SESSION 20: EMPLOYMENT

make sb + adj
intellectual jobs to make sb redundant: sa thai

retail unskilled, part-time, monotonous

hospitality demanding, exhausting -> luxurious
building/construction physical, manual (a) tay chan ><
be on the payroll: advertising rewarding (a) xung dang, great salary
exorbitant (a) well-paid (a), high-paid (a), rewarding salary
lam thoi vu wages
redundant
workplace
shift work
staff
retire
overtime (adv)
earn -> be paid
salary
job satisfaction
The + adj = Noun
the unemployed: nguoi that nghiep
unemployed
employees
Unemployment
employed

employer

1
 1.5. Match the phrase in the left column with its meaning in the right column
career ladder (n) bac thang danh vong
Phrase Definition
1. _____ Climb the corporate
F
A. A highly competitive and ruthless environment.
ladder thang tien
2. P
_____ Burn the midnight oil B. A job with no chance of advancement.

3. B
_____ A dead-end job C. A standard full-time job with regular hours.

4. Q
_____ Work like a dog D. An easy and comfortable job.
I E. Being an insignificant part of a large
5. _____ Get a foot in the door
organization.
6. G
_____ Take the bull by the
F. Advance through promotions in a company.
horns doi dien truc tiep van de
J no luc het suc
7. _____ Go the extra mile G. Facing a challenge directly.
tien boi thuong nghi viec
8. K
_____ Golden handshake H. Fierce, ruthless competition in the workplace.
nguoi ko quan trong
9. E
_____ Be a cog in the machine I. Gaining an initial opportunity.
D
10. _____ A cushy job nhan ha J. Putting in more effort than expected.
C K. Receiving a large financial compensation upon
11. _____ Nine-to-five job
leaving a job.
1 cong viec cuc ky cang thang
12. _____
N The rat race L. Severe stress and exhaustion from work.
A khoc liet
13. _____ Dog-eat-dog world M. The ability to adapt work hours or tasks.
su canh tranh H
khoc liet
14. _____ Cut-throat competition N. The stressful, competitive work life.
L
15. _____ Burnout (n) su kiet que O. Working continuously without rest.

16. M
_____ Job flexibility P. Working late into the night.

17. O
_____ Work around the clock Q. Working very hard.
24/7
1.6. Now fill in the blank with NO MORE THAN THREE words from the list in Section 1.5

1. After working for the company for over 20 years, the retiring manager received a generous
_____________________
golden handshake as part of his severance package. severance package: goi den bu duoi
viec
Cut-throat competition in the job market means that candidates need to constantly upskill to
2. _____________________
stay ahead.
to upskill: nang cao ky nan g
3. During the busy season, accountants often have to burn the _____________________
midnight oil to meet
tight deadlines and complete their tasks accurately.
the extra mile
4. Employees who go _____________________ often find themselves rewarded with promotions
and recognition from their supervisors.
rat race
5. I left the corporate world because I was tired of the _____________________ and wanted to
pursue something more fulfilling.

6. In order to solve the financial crisis, the new CEO decided to take the bull by
_____________________
the horn and implement major changes in company operations.
to implement (v) ap dung, thuc thi
major changes: thay doi lon

2
 7. In today’s competitive environment, many young professionals are eager to climb the
_____________________
corporate ladder as quickly as possible to achieve financial stability and career
satisfaction.

get a foot
8. Internships are a great way for recent graduates to _____________________ in the door and
start building their professional networks.
pandemic (n) dai dich
9. Job flexibility has become a top priority for workers, especially after the pandemic highlighted the
work-life balance
importance of _____________________.

dead-end job
10. Many people feel frustrated when they find themselves stuck in a _____________________
with no opportunities for growth or career advancement.
around the clock
11. Medical staff often have to work _____________________, especially during emergencies or
in understaffed hospitals.

12. Sometimes, employees in large corporations feel like they are just _____________________
a cog
in the machine, with no real influence on the company's direction.
burnout
13. The constant pressure and long working hours led to severe _____________________, forcing
him to take a break from his career.

dog-eat-dog world where only the strongest and most

14. The finance industry is a _____________________
determined individuals thrive.
nine-to-five
15. While a _____________________ job provides a stable routine, some people find it
monotonous and crave more flexibility in their schedules.

SPEAKING PART 1

1. Do you work or are you a student?

• Currently, I’m a university student, but I’m also doing a part-time internship in marketing. This
internship allows me to get a foot in the door of the corporate world and gain practical
experience that will be useful when I graduate.

