In the reading text Be careful! One of the paragraphs has no heading. Think of

a heading for this paragraph.

Why people want male secretaries.

Introduction.

Which men become secretaries?

Statistics about male secretaries.

What stops men becoming secretaries?

Reading in detail

Read the text again. Are the sentences below TRUE or FALSE?

Paragraph 1.

1. Everyone who asks for a male secretary can have one.

Paragraph 2.

2. Young women find employment more easily than young men.

3. Most men who go to the secretarial colleges want to work as secretaries.

Paragraph 3.

4. Men in secretarial jobs can earn quite a lot of money.

5. Most of the men don't stay in their jobs for very long.

Paragraph 4.

6. Women executive and personnel managers prefer female secretaries.

Paragraph 5.

7. More women who have been to university are applying for secretarial jobs than in the past.

8. More people who start work as secretaries move to more responsible jobs.

Paragraph 6.

9. Men like employing male secretaries.

Read the following words:

according, increasing, unfortunately, vacancies, creative, plentiful, emotional, pressure, survey, flexible, attitude, qualification, obstacle, embarrassing, ironic.

Read and translate the following word combinations:

employment agencies, male temps, recruiting agency, secretarial staff, positive choice, regular hours, secretarial position, need extra money, relatively well-paid, high-powered woman executive, cope better, status symbol, personnel manager, menial and boring.

Classify the words according to the category of speech:

employment, personal, increasingly, director, available, recruitment, secretarial, basic, usually, journalism, positive, creative, plentiful, emotional, logical, flexible, suitable, academic, employer, situation, ironic.

Recast the following words, using nouns instead of verbs:

employ, create, prefer, manage, pay, dedicate, graduate, provide, use, know, tend, recruit.

Read and translate the text

Male Secretaries in the UK

According to several employment agencies in London, male temps and personal assistants (PAs) are increasingly in demand. A director for one top recruitment agency says "A lot of top executives have shown an interest in having a male PA. But unfortunately, they are not available".

According to recent employment figures, more young men are unemployed than young women, and 80% of new jobs go to women. However, there are many secretarial vacancies, but less than 1% of secretarial staff are male, and five years ago this figure was even lower than it is now. Very few men try to get basic secretarial

skills. Usually men make up only 1% of students on secretarial courses, and many of them enrol in order to follow in journalism and writing, rather than secretarial jobs.

However, for some men, secretarial work can be a positive choice. In one company, an actor was employed as a telephonist. He wanted the job because it had regular hours, and it helped him to pay his bills. It seems that many men who take secretarial positions have other, creative, jobs such as painting, or are students who need extra money. And it is not a bad way to make a living. For men with the right skills, work is plentiful and in big cities it is relatively well-paid. But most men only take these jobs on a temporary basis.

So who are the people who want male secretaries if they are in such short supply? Most clients wanting male PAs tent to be high-powered women executives. They say they prefer men because they are less emotional. The work of an executive PA is a high pressure job and men cope better. Perhaps the men are also seen as status symbols. A survey of personnel managers found similar opinions. In their opinion men were more logical, more dedicated, less likely to be off sick, and less "catty". However, women were more flexible, more capable of doing more than one thing at a time.

Perhaps there will be more male secretaries in the future, because attitudes towards the status of secretarial work are changing. Secretarial work was once thought to be menial and boring and only suitable for women with low academic qualifications. Now, however, many women graduates are applying for places in secretarial colleges, as secretarial skills ensure steady work in a difficult job market, and can provide opportunities for entering more difficult careers. It is becoming more common for secretaries to find themselves working for people who used to be secretaries.

However, the biggest obstacle to men getting these jobs is the attitude of male employers. Men do not want to employ male secretaries, or ask them to do menial jobs such as making the tea, as they find this type of situation too embarrassing. It is ironic to think that centuries ago, only men were secretaries.

Fill in the blanks with the following words:

living, unemployed, centuries, hours, positive, extra, prefer, position, employ, secretarial, jobs.

