,Exercises,Reading Comprehension,Structure of the Text,Unit 4: Exercises,Vocabulary,Cloze,Translation,Unit 4: Reading comprehension,1.In paragraph 2, the author says that “Who will take the helm? is one question that will keep CEOs awake at night in the next millennium.” Why do you think the CEOs feel so worried about people who will take over as managers?,The CEOs feel so worried because Gen Xers have been described very negatively by many writers. Studies accuse them of being arrogant, uncommitted, unmanageable, and lazy. They care about nothing, and are unwilling to pay their dues. The CEOs worry how this generation is going to manage the firms, especially, the services firms.,Reference,Ex. I, p.71,2.Why are Gen Xers so independent? In paragraphs 46, what examples does the author give to show their independence?,Gen Xers are so independent because they had been the “latchkey kids”. When they were young, they had been left alone by divorced and / or working parents. Therefore, they learnt to deal with things independently. For example, at the workplace, they hope to have flexible work schedules. They dont want to be watched closely and instructed step by step while doing their work. They only want guidance and encouragement from their managers.,Reference,Unit 4: Reading comprehension,3.What kind of environment do Gen Xers prefer to work in? Why?,Gen Xers prefer to work in an environment which is fully equipped with the most advanced technology, such as telecommuting, teleconferencing, etc. As a generation who has grown up with rapidly changing technology and the availability of huge amounts of information, they feel very comfortable with using technology and computers. Only in a technologically advanced environment, can they work effectively and efficiently.,Reference,Unit 4: Reading comprehension,5.Why do Gen X job applicants usually make the interviewers surprised and irritated at a job interview?,Gen X job applicants usually openly ask life-balance questions at a job interview, which makes the interviewers surprised and irritated. The interviewers have been too used to hearing Baby Boomer job applicants say “How can I best contribute to the company?” and “My greatest weakness is that I work too hard.”,Reference,Unit 4: Reading comprehension,6.The author gives a subtitle “Just Do It” to paragraphs 1213. How do you understand the meaning of “Just Do It” from the two paragraphs?,From the two paragraphs, we can learn that “Just do it” here means that Gen Xers expect everything to be clear, honest and substantial. The examples include: 1) They support substance over style. 2) They emphasize outcomes over process. 3)They want their managers to communicate honestly with them. 4)They expect their managers to give them tangible rewards rather than soft words.,Reference,Unit 4: Reading comprehension,7.According to paragraphs 1417, Gen Xers are constantly changing jobs instead of working for a single employer all their lifetime like their parents. What are the two reasons we can find to explain Gen Xers frequent change of their jobs?,1) Gen Xers believe that their future lies in their resumes rather than their loyalty to any one company. 2)They want to develop diverse work skills by trying different but challenging jobs.,Reference,Unit 4: Reading comprehension,8.In what way will Gen Xs life-balance beliefs affect corporate policies in the future according to the authors forecasts in paragraph 21?,In the authors opinion, Gen Xs life-balance beliefs will lead to the development of family-friendly corporate policies in the future. To be specific, there are two types of family-friendly policies mentioned here: 1)Employees will enjoy flexible work schedules and reduced work hours. 2) Employees will be able to choose benefits that are most suitable for them to meet their individual needs, such as benefits which support early family concerns like insurance, child care, etc.,Reference,Unit 4: Reading comprehension,9.In paragraph 23, the author forecasts that many Gen Xers will choose to become entrepreneurs rather than take a job in a company. What advantage and disadvantage are mentioned by the author about Gen Xers trend to start their own business?,The advantage is: Companies will find it easy to obtain goods or services from an outside supplier. The disadvantage is: Companies will have fewer candidates when they want to promote junior managers.,Reference,Unit 4: Reading comprehension,10.In paragraph 25, what suggestion does the author give to deal with the culture clash between Baby Boomers and Gen Xers within the workplace?,The author suggests that cultural conflicts between Baby Boomers and Gen Xers within the workplace should be faced directly and honestly. Cultural diversity should be understood, respected and accepted in the company. Meanwhile, there should be lines for the two groups to communicate with each other to foster mutual respect.,Reference,Unit 4: Reading compr