2. What job would you like to do in the future?

• I’d love to work as a management consultant for a global firm. This job requires burning the
midnight oil sometimes, but I’m drawn to the challenge of solving complex problems and
helping businesses thrive. I also hope to climb the corporate ladder and eventually become a
partner.

PRACTICE

QUESTIONS STUDENT 1 STUDENT 2

1. Are you a student or do you

work?
2. What are you studying, and
why did you choose this
subject?
3. Do you think your studies will
prepare you well for your future
job?
4. What job would you like to
have after you graduate?
3
5. Have you ever had any part-
time jobs?

6. What kind of work would you

like to do in the future?

7. Do you think it’s important for

students to have part-time jobs?

8. Would you prefer to work in a

big company or a small one?

9. Do you think your future job

will be stressful?

10. Is there a job you would

never want to do? Why?

SPEAKING PART 2

Describe an interesting job that you would like to do. You should say:
• What it is
• What skills are required
• And explain why you think it would be interesting

TASK 1: LISTEN TO THE SAMPLE ANSWER AND FILL IN THE BLANK

4
PRACTICE - SPEAKING PART 2: Choose one of the following questions and practice
with a friend. Make sure you use some advanced-level structures from above.

1. Describe a job you would like to have in the future.

• You should say:

o What the job is
o What skills are required for the job
o Why you would like to have this job
• And explain how you think you can achieve it.

2. Describe a person you know who has an interesting job.

• You should say:

o Who this person is
o What job they do
o Why you think their job is interesting
• And explain how this person feels about their job.

3. Describe a job you have done (or are doing) that you found rewarding.

• You should say:

o What the job was
o What you had to do
o How long you did this job
• And explain why you found it rewarding.

4. Describe a job you think would be difficult to do.

• You should say:

o What the job is
o What skills are needed for this job
o Why you think this job is difficult
• And explain whether you would like to do this job or not.

5. Describe a time when you had to work in a team.

• You should say:

o What the situation was
o Who you worked with
o What you did as a team
• And explain how you felt about working in a team.

6. Describe a job that is well respected in your country.

• You should say:

o What the job is
o What people have to do in this job
o Why this job is respected
• And explain if you would like to do this job.

5
 SESSION 22: PROBLEM AND SOLUTION ESSAY
In pairs, read Sample Essay 1 and fill in the blank with one correct word to complete the essay. Then
answer questions 1-7.
SAMPLE ESSAY 1: Nowadays, most people try to balance between work and other parts of life.
Unfortunately, not many achieve this balance. What are the problems of this? Suggest some
solutions to solve the problem? in a vicious circle of vong luan quan
be confronted with sth: doi mat voi
In the modern society, employees are often confronted 1. What is the aim of the first
with
(1)____________ huge amounts of workload and
two sentences?
unprecedented pressure which arising arises
from the competitive job Hook - background
market. This seemingly puts these people in a vicious circle of
preventing/stoping 2. Underline Thesis
non-stop work, (2)____________ them from maintaining a work-
statement in this paragraph.
life balance. This essay will discuss some negative impacts and
suggest ways to (3)solve/address/tackle
____________ this problem.
be associated with: gan voi
3. Underline the topic
A failure to maintain work-life balance is often associated with
some undesirable consequences. Firstly, having an unhealthy
sentence
4. What are the supporting
work life balance can have a negative impact (4) ____________
on
ideas of this paragraph?
people’s health since these individuals tend to prioritise work at
expense -> to prioritise sth at the
the (5)____________ of their daily physical activities and
long expense of sth: uu tien...bo qua
recreational activities. This, in the (6) ____________ run, will
at the expense of sth:
lead to an increased level of stress and stress-related illness.
ma bo qua
rise
Secondly, work-life imbalance can also give (7) ____________
vat chat to give rise to sth: gay ra cai gi...
to growing problems with parenting. The materialistic society of
today drives many parents to becoming workaholics, (8) in the long run: ve lau dai
which
____________ leads them to spending less time taking care of to drive sb to Ving: day ai vao dau...
their children. (9) ____________
Without adequate supervision from to lead sb to do sth
parents, children can easily go on the wrong track. to lead to sb + Ving
solutions are suggested to
Therefore, some practical (10) ____________ 5. Underline the topic
mitigate the problem. One viable step is that people need to
sentence
6. What are the supporting
consider what makes them happy and then set (11)
priorities in life. When they come home from work, they ideas of this paragraph?
____________
should learn to switch the office button off. By (12) to mitigate: giam thieu
-> mitigation (n)
____________
doing so, they will have more time to enjoy leisure
activities and replenish their energies. Furthermore, people to switch the office button off:
allows
should plan a flexible schedule that (13) ____________ them to
ngung lam viec
spend part of their life on enjoying life. For example, they might
(14) ____________
focus more on work on some specific days, while to pursue their hobbies theo duoi
on the other days, they might have more time and energy to dam me
pursue their hobbies or relax with their loved ones.

