Work - TOEFL Vocabulary

TOEFL Topic: Work Go Back

Exercise 1 - Look at the words and phrases in the box, and use some of them to answer questions 1 – 14. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

adverse working conditions applicant application form be made redundant blue-collar worker boss candidate commission demanding dismiss dismissal downsize employee employer fire fixed income flexible working hours freelance full time hire homeworker incentives incentive scheme income increment interview interviewee interviewer job satisfaction job security manager manual worker manufacturing industry (on) leave overtime part-time pension pension contributions perks profession promotion raise recruitment drive repetitive strain injury (RSI) resign retire rewards and benefits salary self-employed semi-skilled service industry sick building syndrome sickness benefit skilled a steady job stress supervisor unemployed unemployment union unskilled unsociable hours wage (on) welfare white-collar worker workaholic

Replace the word in bold in this sentence with another word from the box which has a similar meaning: 'A lot of people wanted the job, but she was the best candidate'.
What is the difference between a wage and a salary?
Complete this sentence: _____________ is a painful condition of the muscles in the hands and the arms caused by doing the same movement many times (for example, using a computer over a long period of time).
Replace the word in bold in this sentence with another word from the box which has a similar, but less formal, meaning (you will need to change the form of the word): 'When he was caught stealing from the company, he was instantly dismissed _____________'.
Complete this sentence: The word raise in the box is similar in meaning to _____________ (which is also in the box).
What is the difference between a blue-collar worker and a white-collar worker?
True or false?: When a company downsizes its work force, this means that it pays its workers less than before. _____________
Complete this sentence: _____________ are extra payments or benefits that you get in your job (for example, free meals, health insurance, company car, etc.).
What do you think sick building syndrome is?
Complete this sentence: If you have _____________, you have work which is reliable and will last for a long time.
True or false?: retire and resign have the same meaning. _____________
Complete this sentence: Banks, hospitals, and hotels are examples of _____________.
Would you be happy if you had adverse working conditions?
Complete this sentence: A person who is _____________ is not permanently employed by one company, but sells their services to more than one company.

applicant
A wage and a salary are both money you receive for doing a job, but the first is usually paid daily or weekly and the second is usually paid monthly
Complete this sentence: Repetitive strain injury (usually abbreviated to RSI) is a painful condition of the muscles in the hands and the arms caused by doing the same movement many times (for example, using a computer over a long period of time).
fired
Complete this sentence: The word raise in the box is similar in meaning to increment (which is also in the box).
A blue-collar worker does work that involves physical strength or skill with their hands (for example, in a factory or a mine) and a white-collar worker works in an office
False. It makes some of its workers redundant (= it gets rid of some of its workers) because it no longer needs them)
Complete this sentence: perks are extra payments or benefits that you get in your job (for example, free meals, health insurance, company car, etc.).
Sick building syndrome is a medical condition that affects people who work in buildings where the air is not healthy
Complete this sentence: If you have a steady job , you have work which is reliable and will last for a long time.
False. When you retire, you stop working because you have reached a particular age. When you resign, you leave a job because (for example) you want a different job or because you are not happy with the company you are working for
Complete this sentence: Banks, hospitals, and hotels are examples of service industries .
No. Your work conditions are bad (for example, you might not have much job security, your place of work might be unhealthy or dangerous, etc.)
Complete this sentence: A person who is freelance (This can also be a verb: to freelance. The person who does this is called a freelancer) is not permanently employed by one company, but sells their services to more than one company.

Exercise 2 - Complete this essay with appropriate words and phrases from the box in Exercise 1. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

‘Some people live to work and others work to live. In most cases, this depends on the job they have and the conditions under which they are employed.’ In your opinion, what are the elements that make a job worthwhile?

In answering this question, I would like to look fi rst at the elements that combine to make a job undesirable. By avoiding such factors, potential (1) _____________ are more likely to find a job that is more worthwhile, and by doing so, hope to achieve happiness in their work. First of all, it doesn’t matter if you are an (2) _____________ worker cleaning the floor, a (3) _____________ (4) _____________ worker on a production line in one of the (5) _____________ , or a (6) _____________ worker in a bank, shop, or one of the other (7) _____________: if you lack (8) _____________, with the knowledge that you might lose your job at any time, you will never feel happy. Everybody would like a (9) _____________ in which he or she is guaranteed work. Nowadays, however, companies have a high turnover of staff, (10) _____________ new staff and (11) _____________ others on a weekly basis. Such companies are not popular with their workers. The same can be said of a job in which you are put under a lot of (12) _____________ and worry, a job which is so (13) _____________ that it takes over your life, a job where you work (14) _____________ and so never get to see your family or friends, or a physical job in which you do the same thing every day and end up with the industrial disease that is always in the papers nowadays – (15) _____________ . With all these negative factors, it would be diffi cult to believe that there are any elements that make a job worthwhile. Money is, of course, the prime motivator, and everybody wants a good (16) _____________ . But of course that is not all. The chance of (17) _____________ , of being given a better position in a company, is a motivating factor. Likewise, (18) _____________ such as a free lunch or a company car, an (19) _____________ scheme to make you work hard such as a regular (20) _____________ above the rate of infl ation, (21) _____________ in case you fall ill, and a company (22) _____________ scheme so that you have some money when you retire all combine to make a job worthwhile. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to fi nd all of these. There is, however, an alternative. Forget the office and the factory floor and become (23) _____________instead. When you work for yourself, your future may not be all that secure. However, at least you will be happy.

In answering this question, I would like to look fi rst at the elements that combine to make a job undesirable. By avoiding such factors, potential (1) employees are more likely to find a job that is more worthwhile, and by doing so, hope to achieve happiness in their work. First of all, it doesn’t matter if you are an (2) unskilled worker cleaning the floor, a (3) semi-skilled (4) blue-collar worker on a production line in one of the (5) manufacturing industries , or a (6) white-collar worker in a bank, shop, or one of the other (7) service industries: if you lack (8) job security, with the knowledge that you might lose your job at any time, you will never feel happy. Everybody would like a (9) steady job in which he or she is guaranteed work. Nowadays, however, companies have a high turnover of staff, (10) hiring new staff and (11) firing others on a weekly basis. Such companies are not popular with their workers. The same can be said of a job in which you are put under a lot of (12) stress and worry, a job which is so (13) demanding that it takes over your life, a job where you work (14) unsociable hours and so never get to see your family or friends, or a physical job in which you do the same thing every day and end up with the industrial disease that is always in the papers nowadays – (15) repetitive strain injury . With all these negative factors, it would be diffi cult to believe that there are any elements that make a job worthwhile. Money is, of course, the prime motivator, and everybody wants a good (16) salary . But of course that is not all. The chance of (17) promotion , of being given a better position in a company, is a motivating factor. Likewise, (18) perks such as a free lunch or a company car, an (19) incentive scheme to make you work hard such as a regular (20) increment / raise above the rate of infl ation, (21) sickness benefit in case you fall ill, and a company (22) pension scheme so that you have some money when you retire all combine to make a job worthwhile. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to fi nd all of these. There is, however, an alternative. Forget the office and the factory floor and become (23) self-employed instead. When you work for yourself, your future may not be all that secure. However, at least you will be happy.