The Company Man

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Unit 5

• The Company Man

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content

1. Text one
2. Text two
3. Oral activity
4. Exercises

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Text one

• Pre-reading questions
• Background information
• Vocabulary
• Structure analysis
• Comprehension questions
• Language points of Text I

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Text I The Company Man

• Pre-reading questions

• What do you think is the life of a typical
  workaholic like?
• 2. How important do you think work is to a
  person?
• 3. What drives people to overwork?

5
Background information (1)

• About the text and the author
• Ellen Goodman(1941 ), journalist and columnist
  who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980 for commentary.
  She has written for Newsweek, the Detroit Free
  Press, and the Boston Globe. Her works include
  Turning Points (1979), Close to Home (1979), and
  At Large (1981).

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Background information (2)

• Ellen Goodman is an American original. Her
  abundant talents, intellect, wit, style, news
  judgment, set her apart with an élan uniquely her
  own. Her Pulitzer Prize winning commentary
  appears in more than 375 newspapers

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Background information (3)

• Goodman has been an innovative force in American
  journalism. She once said, I think readers need
  to be less alienated from editorial pages and
  made them so by expanding the debate on op-ed
  pages. She has commented on the tumult of social
  change and its impact on families, and shattered
  the mold of men writing exclusively about
  politics.
• Goodman brings new readers to editorial pages.
  She is widely acclaimed as a voice of sanity, and
  readers depend on her to help them make sense of
  their changing lives and relationships. I have
  always read Ellen Goodman, a Sarasota, Fla.,
  reader says. She writes on issues that concern
  me, no matter where Ive lived or where I moved.

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Background information (4)

• In 1980, Goodman was awarded the Pulitzer Prize
  for Distinguished Commentary.
• Goodmans work has won many other awards,
  including the American Society of Newspaper
  Editors Distinguished Writing Award in 1980. She
  received the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights
  Award from the Leadership Conference on Civil
  Rights in 1988. In 1993, at its Seventh Annual
  Exceptional Merit Media Award Ceremony, The
  National Womens Political Caucus gave her the
  Presidents Award. In 1994, the Womens Research
  Education Institute presented her with their
  American Woman Award.

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Background information (5)

• Pulitzer Prize
• Any of several awards established by Joseph
  Pulitzer and conferred annually for
  accomplishment in various fields of American
  journalism, literature, and music.

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Background information (6)

• 1. work while you work play while you play this
  is the way to be cheerful and gay
• 2. Never put off the work till tomorrow what you
  can put off today. ???,???
• 3. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
  ???????,???????
• Work smarter, not harder.????? ??,??????????
• Work has a bitter root but sweet fruit.--German
  proverb ????,????--?? ??
• Many hands make light work.??????? ??????
• Work makes the workman. ?????

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Structure analysis of the text (1)

• Paragraph 1
• This is an introductory paragraph.
• Paragraphs 2-6
• This part reports how devoted the man was to his
  work.
• Paragraphs 7-13
• This part describes Phils role in his family.
• Paragraph 14-16
• This is the concluding part. After the cause of
  Phils death being restated, the author goes on
  to report the company presidents inquire for his
  successor.

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Structure analysis of the text (2)

• In a colloquial style, the author paints an
  ironic picture of the cutthroat life of a company
  man and his family. The man was a workaholic who
  died of a heart attack, which surprised no one.
  His wife lost him years ago to his work, and his
  children did not know him well. To make her
  writing more effective, the author uses
  repetition and parallelism.

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Structure analysis of the text (3)

• Besides, she deliberately varies the length of
  the sentences. By mixing some unusually short
  sentences with the long ones, the author varies
  their weight and achieves emphasis and impact.
  For example, in Paragraph 3, the short sentence
  Phil knew that. Follows two long sentences.
  This helps avoid monotony is narration and
  emphasize Phils awareness of the cutthroat
  competition.

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Comprehension questions (1)

• 1. what is meant by the sentence she would be
  well taken care of in Paragraph 8?
• Key It means that the company Phil worked for
  would provide some financial help for his wife so
  as to relieve her of any possible worries about
  finance.

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Comprehension questions (2)

• 2. why is the phrase dearly beloved repeated
  when referring to his children in Paragraph 9?
• Key The phrase delay beloved is repeated to
  create a sarcastic effect for his relationship
  with his children was far from being close and
  intimate and he devoted too little to his
  children.

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Comprehension questions (3)

• 3. What do you think is the relationship like
  between Phil and the three children?
• Key Refer to Paragraphs 912. Successful as his
  was as a corporate man, Phil was a failing
  father. Is eldest son knew so little about him
  that he had to research his father by asking the
  neighbors what he was like. His daughter had
  nothing to say when staying along with him. And
  his younger son, also his favorite, remarked
  bitterly that his father and he only boarded at
  the home. The relationship between Phil and his
  children was distant and estranged.

