This unit will help you to:
➢ Learn words and expressions about work ethic
➢ Review the difference between the simple past tense and the past perfect tense as well as the usage of conjunctions (and,or,but)
➢ Give suggestions on how to develop a strong work ethic
➢ Be able to write a warning notice
➢ Understand some work ethic and behave well in the workplace
- MODULE 7 WORK ETHIC AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE
Warm-up
Ⅰ.Suppose it is your first day at work,how can you favorably impress your workmates?
______________________________________________
Ⅱ.Put the following names of the departments in the proper blanks according to their functions.
| Departments | Functions |
| It has overall responsibilities for creating, planning, implementing, and integratingthe strategie direction of an organization. | |
| It deals with such matters as involving employees, hiring, training, labor relations,and benefits. | |
| It is responsible for presenting, advertising and selling a company's products orservices. | |
| It is responsible for finding new products and processes or improving existing ones. | |
| It manages money in running a business, an activity or a project. | |
| It's a department where people assist the CEO to plan, organize and run a business. | |
| It makes food, goods or materials, especially in large quantities. |
Listening
Listen to the monologue about workplace success and fill in the blanks with what you hear.
Do you want to succeed in the workplace? Try your best for_____in everything you do.Excellence means to be the best in_____you do.Giving your 100% every time will help you achieve that excellence in no time at all.Put all your_____in whatever you do and achieve the best results.Care about the_____of your work and be willing to put in extra effort when necessary.You will get more_____to grow as an individual and make great progress within yourcareer.People with strong work ethic always a_______lot in return.
Reading
1.If a man is called to be a street sweeper,he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted,or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry.What does this saying try to tell us?
2.How can other people’s jobs influence our life?
Lineman Wang Jin
Working on high- voltage power lines is considered by many as a high-risk job.But for some people it’s a daily routine .
Standing on towers over 100 meters high and working on ultra-high-voltage (UHV) lines,Wang Jin has been in this job for more than 20 years.He is a team leader at an electric power company.
Wang still clearly remembered the first time he touched the power line.“I was really scared because at the moment of contact ...500 000 volts of electricity hit the gloves,” recalled Wang.
The work is even harder for Wang and his co-workers because UHV lines are often set up in remote areas.
Summer in east China’s Shandong Province can be hot and dry.The steel tower is also hot.Wearing protective clothes in such weather,Wang felt dizzy even before he started the shift.
In 2011,Wang finished the world’s first repair work on a 660-kilovolt live- transmission line.The power transmitted by this line was almost one-tenth of the total power in the entire province at that time.Wang won the National Science and Technology Progress Award—one of China’s highest national honors—for his excellent performance.
China’s UHV power network continues to expand,so Wang and his colleagues have set up an innovation center to address new challenges.
They have introduced more technologies including the use of drones for line inspection and maintenance .They have 240 drones and 80 operators,and they want to create an unmanned,\ digital and intelligent line inspection system.
Wang is now a father of two.His family gave him the biggest support.His dedication has made him a role model for young people.Wang Innovation Studio now has nearly 100 members,who have achieved achieved more than 30 technological innovations.
By the end of 2020,a total of 35 UHV projects had been completed or were under construction in China.Their total length is 48 000 kilometers.China’s electricity network has the highest voltage and the biggest transmission capacity in the world.Thanks to technicians like Wang and his colleagues,China hasn’t experienced a large-scale power outage in the past 10 years.
- MODULE 7 WORK ETHIC AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE
Words & Expressions
voltage /ˈvəʊltɪdʒ/ n. 电压
electrical force measured in volts
routine /ruːˈtiːn/ n. 常规
fixed and regular way of doing things
scared /skeəd/ adj. 惊恐的；恐惧的
frightened
contact /ˈkɒntækt/ n. 接触
the state of touching sth.
electricity /ɪˌlekˈtrɪsəti/ n. 电
a form of energy from charged elementary particles,usually supplied as electric current
through cables,wires,etc.for lighting,heating,driving machines,etc.
