are you punctual? Are you absent-minded? Are you forgetful?

c) Do you often have snacks at work?

 

James: Hi, Alice. How are you today?
Alice: Hi, James. I’m fine, and you?

James: Great, thank you. Remember, the meeting is at 3 o’clock.
Alice: Excuse me, which meeting?

James: Which meeting?! The meeting with the boss!
Alice: Are you sure there is a meeting today?

James: Alice, Alice, every month there is a meeting with the boss. This month the meeting is this afternoon.
Alice: Calm down. OK, there’s a meeting this afternoon. What time is it?

James: Alice, this is important. The meeting is at three o’clock sharp!
Alice: Thank you, James... By the way, what time is it now?

James: It’s a quarter past eleven.
Alice: It’s time for lunch!

James: Lunch, now? Lunch time is at twelve.
Alice: Well, I’m hungry now.

James: You’re funny, Alice. This is an office.
Alice: I’m hungry... It’s just a snack...

 

Ø 2) Answer the questions on the text:

a) How is Alice doing?

b) What important event is at 3 p.m.?

c) When is lunch time at Alice and James’ work?

 

 

The Rocks

 

Ø 1) Read the text and translate it into Russian.

A time management specialist was asked to give a presentation on her specialty. She decided to do a demonstration. First she asked her assistants to bring a big bucket and put it on the table in front of the audience. Then she asked for large grapefruit-sized rocks and filled the bucket with them. “Is the bucket full?” she asked. “Yes,” said the crowd, but she asked for more to put in anyway. This time her assistants brought in pebbles. She poured the pebbles into the bucket and it held a surprising number of them in the space between the big rocks. “Now is the bucket full?” she asked. “Yes! No! No!” said various persons in the audience. Some people were uncertain; some were getting suspicious.

The time management specialist asked for more. This time the assistants brought her sand. She poured sand into the bucket and filled the spaces between the pebbles. “Now, is the bucket full?” she asked. “No,” she answered. By now everyone was suspicious. So she asked for water and poured in quite a lot. Now no one could think of anything else that could fit in that bucket.

“What does this process demonstrate?” asked the time management specialist. One member of the audience spoke up, “No matter how busy you are, you can always fit in more.”

“I can see how you might think that that was my point, but it is not,” said the specialist. “I was trying to show you that if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

Ø 2) Answer the following questions:

a) What specialist was asked to give a presentation?

b) What method did she choose?

c) If she asked you the last question what would be your answer?

d) What example from life could you give to prove her point of view?

e) What did the specialist mean by big rocks?