Unit 5
The Company Man
Contents
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Pre-reading questions
Background information
Structural analysis of the text
Comprehensive questions
Language Points
Sentence highlights
Language appreciation
Grammar points
Comprehensive questions of Text II
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Pre-reading questions
1. What do you think is the life of a typical
workaholic like?
2. How important do you think work is to a
person?
Background information
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About the text and the author
Ellen Goodman(1941 – ), journalist and
columnist who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980 for
commentary. She has written for Newsweek,
the Detroit Free Press, and the Boston Globe.
Her works include Turning Points (1979),
Close to Home (1979), and At Large (1981).
Background information (5)
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Pulitzer Prize
Any of several awards established by Joseph
Pulitzer and conferred annually for
accomplishment in various fields of American
journalism, literature, and music.
Pulitzer Medal
Structure analysis of the text
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Paragraph 1
This is an introductory paragraph.
Paragraphs 2-6
This part reports how devoted the man was to
his work.
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Paragraphs 7-13
This part describes Phil’s role in his family.
Paragraph 14-16
This is the concluding part. After the cause of
Phil’s death being restated, the author goes on
to report the company president’s inquire for
his successor.
Comprehensive questions
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1. what is meant by the sentence “she would
be well taken care of” in Paragraph 8?
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It means that the company Phil worked for would
provide some financial help for his wife so as to
relieve her of any possible worries about finance.
Comprehensive questions (2)
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2. why is the phrase “dearly beloved” repeated
when referring to his children in Paragraph 9?
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The phrase “delay beloved” is repeated to create a
sarcastic effect for his relationship with his
children was far from being close and intimate and
he devoted too little to his children.
Comprehensive questions (3)
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3. What do you think is the relationship like between
Phil and the three children?
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Refer to Paragraphs 9—12. Successful as his was as a
corporate man, Phil was a failing father. His eldest son
knew so little about him that he had to research his father
by asking the neighbors what he was like. His daughter had
nothing to say when staying along with him. And his
younger son, also his favorite, remarked bitterly that his
father and he only boarded at the home. The relationship
between Phil and his children was distant and estranged.
Comprehensive questions (4)
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4.what is the implication of the ending?
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It implies the story of Phil sees no end: He will
soon be replaced by an equally hardworking guy
who may following in his steps and repeat the
same tragedy. Bosses are always on the lookout for
workaholics and they are never in short supply.
The ending is full of sarcasm and bitterness.
Comprehension questions (5)
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5. Do you think it is a sheer waste of life to die
so young for working so hard? What can you
learn from the story of Phil?
Language points of Text I
Paragraph 1
precisely: exactly
 They arrived at five o’clock precisely.
 synonyms: exactly, accurately, definitely
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Paragraph 2-6
overweight: weighing more than is normal,
necessary, or allowed, especially having more
body weight than is considered normal or
healthy for one’s age or build.
Compare: fat, obese, fleshy, stout（壮实的）,
pudgy(矮胖的）, plump, chubby（圆胖的）
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Para 7-13
survive : to live longer than; to outlive
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It’s amazing that she should have survived all her children
and grandchildren.
My father survived my mother by four years.
marketable: wanted by purchasers or employers.
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They have failed to launch a marketable model for years.
It is a good idea to list your marketable skills before
heading for the job fair.
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widow: a woman whose husband has died,
and who has not married again.
widower: a man whose wife has died, and
who has not married again.
Widow v. to make a widow or widower of
somebody.
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She calls her windowed father/mother nearly
everyday.
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straighten out: to solve or settle: to remove
difficulties from something or the doubt or
ignorance in somebody’s mind.
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we need someone capable of straightening out all
the confusion.
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Paragraphs 14-16
inquiry: a request for help or information; an
investigation
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Don’t hesitate to check with our workers at the inquiry
desk/office when in doubt.
Sentence highlights
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1. He was, however, one of six vice-presidents,
and one of three who might conceivably-if the
president died or retired soon enough-have
moved to the top spot. (Para.3)
Paraphrase:
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2. He was the one who tried to grab at his
father, and tried to mean enough to him to
keep the man at home. (Para.11)
Paraphrase:
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3. She was afraid he would read her bitterness
and after all, she would need him to straighten
out the finance-the stock options and all that.
(Para.13)
Language appreciation
He worked himself to death, finally and
precisely, at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning.
(Para.1)
So when he finally worked himself to death, at
precisely 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning, no one
was really surprised. (Para. 15)
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Repetition of the time of his death vividly
expresses _______________
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2. He was a perfect Type A, a workaholic, a
classic, they said to each other and shook
their heads.
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Three appositions together disclose
characteristics of the man.
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3. His second child is a girl,… to each other.
(Para.10)
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The writer employs comparison and contrast here
again to
Grammar points
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Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense is common in
English .
It is often used for an action which started at
some time in the past, and is still continuing
now.
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He has lived in Canada for five years.
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Secondly, it’s important to say that something
happened, but it’s not important when it
happened.
Thirdly, it can be used for actions which
happened in the past, but still have an effect in
the present.
Comprehensive Questions of Text II
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1.What is a kind of fundamental malaise(不舒服）
which seams very common and which poses difficult
problems for the social reformer?
2.What is the first of the two causes that prevent
people from being as happy as one might expect?
3.What is the major cause that prevents people from
being happy as much as possible?
4.How do you understand the statement that a life
which is all principle is a life on rails?
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A1: People are troubled by a feeling of
boredom and discontent, so they seem to yearn
for something that may help to boost their
spirits. The rich often depressed and
professional men often feel hopelessly
thwarted.
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A2: It is the necessity of readiness to submit to
others in some large organization. Conformity
is encouraged and submission is a virtue. If
you are bubbling with energy and laden with
ideas, you constantly find yourself in trouble.
You are bossed about by some big man at the
top who is elderly, weary and cynical. The
bright people always suffer form the
impossibility of doing anything they believe to
be right.
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A3: Most people act on some principles rather than on impulse.
They believe in a general theory on how to make one happy,
but the theory is basically false. A competitive struggle
dominates life in which happiness lies in getting ahead of
those who are your neighbors, colleagues or fiends. They
forget joys devoid of competitive elements. Though it is true
that you are mad if you always yield to impulse, it is no less
true that you may dry up by soft degrees if you never yield to
impulse. If you desire to live a healthy and happy life, you
should allow impulse to have sufficient scope to remain alive
and you should preserve a range of interests. However, if you
live merely on principle, you can hardly feel happy.
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A 4: In such a life, one may score earthly
achievements in a fairly fast manner, but he
may succeed in attaining his particular goal at
the cost of freedom, which is an indispensable
element in happiness.