•ExercisesReadingComprehensionStructureoftheTextUnit4:ExercisesVocabularyClozeTranslationUnit4:Readingcomprehension1.Inparagraph2,theauthorsaysthat“’Whowilltakethehelm?’isonequestionthatwillkeepCEOsawakeatnightinthenextmillennium.”WhydoyouthinktheCEOsfeelsoworriedaboutpeoplewhowilltakeoverasmanagers?TheCEOsfeelsoworriedbecauseGenXershavebeendescribedverynegativelybymanywriters.Studiesaccusethemofbeingarrogant,uncommitted,unmanageable,andlazy.Theycareaboutnothing,andareunwillingtopaytheirdues.TheCEOsworryhowthisgenerationisgoingtomanagethefirms,especially,theservicesfirms.ReferenceEx.I,p.712.WhyareGenXerssoindependent?Inparagraphs4–6,whatexamplesdoestheauthorgivetoshowtheirindependence?GenXersaresoindependentbecausetheyhadbeenthe“latchkeykids”.Whentheywereyoung,theyhadbeenleftalonebydivorcedand/orworkingparents.Therefore,theylearnttodealwiththingsindependently.Forexample,attheworkplace,theyhopetohaveflexibleworkschedules.Theydon’twanttobewatchedcloselyandinstructedstepbystepwhiledoingtheirwork.Theyonlywantguidanceandencouragementfromtheirmanagers.ReferenceUnit4:Readingcomprehension3.WhatkindofenvironmentdoGenXersprefertoworkin?Why?GenXersprefertoworkinanenvironmentwhichisfullyequippedwiththemostadvancedtechnology,suchastelecommuting,teleconferencing,etc.Asagenerationwhohasgrownupwithrapidlychangingtechnologyandtheavailabilityofhugeamountsofinformation,theyfeelverycomfortablewithusingtechnologyandcomputers.Onlyinatechnologicallyadvancedenvironment,cantheyworkeffectivelyandefficiently.ReferenceUnit4:Readingcomprehension4.Accordingtoparagraph9,whatmakesGenXersplaceahighvalueonwork-lifebalance?First,theycherishthetraditionalfamilyvaluesbecausetheyfeeltheymissedthemwhentheywereyoung.Theirparentshadhardlyspentanyqualitytimewiththemowingtotheirbusywork.Secondly,theydoubtthattheywillberewardedinthefutureiftheygiveuptheirneedsoftoday.Whathappenedtotheirparentsisagoodexample.Theirparentshadworkedsohardforthegoodofthecompany,butendedupsimplybeinglaidoff.ReferenceUnit4:Readingcomprehension5.WhydoGenXjobapplicantsusuallymaketheinterviewerssurprisedandirritatedatajobinterview?GenXjobapplicantsusuallyopenlyasklife-balancequestionsatajobinterview,whichmakestheinterviewerssurprisedandirritated.TheinterviewershavebeentoousedtohearingBabyBoomerjobapplicantssay“HowcanIbestcontributetothecompany?”and“MygreatestweaknessisthatIworktoohard.”ReferenceUnit4:Readingcomprehension6.Theauthorgivesasubtitle“JustDoIt”toparagraphs12–13.Howdoyouunderstandthemeaningof“JustDoIt”fromthetwoparagraphs?Fromthetwoparagraphs,wecanlearnthat“Justdoit”heremeansthatGenXersexpecteverythingtobeclear,honestandsubstantial.Theexamplesinclude:1)Theysupportsubstanceoverstyle.2)Theyemphasizeoutcomesoverprocess.3)Theywanttheirmanagerstocommunicatehonestlywiththem.4)Theyexpecttheirmanagerstogivethemtangiblerewardsratherthansoftwords.ReferenceUnit4:Readingcomprehension7.Accordingtoparagraphs14–17,GenXersareconstantlychangingjobsinsteadofworkingforasingleemployeralltheirlifetimeliketheirparents.WhatarethetworeasonswecanfindtoexplainGenXers’frequentchangeoftheirjobs?1)GenXersbelievethattheirfutureliesintheirresumesratherthantheirloyaltytoanyonecompany.2)Theywanttodevelopdiverseworkskillsbytryingdifferentbutchallengingjobs.ReferenceUnit4:Readingcomprehension8.InwhatwaywillGenX’slife-balancebeliefsaffectcorporatepoliciesinthefutureaccordingtotheauthor’sforecastsinparagraph21?Intheauthor’sopinion,GenX’slife-balancebeliefswillleadtothedevelopmentoffamily-friendlycorporatepoliciesinthefuture.Tobespecific,therearetwotypesoffamily-friendlypoliciesmentionedhere:1)Employeeswillenjoyflexibleworkschedulesandreducedworkhours.2)Employeeswillbeabletochoosebenefitsthataremostsuitableforthemtomeettheirindividualneeds,suchasbenefitswhichsupportearlyfamilyconcernslikeinsurance,childcare,etc.ReferenceUnit4:Readingcomprehension9.Inparagraph23,theauthorforecaststhatmanyGenXerswillchoosetobecomeentrepreneursratherthantakeajobinacompany.WhatadvantageanddisadvantagearementionedbytheauthoraboutGenXers’trendtostarttheirownbusiness?Theadvantageis:Companieswillfinditeasytoobtaingoodsorservicesfromanoutsidesupplier.Thedisadvantageis:Companieswillhavefewercandidateswhentheywanttopromotejuniormanagers.ReferenceUnit4:Readingcomprehension10.Inparagraph25,whatsuggestiondoestheauthorgivetodealwiththecultureclashbetweenBabyBoomersandGenXerswithintheworkplace?TheauthorsuggeststhatculturalconflictsbetweenBabyBoomersandGenXerswithintheworkplaceshouldbefaceddirectlyandhonestly.Culturaldiversityshouldbeunderstood,respectedandacceptedinthecompany.Meanwhile,thereshouldbelinesforthetwogroupstocommunicatewitheachothertofostermutualrespect.ReferenceUnit4:ReadingcomprehensionEx.II,p.721.Introduction(Paras.1–3)2.Body(Paras.4–23)3.Conclusion(Para.24–26)TextOutlineUnit4:Structureofthetext1.Introduction(Paras.1–3)MuchhasbeenwrittenaboutGenXemployees,butmostofitis________.Recentinterpretations,however,offersome________________________________.TextOutlinenegativenewandsomewhatdifferentinsightsUnit4:Structureofthe