1. More young men are ... than young women.

2. Very few men try to get basic ... skills.

3. For some men secretarial work can be a ... choice.

4. He wanted the job, because it had regular....

5. It seems that many men who take secretarial positions have other, creative,... such as painting, or are students who need ... extra money.

6. It is not a bad way to make a....

7. They say they ... men because they are less emotional.

8. Men do not want to ... male secretaries.

9. It is ironic to think that... ago, only men were secretaries.

Find synonyms among the following words:

chance, make up, obstacle, personnel, additional, big, opportunity, late, employment, fixed, common, compose, large, similar, occupation, recent, difficulty, extra, usual, regular, resembling, staff.

Find antonyms among the following words:

lose, good, low, female, negative, less, temporary, find, firm, constant, small, high, employment, male, flexible, easy, big, unemployment, young, positive, bad, more, boring, difficult, old, interesting.

Translate from Russian into English:

пользоваться спросом, последние данные по занятости населения, вакансия секретаря, секретарские курсы, устраиваться работать на должность секретаря, творческая работа, зарабатывать на жизнь, относительно хорошо оплачиваемый, на временной основе, влиятельные женщины-руководители, начальник отдела кадров, низкий уровень академической квалификации, женщины-выпускницы, прислуживать.

Give the four forms of the following verbs:

to show, to have, to go, to get, to make, to write, to pay, to take, to see, to find, to do, to think, to become.

Make up the sentences, using the following words:

1. men, skills, to, few, basic, get, very, try, secretarial.

2. an, telephonist, one, employed, in, as, actor, company, was, a.

3. make, is, a, way, a living, bad, it, not, to.

4. male PAs, most, to; tend, clients, women, wanting, high-powered, be, executives.

5. is, better, job, the work, a, cope, and, of, pressure, an executive PA, high, men.

6. the status, are, work, of, secretarial, changing.

7. think, only, that, is, were, ago, men, it, to, secretaries, ironic, centuries.

Fill in prepositions:

1. According... several employment agencies in London, male temps and personal assistants are increasingly... demand.

2. Usually men make... only 1% of students... secretarial courses.

3. Most men only take these jobs ... a temporary basis.

4.... their opinion men were more logical and dedicated.

5. Attitudes... the status of secretarial work are changing.

6. Secretarial work was once thought to be menial and boring and only suitable... women.

7. Many women graduates are applying ... places in secretarial colleges.

Form questions of different types to the reading text

Now look through the reading text again. Tick the things you agree with.

Put a cross next to things you disagree with. Put an exclamation mark next to things yon think are strange. Then compare your opinions with a partner.

Work in pairs. Read the text below about Steve, a male temp. Your partner will read about Michael, another male temp. Then talk to your partner, and find similarities and differences between Steve and Michael's experiences.

"I served in the army. Now I serve coffee".

Steve White was a soldier for seven years before he decided to find a job in the city so that he could be near his girlfriend. Steve, 38, used to teach mountain survival skills for the army, but now goes to the office every day.

After leaving the army, Steve did a short course to improve his word-processing skills, and then went to several employment agencies to try and find work. "It was incredible," says Steve. "I found temp work almost immediately. And I haven’t been out of work since then. That's almost a year now. The pay is getting better as well. Soon I’ll be earning the same as when I was in the army." Steve says he misses talking about sport and football with other men, but that he enjoys chatting with the women in the offices where he works.

"Male medical student works in a hospital... as a temp."

Michael is a 21-year-old medical student. During his holidays he does secretarial work in the hospital where he studies. His main responsibilities include typing reports and doing the filing. The wages are quite low, but they help Michael to pay for his food and rent. Michael says, "I type reports all the time for my studies, so it wasn't difficult to get secretarial work in the hospital. It's quite interesting really. I enjoy the work, the people in the office are friendly, and working here helps me to understand hospital life better." What kind of relationship does he have with his bosses? "The women are OK, but the men seem a bit embarrassed. They don't like to actually ask me to do things for them - they just leave memos on the desk."

