Unit 3 - Working LIfe | Exercises and Flashcards

Unit 3, Speakout Advanced 3rd Exercises and Flashcards

These exercises focus on Unit 3, Speakout Advanced 3rd

Wordlist for Unit 3, Speakout Advanced 3rd

Word	Definition	Example
identify your strong selling points	To recognize what you do best that can attract others	Identify your strong selling points for the interview
warrant a second look	To deserve further consideration	This idea warrants a second look
play to your particular strengths	To use your unique skills to your advantage	Play to your particular strengths in the competition
leave a problematic digital footprint	To create negative traces of your online activity	Be careful not to leave a problematic digital footprint
leave a problematic digital footprint	To risk ruining someone's opportunity	Negative comments can jeopardise a person's chance
spread the word	To share information with many people	Please spread the word about our event
drop in your lap	To receive something unexpectedly	An opportunity might drop in your lap unexpectedly
encounter	To meet or come across something or someone	We may encounter some difficulties
badger	To annoy or bother someone repeatedly	Stop badgering me with questions
be wary of	To be cautious or careful about something	Be wary of strangers offering gifts
convey	To communicate or express something	Her smile conveys happiness
underlying reason	The main cause or motivation behind something	The underlying reason for the change is unclear
come out at some point	To eventually become known or revealed	The truth will come out at some point
be crucial	To be very important	This decision is crucial for our future
undoubtedly	Certainly; without a doubt	He is undoubtedly the best player on the team
have an aptitude for	To have a natural skill or talent in something	She has an aptitude for math
in all probability	Very likely; most likely	In all probability, it will rain tomorrow
be highly likely	Very probable; likely to happen	It is highly likely that he will succeed
the odds are that	It is likely that	The odds are that she will win the race
daunting	Intimidating or overwhelming	The test was daunting for everyone
rehearse	To practice something beforehand	She needs to rehearse her lines
beforehand	Before an event or action	Prepare everything beforehand
fidget	To move around restlessly or nervously	He tends to fidget when he is nervous
reveal	To make known or show something	She will reveal the results tomorrow
fatigue	Extreme tiredness	Fatigue can affect your performance
stare at	To look at something for a long time	He stared at the painting for hours
break-out rooms	Smaller rooms for group discussions within a larger meeting	We will use break-out rooms for the discussion
non-verbal cue	Communication without words, like gestures or body language	A smile is a non-verbal cue of happiness
pitch of the voice	The highness or lowness of someone's voice	The pitch of her voice was high
strain	To put pressure on; to make an effort	Don't strain your eyes by reading in dim light
decode	To interpret or make sense of something	He can decode the secret message
awkwardly	In a way that is uncomfortable or clumsy	She awkwardly introduced herself
perceive	To notice or understand something	How do you perceive this situation?
intently	With great attention or focus	He listened intently to the lecture
entirely	Completely; fully	This story is entirely true
nerve-wracking	Causing anxiety or stress	The exam was nerve-wracking
be conscious of	To be aware of something	Be conscious of your surroundings
commute	To travel regularly between home and work	He commutes to work by train
be down to the wire	To be very close to a deadline or decision	The game was down to the wire
submission	The act of presenting something for consideration	The deadline for submission is tomorrow
tempt to	To attract or persuade someone to do something	I'm tempted to eat the cake
spill into	To overflow or spread into another area	The crowd began to spill into the street
reach out	To contact someone for help or support	Feel free to reach out if you need help
wittering on	Talking in a silly or aimless way	She kept wittering on about her day
feel drained	To feel very tired or exhausted	After the meeting, he felt drained
outweigh the drawbacks	To be more important than the negative aspects	The benefits outweigh the drawbacks
aggravate the problem	To make a situation worse	Don't aggravate the problem by ignoring it
alleviate boredom	To make boredom less intense	Reading can alleviate boredom
boost morale	To improve confidence or spirit	A good leader can boost team morale
ease stress levels	To reduce feelings of stress	Meditation can ease stress levels
engender distrust	To create a lack of trust	Lying can engender distrust among friends
exacerbate divisions	To make differences or conflicts worse	His speech could exacerbate divisions in the community
strengthen bonds	To make relationships or connections stronger	Shared activities can strengthen bonds between people
tackle the issue	To address or deal with a problem	We need to tackle the issue immediately
be a wet blanket	To be someone who discourages enjoyment or excitement	Don't be a wet blanket at the party
be flooded with spam	To receive a large amount of unwanted messages	My email is flooded with spam
ideas flow	To generate or produce many ideas easily	When we brainstorm, ideas flow freely
keep your head above water	To manage to stay out of trouble or cope with challenges	Despite the challenges, she keeps her head above water
pour out your frustrations	To express your feelings of frustration	He poured out his frustrations to his friend
take a long time to trickle down	To take a while for effects to be felt or noticed	Changes in policy can take a long time to trickle down
water something down	To make something less strong or effective	The report was watered down to avoid controversy
screen freezes	The computer display stops responding	My screen freezes whenever I open that program
allocate resources	To distribute resources effectively	We need to allocate resources wisely
bridge the gender pay gap	To reduce the difference in pay between genders	Efforts are needed to bridge the gender pay gap
eliminate discrimination	To remove unfair treatment based on differences	Laws are in place to eliminate discrimination
encourage diversity	To promote a variety of backgrounds and perspectives	The company aims to encourage diversity in the workplace
enforce regulations	To make sure rules are followed	It's important to enforce regulations strictly
shape policy	To influence or create rules and guidelines	Experts help shape policy on health care
stand up for	To support or defend someone or something	We must stand up for our rights
tackle inequalities	To address unfair differences between groups	The new laws aim to tackle inequalities
on agenda	Included in the list of topics to be discussed	Education reform is on the agenda for the meeting
gender pay gap	The difference in earnings between men and women	The gender pay gap remains a significant issue
negotiate	To discuss terms in order to reach an agreement	They will negotiate the terms of the contract
paternity	Related to fatherhood	He took paternity leave after the baby was born
regardless of	Without considering; without being affected by	We will continue regardless of the weather
obliged to	Required or forced to do something	She felt obliged to help
heritage	Traditions, culture, and history passed down from previous generations	He is proud of his cultural heritage
cast a vote	To formally express a choice in an election	Every citizen should cast a vote
exit polls	Surveys of voters taken after they have voted	Exit polls predict a close race
far right/left	Political positions that are very conservative or liberal	The candidate has far right political views
head of state	The highest official in a country	The president is the head of state
hereditary monarch	A king or queen who inherits their position	The country has a hereditary monarch
liberal political views	Progressive or open-minded political beliefs	She has liberal political views
manifesto	A public declaration of intentions or beliefs	The party's manifesto includes health care reform
on the left	A political position that favors social equality	The politician is on the left of the political spectrum
right-wing	A political position that favors traditional values	He supports right-wing policies
secret ballot	A voting method where votes are cast privately	The election is conducted by secret ballot
spin	To present information in a way that influences perception	The spokesperson tried to spin the news in their favor
written constitution	A formal document outlining the fundamental principles of a government	The country has a written constitution
field of work	A specific area of employment or profession	She is well-known in her field of work
prioritise	To arrange in order of importance	We need to prioritise our tasks for the day
shared values	Common beliefs or principles held by a group	The community has strong shared values
social aspect	Related to society and interpersonal relationships	The social aspect of the job is important
sound financial footing	A stable and secure financial situation	The company is on a sound financial footing
in terms of	Regarding or concerning a specific aspect	In terms of quality, this product is the best
toxic culture	A harmful or negative work or social environment	The office had a toxic culture that affected morale
compile	To gather information or data together	She will compile the data for the report

