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II. Basic Listening Practice
6. Script
M: Do you see yourself as a leader or more of a team player? W: Well, it depends on the circumstances. I usually enjoy working as part of a team and helping everyone work together. But if the leadership is weak, I?m not afraid to take over in order to achieve the goal at hand. Q: What does the woman want to be?
7. Script
W: Good morning, I have an appointment with Mr. Davies at 11o? clock. M: Yes, he left a message for you saying he?s terribly sorry but he?s stuck in traffic and is running 15 minutes late. Please take a seat and he?ll be here as soon as possible. Would you like tea or coffee?
Q: Where is the conversation probably taking place?
3. Script
W: You don?t happy. Did you get that promotion? M: No, they brought in some new guy. I?m not going to hang around for much longer, I can?t assure you. Q: Why is the man unhappy?
4. Script
W: Mr. Jones is a self-made millionaire, and I?m honored to have worked for him for the past thirty years as his accountant. M: He must be pleased to have a loyal and faithful employee such as yourself. Q: What is true of the woman?
5. Script
W: Jane, we?re considering you for the new office manager?s position. We?ve been very pleased with your work. M: Thank you very much. I?ve always enjoyed working here, and I would welcome an opportunity for more responsibility. Q: Which of the following is true?
Keys: 1.C 2.B 3. A 4.B 5.D
III. Listening In
Task 1: You’re fired!
Joan: Come in, come in. Have a seat. Ah…uh…I want you to know this is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you. Carl: Yes, ma?am. But I?m not quite sure what you?re talking about. Joan: You?re fired. That?s what I?m talking about. Carl: I find that surprising, Miss Jackson. After all, I sold twenty-five percent more of our products than any other salesperson. Joan: Look, I?m not here to argue. You?re fired. Understand? Carl: I understand perfectly. I just wonder what?s going to happen to the contract I?ve been arranging. It would be a shame to lose it; it could mean a lot of our company. And I?m the only one who knows the details. Joan: No one is indispensable. Just clear out your desk, and that?s the end of it. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Westlake? Carl: Crystal clear—apart from one small detail. Joan: And what, pray tell, is that detail? Carl: I?m not Mr. Westlake. I?m Carl Smith.
Joan: Well then, that?s a different kettle of fish, Mr. Smith. I know you?ve bee n working late almost every night and coming in on Saturdays to get work done. The company is very happy with your progress. Carl: That?s good to know. I was beginning to think that I wasn?t appreciated. Joan: You?re doing well. We have approved your first salary increase. Carl: That?s great! Thank you! I?ll certainly try to live up to the trust you have demonstrated in me with this raise in pay.
16. Why is the man surprised at the being fired? 17. What is the second reason mentioned of the man to object to his being fired? 18. What mistake did the woman make? 19. What do you know about the man?s work performance? 20. What does the man finally get? Keys: 1C 2.B 3.D 4.A 5.A
For Reference 1. I want you to know this is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you. 2. That?s great! Thank you! I?ll certainly try to live up to the trust you have demonstrated in me with this raise in pay.
Task3: The Role of Job Descriptions
Script
People who don?t understand what their employers expect them to do may be headed for one of the most common and yet most avoidable career traps. If your boss doesn?t take the time to explain properly what you are expected to do in your position. Then keep asking questions until you know precisely what it is. Don?t limit your questions to matter of everyday routine. Lee Colby, a management consultant based in Minneapolis, offers his advice. He says you can ask more significant questions like, “What are our departmwnt?s goals? How does my work fit in with the overall objective of the company?” That method helped Lisa James, an assistant manager at an electronics company. When James was transferred to a new department seven years ago, she found herself not only working for the manager of quality control, but assisting three other managers. Because the job was both demanding and ill-defined, James had to put in ten-hour days as well as take work home.