In conclusion, work life imbalance can result (15) 7. What is the aim of the
in
____________ some harmful impacts on people’s health and
concluding paragraph?
family, and some steps should be taken into account to mitigate to take sth into account: tinh den gi...
this problem.

6
 highly-esteemed (a) cao quy
to pursue sth:
TASK 2: Read the sample answer to the questions and fill in the blank with ONE suitable word.
Then answer the questions that follow. sought-after (a) duoc theo duoi
considered/regarded
A generation ago, teaching in secondary education was (1)_______________ as a highly
esteemed and sought-after profession. While this perception
remains true in some countries, many regions across the globe have
witnessed a marked decline in the number of young individuals
wishing
(2)_______________ to become high school teachers. This essay
will examine the underlying causes of this trend and propose
potential solutions. (a) sau xa
contributing/leading
One significant factor (3)_______________ to this issue is
the relatively low remuneration associated with the teaching
profession. In (4)_______________
comparison to other fields such as law and
medicine, the salaries of educators have not kept pace,
leading
(5)_______________ to a widening income disparity. For example,
in the United Kingdom, a medical doctor with five years of
experience typically earns substantially more than a teacher with an
to keep pace: bat kip (6)_______________
equivalent level of experience. To address this
imbalance, it is imperative that governments consider significantly
increasing teachers' salaries, which could serve as a powerful (7)_______________
tool/incentive for attracting
more individuals to the profession. to exhibit disruptive behaviour: the hien hanh vi
Another contributing factor is the challenge quay pha behavior in the classroom. Teachers
of student
who/that
frequently encounter students (8)_______________ exhibit disruptive behavior, which can be
demoralizing and lead to high levels of stress, prompting some educators to leave the profession.
This issue also discourages prospective teachers from entering the field. To (9)_______________
solve/address
this problem, it is essential that parents instill in their children a deep respect for educators, thereby
fostering a more conducive learning environment.
P2 (chiu dung) to prompt sb to do sth: thuc day ai lam gi
Moreover, the excessive workload borne by teachers is a third critical factor. The demands of
marking and administrative tasks often result in teachers (10)_______________
feeling overburdened,
requiring them to work late into the evening and over weekends. Consequently, many educators
which
experience fatigue and stress, (11)_______________ can have a detrimental impact on their
TO
personal and family lives. A potential solution (12)_______________ this issue would be to reduce
the number of hours teachers are required to work and to hire additional teaching assistants. This
approach would help alleviate the workload, making the teaching profession more manageable and
appealing. to alleviate (v) giam thieu
appeal/attractionin many
In conclusion, the teaching profession has seen a decline in its (13)_______________
countries due to factors such as insufficient salaries, challenging working conditions, and student
relies/depends on attracting
behavior. This is a serious issue, as the future of education (14)_______________
and retaining talented educators. To ensure the continued quality of education, it is crucial that both
take
parents and governments (15)_______________ proactive steps to address these challenges.

to incentivise (v)
incentive (n)
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

How different is the structure of Essay 1 from Essay 2?

7
 TWO STRUCTURES

STRUCTURE 1 STRUCTURE 2
1. Introduction
1. Introduction
• Hook/Background: Introduce the
• Hook/Background: Introduce the
general topic and why it matters.
general topic and why it matters.
• Paraphrase the question: Restate
• Paraphrase the question: Restate
the essay prompt in your own words.
the essay prompt in your own words.
• Thesis statement: State that there
• Thesis statement: State that there
are important causes/problems (and
are important causes/problems (and
mention that solutions will be
mention that solutions will be
suggested if required by the task).
suggested if required by the task).
2. Body Paragraph 1 – Causes/Problems
2. Body Paragraph 1 – Cause 1 + Solution 1
• Topic sentence: Introduce that there
• Topic sentence: Introduce the first
are several causes/problems.
cause/problem.
• Cause/Problem 1: Explain briefly +
• Explanation/Evidence: Develop why it
give consequence/example.
happens or its effect.
• Cause/Problem 2: Explain briefly +
• Solution: Suggest a concrete solution to
give consequence/example.
this specific cause/problem.
• (Optional) Cause/Problem 3: Add if
• Benefit: Explain how this solution
needed.
addresses the issue.
• Closing link: Summarize how these
causes/problems make the issue
serious. 3. Body Paragraph 2 – Cause 2 + Solution 2

• Topic sentence: Introduce the second

3. Body Paragraph 2 – Solutions
cause/problem.
• Explanation/Evidence: Develop with
• Topic sentence: State that some
detail/example.
solutions can be implemented.
• Solution: Provide a practical solution.
• Solution 1: Explain clearly how it
• Benefit: Show how it mitigates the issue.
works + possible benefit.
• Solution 2: Explain + benefit.
• (Optional) Solution 3: If needed. 4. (Optional) Body Paragraph 3 – Cause 3 +
• Closing link: Emphasize solutions are Solution 3
practical/feasible.
• Same structure as above, if more points
4. Conclusion are needed.

