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FACULTATEA DE AUTOMATICĂ Ș I CALCULATOARE

SEMESTRUL II – SEMINAR 6

A. LEAD IN

1. Would you like to work in a small company or in a big multinational one? (Give arguments
for your answer.

I think it is better to work in a big multinational one, because I can


promote myself for a better paid job in the company; also, I can get a
big salary than in a small one.
2. Would you like to have a management position or would you like to work as a researcher?

I would like to have a management position, because in this position


you have more possibilities than a simple researcher.
3. What do you think working 6 day per week is the key for success?

Yes, I agree with that statement; more work means a bright future.
4. What do you think working about shortening the working week?

I disagree with that, because it is better to work more and harder than
more free days; aging is for to rest.

READING COMPREHANTION

1. Read this text about short working week

The English language is full of idioms extolling the virtues of hard work. We praise employees who
are willing to fight tooth and nail for the company. Someone ready to go extra mile is the kind of
worker we want on our team. But employees who keep their nose to the grindstone, might not be
what companies need to be successful.
Some
companies are now experimenting with a four day work week, and it’s not just the employees that a
re benefiting. Microsoft in Japan recently tried a four days work week and they say productivity
increased by 40%. The program was called the ‘Work Life Choice Challenge’. All employees were
given Fridays off this past August and the bottom line was more money for the company. They were
measuring sales and it was a 40% jump compared to August 2018. In addition to increase sales
Microsoft was able to save electricity costs by closing down once a week.

In Japan, a country known for overworking employees, this was a bold initiative.
In addition to cutting hours, employees were encouraged to reduce meetings and emails. This may h
ave been a reason they were more efficient. Reduced stress and increased morale may have also con
tributed to productivity.

Microsoft Japan isn’t the only one trying out a four day work week. Across Europe, companies are ex
perimenting with decreasing work hours. A Belgian nonprofit called Femma is currently testing a 30-
hour work week. After discovering that a desire for more free time was employees’ chief complaint, 
they cut Fridays for most of their 60,000 workers. It is a one year experiment that is being studied by 
researchers at the University of Brussels. Femma director Eva
Brumagne, says, “Our colleagues are very happy with this new situation; they’re experiencing a lot m
ore freedom… People are saying their lives have slowed down.”

Perpetual Guardian, a real estate company in New Zealand, has recently made a four day work week 
permanent. They have reported a 20% boost in employee productivity and a 45% jump in employee 
worklife balance. And more balanced employees equals more focused employees. Burning the candl
e at both ends isn’t the answer. The real answer is ,  working smarter, not working longer.”

A. In the text there are some underlined phrases which are synonyms with those
listed below

1. to work, study, or practice for long periods of time

go extra mile

2. the most important effect or result

the bottom line

B Multiple choice question

1. to make a strong and intense effort


1. fight tooth and nail

2. go the extra mile

3. the bottom line

4. keep one's nose to the grindstone

C.True/False questions

1. to overwork by trying to do too many things, causing one to not get enough
sleep at night → burn the candle at both ends
True False

2. to go beyond what is expected → go the extra mile


True False
3. Read the text below and find out which of the sentences about the text are
correct

Intercultural communication is a relatively new concept, which developed in a new field of research.
It is also interdisciplinary, and so draws on many different areas of investigation such as sociology,
anthropology, business studies, psychology, history, geography, communication science.

Many problems occurred in companies working in USA, where they faced with the challenge of
finding ways to help people of many different cultural origins to live and to work together. After the
Second World War there was a realization in business that the USA needed to know more about
other cultures if it was to increase its overseas trade. Input also came from the USA army, which had
been operating in many different countries, and faced many intercultural problems.

