15 Are You a Workaholic?
Teaching objectives
1. Topic: Talking about work and leisure activities
2. Grammar point: Use of the past tense to express wishes
3. Vocabulary: organize, trait, rationlise, trap, commitment, view, fuel, seek, push into, at risk,
seek to do…, equate…with, tie to, reward…with, to the contrary, would
rather…than…
4. Writing: Expository writing: comparison and contrast.
Part l Listening and Speaking Activities
1 Brainstorming
Aims: Preparing the students for speaking activities
Familiarizing the students with basic vocabulary for describing places of
work, of entertainment and the expressions for people at work and their
physical and psychological states
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The focus of this part is Task 6, which should be discussed in two aspects: healthy
or unhealthy physical and psychological states. This task is important because
during the process of discussion to collect the words for this group, the students
will have an impression of the benefits of having a balanced life and the damages
an unbalanced life could cause.
Books open. Have each of the students write down the words they know on a
piece of paper. Then exchange the slips with the student next to him/her and let
that student add some different words. Have them discuss the answers, and
meanings of some difficult words, or discuss whether they agree on the choice of
words. At last, have the students read out these words/ expressions and give
appropriate comments.
Expressions for reference
1. Expressions for places of work:
work unit 1 （ 工 作 单 位 ） , company, corporation, firm, plant, mill, factory,
organization, foundation, welfare center (社会福利等机构), supermarket, bookstore,
office, school, shop, transportation business, farm, bank
2. Expressions for places of entertainment:
theatre (BriE), theater (AmE), cinema, movie house (AmE), cafeteria, cafe, pub,
restaurant, hotel, bar, tea house, holiday resort, tourist attraction, KTV room,
carnival land
3. Expressions for people at work:
employer, employee, staff, manager, boss, cleaner, janitor, supervisor, clerk,
official, worker, farmer, management (管理人员), blue collar （蓝领）, gray collar2
1
Although work unit is not very common in English speaking countries for a company or an institution where one
is employed, it is a term characterized by Chinese culture. It is acceptable in formal English in an appropriate
context.
2 It mainly refers to the maintenance workers in service industry or laborers.
1
(灰领), pink collar3 (粉领), white collar (白领), golden collar(金领)
4. Expressions for entertainment / recreation:
bowling, swimming, sightseeing, roller-skating, camping, biking, riding a
multi-cycle, smelling the flowers (to enjoy the small beautiful things in life),
karaoke singing, dancing, holiday-making, travel, taking photos, picnicking, an
outing, meeting friends, aerobics (有氧操), practicing Tai chi (太极拳)
5. Expressions for enjoyment / disappointment:
enjoyable, relaxing, exciting, interesting, bad, awful, dull, boring, hectic（忙得手忙
脚乱的）, stressful （压力极大的）, busy
6. Expressions for physical and psychological states:
ill, sick, dizzy, stressful, melancholy, gloomy, happy, healthy, sub healthy 4 ,
unhealthy, having a strong body and a sound mind, feeling active, athletic, being a
good sport, run down5
Cultural Note about Pubs
Pub: In Britain and America, a pub (Public House) is a place, not a club or hotel,
where alcohol may be bought and drunk during fixed hours. A pub often sells food
or snacks as well as drinks. Pubs are an important part of people’s life, especially in
Britain, where people sit and talk and socialize. Even very small villages have their
own pubs. People, especially men, will often go to the pub for a drink in the
evenings and at weekends. Women now go to pubs more than they used to.
Children under 16 are not usually allowed in pubs, although some pubs have a
children’s room or a garden where children can sit/play. (Based upon Longman
Dictionary of English Language and Culture)
2 Listening
An interview with a career woman
Aims:
Understanding the lives of “workaholics”, different kinds of “workaholics” and the reasons for
the difference
Learning to understand the talk about work in the guided listening activity
Learning the work-related expressions in reading, listening, and speaking
Pre-listening Activity
 Have the students discuss the idea and meaning of “workaholic”.
 Introduce the work-formation of the word on the analogy of alcoholic.
workaholic = work + alcoholic (a person who is addicted to alcoholic drink) =a person
who is addicted to work, i.e., a person who likes to work hard or is
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4
It mainly refers to women focused on their career and aged roughly around 20 to 35.
It is also called the third state or gray state, and is explained as a borderline (分界线) between health
and disease．
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become less and less healthy
2
unable to stop working, usually used disapprovingly
● Introduce the related term “workaholism” and discuss both the word formation,
and its meaning.
Workaholism = workaholic + ism (the practice/concept of being a workaholic)
Introduce following reading passage to the class.
Suggested Answer
 To prove that he is a worthy person.
 Ambition is an obvious reason for one to be a victim of workaholism.
 Workaholism links its origin to the low self-esteem.
 The origin of workaholism can be traced into the dilemma of boredom.
 A sense of social, financial, and emotional insecurity is another major
causation factor.
 The phenomenon of social alienation.
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Photocopy the following worksheet to the class before the listening activity.
Worksheet
Before you listen, read the following passage and try to find out the meaning of the term
workaholism, its typical behavior and possible causes.