• Summarize the main causes/problems 5. Conclusion

and the suggested solutions.
• Final thought (prediction, • Summarize the main causes and their
recommendation, or call to action). respective solutions.
• Restate importance of tackling the issue.
• End with a final recommendation or
prediction.

8
USEFUL LANGUAGE

1. Thesis Statement (Introduction)

Instead of simple forms like “This essay will discuss the causes and solutions of…”, here are
advanced alternatives:

o The persistence of [problem] can largely be attributed to a combination of [cause A]

and [cause B], yet several viable solutions may help alleviate its impact.

o Although [problem] stems from diverse social and economic factors, practical
interventions could mitigate its negative consequences.

o The causes of [problem] are multifaceted, but these can be addressed through targeted
solutions.

2. Topic Sentences – Body Paragraph 1 (Causes/Problems)

For Causes For Problems

• There are several causes of [issue], • [Issue] gives rise to a range of

the most prominent being [cause A] and problems, most notably [problem A] and
[cause B]. [problem B].
• A number of interrelated factors help • This trend has resulted in multiple
explain [issue], including [cause A] and problems, including [problem A] and
[cause B]. [problem B].
• The phenomenon of [issue] can be • The consequences of [issue] are
attributed to multiple causes, among manifold, with [problem A] and [problem
which [cause A] and [cause B] are the B] being particularly severe.
most significant. • Several pressing problems stem from
• Several underlying reasons account [issue], chief among them [problem A]
for [issue], ranging from [cause A] to and [problem B].
[cause B]. • This issue leads to diverse problems,
• This issue is largely driven by [cause such as [problem A], while [problem B]
A], while [cause B] also plays a crucial further compounds the situation.
role.

3. Topic Sentences – Body Paragraph 2 (Solutions)

o To counteract these challenges, several measures could be implemented at both the

individual and societal levels.

o A number of practical solutions may be pursued to lessen the severity of [problem].

o Addressing this issue requires a twofold approach, focusing on both [solution A] and
[solution B].

o Although the problem is complex, feasible solutions exist that could significantly reduce its
impact.

9
PRACTICE: In groups, make an outline for one of the following topics

1. Unemployment among young people is a serious issue in many countries.

What are the main problems associated with youth unemployment, and what measures can
be taken to reduce it?

2. In many developed countries, older people find it difficult to get jobs despite having
experience.
What are the problems caused by this situation? What solutions can be suggested?

3. The rise of automation and artificial intelligence is threatening traditional jobs in

various industries.
What problems can this create for workers? What steps should governments and companies
take to address these challenges?

4. Many university graduates struggle to find suitable employment, even after years of
study.
What are the causes of this problem? What solutions can be offered?

5. Job dissatisfaction is becoming increasingly common among employees.

What problems does this create for individuals and society? What can employers do to
improve job satisfaction?

6. Temporary and part-time contracts are replacing permanent jobs in many countries.
What issues does this trend cause for workers? How can these problems be resolved?

7. Globalization has led to increased competition for jobs between local and foreign
workers.
What are the problems of this situation? What solutions can be implemented?

10
SESSION 22: LISTENING HOMEWORK

11
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13
14
15
16
17
18
SESSION 22: READING HOMEWORK

19
20
21
22
23
PRACTICE: You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading
Passage 1 below.

IMPLEMENTING THE CYCLE OF SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY

Within Australia, Australian Hotels Inc (AHI) operates nine hotels and employs over 2000 permanent full-
time staff, 300 permanent part-time employees and 100 casual staff. One of its latest ventures, the Sydney
Airport hotel (SAH), opened in March 1995. The hotel is the closest to Sydney Airport and is designed to
provide the best available accommodation, food and beverage and meeting facilities in Sydney’s southern
suburbs. Similar to many international hotel chains, however, AHI has experienced difficulties in Australia
in providing long-term profits for hotel owners, as a result of the country’s high labour-cost structure. In
order to develop an economically viable hotel organisation model, AHI decided to implement some new
policies and practices at SAH.