UNIT 10

COMMUNICATION AT WORK.

Read the following words:

perhaps, century, communication, focus, through, adapt, basis, shorthand, efficient, widespread, message, meanwhile, although, application, micro­chip, exist, particularly, reduce, mobile, employee, totally, compensation.

Read and translate the following words and word combinations:

workplace, office, communication, adapt to the changes, in order to get a job, typewriter, on the basis of, direct calls, take a message, computer language, keyboard command, user-friendly, word-processing skills, an increasing number, work from home, video-conferencing, time differences, work outside normal hours, stress related illness, be caused by overwork.

Classify the following words according to the category of speech:

important, communication, technology, handwriting, efficiently, particularly, length, normal, totally, worker, illness, better, really, nature, compensation.

Recast the following words, using nouns instead of verbs:

develop, communicate, adapt, employ, introduce, type, direct, apply, invent, know, exist, choose, reduce, differ, relate.

Read and translate the text.

COMMUNICATIONS AT WORK

Perhaps one of the most important changes in the workplace in this century has been the development of communications. Communications have changed the very nature of work: the places we work, the way we work, and what we do. In my talk I would like to focus on the way that office communications have changed through time, and how workers have adapted to changes in technology.

Over one hundred years ago, all documents were copied out by hand and office workers had to have good handwriting in order to get a job. In the 1870's, however,

typewriters were introduced to the workplace, and companies started to employ secretaries on the basis of their shorthand and typing skills.

Telecommunications became more efficient and widespread after the Second World War, and more companies needed to have their own telephonists to direct calls within the offices. It also became important for the secretary to use the telephone efficiently, taking messages and passing on information.

Meanwhile, computers were developing, although their application for office communications did not really start until the micro-chip was invented. At the beginning of the computer revolution, however, few people in the workplace were able to use computers. In those days you had to know a lot of computer language and keyboard commands, as the mouse did not exist then and programs were not particularly user-friendly.

The rate of change since the 1970's, however, has been very fast. There are now few people in the workplace without simple word-processing skills. And work patterns have changed as a result of growing computer technology. In the United States, in particular, many people have chosen to work from home, since all they need is a modem to link themselves up to their companies. An increasing number of European workers are starting to work from home as well.

Communications are going to continue to change the way that people work. However, they probably won’t reduce the length of the working week. Video­conferencing will reduce the need for travel, but if a company in London wants to hold a meeting with a company in Tokyo, for example, time differences mean that some people will have to work outside normal hours. Mobile phones now mean that many companies can contact their employees 24 hours a day, and so workers are never totally "out of the office". Stress-related illnesses are bound to increase, and in fact some workers have already won large sums of money from their companies as compensation for illnesses caused by overwork.

Fill in the blanks with the following words:

messages, adapted, computers, exist, handwriting, century, length, telephone, link, communications, development, passing, programmes, employees.

1. One of the most important changes in the workplace in this... has been the... of communications.

2. I'd like to focus on the way that office ... have changed through time, and how workers have... to changes in technology.

3. Office workers had to have good ... in order to get a job.

4. (t also became important for the secretary to use the ... efficiently, taking ... and ... on information.

5. At the beginning of the computer revolution, few people in the workplace were able to use ....

6. The mouse did not... then and ... were not particularly user-friendly.

7. All they need is a modem to ... themselves up to their companies.

8. They probably won't reduce the ... of the working week.

9. Mobile phones now mean that many companies can contact their ... 24 hours a day.

Find synonyms:

point out, efficient, usual, length, start, adapt, centennium, focus on, important, message, grow, instruction, want, company, accommodate, considerable, increase, information, century, need, firm, hire, active, employ, begin, command, duration, normal.