Workaholism
Workaholism is compulsive indulgence into working to the extreme. If a workaholic stops
working, he loses to be at ease. He even starts feeling guilty and worthless. He has no other choice
than to keep himself busy in working, i.e., resorting to workaholism till he decides to sleep.
Workaholism does not spare him in his bed as well. Even while sleeping, his mind is never at
rest. Workaholism makes him continue working in his dreams.
On waking, the first thing that comes to the mind of a workaholic is that of working. He wants
to prove (even to himself) that he is a worthy person; and in the process, resorts to workaholism
losing all his efficiency and enjoyment which could have made him worthy in a real sense.
Ambition is an obvious reason for one to be a victim of workaholism. Workaholism, somehow,
links its origin to the low self-esteem too.
Also, the origin of workaholism can be traced into the dilemma of boredom. A sense of social,
financial, and emotional insecurity is another major causation factor for workaholism.
But most importantly, workaholism owes its compulsive generation to the phenomenon of
social alienation that our society, currently, is a victim of.
· Introduce the task by discussing the meaning of the following term.
1. a voluntary workaholic: The workaholic who prefers to work longer hours
because he gets gratification for it.
2. an involuntary workaholic: The workaholic who is forced to work overtime by
circumstances, such as a work system, but actually he feels very depressed.
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Introduce the listening comprehension questions.
Discuss briefly the four questions.
Have the students listen and answer the questions.
Listening script
Voiceover: A student of a Business school is investigating how people treat their work. He is now
interviewing a “career woman” called Dorothy.
Interviewer: ... How do you keep a balance between work and leisure?
Dorothy:
It is a problem for me. I have very few leisure activities. When I was young, I
loved many sports, above of all, -- skiing. I first skied when I was six years old. At
college, I did all sorts of sports. But since I began to work, I've practically stopped
my sports.
Interviewer: So your career has kept you from doing them?
Dorothy: Mainly because of that … I've become a changed person. I indulge myself in work,
a kind of workaholic ... er, no, "indulge" isn't the right word. It is "drowned"…I'm
drowned in my work. I work 10 hours a day, six days a week, and that doesn't
include the work I take home. Er ... I don't know how many hours I actually work a
day, you see, I even take work to bed! But I do know I'm not a voluntary
workaholic, I mean, I've been turned into one by circumstances.
Interviewer: Why is that?
Dorothy: Er ... I've changed jobs many times over the past twenty years, in the hope of finding
the right kind of job, but I have failed. Everywhere I work, the company gives the
gold medals to workaholics! Promotion is based on the degree of your workaholism.
And they don't care if you stay at the office until 10 every night, because they have
a different bottom line for your health. In a lot of companies, people who are not
workaholics eventually get fired. So what's in my mind is work, work, work, all the
time … I have to keep my job, you know. Well, I hadn't done any sports, until
about half a year ago, when I felt I was very weak. You know, working too hard is
a great drain on your energy. You risk your health.
Interviewer: Yes, I believe it's true. Then have you done anything about it since you found that
your health was deteriorating?
Dorothy: Yes, I have. As I'm in my fifties, I decided that skiing, which used to be my
favorite sport, is no longer a good sport for me. So I joined a little club, where
about eighteen of us meet together learning aerobics, a kind of exercise … it's very
enjoyable. I'm one of the oldest there, but I'm able to do most of the exercises.
Interviewer: How often do you go?
Dorothy: How often? Er, once a week, for ... oh we exercise for about three-quarters of an hour,
and then we end up having a nice lunch, which is always very good. I have made
friends since joining it because I was a complete stranger when I went there. Now
there're a lot of people I can call my friends. This is the only moment in a week when
I can forget my work. It's a real relaxation, and I enjoy being with my friends there.
Through all those years of workaholism, I've almost lost all contact with my old
friends. But now once a week, I can meet my new friends and, above all, ease off my
tension from work and keep fit.
Interviewer: That's good ...
Answers to the questions
1. She works ten hours a day, six days a week. She also takes work home and even takes it to
bed, so we do not know how many hours she actually works.
2. She has to be a workaholic because the companies where she has worked encourage
employees to work overtime, on which their promotion is based. People who are not
workaholics may even get fired.
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3. About half a year ago, she began to feel very weak. She realized that it was working too hard
which had damaged her health.
4. She now goes to a club once a week and does aerobics there. After the exercise, she has lunch
with the new friends she has met at the club.
Post-listening Activity
Photocopy the following worksheet for the students.
Worksheet
Fill in the blanks with the words you hear on the tape.
A Workaholic’s Monologue
I’m a workaholic. I have very few leisure activities. When I was young, I loved sports, but
since I began to work, I’ve (1)__________ stopped my sports. I (2)__________myself in work, no,
to be more exact, I’m (3)________in my work. I don’t know how many hours I actually work a
day. But I do know I’m not a (4)___________workaholic. I mean, I’ve been turned into one by
(5)________. Everywhere I work, the company gives the (6)______________ to workaholics! (7)
____________ is based on the degree of your (8) ___________. They don’t care the employees’
health, because they have a different (9) ___________ for your health. You know, working too
hard is a great (10) _______ on your energy. Then I found that my health was (11)_________. So I
decided to join a club and do (12)________ there.
