Unit 3 Office

Learning objectives: After learning this section, you are required 1. to have a general idea of the office routines in the USA; 2. to know the relationship between the employer and an employee; 3. to master important words and expressions; 4. to learn how to entertain customers in style.

Text A: Life in the Office

Discussion: 1. When do Chinese people usually start working in the office? 2. Do Chinese people work harder when the “boss” is around? 3. How do Chinese employees spend their lunch hour? 4. When do Chinese employees end working hour in a day ？ 5. Say something about contracts of hiring in China.

Reading comprehension : 1. Which aspects are discussed about office routines in the USA? 2. What’s the meaning of the word “idle” in page 1? 3. What’s the relationship of an employer and an employee in the USA?

Word study 1. flextime: n. 弹性工作时间制（雇员只要做满规定的工 时即可自行决定上下班时间） 2. practice ： n. 惯例，习惯，实行 3. commute: （尤指在市区和郊区之间） 乘公交车上下班 e.g.She commutes from Oxford to London every day. 她每天通勤於牛津和伦敦之间.

4. hierarchical: e.g. hierarchical group factor theory 等级群体因素说 hierarchical relationship 等级关系 5. tease The other boys used to tease him because of/about his accent. 别的男孩子常拿他的口音取笑他.

6. circulate Please open a window to allow the air to circulate. 打开窗子让空气流通。 7. allot e.g. Who will she allot the easy jobs to? 她要把轻活儿分给谁 ? e.g. We did the work within the time they had allotted to us. 我们在指定的时间内把工作做完了。

Sentences study 1.” Time is money” 时间就是金钱。 2. to keep traffic and commuting problems down.: 缓解道路交通及人们上下班的公共交通 问题 3. Your empoyer “own” your time while he is paying you for it. 你的 “ 老板 ” 在支付你工资的同时拥有你 的时间。

4. But in many extablishments the atmosphere is loose and easy with a lot of joking and teasing, and wandering in and out of offices among all levels of employees. 但在多数场合，工作氛围还是比较轻 松自在的，各个职位的办公人员一起 开开玩笑或戏弄别人或在办公室之间 轻松走动。

Conclusion: Compare the office routines in the USA and in China.

Assignment 1. Finish the exercises 2. Preview Text B 3. Exercises

Text B: How to Entertain in Style

Questions for the students to discuss. Q: What criteria do you always follow when you are entertaining your friends in a restaurant, for example, location, cleanliness, quality of food, value for money or some other factors?

Read the following sentences and decide whether they are true (T) or false (F) ． ( 1 ) （） The business branch is not a time to eat but the time to build relationship with customers. (2) （） The business lunch, as one form of business entertaining, is used most frequently. (3) （） The invitations are usually issued about one week prior to the event.

(4) （） A good guest will arrive at least 10 minutes before the appointed time. (5) （） Once the order has been placed it is the time to establish business relationship.

Detailed study of the text 1. in style: successfully 很成功地 e.g. how to entertain customers in style 如何成功地招待顾客 2. rapport: n. 友好，和睦，友善 e.g. be in rapport with 跟 …… 一致， 跟 …… 友好 3. rule of thumb: 单凭经脸的方法

4 conducive ： a. （常与 to 连用）有助于 …… 的，有益 于 …… 的，助长 …… 的 e.g. Exercise is conducive to health. 运动有益于健康。 5 inconsiderate ： a. 不体谅别人的 e.g.He's often inconsiderate to his family. 他常常不体谅他的家人。

6 hover: vi. (1) 盘旋；翱翔 e.g. Some birds hover when they look for animals to kill on the ground. 有些鸟在寻措地上的动物时会在空中盘旋。 (2) 徘徊，守留在近处 e.g. The criminal is hovering between life and death 这个犯罪分子在生死之间徘徊 · e.g. The mercury hovered around 25 。 C. 气温停留在 25 。 C 左右 ·

7. a meeting of mind ： 思想统一, 意见一致 8. reiterate: vt. say or do it several times 反复地说或做 e.g. reiterate a command it 重申一项命令

9. fruitful: a. 成功的，有收获的 e.g. A fruitful meeting 成功的会议 10. liking: n. （与 for 连用）喜爱，爱好 e.g. to have a liking for sweets 喜爱吃甜点

Discussion. （ 1) What other important factors ， in addition to those mentioned in the article ， have to be taken into account when you are going to entertain the customers for the business purpose? (2) Describe the most memorable restaurant you have ever been to. The use of words like "good" and "bad" should be avoided in your description.

Assignment Finish the exercises of this section Preview Unit 4