protective /prəˈtektɪv/ adj. 受保护的
providing or intended to provide protection
dizzy /ˈdɪzi/ adj. 头晕的；眩晕的
feeling as if everything is turning around you and that you are not able to balance
transmission /trænzˈmɪʃn/ n. 传送
the act or process of sending out an electronic signal or message
inspection /ɪnˈspekʃn/ n. 检查
the act of looking closely at sth./sb.,esp.to check if everything is as it should be
maintenance /ˈmeɪntənəns/ n. 维护
the act of keeping sth.in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly
digital /ˈdɪdʒɪtl/ adj. 数字的
connected with the use of computer technology,esp.the Internet
intelligent /ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/ adj. 智能的
good at learning,understanding and thinking in a logical way about things; showing this ability
dedication /ˌdedɪˈkeɪʃn/ n. 献身；奉献
the hard work and effort that sb.puts into an activity or a purpose because they think it is important
achieve /əˈtʃiːv/ v. 获得；达到
to succeed in reaching a particular goal,status or standard,esp.by making an effort for a long time
construction /kənˈstrʌkʃn/ n. 建设
the process or method of building or making sth.,esp.roads,buildings,bridges,etc.
capacity /kəˈpæsəti/ n. 容纳某事物的能力；做某事的能力
the ability to hold or contain sth.; the ability to do sth.
live-transmission line直流输电线路
under construction 修建中
set up 建立；设立
power outage停电
Ⅰ.Reading comprehension.
A.Fill in the blanks with the exact words in the passage.
1.Wang takes a high-risk job on high-voltage power lines as_______________.
2.Wang Jin felt_______________when he first touched the power line.
3.Wang finished the world’s first repair work on a 660-kilovolt_______________.
4.The innovation center uses_______________for line inspection and maintenance.
5.By 2020,a total of 35 UHV projects had been completed or_______________.
B.Put the following statements in right order according to the course of Wang’s career development in the passage.
( ) Wang got one of the highest national awards for his superior performance.
( ) Wang and his colleagues set up an innovation center to meet new work demand.
( ) Wang was really afraid when he first touched the ultra-high-voltage line.
( ) Wang and his colleagues want to create an digital and intelligent line inspection system.
( ) Wang and his colleagues use drones for checking and repairing the lines.
Ⅱ.Language focus.
A.Fill in the blanks with the proper words in the passage.The initial letters of the words have been given.
One of my first c________in my job experience was the cultural difference.Different cultures make people think and behave differently.“Do in Rome as the Romans do.” In the first year I usually communicated with my c________.I spent a lot of time keeping in c________with my customers and developed my cross-cultural c________.In this way,I adapted to my new working environment very fast,p________well and finally I a________my goals.
B.Underline the following expressions in the passage and make sentences with them.
1.set up_________________________________________
2.give support_________________________________________
3.under construction_________________________________________
- MODULE 7 WORK ETHIC AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE
4.thanks to_________________________________________
5.power outage_________________________________________
C.Translate the following sentences into Chinese.
1.If you want to achieve a higher working goal,you need to consider it carefully right now.
_________________________________________________________________
2.To go for technical innovation,one must have the fearless spirit of a pathbreaker.
_________________________________________________________________
3.You need keep in contact with your customers when some problems arise.
_________________________________________________________________
4.Those employees believe that challenges offer opportunities to learn.
_________________________________________________________________
Ⅲ.Grammar focus:The simple past & past perfect tense.
A.Pick out two sentences of the simple past tense and the past perfect tense respectively from the passage,and then write them down.
The simple past tense:
1._________________________________________
2._________________________________________
The past perfect tense:
3._________________________________________
4._________________________________________
B.Fill in the blanks with the proper form of the given words.
1.He_____more than 20 technological innovations before he turned 35.(achieve)
2.She_____(give) a lot of financial support to animal protection organizations in 2022.
3.She didn’t go to bed until she_____her work.(finish)
4.He_____many awards because of his hard work last year.(win)
5.They_____more technologies for line repairing by 2021.(introduce)
Mini-project
List some people who are dedicated to their work,and analyze the reasons for their success.Jot down some notes,and then make a report to the class.
| Names | Reasons |
| Yuan Longping | He was creative and started his research of hybrid rice technology,by which farmers can produce harvests twice as large as before. |
strong-willed motivated active cooperative stressful disciplined risky helpful dutiful enthusiastic
Warm-up
Put the expressions in the box below on the corresponding answer line under each picture.
no bribery punctual attentive gossiping
1._____________________
2._____________________
- MODULE 7 WORK ETHIC AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE
3._____________________
4._____________________
Reading
1.What examples come first to mind when referring to positive or poor work ethic?