A
1. Intercultural communication is a concept which developed due to the Second World
War
2. Companies in USA have to work with people of many different
cultural origins.- CORRECT
3. Intercultural aspects are important in international trade.
4. Intercultural aspects are specific for armies

Cultural differences are very important in non-verbal communication. Body movement, body
position and facial expression as well as the way of dressing are different. The same gesture can
mean different things to people from different culture
B. Look at the images below. The same gesture has different meanings. Decide what they

mean A. USA -In most English-speaking


countries it denotes approval, agreement, and that all is well or "okay".
B. France-"OK" in France means "worthless" or "zero."
C. Japan -it means "money"--because the circle formed by your
thumb and index finger resembles a coin.
D. Romania- it means ”OK”

A. Greece-Giving the thumbs up to somebody in


Greece is equivalent to giving the middle finger to an American.
B. Australia-In Australia and most western countries, the thumbs up is a
positive sign; also, it is used by hitchhikers.
C. UK.-The thumbs up signal has a generally positive connotation in
English-speaking countries; it means ”I like it” or number 10.
D. Romania-it means ”I like it”.

4. Look at the image below. What is this young man doing for living?
This man is a person who offers confidence through
his warm smile, formal dress and firm handshake. I
think this person is one who urges you to work, or
who is waiting for you in his team. He has a good and
friendly face, also he is looking like a good manager.
WRITING
In order to develop your writing abilities you have to accomplish two different type of tasks

A. Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they
respond to the specific points made in the reading passage.

Companies using artificial intelligence realize important savings, innovate faster

Most managers in large companies say they want to use advanced data analysis tools to remain
competitive. However, more than two-thirds of respondents have not yet taken concrete steps in
this direction.

From detecting bank fraud, predicting energy consumption, or interpreting medical diagnosis,
advanced data analysis system have become a necessity for many companies and industries. While
Artificial Intelligence is a natural component in many business processes, business need to respond
to challenges to stay innovative and respond to real –time costumer needs.

Nearly three-quarters of organizations (72%) claim that analytics help them generate valuable insight
and 60% say their analytics resources have made them more innovative. A third of respondents’
report that it is used tactical projects only. The responses suggest that companies know analytics can
help them, but they lack a clear and common understanding of the benefits of using a platform
approach across the enterprise and the analytic life cycle.

On the other hand, some business developers are quite enthusiastic. For example one who declares
‘Artificial intelligence is no longer a niche phenomenon and I think it will grow more and in the years
to come’.

(adapted from the homonym article in The Diplomat, vol 15, Q1, 2019)

Most companies use advanced data analysis tools to remain competitive. This advanced tools
help them to detect bank fraud, predicting energy consumption, in medicine, too.

The most managers understand that a good and a big company needs Artificial Intelligence to
respond to challenges to stay innovative and respond to real- time costumer needs.

Most organizations say that analytics help them generate valuable insight and their analytics
resources have made them more innovative. They know that Artificial Intelligence grow and it
makes our lives easier.
B. Essay Writing
For this task, you will write an essay in response to a question that asks you to state, explain, and
support your opinion on an issue.

Typically, an effective essay will contain a minimum of 300 words.


You need to write at least 3 arguments to support your opinion/statement
Your essay will be judged on the quality of your writing.
Content includes the development of your ideas, the organization of your essay, and the quality and
accuracy of the language you use to express your ideas.

Write an essay in which you express your opinion on one of the below listed topics

A. On-line learning versus face to face education.


B. The importance of body language in establishing solid relationships.

If you decide to work on the first statement please read also the following text which is the
testimony of an English student:

Learning through online courses more effect than learning the traditional classroom setting because
of three reasons. The first is that you can take the courses wherever you are once you have the
computer and the internet and second is that a discussion on the classes could be more easily for
some students who are very shy to discuss with the friends, classmates and professor face to face.
They can talk whatever they like if they face a computer. What’s more, it could be much easier for
the students to hand in their assignment. They just could send the email to the professor and the
professor can give the feedback of assignments in the email so I believe learning thorough…
A. On-line learning versus face to face education
No one can deny that there are both positive and negative aspects
of on-line learning or of education in classroom. If I were forced to
choose, I would definitely agree with on-line learning. It is my firm
belief that this is better for a student for a number of reasons, and I
will develop these ideas in the subsequent paragraphs.
To begin with, I want to say that you can have a flexible schedule
and environment, because by studying online, you choose the time
when you want to learn, and you can study in your comfortable
zone. Also, you don’t less time on the bus, or just talking with your
friends during the lessons. As for me, during this quarantine time, I
understood that studying from home is more beneficial than in a
class with 20 students. At home I have a lot of piece, I concentrate
more than at university. For this reason, I can say that on-line
learning is better than face to face education.
Secondly, online learning develops your management skills and
self-motivation. I can say that this type of studying is a challenge. I
support this idea because at home you have a lot of free time, and
for a good career we need to study more. Drawing from my own
experience, when I am studying from home I observe that I develop
my management skills; I have a schedule that I respect, I motivate
myself by creating a purpose list that I always put on the work table
to see.
Thirdly, studying on-line it could be much easier for us to hand
our assignments. Talking about myself, for me it is easier to do my
homework and send it to the teacher by email to be verified, than to
do on a paper and give to the teacher; the professor could not
understand your hand-writing and it will complicate its verification.
In light of the above mentioned reasons, I strongly believe that on-
line learning is better than face to face education.
GRAMMAR SUPPORT
REPORTED SPEECH
Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There
are two main types of reported speech:

 direct speech - Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we


remember their words: Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight

 indirect speech. – it is when one reports other/ others words

Speech reports consist of two parts:


1. the reporting clause - the original speaker said
2. the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout,
usually in the past simple
Example: Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight.

Warning:
 In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When
the reporting clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and
the reported clause. When the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we
use a comma to separate the two parts:
She told me they had left her without any money.
Not: She told me, they had left her without any money.
Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.
 We don’t use question marks or exclamations in indirect reports.
Example:
Are you upset? Turns into He asked me why I was so upset.

PRACTICE

1. ✔) the sentences that are correct.


1 Pete: “Don’t be late.”
a Pete warned me not to be late. -COREECT
b Pete warned me to be late.
2 Lynn: “What would you like to do?”
a Lynn asked me what would I like to do.
b Lynn asked me what I would like to do. - COREECT
3 Me: “Why don’t we go out for a meal?”
a I suggested going out for a meal.
b I suggested to go out for a meal. - COREECT
4 Mum: “OK, you can stay out late.”
a Mum agreed letting me stay out late.
b Mum agreed to let me stay out late. - COREECT
5 Brad: “Would you like to watch a horror film?”
a Brad invited me to watch a horror film with him.- COREECT
b Brad invited to watch a horror film with him.
6 Mum: “But you don’t like horror films.”
a Mum pointed out me that I don’t like horror films. - COREECT
b Mum pointed out that I don’t like horror films.

2. Complete the sentences with the correct words.


1 Will promised to do it for me.
a to do b me to do c doing
2 Shaun reminded me to need a visa.
a me to need b me that I needed c needing
3 Lily suggested to talk to him.
a to talk b me to talk c talking
4 Rachel complained me my music was too loud.
a me my music was b that my music was c my music being
5 Janet asked me if I need anything. a me / needing b me / need c me / needed

3. Complete the sentences in reported speech.


1 Julie: “Can you help me.”
Julie asked me if I could help her.
2 Greg: “I won’t speak to you again.”
Greg refused to spoke me again.
3 Inga: “Why don’t we meet later?”
Inga suggested to meet later.
4 Ralph: “You’re late again!”
Ralph pointed out that I was late again.

REFERENCES

1. Gibson, Robert- Intercultural Business Communication, Oxford University Press, 2010


2. Companies Using Artificial Intelligence Realize Important Savings - in The Diplomat,
vol 15, Q1, 2019
3. The Polytechnic University of Bucharest; Department of Modern Language and
Communication - English for Professional Communication, Editura Printech,
București, 2004
4. www.macmillanenglish.com/inspiration
5. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/reported-speech_2

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