Find antonyms:

lose, dismiss, simple, slow, inefficient, finish, bad, employee, difference, few, win, reduce, outside, employ, employer, many, inside, complicated, good, fast, resemblance, efficient, start, increase.

Translate from Russian into English:

сама сущность работы, сосредоточить внимание на, в течение времени, переписывать от руки, хороший почерк; навыки стенографии и печатания, широко распространенный, использовать эффективно телефон, передавать информацию, применение в офисной коммуникации, в начале компьютерной революции, размах изменений, условия работы, в частности, модем для связи с компанией, продолжительность рабочей недели, провести собрание.

Give the four forms of the following verbs:

to do, to have, to become, to take, to know, to grow, to choose, to go, to held, to mean, to win, to write.

Make up sentences using the following words:

1. work, the very, communications, nature, changed, of, have.

2. workplace, the 1870's, were, the, typewriters, introduced, in, to.

3. became, and, the. War, more, telecommunications, efficient, World, after, widespread. Second.

4. commands, language, a lot of, to know, days, and, keyboard, computer, those, had, in, you.

5. without, skills, the workplace, are, in, word-processing, few, there, simple, people, now.

6. technology, as, patterns, growing, have, work, a result of, changed, computer.

7. increasing, home, workers, to work, an, from, European, number of stating, are.

8. people, communications, me way, to continue, are, work, that, to change, going.

Fill in prepositions:

1.... one hundred years ago, all documents were copied...... hand.

2. Companies started to employ secretaries... the basis of their shorthand and typing skills.

3. More companies needed to have their own telephonists to direct calls ... the offices.

4. Computer-application... office communications did not really start until the micro-chip was invented.

5.... the beginning of the computer revolution, few people were able to use computers.

6. The rate of change ... the 1970's has been very fast.

7. Many people have chosen to work... home.

8. Video-conferencing will reduce the need... travel.

Put general, alternative, special and disjunctive questions to the text.

Work in pairs. Look at the words and phrases related to communications at work below. Do you associate them with the past, the present, the future or more than one of these? Why?

computer

typewriters

video-conferencing

shorthand

mouse

mobile phones

language

handwriting

keyboard commands

micro-chip

modem

Prepare some presentation notes about the development of communications at work. Speak about:

The situation in the past.

Recent changes.

The present situation.

The future.

Now work in groups and decide which point are important to include in

presentation. Then compare your ideas with another group's.

Work in groups. Use your notes about communications at work to give a presentation. You may wish to divide your presentation so that different speakers are responsible for different parts of the talk. While you are listening to another group's presentation, make notes about three good points in the presentation and three things that need to be improved.

Retell the text "Communications at work".

Read the passage and find answers to the following questions:

1. Why did the banking industry grow quickly over the period of last 10 years?

2. What did the Nat West do to meet the increasing demand for its services?

3. According to what are the bank’s clerical jobs graded?

4. Where does everyone start a job in the bank?

5. Work in which grade ensures more personal contact with the customer?

6. Which clerk sees to the customers’ regular payments being made on time?

7. Which is the best known job in banking?

8. Which clerk deals with customers’ travel requirements?

9. Which clerk helps customers to manage their financial affairs?

10. Which clerk safeguards the bank’s interests in lending money?

11. Which job in the bank offers the best opportunities to exercise one’s own judgment?

Job-career-profession

The banking industry has changed radically over the last 10 years. As part of that industry National Westminster Bank has grown quickly and is still growing. We have more customers than ever before, people who have realized that having a bank account is a greater help in organizing their financial affairs. Nat West has built a range of financial services so diverse that we can now offer to our customers assistance across the whole range of money matters – from simple things like cashing cheques and looking after savings to the complexities of insurance, taxation and investment.

It takes a lot of people to run one of the biggest and most efficient financial organizations in the world. Our clerical jobs are graded from 1 to 4 according to the demands and responsibilities of each particular position.

