Pre-Reading - Tim's Free English Lesson Plans – Use them ...

 Water Cooler Gossip5210175114300Pre-ReadingHow serious do you think these workplace problems are? How could they have a negative effect on a company and its workers? Put them in order of seriousness.Interpersonal conflictBullyingHarassmentGossipCommunication problemsDiscrimininationLow motivation and job satisfactionFavouritism/nepotismReadingRead the text, which workplace problems does it describe?Alison: Have you heard? Barney: What?Alison: It looks as if they’ve put James in charge of the accounts department? I was so taken aback when I heard.Barney: I know! It really came as a surprise to me! Alison: They asked me if I had any objection to him taking over and I just didn’t know what to say. I really think they’ve taken a wrong turn here.Barney: And it’s all due to the fact that he’s the boss’s son-in-law.Alison: I know! I was led to believe that I was going to get the job, it never occurred to me that they would give it to him.Barney: Me too! I would have liked the position myself, I nearly broke down in tears when I heard.Alison: Well, we need to come up with a plan, I’m not going to put up with him bossing me around.Barney: Careful now, you could be in danger of getting sacked if he finds out you’re plotting behind his back.Alison: Don’t worry, I have no intention of him finding out, but you’re right, careless words could cost us our jobs.Barney: To be honest, I don’t think we should do anything for the moment. He’s bound to slip up at some point, then we can place the blame on him.Alison: Good idea! And in the unlikely event that he’s actually good at the job, we’ll talk again.Barney: Agreed. Don’t hesitate to call if anything comes up, we’re in this together.Who are the two people?What are they annoyed about?Why did James get the job?What is their plan?Why do they need to be careful?Language FocusFind two underlined expressions that express surprise.Look at the other expressions and discuss their meaning with your partner, try to express them in your own words.Dialogue - Version 2What difference do you notice with this version of the dialogue?Try to recall the missing expressions using the word in brackets.Alison: Have you heard? Barney: What?Alison: It (1) seems (IF) they’ve (2) made James responsible for (CHARGE) the accounts department? I was so (3)surprised (ABACK) when I heard.Barney: I know! It really (4) surprised me. (CAME)Alison: They asked me if I (5) objected to (OBJECTION) him taking over and I just didn’t know what to say. I really think they’ve (6) made a mistake (TURN) here.Barney: And it’s all (7) because (FACT) he’s the boss’s son-in-law.Alison: I know! I (8) was told (LED) I was going to get the job, (9) it never crossed my mind (OCCURRED) that they would give it to him.Barney: Me too! I (10) wanted (LIKED) the position myself, I nearly (11) cried (TEARS) when I heard.Alison: Well, we need to (12) make (COME) a plan, I’m not going to (13) tolerate (PUT) him bossing me around.Barney: Careful now, you could be in danger of (14) losing your job (GETTING) if he finds out you’re plotting (15) in secret (BACK)Alison: Don’t worry, I have no intention of him finding out, but you’re right, careless words could (16) mean that we lose our jobs (COST)Barney: To be honest, I don’t think we should do anything for the moment. He’s (17) definitely going to (BOUND) (18) make a mistake (UP) at some point, then we can (19) blame (PLACE) him.Alison: Good idea! And in the unlikely event that he’s actually good at the job, we’ll talk again.Barney: Agreed. (20) feel free to call (HESITATE) if anything comes up, we’re in this together.IF…………………………….CHARGE…………………………….ABACK…………………………….CAME…………………………….OBJECTION…………………………….TURN…………………………….FACT…………………………….LED…………………………….OCCURRED…………………………….LIKED…………………………….TEARS…………………………….COME…………………………….PUT…………………………….GETTING…………………………….BACK…………………………….COST…………………………….BOUND…………………………….UP…………………………….PLACE…………………………….HESITATE…………………………….Creative PracticeWrite a new dialogue about another workplace problem using as many expressions as possible. ................
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