Suggested Answers
(1) practically (2) indulge (3) drowned (4) voluntary (5) circumstances (6) gold medals
(7) promotion (8) workaholism (9) bottom line (10) drain (11) deteriorating (12) aerobics
3 Speaking
A All work, no play?
Photocopy the following passage to the students, asking them to answer the questions:
(1) What kind of life did Peter live before?
(2) What kind of life does Peter live now?
(3) What turned Peter into a workaholic?
(4) How does he defend workaholism?
The Story of Peter E.
Hi. My name is Peter, and I’m a workaholic.
It wasn’t always this way.
When I used to work in a big corporate, I actually worked far less hard than I do
now. Oh, sure, when I started out at the time of the budget cuts or other economic
difficulties for the company, I’d show up early and stay late ---- all in the hope of
creeping up the corporate ladder. But I soon figured out that my extra effort wouldn’t
necessarily bring me fame and fortune. In fact, all it usually brought me was more
work. Since I wasn’t earning any more money for my additional labor, I eventually
learned to do just the daily minimum requirement.
All that changed when I began my transition to IP-hood (Individual Professional
职业个体户). Like many IPs, I didn’t just up and quit the corporate world, hang out a
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shingle (start a business 挂牌营业), and start hauling in laundry bags full of money.
How the hell did I do it? I became a workaholic, slogging （working hard）
through the standard eight hours a day plus an hour for lunch at my regular job, and
squeezing in my writing projects whenever and wherever I could. This meant stealing
away with my laptop to a local coffeehouse for the previously mentioned lunch hour,
and firing up my home-office computer at about 9:00 p.m. ----routinely hitting the
keyboard until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. Day in and day out, week after week,
month after month. Whenever a friend or co-worker complained about working late
the night before---until 9:00 or 9:30---I’d wince (change my facial expression as a
surprise), since that was when my second shift had only just begun.
I work, Therefore I am
The official teaching for businessmen is that busy business people should be on
guard against becoming workaholics, instead finding a reasonable balance between
their work and their personal lives, so that work does not become a consuming end; an
obsession that fills every waking hour of every waking day. Just say no, and all that.
But in reality, I rarely take my own advice.
The truth is this: if you want to succeed as a freelancer, you have to be at least
something of a workaholic. No one admits this, but it’s true. You need to work hard to
establish yourself, to fortify your reputation, to market your services, and to ensure
that your clients are happy. The work never stops ---and because of this, you have to
keep in close contact with your inner workaholic. But you know what? I say that it’s
worth it.
As an IP, I actually have much more of a "life" than I ever did as a wage slave. I may
be the original poster boy for 24/7, (which means I go and fetch my own newspapers
or mail) but since I'm the boss, I get to decide exactly when I do my work, and when I
take my breaks. So, while my 9-to-5 pals are stuck in rush hour traffic on the way to
work in the morning, I'm taking my daughter to school and chatting with the parents
of her classmates. Or when my corporate coevals (those workers who are of my
generation) are just starting to think about jumping into their cars to begin the long
commute home, I'm in the driveway riding bikes with the kids. I may end up working
late into the night, but not before I've tucked the kids in their beds, and exchanged
stories with my wife about our busy days.
But it's not just about spending quality time with the family unit. As a workaholic, I
get to see up close and personal the direct relationship between the work I do and the
consequences -- namely, the cash -- of my labor. A nice feeling, I can tell you.
I believe that many other successful IPs secretly feel the way I do about workaholism.
Doesn't matter what your gig (i.e. job) is, there's almost always a direct correlation
between hard work and success. I'm currently on a tour of Europe with the Orpheus
Chamber Orchestra, working on a project that should see the light of day (i.e. the
writing will be published or played) by early next year. Each of the musicians
comprising the group is an IP -- juggling their Orpheus gigs (i.e. doing several jobs at
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the same time like a magician juggling several balls at the same time) with all kinds of
other projects. Some play for the New York Philharmonic, the American Ballet
Theater, or the New York Opera, some teach at Julliard, others do Broadway shows or
commercial work, and most do some combination of these. Each of these people is at
the pinnacle (at their prime stage in profession) of the music profession. And, to a
person, they all work their posteriors (their bottom!) off (They work like hell!). They
wouldn't be nearly as successful as they are if they sat around playing pinochle
that we're supposed to all aspire to.
Here are a few things that virtually all successful IPs have in common:
1. Successful IPs are driven. We're compulsive about our projects. It isn't really a choice,
not something that can be switched on or off. If we didn't have work to drive us, we'd find
something else to obsess over, like bowling or macramé (the art of tying strings to make
things . We're just smart and lucky enough to know how to put our compulsion, quite
literally, to work for us.
2. Successful IPs fill their workbaskets with lots of different eggs. Unlike most non-IPs
out there, I'm constantly on the lookout for new projects to fill my schedule. Since no
single project provides enough income for me to dedicate myself solely to it, I'm
performing a constant juggling act -- working on one project for a few hours here, another
project for a few hours there, and yet another for a few more hours over there. Not only
that, but the more jobs I take on, the less dependent I am on any one job in the event my
client decides to cancel or screw me (damage my business such as breaking a business
promise) in some other way.