Grade 1. This is the most junior of the clerical jobs. Because we believe in a system of progressive promotion, everyone starts here, no matter what they see as their ultimate role. You will probably begin by preparing customers’ statements, sorting cheques and learning to use accounting machines.

Grade 2. Work in this grade gives you more personal contact with the customers. This is particular so when looking after the enquiry counter, helping the customers to solve any problems they may have with their accounts, answering their questions, outlining the bank’s services.

Other grade 2 jobs which you could find yourself doing include controlling your Branch’s records. Duties cover opening new accounts, transferring existing accounts to and from our many Branches throughout the country and ensuring that information relating to your customers is kept up to date.

Then there is the Standing Order Clerk. Many of our customers arrange for regular payments to be made from their accounts for such items as mortgage deductions, insurance premiums and subscriptions. It is the Standing Order Clerk who ensures that these payments are made correctly and on time.

Perhaps the best known of all the jobs in banking is that of the cashier and that is usually a grade 2 job. At the counter you will meet many different people, your own customers, customers from other branches and banks as well as people who do not have a bank account. You will be dealing with many thousands of pounds every day so accuracy is vital.

Grade 3. By the time you reach this stage the work is becoming more complex and each job carries a greater degree of responsibility. Being a foreign clerk, for instance, means that you will be dealing with customers’ travel requirements, supplying foreign currencies and travel cheques and assisting with passport applications and travel insurance.

The Safe Custody Clerk helps customers to manage their financial affairs, acting on their behalf to buy or sell stocks and shares, obtaining advice from stockbrokers, or arranging insurance cover. Also there are valuables and documents, which customers deposit at the branch for safe keeping, to be looked after – which explains the title of the job.

Grade 4. This is the senior of the clerical grades and contains among others the jobs which really involve you for the first time in one of the bank’s major activities – lending money. Whether the loan is to a private individual, to a small business or to a large industrial company the bank will often require some form of security to be provided by the borrowers as to reduce the risk to the bank. Such security can come in many different forms including mortgages over houses or life policies and there are several legal formalities to be completed before the bank’s interests are fully safeguarded. Dealing with these formalities is the job of the Security Clerk who naturally works closely with the Branch Manager.

Even more involved with the Manager is the Manager’s Clerk who acts as a Personal Assistant providing all the information needed for the day to day control of accounts. As Manager’s Clerk you will be given opportunity to exercise your own judgment in a number of matters.

