What Course Should I Take to Become a Manager

Reading: Part 1
(Multiple Choice Questions)

Read the article and answer the questions.

As you move around your home take a good hard look at its contents. It's likely that your living room will have a television set and a DVD player, and your kitchen a washing machine and tumble drier, maybe also a microwave oven and electric toaster. Your bedroom drawers will be stuffed with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and a home computer, have a holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week. If you could see the volume of rubbish in your dustbin over a year, you would be horrified. Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, what it's for. The single-minded pursuit of material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel the long-hours work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them precious little time or energy for family or leisure. Many are turning to alternative ways of living and downshifting is one of them.

According to a national consulting group, this new approach to work coincides with radical changes in the employment market, where a job is no longer guaranteed and lifetime employment can only be achieved by taking personal responsibility for your career. Six per cent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year, swapping their highly pressured, stressful positions for less demanding, less time-consuming work which they believe gives them a better balanced life.

One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a journalist and she used to work for an international bank.They would commute every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny. Most evenings Daniel wouldn't get home until eight or nine o'clock, and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.

Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. 'I always wanted to have a farm here,' says Daniel, and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It has taken some getting used to, but it's been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However. I think it made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.'

Liz, however, is not totally convinced. I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I'm not really a country girl, but I suppose I'm gradually getting use to looking after the animals. One thing I do like though is being able to see more of my children. My tip for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all.'

Now answer questions 1-5 .

1. According to the writer, people are beginning to rethink their lives because

A they feel too dependent on their possessions.

B they are worried about the amount of rubbish they throw away.

C they want to spend time doing other things.

D their families object to their working so hard.

2 What does the writer say about the employment market?

A There aren't many jobs nowadays.

B It's difficult to keep a company job for life.

C You have to look hard to find a job yourself

D It's changing all the time.

3 When Daniel was a journalist he used to

A live in central London.

B dislike his job.

C miss his children.

D be highly paid.

4 What has Daniel's reaction been to moving to Wales?

A He's happy that he's now fulfilled an ambition.

B He felt at home on the farm almost immediately.

C He misses the holidays they used to have abroad.

D He is sorry that they made the decision to move too quickly.

5 Daniel and Liz both agree that the move

A was difficult to organise.

B has improved family life.

C to a farm was expensive.

D has been a total success.

6 What does the word 'tip' in line 64 mean?

A a good idea

B a clue

C a word of advice

D a warning

7 What does 'it' in the last sentence of the text refer to?

A her tip B her job C having animals D downshifting

8 Why was this text written?

A To warn people of the problems of downshifting.

B To tell people how to downshift.

C To make people aware of a new social trend.

D To prove that having a good job doesn't make you happy.

1) The answer is C. – 'leaving them preciouslittle time or energy for family or leisure

A is likely but not the real reason.

In B the writer thinks that the reader would be worried, rather than people in general.

D is probably true but also not the answer to the question.

2) B

3) D

4) B

5) C

6) D

7) C

Reading: Part 2 (Gapped Text)

You are going to read a magazine article about John Prince, a dancer, dance teacher and choreographer. Six sentences have been removed from the article on the left. Choose the most suitable sentence from the list A-G on the right for each part (1-6) of the article. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Career success in the arts

John Prince, famous dancer and choreographer, gives advice on how to succeed in a career in the arts.

I asked John how he got started and what requirements there are.

"Well, to be a professional dancer it's useful to have had acting lessons or some background in drama. If you want to succeed in musical theatre you have to have a good singing voice as well. When you approach an agent you should take a portfolio with your CV, your statistics sheet and some good photos and reviews of past performances. You'll need dance clothes, ballet shoes, tap shoes, and even roller skates depending on what kind of show you are going to go for."

1____________________________________________________________

"Of course, you need to be extremely fit if you want to be a professional dancer. I dance or move about for about six hours a day. There are great health benefits to being a dancer. I can eat a lot of pasta without gaining weight because dancing increases your metabolism so much."

2____________________________________________________________

John has a very busy schedule in the next few months. He took time out to speak to me today from the making of a pop video to promote N-ergy's latest record.

"I choreographed the dance routine for the boys and they only had 2 days in which to learn it! I am going to be working on a video for another well known band – but that's top secret. Next month I'll be touring Spain in a production of a musical that was written by a friend of mine, Michaela Evans.

3____________________________________________________________

As for the future, I've come to realise that I would never be content to be just a chorus dancer – I'm too much of an individual for that. Like all artists I'd love to become a household name by writing and choreographing my own musicals."

John was born in Jamaica to a Jamaican father and a Scottish mother but the family emigrated to England 20 years ago.

"I have a little sister I adore, who is also training to be a dancer." How does it feel to have someone else following in your footsteps?

4____________________________________________________________

Has he much more to learn, I wondered.

"I've spent an incredible amount of my life training to get where I am. I went to college for two years in England, I trained for six months in Paris and about eight months in America. But you never really stop training or learning your art."

5____________________________________________________________

What has a dance career done for you as a person?

"Thanks to dancing, I've visited and performed in 23 countries so far. This has opened my eyes to the world, and I've been able to understand issues like racism and inequality from a wider perspective.

Hopefully this has enabled me to become a better and more tolerant person as a result. "So all in all I'm really happy to be a dancer!"

A It's fine, but I try not to give out too much advice as it gets irritating!