3. Successful IPs push it to the limit. How will you know how much work you can really
take on if you never push yourself to the limit to find out? I have pushed myself to the
limit -- and beyond -- on many occasions, and I have always managed both to thrive on
the experience, and to please my clients. Sure, I might have moaned and groaned about it
at the time, but the challenge of producing a high-quality product under a serious deadline
is what makes life interesting for me, and it reminds me that I'm alive.
Am I saying that all IPs should be total workaholics? No. But I do believe that
working hard gets a bad rap (criticisms). If you can't imagine yourself being at least a
part-time workaholic, then perhaps becoming an independent professional isn't the
thing for you.
Hi. My name is Peter, I'm a workaholic, and I'm proud of it.
Adapted from The story of Peter E by Peter Economy
at http://www.1099.com/c/co/dw/pe/economy014.html (Nov.5, 2004)
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After the reading, discuss Peter’s views on working hard.
Write the advantages of working hard as an IP or working hard as a corporate worker on the
board for comparison.
Different fields
Advantages
having much more of a life, having
freedom to begin work and take breaks,
enjoying family life with kids and wife, a
direct correlation between hard work and
success, it’s interesting to challenge
yourself
far less hard, a stable life with a stable
income
Working hard as an IP
Working hard as a corporate worker
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Have the students then discuss the task in the student’s book.
Questions for discussion
What is the working style of their parents?
Are their parents working too hard?
Are their parents workaholics?
Questions for students themselves
Are they workaholics when they study?
How do they judge a student?
How do they spread their eggs in different baskets?
How do they juggle several balls when they study?
How do they know their limits when they study?

Select a student who is considered a workaholic to answer the above questions. The activity
is called A Workaholic on the Hot Seat. The student is asked to answer the questions that the
class asks.
B Truth or fantasy?
 Have the students discuss if they have a story about an interesting leisure activity.
 Tell the story to each other in pairs and then select two or three students to present their
stories to the class.
 Give comment on their language and content.
C. Look at the following picture and speculate on…
 Study the picture and answer the questions: Is the man a workaholic? Is he a(an)
voluntary/ involuntary workaholic? Why?
 Organize a debate on the following topics:
The man in the picture is a voluntary workaholic.
The man in the picture is an involuntary workaholic.
 Have the students study the picture carefully to find evidence to support their
arguments.
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Part II Reading Comprehension and Language Activities
Aims:
Understanding “workaholics” and the importance of living a healthy life both
physically and psychologically through reading, discussion and task-based activities
Learning expressions and grammatical items set forth in the objectives of this unit
Pre-reading Task
Discuss the question “Is working hard good for us?”
Suggested Points
A. Yes, it is good.
earn more money
more likely to get a promotion
a higher social position means more respect from others
try more new things, experience more , learn more.
B. No, it isn’t good.
(1) It takes a toll on health.
Stress is an unavoidable part of work.
the early warning signs: headaches, anxiety, indecisiveness and tiredness;
They can lead to further health risks, such as coughs and colds, stomach disorders, shortness
of breath, asthmatic disease, and eventually high-blood pressure or mental health disorders
such as depression;
(2) It takes a toll on marriages.
The results of a new study reveal couples with a higher workload are often at a higher risk for
marital problems than those with a better work-life balance.
(3) It takes a toll on the relationship between children and their parents who are workaholics.
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Introduce the reading passage.
Instruct the students to read and underline the difficult parts.
Give proper explanations of the difficulties students raised after the reading.
Have the students work individually on summary exercise.
Have the students present their written work on the board for comment.
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Organize the discussion of the details of the reading passage by using the questions in C
Study the Story on the student’s book and the Notes below.
Notes:
1. a dying workaholic: dying is vividly used here to indicate this is a voluntary workaholic. In
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
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Book Eight of Analects of Confucius6, the philosopher Tsang7 said: “When a bird is about to
die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good.8” We can
understand that what a dying person said mirrors his true thoughts. Another famous example
is Yan Jiansheng (in the Qing dynasty) who worried about wasting two lamp wicks before his
death even when he could not speak.
organized: working in an efficient and orderly way. Notice the opposite used in the text:
disorganize.
unbalanced, one-dimensional lives: Work has become the only thing in their (workaholics’)
lives.
workaholics, like alcoholics, suffer from an addiction: The writer equates workaholics with
alcoholics to point out that those who are addicted to work are just like those who are addicted
to alcohol. Both kinds of people are leading an unhealthy life.
compulsive behaviour: behavior resulting from a strong, but usually unreasonable desire, very
difficult to stop or control. The author suggests that workaholics seem to be forced by an
unreasonable desire to work and it seems difficult for them to stop working despite obvious
bad effects.
They are sometimes pushed into their addiction by their work ethic, by workaholic role
models, and by a work system that tacitly encourages workaholism: They are sometimes
forced to be workaholics by their beliefs and principles about work (i.e. they believe in
working hard); by learning from others as examples of working hard and also by the system of
the companies or businesses in which working hard is appreciated and encouraged.