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Comprehension questions (4)

• 4.what is the implication of the ending?
• Key It implies the story of Phil sees no end He
  will soon be replaced by an equally hardworking
  guy who may following in his steps and repeat the
  same tragedy. Bosses are always on the lookout
  for workaholics and they are never in short
  supply. The ending is full of sarcasm and
  bitterness.

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Comprehension questions (5)

• 5. Do you think it is a sheer waste of life to
  die so young for working so hard? How can you
  learn from the story of Phil?

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Vocabulary

• 1. obituary 1) C a published notice of death,
  sometimes with a brief account of the dead
  persons life.
• 2) adj. an obituary notice

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• ???????????????????????????????????????,???????,?2
  005?11?7?22?20?????,????,??20??
• ??????????2005?11?12???10????????1???????
• ????????????????
• ????
• ??????????????????
• 2005?11?9?
• ??????
• ????[phone]-2218213428797579

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Funeral notice

• CANSON, Joyce ReaSept 5, 1941-Oct 12, 2006.
  Mother of Robert Beverly, Richard Beverly, and
  Sheila Daniels. Mother-in-law to Sheryl Beverly,
  Kim Beverly, and Darius Daniels. Beloved
  ''Granny'' to Robert, Anjalee, Sheila, Clarissa,
  Raven, and Kathryn. Sister to Charlotte Smith,
  Gloria Johnson (husband Ronald), and the late
  Jimmy Thorntona (late wife Polly). Daughter to
  the late Charles Canson and Emma Johnson.
  Survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and
  good friends. Friends and family are invited to
  attend a celebration of Joyces life, Tuesday,
  October 17, 2006 at 12 pm at Sierra 2 Center,
  2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA 95818.

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• 2. coronary thrombosis blocking of a coronary
  artery by a clot of blood, damaging the heart and
  possibly causing death heart attack.
• 3. workaholic C a person who works obsessively
  and finds it difficult to stop.
• -holic suffix. means be addicted to
• E.g. alcoholic
• U workaholism

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• 4. conceivably adv. in a manner that can be
  imagined or believed.
• E.g. He might conceivably have missed the bus.
• conceivable adj.
• E.g.?????????????????
• It is hardly conceivable that he can run so fast.
• ?????????
• She earned money by every conceivable means

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• conceive
• 1) We didn't conceive such a tragedy could occur.
• To be of the opinion that think
• 2) We have to conceive a plan to increase
  profits.
• To form or develop in the mind devise
• 3) I couldn't conceive the meaning of that
  sentence, although he explained again.
• To apprehend mentally understand
• 4)The baby was conceived in February and born in
  November.
• To become pregnant with (offspring).

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• 5. executive 1) C a person or group having
  administrative or managerial authority in an
  organization.
• 2) adj. Of, relating to, capable of, or suited
  for carrying out or executing
• E.g.He was a man of great executive ability.
• Vt. execute
• 1) A government executes the decisions of the
  ruling party.
• To put into effect carry out
• 2) The victims relatives expected to execute the
  killer.
• To put to death, especially by carrying out a
  lawful sentence.

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• 6. survive vt. To live longer than to outlive.
• E.g. My father survived my mother by/for five
  years
• 7. board vi. to pay to( or to make somebody)
  sleep and eat meals in somebodys house.
• E.g. She arranged to board some students from the
  university.
• 2) Food or meals considered as a whole
• E.g. Each student has to pay 100 a month for
  board and lodging.

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• 8. widow C a woman whose husband has died, and
  who has not married again.
• widower a man whose wife has died, and who has
  not married again
• widow vt. to make a widow or widower of sb.
• 9. deceased C somebody who has died,
  especially
• Adj. dead.
• Vi/ U decease
• E.g. Upon your decease the house will pass to
  your wife.

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• 10.lineupcA group of people, organizations, or
  things enlisted or arrayed for a purpose
• E.g. a candidate has an impressive lineup of
  supporters.
• a line of people who has died, especially
  recently.

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Language points of Text I (1-1)

• 1.work himself to death died from
  self-motivated overwork.
• 2. finally imply the doomed ending of the
  workaholic.
• 3. precisely exactly
• E.g.They arrived at five oclock precisely.
• Note Some of its synonyms are exactly,
  accurately, definitely
• Emphasize his devotion to work.