B And if nothing you like comes out of it, then come back and be an actor or dancer.

C Without a strict daily timetable like this you find yourself wasting too much time.

D After that it's back to England to start a new term of dance classes.

E When it comes to coping with stress, I find that exercise helps me to cope with my problems, so I stay in good shape mentally as well.

F Like any profession where you're always travelling, you tend to acquire something new almost every day.

G Being fully equipped with all this stuff beforehand makes it easier when you go for auditions.

1. G
2. E
3. D
4. A
5. F

Reading: Part 3 (Matching)

Read part of an employee handout regarding working with businesses in other countries.

Like most companies in an increasingly globalised world, our firm does business with other firms abroad.  Company cultures vary worldwide, and it is important for delegates from our company to recognise how company culture overseas might be different from our own. This document will give you a brief guide to company culture in the countries we associate with.

Russia
Until recently, people and businesses were oppressed by the state and this has affected people's attitudes.  It is not uncommon for laws to be ignored and taxes to go unpaid. In some cases, only contracts between close personal friends are acknowledged. Therefore, networking is vital for successful business. Presently, the legal situation in Russia is in a state of flux, with laws constantly being rewritten. Those that exist are often unenforceable. Most agreements are therefore made on a trust basis, so it is vital that personal relationships do not break down. The management style is centralised and directive. Too much debate can indicate a lack of decisiveness.  Subordinates take orders from the 'big boss'.  Many westerners see this as a lack of initiative on the part of middle managers, but in actual fact, middle managers have little power. Most delays occur because the question has not been presented to actual decision-maker. However, things are changing in Russia. The old regime is gradually being replaced by western business style, and younger managers will have a much more modern approach than their older counterparts.

South Korea
South Korea is one of the world's most successful economies, having seen five consecutive decades of high economic growth. When faced with adversity, South Koreans change direction quickly and effectively. Despite the frantic economic growth, South Korean society is still very conservative and conformist due to the influence of Confucian values. Companies are hierarchical and regimented and 'face' is very much valued. Consequently, change can sometimes be slow and painful. Managers are paternalistic, authoritative figures who expect their instructions to be carried out obediently and respectfully. In return, they give their subordinates support and help, not only in work issues but in home issues as well. Group harmony is important, so South Koreans avoid confrontation and blame, especially among people of equal rank. Friendship is therefore vital to business success. The Korean saying 'make a friend first and a client second' sums this up exactly.

Australia
Australia has a relatively small population in relation to its vast size. Its geographic isolation and its small domestic market mean that international trade is essential to guarantee future prosperity. Increasingly, this is done in countries in Asia rather than Commonwealth countries. Australian managers are not considered to have superior status to other workers. Their jobs are just different.  Authoritative management styles are not appreciated among Australians workers. Instead, managers adopt a more consultative and inclusive style which encourages open debate. Challenging superiors is acceptable, indeed it is a sign of commitment and professionalism. Outsiders may consider such dialogues confrontational, but Australians regard them as effective ways to communicate ideas. Australian managers like to be seen as 'one of the boys' and they are more likely to socialise with their team than segregate themselves and just mix with other managers.

UK
In the last half century, Britain, like many industrialised countries, has moved away from heavy engineering towards service and high-tech industries. With this has come a major shift in management style. Hierarchical systems have been swept aside and replaced by modern business models, heavily influenced by the US. The 'job for life' is rare. Neither managers nor junior workers expect to climb the corporate ladder within one company; rather, they manage their own career paths by progressing from company to company. Such short-termism can be frustrating for outsiders.  British managers tend to be generalists rather than specialists, and are not necessarily the most technically competent person in the team. Instead, they are expected to have the necessary interpersonal skills to ensure the team works together effectively. They cultivate a close and humorous relationship with subordinates, which may be considered too soft.  Giving direct orders can be seen as impolite, so managers often make indirect requests rather than explicit instructions, which is sometimes confusing for non-British people.

Which country is being referred to in the statements below?

1. "The people I deal with keep moving on to new jobs." 

2. "Unless you're friends, they may not honour your agreement."  

3. "It's frustrating because the official regulations keep changing."  

4. "Disagreements between colleagues are frowned upon."  

5. "I thought the manager had the authority to make a decision, but it turned out that he didn't."  

6. "The manager and another member of staff had a huge disagreement in the meeting, and no-one seemed to care."  

7. "They weren't terribly charming – they just wanted to get on with making the deal."  

8. "I expected the manager to have more technical knowledge than he actually did."  

9. "I dealt with two companies in this country last year. One was really hierarchical, but the other was really modern."  

10. "The manager kept asking me about my wife and children. I don't know why it was so important to him."  

11. "He has a PhD but he never refers to himself as a doctor."  

12. "I thought that there'd be tariffs to pay, but the firm seemed quite content to overlook them."  

13. "I didn't realise I was expected to do it this way.  I thought the manager was just offering a tip."  

14. "The managers sat with the junior workers at lunch. I expected them to have their own table."  

15. "I hoped the senior manager would be prepared to discuss the matter with me, but he refused to engage in any form of debate."   

1. UK
2. Russia
3. Russia
4. South Korea
5. Russia
6. Australia
7. Australia
8. UK
9. Russia
10. South Korea
11. UK
12. Russia
13. UK
14. Australia
15. Russia

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What Course Should I Take to Become a Manager

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