Despite lip service to the contrary: Although some employers talk about the importance of
being moderate i.e. an employee should lead a balanced life, what they say does not match
what they do. In practice, they encourage their employees to work long hours. Lip service
means insincere talk supporting an idea or a way of thinking, etc., often used in the phrase
“pay lip service to” e.g. These politicians are only paying lip service to the signing of a peace
treaty. To the contrary: (words or actions) to the opposite.
workers unwilling to burn the midnight oil are at risk: workers unwilling to work overtime are
in danger of being fired. Burn the midnight oil means working or studying late at night. At risk:
in danger.
put themselves in jeopardy: put themselves in danger (of losing their jobs)
work-and-spend cycle: Americans earn money in order to spend it. So in order to have
material comforts, they must work hard to earn more money. But the more they earn, the more
they spend, and the more they spend, the harder they must work. Working and spending
becomes a cycle from which many Americans find it difficult to get out of.
ratchet up their expectations: Their expectations rise higher and higher and cannot be lowered.
The idea is similar to the previous discussion of work-and-spend cycle. That is, there is no end
to this process. One must keep pushing forward with hard work. Ratchet is used as a verb in
this sentence. Ratchet up means raising something bit by bit and it implies that once raised, it
is difficult or impossible to reverse the situation.
fuel a sense of self-esteem and accomplishment: enable one to have a sense of self-esteem and
accomplishment.
but theirs was more of a physical work: But their pressure or stress came mainly from
physical jobs. A physical work: a kind of physical work. Notice, work is normally an
uncountable noun while job is a countable noun.
Ours has more stress in it: Our work puts more mental pressure (stress) on us, which is
different from what our ancestors had to confront in their work (physical stress).
downsizing companies: companies becoming smaller and smaller due to restructuring (i.e.
firing people from a company)
bleak: gloomy, unpleasant (situation). E.g. The company’s prospects look pretty bleak.
in the fast lane: in a situation in which things have to be dealt with urgently. The sentence
suggests that companies and employees alike are working harder as they try to survive the
rising competition.
《论语》
曾子
鸟之将死, 其鸣也哀; 人之将死, 其言也善。
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18. They equate self-esteem and success with hard work: To those people (workaholics), one can
only get self-esteem and success through hard work. Notice the same idea expressed in
another expression in the text, tie their self-esteem to their work.
19. deny that: deny means refusing to accept something as a fact; or declaring something is not
true. The verb can be followed by a noun phrase, v.-ing form or a that-clause. E.g. She denied
any involvement in the robbery. The accused man denied ever having met her. And The
accused man denied that he had ever met her.
20. Workaholics commonly view their addiction through denial and rationalization: Workaholics
either deny that they are addicted or try to explain away why they work hard. Rationalize
means finding a reasonable but perhaps untrue explanation for one’s own behavior or
opinions, e.g. He rationalized his dislike of authority.
21. as commitment to the company: (Workaholics argue that they work hard) out of their loyalty
to the company. Commitment means a deeply felt loyalty to a particular aim or belief, usually
followed by the preposition to. E.g. China will hold to its commitment to the opening-up
policies.
22. stamina: Energy and the physical, mental or emotional strength that is needed in order to
continue with an activity for a long period of time.
23.. these things often come in at a high price to their health and the welfare of their families:
These things (i.e. the commitment, ambition, and stamina) are attained at the cost of
sacrificing their family life and their health.
1 Comprehension work
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If this exercise turns out difficult for the students, try the following method:
After a detailed study of the text, invite two students to write their
summaries on the board, and then in comparison comment on whether they
accurately present the important ideas from the reading passage. In the
ensuing discussing inform students that general words and information are
preferred for summarization over specific words and information.
A Summarize the story
The article discusses the major characteristics of workaholics and the reasons why they become
addicted to work. At the end, psychology counselors offer some advice on how to restore them
to a normal way of life.
B
Summarize the paragraphs
●The first three paragraphs:
Being a workaholic differs greatly from working hard. Workaholics are not efficient
workers although they seem to be only interested in work. Like alcoholics, they suffer
from an addiction, which is largely caused by society, for those who work long hours are
praised while those who don't are likely to lose their jobs.
●The following four paragraphs:
Psychologists notice that there are both good and bad sides to workaholism, which has its
roots in the history of society . Psychologically, there are three kinds of people who easily
fall victim to workaholism and they have several things in common. In short, they tie a
sense of self-esteem and accomplishment to hard work.
● The last three paragraphs:
Workaholics deny they are inefficient and argue they work for the good of other people.
So the advice, offered by experts, is for the workaholics to spread their eggs into several
baskets by taking up their old hobbies and trying to lead a normal life, healthy both
physically and psychologically.
C Study the story

Books open. Have the students discuss the questions. Write the key points on
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the board for reminding the students of the whole story and preparing for
Exercise D.
1. What is the difference between working hard and being a workaholic?
The big difference is that working hard means working efficiently and having a
balanced life. But being a workaholic means working longer hours than necessary and
having an unbalanced life.
2. What are the similarities between a workaholic and an alcoholic?
Both suffer from an addiction, defined as compulsive behavior despite negative
consequences.
3. What makes workaholics become addicted to their work?
People are pushed into workaholism by their own work ethic and by learning from
other role models. In addition, the present work system makes its contributions, too, by
encouraging people tacitly to work longer hours.
4. How does the prevalent work system encourage workaholism?
Although most employers pay lip service to a balanced life, they say one thing but mean
another. They hope that employees will work harder and longer. The employees, if
unwilling to bum the midnight oil, are in danger of losing their jobs.