FAQ

Why is it important to learn vocabulary related to working life?

Understanding working life vocabulary enables you to articulate professional challenges and successes, making you more effective in communication, self-presentation, and problem-solving within the workplace.

How can I identify my “strong selling points”?

Your strong selling points are the unique skills and qualities that set you apart from others. Identifying them involves reflecting on past achievements, gathering feedback, and playing to your strengths during job interviews or performance reviews.

What does “play to your particular strengths” mean?

This phrase means focusing on and leveraging the skills you excel at to achieve success in your career. For example, if you're great at public speaking, you could volunteer for presentations or pitches.

How do non-verbal cues impact workplace communication?

Non-verbal cues, such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, convey emotions and attitudes that words alone cannot express. Being conscious of them helps foster clear and positive communication.

What are “break-out rooms,” and how do they improve virtual meetings?

Break-out rooms are smaller, virtual spaces within an online meeting platform that allow participants to engage in focused discussions. They encourage collaboration and make large meetings more productive.

How can I “boost morale” in the workplace?

Boosting morale involves actions like recognizing achievements, promoting open communication, and fostering a supportive environment. This helps improve team satisfaction and motivation.

What does “nerve-wracking” mean, and how can I handle nerve-wracking situations?

“Nerve-wracking” refers to situations that cause anxiety or stress, such as public speaking or meeting tight deadlines. Handling these moments involves preparation, deep breathing, and focusing on positive outcomes.

What is the “gender pay gap,” and why is it important to address?

The gender pay gap is the difference in average earnings between men and women. Addressing it ensures fair compensation, promotes equality, and fosters a more inclusive workplace.

What does it mean to “tackle inequalities”?

Tackling inequalities involves identifying and addressing disparities in the workplace, such as pay gaps or discriminatory practices, to create a fair and equitable environment for all employees.

How can I “alleviate boredom” during repetitive tasks?

Alleviating boredom can be achieved by breaking tasks into smaller steps, incorporating short breaks, or listening to music or podcasts while working. This keeps your mind engaged and reduces fatigue.

What is meant by “outweigh the drawbacks”?

This phrase means that the benefits of a particular action or decision are greater than its disadvantages. For example, working from home may have drawbacks, but its flexibility often outweighs them.