25/05/02
Category: B1+ and up / Tag: , , , , , ,  / Add Comment

My Colleague Swears Angrily During the Day

And two other tricky workplace dilemmas.

 

 

 

Fill in the sentence gaps with the words in bold below:

 

onslaught                        over the top                    disconcerting                  hostility

decent                              approach                         tone (sth) down              outbursts

 

(…) My office is next to a person who swears a lot during the workday. I assume it’s frustration with his computer, but a least a couple of times an hour I’ll hear an 1. …………. of expletives coming from his desk. It’s pretty 2. ………… to hear and it’s also really distracting. Otherwise, he’s a great person to work with, but I’m not sure how to 3. …………… this. What should I do?

Green responds:

It sounds like the anger and 4. …………. might be a bigger problem than the profanity itself. It’s jarring to hear angry 5. ………… throughout the day. That’s not OK to do at work—and a couple of times an hour is really 6. ……….. . (And really, what is going on with his computer?)

He might not even realize you can hear him, or he might not realize how frequent it’s become, or what it sounds like to someone trying to focus on work. If he’s a 7. ………….. guy, he’ll rein it in once you tell him.

I’d say it this way: “Bob, could you 8. ………….. the language ……….? It’s pretty jarring to hear it so constantly.” (…)

 

In order to read the whole article/check your answers, go to: https://www.inc.com/alison-green/employee-swears-angrily-during-the-day/91110974?utm_source=bottombanner&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=subscribe

 

 

Key: 1. onslaught; 2. disconcerting; 3. approach; 4. hostility; 5. outbursts; 6. over the top; 7. decent; 8. tone (the language) down

 

Glossary

 

  • profanities –  swear words
  • jarring – having a harshly unpleasant or disturbing effect on one’s nerves, feelings, thoughts, etc.
  • to rein in – to stop or check by or as if by a pull at the reins (= long, thin pieces of material, especially leather, that helps you to control and direct a horse)
  • screening – the act or work of a person who screens, as in ascertaining the character and competence of applicants, employees, etc.
  • to delve – to investigate
  • awash – having an amount of something that is very large or larger than necessary or wanted

 

Practice makes perfect

Match synonyms

 

1. vast

a) pertinent

2. genuinely

b) to bother

3. relevant

c) pretentious

4. to adhere

d) certainly

5. to hassle

e) to change

6. to polish up

f) great

7. presumptuous

g) complimentary

8. flattering

h) to observe

9. to tweak

i) to review

 

Key: 1f); 2d); 3a); 4h); 5b); 6i); 7c); 8g); 9e)

 

 

Fill in the sentence gaps with the words 1-9 from the exercise above:

 

1. This is a …………… remark.

2. We don’t want to ……….. with all that waiting in line.

3. We wanted to create things people had never seen in life before, to ………… everything a little bit.

4. I like your essay, just ……….your spelling.

5. That suit is very ………….. .

6. How …………… to think you know more than the people in the field.

7. The boy is a hopeless case – he doesn’t ……….. to any of the rules.

8. He was ………… surprised.

 

Key: : 1. pertinent; 2. hassle; 3. tweak; 4. polish up; 5. flattering; 6. presumptuous; 7. adhere; 8. genuinely

 

Watch and revise!

 

Navigating Tricky Workplace Dilemmas

A Guide

 

 

https://www.cloud.worldwideschool.pl/index.php/s/WBWwcpCLNTxqtmF

 

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