Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What famous brands do you know?
- How many days do you go to work a week?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- implement /IM-pluh-ment/
- brand /brand/
- schedule /SKEJ-ool/
- property /PROP-er-tee/
- attempt /uh-TEMPT/
[verb] – to start a plan or a system
Your job is to implement the new protocol.
[noun] – a type of product made by a particular company
This isn’t my usual brand of shampoo.
[noun] – a list of planned activities or things to be done showing the times or dates when they are intended to happen or be done
The class schedule is available on the website.
[noun] – an object or objects that belong to someone
The books on the table have “Government property” stamped inside them.
[noun] –the act of trying to do something, especially something difficult
I made an attempt to contact her.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Unilever (UL) has become the latest prominent business to implement the four-day workweek movement; they considered that flexible working is here to stay. On November 24, 2020, the supplier of the three big brands today (Lipton’s tea, Dove soap and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream) affirmed it would consider less working hours for all its workers in New Zealand, letting them pick which four days they would prefer working each week. The test began this month and would run for a year. The consumer giant has 81 staff members in the country, who would be allowed to work reduced schedules with full pay as the University of Technology Sydney in Australia maintains a record of their progress.
Unilever told that if all runs well, the company will reevaluate whether to create drastic changes to its workflow. Unilever is not the first company to utilize the method in New Zealand. In 2018, Perpetual Guardian, which helps clients to manage their wills and properties also did a two-month attempt of the idea. The company declared that it was so prosperous, it later considered making it permanent. Nick Bangs, managing director of Unilever New Zealand, pronounced that his team was inspired by the results from that research, and had started to consider the conventional ways of working are outdated.
Unilever told that if all runs well, the company will reevaluate whether to create drastic changes to its workflow. Unilever is not the first company to utilize the method in New Zealand. In 2018, Perpetual Guardian, which helps clients to manage their wills and properties also did a two-month attempt of the idea. The company declared that it was so prosperous, it later considered making it permanent. Nick Bangs, managing director of Unilever New Zealand, pronounced that his team was inspired by the results from that research, and had started to consider the conventional ways of working are outdated.
Comprehension Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What are the three big brands mentioned in the article?
- What is the nature of Perpetual Guardian’s business?
- Who is Nick Bangs?
- Is Unilever the first company to utilize the method in New Zealand?
- How long will Unilever implement the four-day workweek movement?
Discussion Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Why do you think Unilever thought of this idea?
- Do you think this movement will be successful? Please share your thoughts.
- Would you like to implement this movement in the future? Why or why not?
- What do you think would be the effects of this idea?
- Do you agree that conventional ways of working are outdated? Please explain your answer.