5. In what ways is workaholism good for people?
Workaholism, in a sense, tends to create a sense of self-esteem and accomplishment.
People also get higher pay and other rewards for working hard.
6. What is the difference between working hard in the past and at present?
People in the past did much physical work, and working hard meant the consumption of
physical strength. Modem people experience more mental stress such as the fear of
losing jobs in this competitive and bleak economic situation.
7. What are the common traits of the three types of workaholics?
They share the same kind of compulsive behavior, they cannot stand not to work, and
feel comfortable when working. They tie a sense of self-esteem and accomplishment to
hard work.
8. How do workaholics defend their addiction to work?
They deny that they are less efficient than others. They argue that they work hard for
the good of both their families and their own prospects. They tend to view hard work as
commitment, ambition and stamina.
9. What is wrong with workaholics’ argument?
While there is nothing wrong with workaholics' commitment, ambition, and stamina, all
these things come at a high price to their health and to the welfare of their families.
10. How can workaholics be helped to lead a normal and balanced life according to
psychology counselors?
According to psychology counselors, workaholics can be helped by encouraging them
to notice other important things in life, i.e. spreading their eggs in several baskets. For
example, encourage them to pick up their old hobbies. Those little things can be as
rewarding as work. Then they can lead a balanced life, healthy both physically and
psychologically.
D. Reproduce the story
●Invite a student to the front of the class; ask him/her to retell the story by
using the key points on the board, offer help, if necessary. Then make
comments.
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●Alternatively this task can be set for homework.
Post-reading activity
Photocopy the following passage for the class or offer the website for them to get the
article on the Internet. Ask the students to scan the whole passage and draw a
comparison between this passage and the text according to the following questions:
1. Obviously John is in the fast lane, and we can call him a workaholic. But, which
kind of workaholic is John, according to psychology counselors’ findings listed in
the text? Ask the students to choose a correct answer:
A. He works overtime to discharge his high energy.
B. He works overtime to escape from his real problems.
C. He is very competitive and ties his self-esteem to his work.
(Suggested answer: C)
2. Have the students analyze the psychology of workaholics expressed in this article
and the text. Then write a composition entitled “How do the demands of modern
society affect the quality of our lives?”
STRAPPING ON THE NITRO
by John Perrodin
Another day and another quick check in the mirror. My hair is combed as well as I can
manage. The silk tie is taut and ultra-professional. I’ve remembered my belt, and my shoes match.
But then I shift so I can get a side view to be sure the canisters (a container literarily for explosive)
are in place.
They are. Strapped tightly to my back is a well-used pack filled with gleaming silver tubes of
nitroglycerine (a kind of powerful explosive). Satisfied with the look I’ve achieved, it’s off to the
office for another round of tough decisions, opportunities for leadership, growth, and questions
about everything from A to Z — and then some.
Funny thing, I knew that this special cargo was part of the job when I signed on, but I still
have trouble getting used to it being there. With one wrong move I could blow sky high (cause
tragic problems for me). But there are bills to pay, college educations to save for, and that precious
two-week vacation still ringing up daily interest on the charge card (my credit card).
So, after quick kisses and hearty good-byes, I step out the door and into the work world.
Others are impressed by my assured posture and the fearless speed with which I race from meeting
to meeting. It’s almost as though they don’t notice the cans of explosive on my back. They are
packing their own burdens. As we pass in the hallways, balancing our designer coffees, we’re
careful not to bump. We wouldn’t want any of that precious fuel to drip onto the carpeting.
Of course, I don’t really carry nitro around on my back, but many days that’s exactly what
work stress feels like. Others in the office are all fishing for the same compliments and trying to
get their share of a limited bonus pool. It’s not healthy, and I know it, but it’s tough getting off the
treadmill when there's a long line of others ready to push into my spot.
I believe there’s more to life than living for whatever shallow, short-lived praise an employer
or institution can offer. There’s today when you come across a friend who’s troubled and in pain,
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there’s tonight when the kids are excited to play a game with a dad who’s too tired to last through
dinner. And there are the few moments alone with your beloved spouse. How you respond to each
one of those opportunities depends on what you’ve got left after another day of striving and stress.
If the personal store of empathy is empty, the platitude (the hackneyed expression) “I gave at the
office” takes on a whole new meaning.
The job is but one source of stress. To be honest, it can be tough keeping things running
smoothly at home, too. There’s the stress of being a good dad for the kids who love and need me. I
want them to remember a father who was there for them. But it's tiring, and my selfish urges
threaten to overwhelm me when I must choose between doing something for them and something
for me. More than being available for the fun extras, I realize how important it is for me to be
around when it's discipline time. It's easy to be the Good Humor Man passing out treats, but much
more difficult to be the one who holds the line and keeps the children on the right path. That's
stressful, but it's also crucial work.
Nurturing my wife is also a key responsibility as husband. Even when times are busy and
everything seems to be happening at once, I want to be the one to encourage and help. I want my
wife to know that I always love her — not just with my words, but with my willingness to pitch in
and stand beside her in sickness and health, in the good and the bad. Being sensitive to every kind
of need is another challenge that could fit in the stress category, but again, it's a good kind of
stress.