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Language points of Text I (1-2)

• 4. Why isnt the name mentioned?
• 1) get the readers involved in finding out the
  character.
• 2) suggest the fact that workaholism has become a
  common/ubiquitous phenomenon. workaholics lost
  their individuality while they are busy in the
  wok.

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Language points of Text I (1-3)

• 5. juxtapositions putting contradictory actions
  or ideas together.
• E.g. work to death on Sunday morning, which
  creates am image of a workaholic.

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Language points of Text I (2-1)

• 1. What type of man was the deceased?
• 2. Were Phils friends all greatly saddened by
  his sudden death?

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Language points of Text I (4-1)

• 2. overweight weighing more than is normal,
  necessary, or allowed, especially having more
  body weight than is considered normal or healthy
  for ones age or build.
• Compare fat, obese, fleshy, stout, pudgy, plump,
  chubby
• These adjectives mean having an abundance and
  often an excess of flesh.
• Fat implies excessive weight and is generally
  unfavorable in its connotations
• e.g. Charlie is not merely overweight but
  downright fat.

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Language points of Text I (4-2)

• obsess implies gross overweight
• e.g. a woman of robust frame though stout,
  not obsess
• fleshy suggests a not necessarily excessive
  abundance of flesh
• e.g. Susan quite likes her boyfriends firm,
  fleshy arms.
• Stout is sometimes used as a polite term to
  describe fatness. In stricter application stout
  refers to a person with a thickset, bulky figure
• e.g. Even slim girls can become stout matrons.

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Language points of Text I (4-3)

• Pudgy means short and fat
• e.g. His pudgy fingers look really funny.
• Plump applies to a pleasing fullness of figure
• e.g. Everybody loves Rita, the plump, rosy
  little girl.
• A chubby person is round and plump
• e.g. a chubby toddler chubby checks

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Language points of Text I (5)

• 3.survive to live longer than to outlive
• e.g. Its amazing that she should have survived
  all her children and grandchildren.
• My father survived my mother by four years.
• 4.marketable wanted by purchasers or employers.
• e.g. They have failed to launch a marketable
  model for years.
• It is a good idea to list your marketable skills
  before heading for the job fair.

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Language points of Text I (6)

• 5. widow a woman whose husband has died, and who
  has not married again.
• widower a man whose wife has died, and who has
  not married again.
• Widow v. to make a widow or widower of somebody.
• e.g. She calls her windowed father/mother nearly
  everyday.

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Language points of Text I (7)

• 6.straighten out to solve or settle to remove
  difficulties from something or the doubt or
  ignorance in somebodys mind.
• e.g. we need someone capable of straightening out
  all the confusion.
• I was then muddled about the registration
  procedures. Luckily, she came in time to
  straighten me out.

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Language points of Text I (8)

• 7. inquiry a request for help or information an
  investigation
• e.g. There have been many inquires about the new
  degree program we offer.
• Dont hesitate to check with our workers at the
  inquiry desk/office when in doubt.

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Language points of Text I (14)

• 1. a heart-attack natural a person suited by
  nature for heart-attack.
• 2. pick out select

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Language points of Text I (15)

• Why the author repeat the sentence three times?
• The author relates the two contradictory
  ideaswork to death on Sunday morning.
• Thus reveals Phils personality and suggests that
  he is destined to be exhausted.

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Language points of Text I (16-1)

• 1. discreetly self-restraint in speech.
• 2. taste faculty of discerning what is excellent
  and appropriate.
• 3. replacement substitute.
• It is contradictory to the Paragraph 13.
• It was the same quality, leading to Phils death,
  that the president was seeking in the replacement.

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Language points of Text I (16-2)

• what is the implication of the ending?
• Key It reveals handwork is the deciding factor
  in determining whether one will be promoted. It
  is also an inner drive to hard work.
• It implies the story of Phil sees no end He will
  soon be replaced by an equally hardworking guy
  who may follow in his steps and repeat the same
  tragedy. Bosses are always on the lookout for
  workaholics and they are never in short supply.
• The ending is full of sarcasm and bitterness.

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Comprehension questions of Text II (1)

• 1.What is a kind of fundamental malaise which
  seems very common and which poses difficult
  problems for the social reformer?
• People are troubled by a feeling of boredom and
  discontent, so they seem to yearn for something
  that may help to boost their spirits. The rich
  often feel depressed and professional men often
  feel hopelessly thwarted.

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Comprehension questions of Text II (2)

• 2. What is the first of the two causes that
  prevent people from being as happy as one might
  expect?
• It is the necessity of readiness to submit to
  others in some large organization. Conformity is
  encouraged and submission is a virtue. If you are
  bubbling with energy and laden with ideas, you
  constantly find yourself in trouble. You are
  bossed about by some big man at the top who is
  elderly, weary and cynical. The bright people
  always suffer from the impossibility of doing
  anything they believe to be right.