2.What kind of colleagues do you want to work with?
Work Ethic in the Workplace
Work ethic is a set of standards of behavior and beliefs regarding what is and isn’t acceptable to do at work,which can be strong (good) or poor (bad).It depends on personal views of employees,their motivation,and overall company culture.
Next,we’ll review some common examples of both strong and poor work ethic.
Example 1
Angela’s director asked her to sort out data about the patients and insurance.Unfortunately,Angela isn’t very familiar with processing certain insurance claims.
Rather than giving up,Angela decides to expand her skills.She networks with her coworkers in the insurance department and consults her director.
In the process,she expands her skills to make sure she meets her goals.
Example 2
Jim’s director asked him to review the financial reports from last quarter to look for purchases from one guest.The director gave him this task about a month ago and asked him to complete it within a few weeks.
Now,a month has passed,but Jim still hasn’t reviewed any of the reports.Rather than starting early,he leaves it to the last minute and turns in an incomplete report.
Example 3
Sheila is sometimes bothered by the tasks assigned by her director.However,she never addresses her complaints to the director.Instead,she complains to her coworkers,friends,and
anyone that will listen to her about her job.
Finally,the image of the company was badly affected and a bad working environment was created.
Example 4
Jeff is often late to work.When he arrives at the company,his coworkers have already worked for half an hour or even longer.
Instead of trying hard to change the current situation,he makes various excuses for being late.
His constant delay shows a lack of respect for his job and coworkers.His coworkers think of him as being unreliable and irresponsible as a result.
The above examples represent a set of working attitudes that regulate employees’ behavior at work.And what can you do to develop strong work ethic?
Words & Expressions
regarding /rɪˈɡɑːdɪŋ/ prep. 关于；至于
concerning sb./sth.; about sb./sth.
insurance /ɪnˈʃʊərəns/ n.保险
an arrangement with a company in which you pay them regular amounts of
money and they agree to pay the costs
claim /kleɪm/ n. 保险金索款
demand for a sum of money as insurance
purchase /ˈpɜːtʃəs/ n. 购买之物
sth.that you have bought
bother /ˈbɒðə(r)/ v. 打扰或烦扰某人
to cause trouble or annoyance to sb.
address /əˈdres/ v. 向……说话
to say sth.directly to sb.
complain /kəmˈpleɪn/ v. 抱怨；诉苦
to say that you are annoyed,unhappy or not satisfied about sb./sth.
constant /ˈkɒnstənt/ adj. 连续发生的；不断的；重复的
happening all the time or repeatedly
depend on 依靠；依赖
sort out 理顺；整理
- MODULE 7 WORK ETHIC AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE
give up 放弃
address sth.to sb. 向某人说某事
turn in 上交
Ⅰ.Reading comprehension.
A.Match the names in the left column with their behavior in the right column.
B.Write down the work ethic mentioned in each of the four examples,and decide whether they are strong or poor.
Ⅱ.Language focus.
A.Fill in the blanks with the proper form of the words given below.
bother complain constant address regarding
1.Call me if you have any problems_____your work.
2.Two questions often_____first-time corporate investors.
3.Babies need_____attention.
4.She_____to me about his rudeness.
5.Please_____all complaints to the manager.
B.Underline the following expressions in the passage and make sentences with them.
1.depend on_________________________________________
2.sort out_________________________________________
3.give up_________________________________________
4.turn in_________________________________________
5.address ...to ..._____________________________
Ⅲ.Grammar focus:Conjunctions (and,or,but).
Read the examples and complete the sentences with and,or,or but.
Examples:
1.We must double our efforts,or we will never be able to catch up with the others.
2.The camerawork is perfect,and the cast is good.
1.I’d like to go to the theatre tonight,_____I’m too busy.
2.Your delay shows a lack of respect for the job_____fellow coworkers.
3.Work ethic can be strong_____poor.
4.She is bothered by the tasks,_____she never complains.
5.All the employees should show up on time_____even earlier.
Mini-project
Work in groups.Choose two of the work ethic from the box below,and discuss the way to develop them,and then prepare a report to the class.
faithfulness initiative innovation selflessness bravery rigor teamwork fortitude
- MODULE 7 WORK ETHIC AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE
Listening
Ⅰ.Jeff rarely showed up at the office on time.Listen to the recording and mark his excuses for being late.