Finally, I want to be a true friend to the faithful companions old and new who have given me
some of their valuable time and made it clear that our relationship matters. Finding a few snatches
of the day to keep in touch, bolster someone (give them support) in need, or listen to problems is
just one more way that I can be a person who cares and someone who means what I say. It's easy
to offer a glib greeting in the hallway, but it takes something out of you to put meaning behind the
words.
Even exercise, eating right and getting enough sleep can be a stressor in my life. Everyone
else seems to have it so together with regular exercise programs and weight loss plans. But I can’t
decide what’s right for me based on what “everyone else” is doing. It doesn’t work that way. If all
I can manage is a walk in the evening after dinner, great. Doing nothing isn’t an option, but
worrying about keeping a rigid schedule will probably cause as much stress as the actual workout
will alleviate. Same goes for volunteering at church, in Sunday School, and at the soup kitchen
downtown (a church activity). Becoming irritable from exhaustion isn’t worth it for myself, my
wife or my kids.
I’ve found that it’s often up to me how much nitro I’ll decide to bear on any given day. I have
my limits, but despite knowing what I can and can’t handle, I may take on a bigger burden than I
should because I want to look good for the boss and my co-workers. How else can I impress
unless I’m tearing around at warp speed (the highest possible speed) balancing my backpack while
juggling (working) — but remaining completely “in control” at all times?
In the long run, the answer is learning to say no. And asking for help when you need it.
Another key to reducing stress is making sure you know what others expect of you and vice versa.
If your family is important to you, show it by making time for family fun. Turn off the TV, ignore
the phone. This is how I make the “first things” truly first in my life and prove my priorities have
teeth.
Stress is what you make it. Whether you allow it to drive you toward what’s good and
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significant in your life, or keep you from it, is your own choice.
Maybe it’s time to unload some of the nitro. It’s not easy and feels so comfortable there tight
against my shoulder blades. But I know there are other ways to get things done than having
something as dangerous as stress pushing me around.
Adapted from STRAPPING ON THE NITRO by John Perrodin Retrieved at (Nov 5, 2004)
http://troubledwith.com/stellent/groups/public//@fotf_troubledwith/documents/articles/twi_05680
4.cfm?channel=Life%20Pressures&topic=Workaholism
2 Language work
A In other words
1. organised
5. commitment
2. tacit
6. view
3. rationalised
7. fuelled
4. trapped
8. sought
B Work with sentences
1. His parents are pushing him into studying medicine.
2. The old lady rewarded the boy with five dollars for bringing back her lost dog.
3. The economy of the country is failing further, putting many jobs at risk.
4. In this factory, a worker's pay is tied to his performance, not to his age.
5. Some girls equate marrying a rich man with happiness.
6. The American traveler sought to buy the horse statue from the old villager.
7. The method used by the Air Force to glue the plane parts together, to the contrary of
opposing and counter arguments, finally produced some impressive results.
8. Jane Eyre told Mr. Rochester that she would rather die than beg pity from him.
C Pick out the right words
a. According to some medical experts, people suffering from workaholism generally (1) fall into
two types. The first type are those who are intensely (2) competitive, impatient,
achievement-oriented, aggressive, and who move rapidly and frequently, have a strong (3)
sense of time-urgency, and the most damaging (4) trait to the heart—— a tendency towards
(5) hostility. The second type are those who are more relaxed, (6)unhurried, patient,
non-competitive, non-aggressive, and having little or no sense of (7) time-urgency. In fact
there is (8) nothing wrong with working hard or being achievement-oriented. Most of us are
actually a (9) mixture of the two types.
b. 1. finished
2. inflexible
3. aggressive 4. control
7. demanding 8. uncooperative 9. relaxing
10. concerned
5. Handle 6. vacations
I I. delegate
Part III Extended Activities
Aims:
Having a thorough and more complete understanding of the topic discussed in the first
two parts.
Strengthening memorization of the key words and expressions practiced in the first
two parts through the exercises of Dictation, Read More and Translation.
Improving the ability to comprehend and use the written English language.
1 Dictation
There is an essential difference between work and labor. A man is a laborer if the job is of no
interest to him but he is compelled to take it by the necessity of earning a living and supporting his
family. A man is a worker if he is personally interested in the job which society pays him to do.
Whether a job is to be classified as labor or work depends not on the job itself, but on the taste of
the individual who undertakes it. The difference does not coincide with the difference between a
manual and a mental job. For example, a gardener may be a worker while a bank clerk may be a
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laborer. Whether a man is a worker or a laborer can be seen from his attitude towards leisure. To a
worker leisure means simply the hours he needs to relax and rest in order to work efficiently. To
the laborer, on the other hand, leisure means freedom from compulsion, so that it is natural for him
to imagine that the fewer hours he has to spend laboring the better it is.
2 Read More

Before doing the exercise, have the students mark the topic sentence of each
paragraph. Then check the answers and explain the difficult points that caused
disagreement in comprehension and different answers.
Notes:
1. Pernicious: very harmful
2. Sabbath (安息日): the seventh or the first day of the week as the day of rest and religious
observance. The Jewish Sabbath is Saturday and the Christian Sabbath is Sunday. It can also
refer to any special day of prayer or rest resembling the Sabbath, for example, Friday is the
Muslim Sabbath.
