Modul 3: Story 32 The Meeting
Video 01 Vocabulary Presentation 1-4
Video 05 Story Presentation 01
Video 06 Story Presentation 02
Audio 01 The story
The Meeting
David is the supervisor for a very big company. He has always received a lot of pressure from the managers above him, so he takes his work seriously. His team have always been very good too, except for three people.
Christina, Simon and Callum’s punctuality was awful. They were late, loud and lazy; however, they were very good at their jobs when they did their work. This is why David allowed them to keep their positions on his team. Over time though, David’s bosses grew more demanding for better results from his team, so David knew what he needed to do.
He called a meeting with all his workers one day before they started work and laid down some new rules.
“Although the work you all provide is good, it could be better. People are taking advantage of me and assuming that their work schedule is more flexible than it is. It is not all of you, but the next time someone is late twice in one week, they will be asked to leave and not come back; no matter how well they do their job.” David’s voice was assertive. He scanned his workers’ worried-looking faces and just hoped that he was firm enough with them. Simon and Callum both exchanged a rather nervous glance.
The next week, things were different. There was less talking, good punctuality and positive feedback from David’s bosses. Everyone was pulling their weight except for one. Christina still arrived at work late, she was still trying to talk to people and was still taking longer than allowed during her lunch breaks.
David took her aside at the end of the week.
“Look, enough is enough Christina. I can’t keep allowing this behaviour to continue. You’re fired. Pack up and leave immediately. You’ve been warned.” David’s face was saddened, but he knew it was the right decision. Christina, however, looked very confused.
“I’ll do better I promise. Just give me a second chance,” she pleaded.
“This was your second chance. I told you in the meeting before work on Friday that this would happen …”
“But David,” Christina interrupted. “I wasn’t in that meeting. I was late on Friday.”
Video 07 Part A
Audio 02 Questions Part A
1. Is David the president of a big company?
2. Have his team as a whole been good?
3. Did Christina, Simon and Callum have problems with punctuality?
4. Did David allow them to keep their positions?
5. Did David’s bosses overlook the punctuality issues?
6. Did David call a meeting with the 3 people?
7. Was the people’s work good overall?
8. Could it be better?
9. Was their work schedule totally flexible?
10. Would David fire anyone late twice a week?
11. Was work ethic different the following week?
12. Was everyone pulling their weight?
13. Did David take Christina aside to talk to her?
14. Was Christina fired that day?
15. Was David sad that he had to fire her?
Video 08 Part B
Audio 03 Questions Part B
16. Who is a supervisor?
17. Who puts a lot of pressure on him?
18. Who had punctuality issues?
19. Who became more and more demanding for better results?
20. Who called a meeting?
21. Who would be allowed to come to work late?
22. Who kept coming late after the meeting?
23. Who was fired at the end of the week?
Video 09 Part C
Audio 04 Questions Part C
24. Is David’s job stressful or quiet?
25. Is David a lazy worker, or does he take his work seriously?
26. Did Christina, Simon and Callum have problems with precision or with punctuality?
27. Did David call a meeting with all his workers or only with the 3 problematic workers?
28. Would the workers be fired or punished for being late?
29. Was there less talking or more talking during work hours?
30. Were the workers still late, or were they punctual?
31. Did Christina promise that she would do better, or did she just leave without a word?
Video 10 Part D
Audio 05 Questions Part D
32. What’s David’s job?
33. How many people in his team haven’t been very good?
34. What were Christina, Simon and Callum like?
35. How did David’s bosses change over time?
36. Why did David call a meeting with all his workers one day?
37. How did Simon and Callum feel about these new rules?
38. How did Christina’s attitude change?
39. Why didn’t Christina change her attitude towards her work?
Video 11 Part E
Audio 06 Questions Part E
40.
a. Ask me if David takes his work seriously.
b. Ask me how David takes his work?
41.
a. Ask me if Christina, Simon and Callum’s punctuality was excellent.
b. Ask me what their punctuality was like.
42.
a. Ask me if David allowed them to keep their positions.
b. Ask me why David allowed them to keep their positions.
43.
a. Ask me if David laid down some new rules one day.
b. Ask me what David laid down one day.
44.
a. Ask me if David’s voice was weak.
b. Ask me what his voice was like.
45.
a. Ask me if Christina would be fired.
b. Ask me why Christina would be fired.
Audio 08 Story variations
The Meeting
David's Story
The story
David, who is a supervisor for a very big company, takes his work seriously. His team have been doing very well; except for 3 people: Christina, Simon and Callum who were late, loud and lazy; however, they were very good at their jobs.
As David’s bosses grew more demanding for better results, David called a meeting in order to lay down some new rules. He said he wouldn’t tolerate his workers to be late.
The following weeks, everyone was doing their best except Christina who still arrived at work late and was still taking lunch breaks that were longer than allowed.
At the end of the week, David took her aside in order to tell her that she was fired, but Christina looked very confused and pleaded for a second chance as she was late the previous Friday when David laid down the new rules.
David’s story
I am a supervisor for a very big company, and I take my work seriously. My team have been doing very well; except for 3 people: Christina, Simon and Callum who were late, loud and lazy; however, they are very good at their jobs.
As my bosses grew more demanding for better results, I called a meeting in order to lay down some new rules. I said I wouldn’t tolerate my workers to be late.
The following week, everyone was doing their best except Christina who still arrived at work late and was still taking lunch breaks that were longer than allowed.
At the end of the week, I took her aside in order to tell her that she was fired, but Christina looked very confused and pleaded for a second chance as she was late the previous Friday when I laid down the new rules.
Video 13 Vocabulary check (Extra)
The Meeting
Part 1
David is the supervisor for a very big company. He has always received a lot of pressure from the managers above him, so he takes his work seriously. His team have always been very good too, except for three people.
Christina, Simon and Callum’s punctuality was awful. They were late, loud and lazy; however, they were very good at their jobs when they did their work. This is why David allowed them to keep their positions on his team. Over time though, David’s bosses grew more demanding for better results from his team, so David knew what he needed to do.
He called a meeting with all his workers one day before they started work and laid down some new rules.
Part 2
“Although the work you all provide is good, it could be better. People are taking advantage of me and assuming that their work schedule is more flexible than it is. It is not all of you, but the next time someone is late twice in one week, they will be asked to leave and not come back; no matter how well they do their job.” David’s voice was assertive. He scanned his workers’ worried-looking faces and just hoped that he was firm enough with them. Simon and Callum both exchanged a rather nervous glance.
The next week, things were different. There was less talking, good punctuality and positive feedback from David’s bosses. Everyone was pulling their weight, except for one. Christina still arrived at work late, she was still trying to talk to people and was still taking longer than allowed during her lunch breaks.
Part 3
David took her aside at the end of the week.
“Look, enough is enough Christina. I can’t keep allowing this behaviour to continue. You’re fired. Pack up and leave immediately. You’ve been warned.” David’s face was saddened, but he knew it was the right decision. Christina, however, looked very confused.
“I’ll do better I promise. Just give me a second chance,” she pleaded.
“This was your second chance. I told you in the meeting before work on Friday that this would happen …”
“But David,” Christina interrupted. “I wasn’t in that meeting. I was late on Friday.”