□ His car broke down.
□ His car was borrowed.
□ His clock was broken.
□ His phone was out of service.
□ His phone was out of battery.
□ He didn’t get on the subway.
□ He was ill.
□ He was squeezed out of the bus.
Ⅱ.Susan,HR director,is now talking with Jenny about Jeff’s problems.Listen to the conversation and fill in the blanks with what you hear.
Susan:Have you noticed Jeff has been late many times?
Jenny:Yes,I want to have a talk with you about this.
Susan: From our punch records,I find that Jeff was late 7 times.Does his director Jim know about this?
Jenny:I think Jim must have already talked with Jeff.But maybe Jeff doesn’t pay attention.
Susan:So,1._____?
Jenny:I suppose we should give a warning notice to Jeff about his tardiness.
Susan:2._____if I talked with his director first to get to know things better.
Jenny:And perhaps we should have a talk with Jeff.
Susan: I think so.3._____.It is very important to let him know how serious the problem is.
Jenny:4._____.
Susan:Then after the talk,we 5._____to Jeff.
Jenny: OK.I will talk with Jeff this afternoon.I hope he won’t make the same mistake again in the future.
Practical Writing
Work with your partner to discuss the following questions.
1.What kind of notices have you ever read?
2.Can you give some tips for writing a notice well?
Ⅰ.Read the following tips,and summarize how to write a notice well.
A notice intends to publicize social events,inform staff of instructions,give information,change plans,etc.Most notices have the following features.
◆ Very short and attractive
◆ Simple and easy-to-read
◆ Clear and specific
◆ Boldfaced words
Ⅱ.Susan is going to issue a personnel warning notice to Jeff.Choose the items from the box below and fill in the blanks to make a proper notice.
in order of escalation
your following actions
you received a verbal warning
help you improve your performance to meet our quality standards
job suspension without pay for one workweek
- MODULE 7 WORK ETHIC AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE
Tech Market Technology Co.
Warning 1
Employee’s Name:Jeff Bell
Supervisor’s Name:Jim Marche
HR Representative’s Name:Susan Landen
Date:1/31/23
Dear Jeff Bell,
Your HR department has been informed by your director that_____do not comply with Tech Market Technology Company’s policies:
· Infraction 1:Being late for January 4th,13th,16th,17th,24th and 25th.
_____on January 17th,2023.
The following consequences,_____,will be applied,should you not demonstrate improvement or cease violation of company policies:
1.Second warning notice issued
2._____
3.Third and final warning notice followed by an in-person meeting
4.Termination of employment
We will do whatever to_____.
Supervisor’s signature:Jim Marche
Date:1/31/23
Ⅲ.Put the following words in right order to make sentences.
1.used who everyone should coffee it the clean machine
_________________________________________________
2.to the this are welcome lecture attend all staff
_________________________________________________
3.due weather the badminton the to competition canceled be will
_________________________________________________
4.gate school gather for the 8 at o’clock examination at will the we
_________________________________________________
5.held will meeting contest in at be room tomorrow 9 p.m.the
_________________________________________________
Ⅳ.Susan,HR director,is responsible for writing a warning notice to Jason who delayed handling in a very important report.
Tech Market Technology Co.
Warning 1
Employee’s Name:
Supervisor’s Name: Jim Marche
HR Representative’s Name: Susan Landen
Date:
Dear Jason,
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Supervisor’s signature: Jim Marche
Date:1/31/23
Unit Project
Work with your partner to complete the following tasks,and then share your ideas with others.
Task 1: Read each of the following examples and decide whether they are strong or bad work ethic,and then find out what kind of work ethic they are.
- MODULE 7 WORK ETHIC AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE
Task 2:List the possible impact the above behavior will have on a company.
1.____________________________________________
2.____________________________________________
3.____________________________________________
Task 3:List at least three strong work ethic you should develop and the tips for developing them.
1.____________________________________________
2.____________________________________________
3.____________________________________________
Useful Expressions
Strong work ethic you should develop:
Hard work
Dedication
Discipline
Productivity
Teamwork
Responsibility
Determination
Professionalism
Bad work ethic you should avoid:
Procrastination
Inefficiency
Irresponsibility
Passiveness
Tardiness
Unprofessional behavior