3. the parent who has impaled himself on the sword of ambition……the parent who gets caught
by his own ambition and becomes obsessed with it
4. lingerie store: a store which sells women’s underwear and night-clothes
5. eulogised: praised highly
True / False / Not mentioned
1. T 2. F 3. NM 4. NM 5. T 6. T 7. T
8. F (The author offered the advice on how to break the false god of work.)
Questions for discussion
 These two questions will bring about a lot of discussion. The teacher can add his or her
understanding on the meaning of life and meaning of work at this time. Success of work
may give us job satisfaction, bring us money, positions and admiration of the people
around us, but may not be the most essential thing in our life. Many famous people, who
had successful careers, took their lives in their own hands when they were trapped by
spiritual crisis. The people with "faith", "vision" and "love" will have a strong spiritual
support, even in the face of adversity.
3 Grammar work

The past tense used in the clause after wish indicates a situation that is contradictory to
fact. The past perfect expresses regret about an unfulfilled past event.
a. 1. i
2. j
3. f
4. e
5. g
6. d
7. c
8. a ' 9. h
10. b
b. The workaholic says: (For reference)
I wish my wife would not insist on my taking her out for the weekend.
I wish she would understand the idea of hard work.
I wish she wouldn't go camping so often.
His wife thinks: (For reference)
I wish my husband would relax sometimes.
I wish he'd tell me what's wrong.
I wish he wouldn't sulk.
c. Conversation One: I wish you hadn't told her.
Conversation Two: I wish I had started learning English...
Conversation Three: He wishes they hadn't moved at all. / He wishes they could move
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back home again.
4 Vocabulary work


This is an open-ended exercise for learning expressions for leisure activities. It can be
done in pairs. Encourage the students to say when and where they are / were engaged in
such activities.
Put the students into pairs by asking and answering each other questions with the
expressions listed in the students’ book.
Note:
Smell the flowers: do small things for fun, such as taking a walk with friends, swimming,
sightseeing, etc.
5 Translation
1. He is paying lip service again. Don't take his words seriously.
2. The winners were rewarded with the cup.
3. He has been teaching conscientiously for twenty years. None of his colleagues have any
doubt about his commitment to the cause of education.
4. They finally won, but paid a heavy price.
5. Good scores in exams cannot be equated with intelligence.
6. If you don't hear anything to the contrary, the meeting will begin at ten o'clock sharp.
7. Many people trapped in the cave died before the rescue party arrived.
6 Raise questions
(For reference)
1. What do workaholics have in common with alcoholics?
2. What will happen to the workers in many companies if they don't like to work overtime?
3. What is the positive side of workaholism according to psychology counselors?
4. How many types of workaholics have experts noticed?
5. How do workaholics defend their tight schedules?
7 Writing

Some expressions used in the text for making comparison and contrast are: there is a big
difference between...; workaholics, on the other hand, are often ...; theirs was more of ...,
ours has more stress in it, etc. To help the students, more expressions can be introduced
such as: while ...; in contrast; on the one hand.., on the other hand...; instead...; on the
contrary ...; etc.
Cultural Information
Questions for Discussion
(1) What’s the religious significance of Sunday?
(2) What are the four usual basic Sunday lunch menus for an English family in
Britain?
Additional cultural information about SUNDAY
Many people in the West assume that Sunday observance originally came from
paganism. Later it was established for religious reasons as a day of rest, the weekly
holiday in the pagan world. On this day each week, the Romans, Greeks, and other
pagans, gathered in temples to worship their pagan gods, particularly the
Sun-god---hence the term Sun-day. Later when these pagans professed Christianity,
they gradually brought the overwhelmingly popular practice of meeting on Sunday
into the “church”. (This is only one of so many different origins of Sunday.)
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Preparing for Speaking Test (TEM 3)
 Photocopy the following worksheet for the students for preparing for Oral
English Test for TEM 3.
Worksheet
Role-play
Student A: There was much media coverage of the successful launch and return of the
Chinese spaceship Shenzhou V in 2003. Discuss this event with student B. You think
that China’s advances in this area will instill a feeling of pride into the Chinese people.
China should continue to launch more spacecrafts, and compete with other countries.
Student B: There was much media coverage of the successful launch and return of the
Chinese spaceship Shenzhou V in 2003. Discuss the event with student A. Your
opinion is that it is not a wise decision for China to spend a large sum of money on
space launches at present.
Suggested points for Student A
.
a. Space exploration is based on man’s desire for knowledge. Only with a strong
desire for knowledge can we make great progress in developing our human
civilization.
b. Space research kindles an interest in science. Science and technology are the
engines of social development.
c. Increasing understanding of universe, earth, and the origins of human beings.
e. Helping build up a sense of national pride
f. Creating more jobs
Suggested points for Student B
(This point is a part of point b.)
a. Can’t improve our living conditions or raise our living standards
b. The greatest enemies are: poverty, hunger and disease. We need necessities, not just
spirit
c. China is not a rich country now, and we have many more important things to do
Assessment
 Organize a short session of reflection on what the students have learned in this
unit.
 Photocopy the Self-Assessment Worksheet at the end of the book for the students.
18