To clarify what was expected of her and what she hoped to get from her job in terms of career department, she drafted a list of goals in collaboration with her principal boss. The list proved so well though out that her boss used it as the basis for her annual performance reviews. Shortly afterwards, she was given a raise for her efficient work. If your boss is vague about what your goals should be, try this technique suggested by Atkin Simon, director of a Boston-based management-consulting firm: Read your position description, which most large firms provide, and identify the two or three most important tasks it mentions. Then meet with your boss, point out the tasks you?ve chosen and ask if they accurately reflect what your boss considers important.
15. If your boss does not describe your job responsibility clearly, what can you do? 16. What kind of questions can you ask about your job? 17. When James was transferred to a new department, how many managers did she have to work for? 18. With whom did James draft a list of goals? 5. How was her list of goals received?
Keys: 1B 2.D3. D 4.A 5.C
For Reference Read your position description and identify the two or three most important tasks it mentions. Then meet with your boss, point out the tasks you?ve chosen and ask if they accurately reflect what your boss considers important.
VI. Further Listening and Speaking
Task1: A small misstep can become a big career trap.
Script
George Adams, a market researcher at a Midwestern firm, finally printed his marketing report. After months of research, hundreds of surveys, and several boring drafts, his report was complete, and just in time. He was going away for the weekend, and he wanted to relax knowing his report was a success. He carefully proofread his document and then delivered copies to all the executives on his distribution list. When he returned to his desk, he discovered his boss, the department manager, was livid. At first he did not realize he had accidentally gone over his head. Anyway, she had given him the contribution list in the first place. So he thought he was just following orders. But the boss was furious that she hadn?t seen the final document. The boss asked Adams to get back the copies, but it was too late. When Adams got to the CEO?s office, he was already reading the report. Adams had felt friction with his boss before. She was overbearing and tended to find fault with his work after he?d broken his back to meet deadlines. In this instance, however, he realized he had made a serious error. His boss was extremely upset, for his mistake made her look as though she wasn?t in control of her department. From the boss?s point of view, Adams was usurping her authority. The result was simple and natural: Adams left his job soon afterward. Adams?s story illustrates a fundamental truth about the workplace: small, seemingly innocent missteps can sometimes become a big career trap.
13. To whom did Adams deliver copies of the report? 14. What did Adams discover after he delivered the copies? 15. What happened when the boss asked Adams to get back the copies of the report? 16. According to the passage, why was his boss extremely upset? 5. What conclusion can we draw from the passage?
Keys: 1.B 2.B 3.C 4.A 5.C
Task 2: The boss is angry!
Script
Sam: Tell me: Does this place look like a nursing home? Sally: No. Why? Sam: Do I look like a male nurse? Sally: Not at all. Sam: Then why do my employees act as though this were a nursing home instead of a work place? Sally: You?re obviously upset. What?s wrong? Tell me. Sam: You?re right. I?m upset about a lot of things. Sally: Can you tell me what the problems are? Sam: First of all I?m upset because so many of the staff have been showing up late for work. Sally: It?s true. A lot of people have been coming in late. They probably think you don?t mind. You know there?s a pretty relaxed atmosphere here. Sam: Maybe it?s because I hang out with a lot of them outside the office. Sally: They must see you more as a buddy than a boss. It?s because you?re so friendly. Sam: You?re right. They don?t view me as an authority figure anymore. I?m afraid they don?t respect me as a boss Sally: So what are you going to do about it? Sam: I?m going to change. No more Mr. Nice Guy. I?m going to start cracking the whip. Sally: When do you want this change to take place? Sam: Starting today, I?m going to lay down the law. From now on, everyone in the company must follow regulations to the latter. Sally: I?ll post a notice as soon as possible. What should it say? Sam: No more punching in late. No more clocking out early. No more calling in sick without a goof reason or without a doctor?s note. Sally: Anything else? Sam: No more personal phone calls or e-mails on company time! Sally: All right, I?ll get right on it!
Keys: FTFTF