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Comprehension questions of Text II (3)

• 3. What is the major cause that prevents people
  from being happy as much as possible?
• Most people act on some principles rather than on
  impulse. They believe in a general theory on how
  to make one happy, but the theory is basically
  false. A competitive struggle dominates life in
  which happiness lied in getting ahead of those
  who are your neighbors, colleagues or friends.
  They forget joys devoid of competitive elements.
  Though it is true that you are mad if you always
  yield to impulse, it is no less true that you may
  dry up by soft degrees if you never yield to
  impulse. If you desire to live a healthy and
  happy life, you should allow impulse to have
  sufficient scope to remain alive and you should
  preserve a range of interests. However, if you
  live merely on principle, you can hardly feel
  happy.

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Comprehension questions of Text II (4)

• 4. How do you understand the statement that a
  life which is all principle is a life on rails?
• In such a life, one may score earthly
  achievements in a fairly fast manner, but he may
  succeed in attaining his particular goal at the
  cost freedom, which is an indispensable element
  in happiness.

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Oral activities

• Organize yourselves into groups of three to five
  and discuss the following issue
• How can Phil avoid his tragedy

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Exercises

• 1. Word transformation P60
• 2. Paraphrase P61
• 3. Present perfect or present perfect progressive
  tense P61-62
• 4.  translation P48
• 5. Writing practice

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Exercises (1)

• Translation exercises
• 1. ???????????????,????????10??????(workaholic)
• My immediate boss is typical workaholic, for he
  works for over ten hours each day all the year
  round.
• 2. ??????????????,??????????????????????(extracurr
  icular)
• The principal attaches much importance to
  extracurricular activities and he believes that
  they will help to cultivate students tremendous
  interest in the external world.

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Exercises (1)

• 3. ?????,????????,???????,???????????(grab)
• He always grabs a shower, a sandwich and then a
  taxi to go to work every Monday morning.
• 4.  ?????????,???????????(straighten out)
• Since you are leaving the company, you should
  straighten out the accounts within the week.
• 5. ????????????,??????(stay up)
• He often stays up late at night in order to
  finish writing his Ph. D. dissertation on time.

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Exercises (1)

• 6.    ????????????????????(replace)
• He is considered a natural for the post of the
  president, for he has been an excellent
  vice-president for almost ten years.
• 7.    ??????????????,????????10????????(natural)
• He is considered a natural for the post of the
  president, for he has been an excellent
  vice-president for almost ten years.
• 8.   ???????,????????????(pick out)
• He is just too common to be picked out from the
  crowd.

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Exercises (2)

• Fill in the blank in each sentence with a word
  taken from the box in the proper form.

board discreetly precisely classic executive s
urvive conceivably grab widow deceased obituary
workaholic
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Exercises (2)
survived

• 1. The woman _________ her husband by nine years.
• 2.The plot of the novel _________ the reader.
• 3. Not wanting to draw any attention, Roy went
  __________ into the lecture hall.
• 4. We learned about her ________ father by
  reading his ________ in The Times.

grabs
discreetly
deceased
obituary
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Exercises (2)

• 5.I do not understand how the arranged marriage
  could ___________ work out in the more
  traditional societies.
• 6. The old couple plans to __________ some
  students from the university .
• 7. The new business writing course is oriented
  towards _________ and managers who wasnt the
  individual attention and focused training that
  will help them write with impact and
  effectiveness.
• 8. Upper-intermediate English learners are often
  encouraged to read the _________ of the English
  and American literature.

conceivably
board
executives
classics
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Writing practice (1)

• Write a composition of at least 200 words on the
  following topic.
• Career or Family which is more important?

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Sample writing

• Career or Family which is more important?
• Sample
• When asked about their opinion of career and
  family, people always respond differently. Some
  people deem it more important to pursue their
  career, while there are always other people who
  argue that family should be the number one in
  ones life.

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• It goes without any question that career plays a
  key role in our life. In the very first place,
  career can give us an aim to live on. Without
  career, much of our living time will be certainly
  wasted. Whats more, career can provide us with a
  means to live on. Most of the people earn their
  income from a job. On the other hand, family is
  also an indispensable part of life, as many
  people will admit. Family is always regarded as a
  place where we can escape from troubles in life.
  In addition, we can obtain a sense of belonging
  to from family. Without it, anyone will feel
  lonely and desperate.

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• In my opinion, career and family are not in
  opposition to each other. Rather, they can
  enhance each other so that ones life can become
  better and better. Therefore, its not a choice
  between right and wrong, but one between ideal
  and practical.