The first of the initiatives was an organisational structure with only three levels of management – compared
to the traditional seven. Partly as a result of this change, there are 25 per cent fewer management
positions, enabling a significant saving. This change also has other implications. Communication, both up
and down the organisation, has greatly improved. Decision-making has been forced down in many cases
24
to front-line employees. As a result, guest requests are usually met without reference to a supervisor,
improving both customer and employee satisfaction.

The hotel also recognised that it would need a different approach to selecting employees who would fit in
with its new policies. In its advertisements, the hotel stated a preference for people with some ‘service’
experience in order to minimize traditional work practices being introduced into the hotel. Over 7000
applicants filled in application forms for the 120 jobs initially offered at SAH. The balance of the positions
at the hotel (30 management and 40 shift leader positions) were predominantly filled by transfers from
other AHI properties.

A series of tests and interviews were conducted with potential employees, which eventually left 280
applicants competing for the 120 advertised positions. After the final interview, potential recruits were
divided into three categories. Category A was for applicants exhibiting strong leadership qualities,
Category C was for applicants perceived to be followers, and Category B was for applicants with both
leader and follower qualities. Department heads and shift leaders then composed prospective teams using
a combination of people from all three categories. Once suitable teams were formed, offers of employment
were made to team members.

Another major initiative by SAH was to adopt a totally multi-skilled workforce. Although there may be some
limitations with highly technical jobs such as cooking or maintenance, wherever possible, employees at
SAH are able to work in a wide variety of positions. A multi-skilled workforce provides far greater
management flexibility during peak and quiet times to transfer employees to needed positions. For
example, when office staff are away on holidays during quiet periods of the year, employees in either food
or beverage or housekeeping departments can temporarily The most crucial way, however, of improving
the labour cost structure at SAH was to find better, more productive ways of providing customer service.
SAH management concluded this would first require a process of ‘benchmarking’. The prime objective of
the benchmarking process was to compare a range of service delivery processes across a range of criteria
using teams made up of employees from different departments within the hotel which interacted with each
other. This process resulted in performance measures that greatly enhanced SAH’s ability to improve
productivity and quality.

The front office team discovered through this project that a high proportion of AHI Club member
reservations were incomplete. As a result, the service provided to these guests was below the standard
promised to them as part of their membership agreement. Reducing the number of incomplete reservations
greatly improved guest perceptions of service.

In addition, a program modeled on an earlier project called ‘Take Charge’ was implemented. Essentially,
Take Charge provides an effective feedback loop from both customers and employees. Customer
comments, both positive and negative, are recorded by staff. These are collated regularly to identify
opportunities for improvement. Just as importantly, employees are requested to note down their own
suggestions for improvement. (AHI has set an expectation that employees will submit at least three
suggestions for every one they receive from a customer.) Employee feedback is reviewed daily and
suggestions are implemented within 48 hours, if possible, or a valid reason is given for non-
implementation. If suggestions require analysis or data collection, the Take Charge team has 30 days in
which to address the issue and come up with recommendations.

Although quantitative evidence of AHI’s initiatives at SAH are limited at present, anecdotal evidence clearly
suggests that these practices are working. Indeed, AHI is progressively rolling out these initiatives in other
hotels in Australia, whilst numerous overseas visitors have come to see how the program works.

Questions 1-5: Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 1-5 on your answer
sheet.
1. The high costs of running AHI’s hotels are related to their …….
A. management.
B. size.
C. staff.
D. policies.
2. SAH’s new organisational structure requires …….
A. 75% of the old management positions.
B. 25% of the old management positions.
25
 C. 25% more management positions.
D. 5% fewer management positions.
3. The SAH’s approach to organisational structure required changing practices in …….
A. industrial relations.
B. firing staff.
C. hiring staff.
D. marketing.
4. The total number of jobs advertised at the SAH was ……..
A. 70.
B. 120.
C. 170.
D. 280.
5. Categories A, B and C were used to select……..
A. front office staff.
B. new teams.
C. department heads.
D. new managers.

Questions 6-13: Complete the following summary of the last four paragraphs of Reading Passage
36 using ONE OR TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 6-13 on your answer sheet.

WHAT THEY DID AT SAH

Teams of employees were selected from different hotel departments to participate in a (6)_____________
exercise. The information collected was used to compare (7)_____________ processes which, in turn, led
to the development of (8)_____________that would be used to increase the hotel’s capacity to
improve (9)_____________as well as quality. Also, an older program known as (10)_____________ was
introduced at SAH. In this program, (11)_____________ is sought from customers and staff. Wherever
possible (12)_____________ suggestions are implemented within 48 hours. Other suggestions are
investigated for their feasibility for a period of up to (13)_____________.

26