2. Discuss these questions.

1 What is meant to be the advantage of creating a team? (paragraph 1)

2 Which word means the same as the answer to question? (paragraph 2)

3 What are the five signs of unproductive teamworking that the article mentions?

3. There are a number of fixed phrases in English joined with and. These are called fixed pairs.

1 Look at the first sentence of the text. Does nook and cranny mean:

a) all the parts?

b) the most important parts?

c) the least important parts?

2 Complete sentences a)-h) with an appropriate fixed pair from the box. Use the words in brackets to help you.

by and large give and take hard and fast on and off pros and cons touch and go ups and downs wine and dine

a) I’ve been writing this report …………. (occasionally, not continuously) for the last two weeks, but it has to be in tomorrow.

b) There isn't any …………. (strict, fixed) rule about how we are going to proceed in this negotiation.

c) You won't win this negotiation through bullying. There needs to be some ………. (compromise).

d) We’ve had a few ………. (mixture of good and bad things) in recent years.

e) It was (very unsure that something will happen) whether we’d get to the meeting on time.

f) If this contract is important, we’ll have to ………. (entertain) their management team.

g) Full employment was ……… (mostly true, in general) achieved.

h) The union discussed the ………. (advantages and disadvantages) of strike action.

WRITING

You are one of the most senior members of sales team. The team is not functioning very well at the moment, and morale is low. The sales manager is concerned, and asked all senior members to express their views in writing.

Use the notes below and your ideas to write an informal report (in 200-250 words)

• explain why you think the team is not functioning properly

• putting forward one or two ideas how the situation could be improved.

Problems	Solutions
team members are competing with each other	clarify team goals
too focused on personal achievement no responsibility for mistakes	focus more on group results, less on individual success

Working hours

Vocabulary through the context

Old and new ways of working

I’m an office worker in insurance company. It’s a nine-to-five job with regular working hours. The work isn’t very interesting, but I like to be able to go home at a reasonable time.

We all have to clock in and clock out (clock on/off) every day. In this company, even the managers have to, which is unusual!

I’m in computer programming. There is a system of flexitime in my company, which means we can work when we want, within certain limits. We can start at any time before eleven, and finish as early as three, as long as we do enough hours each month. It’s ideal for me as I have two young children.

I work in a car plant. I work in shifts. I may be on the day shift one week and the night shift the next week. It’s difficult changing from one shift to another. When I change shifts, I have problems changing to a new routine for sleeping and eating.

I’m a commercial artist in an advertising agency. I work in a big city, but I prefer living in the country, so I commute to work every day, like thousands of other commuters. Working from home using a computer and the Internet is becoming more and more popular, and the agency is introducing this: it is called teleworking or telecommuting. But I like going into the office and working with other people around me.

Types of job and type of work

A full-time job is for the whole of the normal working week; a part-time job is for less time than that.

You say that someone works full-time or part-time.

A permanent job does not finish after a fixed period; a temporary job finishes after a fixed period.

You talk about temporary work and permanent work.

Word combinations with ‘work’:

I f you work or have work, you have a job. But you don’t say that someone has a work. Work is also the place where you do your job.

I’m Frank. I work in a bank in New York City. I leave for work at 7.30 every morning.

I go to work by train and subway.

I get to/arrive at work at about nine.

I’m usually at work till six.

Luckily, I don’t get ill very much so I’m not often off work.

The economy is growing fast and more people are in work than ever before. The percentage of people out of work has fallen to its level for 30 years.