Warm-Up:
Describe your office or workplace (if currently unemployed, describe your last place of employment). If you were the boss, what would you change about the office?
Pre-Learn Vocabulary
unorthodox (adj.) = unusual and different, not traditional or typical
Ex) That school is a bit unorthodox; they don’t give grades or any type of standardized tests at all.
cubicle (n.) = a small, square compartment for work or study:
décor (n.) = decoration, particularly of a room or space
Ex) The beach house had décor with an ocean theme, featuring paintings of seashells and tropical fish.
abound (v.) = to be great in number or amount
Ex) Scandals abound when the government is full of corrupt politicians.
leeway (n.) = freedom of action or thought within limits
Ex) The teacher said we have to write at least a ten-page paper, but she gave us some leeway on the topic.
jog (v.) = run slowly
Ex) I like to jog through the park in the morning.
in-house (adj.) = inside a company or organization (in contrast to contracting a third party from outside the group)
Ex) Our company doesn’t have an in-house graphic designer, so we’ll need to hire someone to create the poster.
subsidized (adj.) = having the price reduced because someone else (usually a company, organization, or government) is paying part of the fee
Ex) My company offers subsidized professional training for employees – we can take the classes at half-price.
cutting-edge (adj.) = extremely modern, leading the trends (often used for technology)
Ex) Our simulations use cutting-edge virtual reality technology.
picky (adj.) = selective, specific about demands when making a choice (often in an annoying way)
Ex) My son is a picky eater; he won’t eat anything with vegetables in it.
infamous (adj.) = famous (often for something negative)
Ex) The police finally captured the infamous gang leader who had been responsible for at least a hundred crimes.