Vocabulary
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- taxing /TAK-sing/
- redundancy /ri-DUHN-duhn-see/
- innate /ih-NEYT/
- drastically /DRAS-tik-lee/
- comprehend /kom-pri-HEND/
[adjective] – difficult or needing a lot of thought or effort
If the current process becomes too taxing, a bus service provides an alternative.
[noun] – a situation in which someone loses their job because their employer does not need them
Employees are urged to accept voluntary redundancy.
[adjective] – an innate quality or ability is one that you were born with, not one you have learned
An innate interest in the physical world exists in children.
[adverb] – in a way that is severe and sudden or has very noticeable effects
Taxes were drastically reduced in an effort to boost the economy.
[verb] – to understand something completely
People couldn’t comprehend the incident and were quite unsure of how to react.
Article reading
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
It is distressing, frustrating, and taxing to lose a job. Nonetheless, some workers have found an advantage in layoffs.
Significant layoffs can have a big negative impact on many people, including a loss of identity, confidence, health insurance, and financial security. But, for some people, going through a layoff might spark positive change. In a poll conducted by LinkedIn in December 2022 of more than 2,000 American employees, 27% of those who are laid off later consider their redundancy to be the best thing that has ever happened to them. Many people utilize this time to launch their own enterprises, find a new career they love, or reassess how they combine work and life. Recently laid-off workers may find inspiration from how these former employees have found possibilities they claim they wouldn’t have had without experiencing a job cut. Few people consider the potential benefits of being fired immediately. Due to our innate negativity bias, people are hard-wired to initially see events like being laid off as a drastically unfavorable development. “Change we haven’t chosen, like being laid off, triggers this negativity bias in a really intense way. It’s new and threatening. That makes us likely to catastrophize,” explains career-development coach Genna Clark. However, layoffs may prompt us to look more closely at ourselves. This is frequently referred to as an existential reorientation period, and the time and space they bring can help us comprehend who we are on a more profound, meaningful level.
In the end, some employees have discovered that being laid off gives them the motivation to step outside of their comfort zones. They have enjoyed and learned from the silver lining of being laid off.
Significant layoffs can have a big negative impact on many people, including a loss of identity, confidence, health insurance, and financial security. But, for some people, going through a layoff might spark positive change. In a poll conducted by LinkedIn in December 2022 of more than 2,000 American employees, 27% of those who are laid off later consider their redundancy to be the best thing that has ever happened to them. Many people utilize this time to launch their own enterprises, find a new career they love, or reassess how they combine work and life. Recently laid-off workers may find inspiration from how these former employees have found possibilities they claim they wouldn’t have had without experiencing a job cut. Few people consider the potential benefits of being fired immediately. Due to our innate negativity bias, people are hard-wired to initially see events like being laid off as a drastically unfavorable development. “Change we haven’t chosen, like being laid off, triggers this negativity bias in a really intense way. It’s new and threatening. That makes us likely to catastrophize,” explains career-development coach Genna Clark. However, layoffs may prompt us to look more closely at ourselves. This is frequently referred to as an existential reorientation period, and the time and space they bring can help us comprehend who we are on a more profound, meaningful level.
In the end, some employees have discovered that being laid off gives them the motivation to step outside of their comfort zones. They have enjoyed and learned from the silver lining of being laid off.
Discussion Questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Why did you choose your profession? / What profession do you have in mind at the moment?
- At what age do you plan to retire? What do you expect to do once you retire?
- What would you do if you were laid off?
- Do you think all people will realize the positive effects of being laid off?
- How do you think this positive mindset about being laid off will affect employers?
Summarization
Please summarize the whole article using your own words and expressions. You will have one minute to prepare before you answer.
Describe
Please explain the definition of each word listed below based on your understanding. You can provide example sentences if needed.
- distressing
- enterprise
- bias
- prompt (verb)
- profound