ПРИЛОЖЕНИЕ

Полезные выражения при подготовке резюме

СЛОВА, ХАРАКТЕРИЗУЮЩИЕ ВАШУ РАБОТУ

Анализировал - analyzed

Ввел, открыл, основал - set up

Вел дела, руководил - administered

Взял на себя инициативу, руководил - lead

Внедрял - implemented

Вычислял - calculate

Делегирован, представлял - delegated

Доказывал - proved

Заведовал - supervised

Задумывал, выдвигал (план, идею) - conceived

Занимался исследованием - researched

Исполнял, выполнил - performed

Исследовал, проверял, делал анализы - examined

Контролировал - controlled

Координировал – coordinated

Набросал план - devised

Начал, пустил (в действие) - launched

Обеспечил - provided

Обосновал, изложил - motivated

Образовал, произвел - generated

Обслуживал, поддерживал - maintained

Объяснил, дал интерпретацию - interpreted

Оказал влияние, воздействовал - influenced

Определял (стоимость, количество), давал оценку, вычислял - evaluated

Организовал - organized

Основал - founded

Осуществлял, выполнял, проводил в жизнь - effected

Писал, сочинял - wrote

Планировал - planned

Поддерживал - supported

Понизил (затраты) - reduced

Предложил – proposed

Применял, приспособлял – adapted

Проверил, исправил – revised

Программировал – programmed

Проводил (работу, эксперимент) – completed

Продемонстрировал – demonstrated

Проявлял себя, получил одобрение – approved

Развивал - developed

Разработал структуру, создал - structured

Расследовал, изучил - investigated

Рационализировал, модернизировал - streamlined

Расширял, распространял - expanded

Рекомендовал - recommended

Реорганизовал, переделал - reorganized Рецензировал, пересмотрел - reviewed

Решил (проблему, задачу) - solved

Руководил – conducted

Создавал – created

Составлял графики работы, планировал – scheduled

Сотрудничал – collaborated

Способствовал выполнению, ускорил – expedited

Увеличил - increased

Указал, точно определил - pinpointed

Улучшил, усовершенствовал - improved

Управлял, руководил - directed

Управлял, вел дела - managed

Усилил, укрепил - reinforced

Устранял - eliminated

Участвовал - participated

Учил, обучал - taught

Учредил, основал – established

Читал лекции - lectured

СЛОВА, ХАРАКТЕРИЗУЮЩИЕ ВАШИ ЛИЧНЫЕ КАЧЕСТВА

Активный - active

Аккуратный, методичный - methodical

Внимательный - attentive

Волевой, сильный - forceful

Восприимчивый, чуткий - perceptive

Гибкий, легко адаптирующийся - adaptable

Дипломатичный, гибкий - diplomatic

Дисциплинированный - disciplined

Живой, проворный, скорый, сметливый - alert

Заслуживающий доверия, надежный - dependable

Зрелый - mature

Изощренный, утонченный (о вкусе, манерах) - sophisticated

Имеющий широкий кругозор - broad-minded

Инициативный, энтузиаст - enthusiastic

Искренний - sincere

Конструктивно мыслящий - constructive

Логичный, с развитым чувством логики - logical

Любящий путешествовать - willing to travel

Методичный - systematic

Мыслящий позитивно, конструктивно - positive

Надежный - reliable

Наделенный воображением - imaginative

Настойчивый - aggressive

Находчивый, изобретательный - resourceful

Объективный - objective

Оптимист - optimistic

Осторожный, рассудительный - discreet

Открытый людям (незамкнутый) - extroverted

Относящийся к людям с уважением - respective

Охотно меняющий место жительства - willing to relocate

Полагающийся на себя - self-reliant

Последовательный, логичный - consistent

Практичный - practical

Преданный, верный, лояльный - loyal

Предприимчивый - enterprising

Представительный, привлекательный - personable

Приятный в общении pleasant

Реалистично мыслящий - realistic

Решительный, целеустремленный - determined

Сознательный, добросовестный, честный - conscientious

Сотрудничающий, охотно участвующий в совместной работе - cooperative

Самостоятельный, независимый - independent

Тактичный - tactful

Талантливый, одаренный - talented

Творческий – creative

Умелый, квалифицированный, деятельный - efficient

Умеющий анализировать - analytical

Целеустремленный, честолюбивый - ambitious

Честный, справедливый - fair

Экономный, бережливый - economical Энергичный - energetic

References

1. Linda Steevens. The Irwin Career Handbook. – Boston: Irwin Boston, 1993.

2. Graham Tullis, Tonya Trappe. New Insights into Business. – Longman, 2000.

3. Leo Jones, Richard Alexander. New International Business English. - Cambridge University Press, 1996.

4. Jack C. Richards. New Interchange. English for international communication. – Cambridge University Press, 2001.

5. Jack C. Richards and Chuck Sandy. Passages. – Cambridge University Press, 2001.

6. С.Л. Яшина, Е.А. Закоморная. Английский для экономистов: читаем, рассказываем, разговариваем. – Ростов-на-Дону, 2002.

7. Джоан Фриденберг, Куртис Бредли. Как найти работу в Америке. – М., 1992.

У ч е б н о е и з д а н и е

Светлана Анатольевна Лычаная

КОММУНИКАЦИЯ В БИЗНЕСЕ

Учебно-методическое пособие для развития навыков чтения и делового общения на английском языке для студентов заочного отделения экономических специальностей Академии экономики и управления.

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