レアジョブ英会話 オフィシャル教材

TOEIC Intermediate/Advanced Reviewer – Basics (Vocabulary and Grammar)

Main Topic 2: Business Interactions

Lesson 13: Talking with your Co-workers / Subordinates (20-25 minutes)

Today, you will:

1. Learn useful vocabulary related to HANDLING COLLEAGUES.

2. Review the Subject and Verb Agreement Rules - Part 3 (9-12).

I. VOCABULARY

Exercise 1: What’s the meaning? (5-6 minutes)

Choose the meaning of the underlined words from the choices that follow. Then practice using
the words in your own sentences.

1. She manages (扱う) her subordinates well.

a. fires
b. assesses
c. recruits
d. handles
2. The chairman has already made a decision (決定).
a. quote
b. speech
c. choice
d. question
3. My co-worker used my laptop temporarily (一時的に).
a. last term
b. long-term
c. short-term
d. business term
4. What is your responsibility (職務) in the team?
a. duty
b. capability
c. regulation
d. response

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TOEIC Intermediate/Advanced Reviewer – Basics (Vocabulary and Grammar)

5. The CEO promoted him into a more permanent (常勤の) position.

a. reliable
b. stable
c. certain
d. creative

Exercise 2: What’s the word? (5-7 minutes)

Read the following dialog with your tutor and try to use context clues to fill in the blanks with
the most appropriate word. You can find the missing word from the pool of words at the
bottom.

Allan and Michael are called by their immediate supervisor. They are currently inside the
conference room discussing some matters.

Supervisor: Allan and Michael, I heard about your disagreement the other day. Please
remember that you need to ____a.____ a good relationship with your co-workers.

Allan: I can’t stand working with him anymore. I think I can ____e.____ to work independently.

Supervisor: Keep in mind that we are a ____b.____. We are supposed to be working together. I
can’t allow this kind of issue ruin the bond that we already have.

Michael: I do agree with you, sir. I’m sorry we both lost our temper while discussing the best
marketing strategy to use.

Supervisor: Apology accepted. I hope you will fix this problem right away by finding your
___f.___ ground. Then, it will be easy for the both of you to get along with each other. Respect
other people’s opinion if you want others to respect yours as well.

Allan: I understand sir. I do have one question. What will be the consequences if we are not
able to get along well?

Supervisor: We have to ____d.____ the kind of interpersonal relationship that the company
has already established for a long time. If you can’t do it, I’m afraid I have to make a drastic
decision.

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TOEIC Intermediate/Advanced Reviewer – Basics (Vocabulary and Grammar)

Choices:

a. establish (築く) b. team (チーム) c. rather (むしろ)

d. maintain (保つ) e. negotiate (交渉する) f. common (共通の)

II. GRAMMAR REVIEW:

Topic: Subject and Verb Agreement Rules Part 3 (5-6 minutes)
(主語と動詞の一致に関する決まり パート 3)

Subject-verb agreement is a rule which states that the verb should always agree with the
subject. That means a singular subject only requires a singular verb; and a plural subject only
requires a plural verb. Listed below are some rules to avoid errors.
(主語と動詞の一致とは、動詞は常に主語の形式に一致しなければならないという決ま
りです。つまり、単数形の主語には単数形の動詞が、複数形の主語には複数形の動詞対
応するということです。下記は、誤りを避けるためのいくつかの決まりです。)

1. If both subjects are singular and are connected by the following conjunctions, they require a
singular verb: or, nor, either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also
(2 つの主語が共に単数形で、次の接続詞で結ばれている場合、動詞も単数形となりま
す。 or, nor, either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also)

Incorrect: Neither Erica nor Helen go shopping there.

Correct: Neither Erica nor Helen goes shopping there.

(エリカもヘレンも買い物には行きません。)

動詞に近いほうの名詞が三人称単数の場合、動詞もこの名詞に一致して単数形となりま
す。

With these same conjunctions, if the latter subject is third person singular,
the verb should also be singular even if the first subject is plural.
Incorrect: Not only the girls but also Eric are coming.
Correct: Not only the girls but also Eric is coming.

(少女達だけでなくエリカも来ます。)

＊一般に動詞に近いほうの名詞に一致しますが、用法などによってこの限りでない場合
もあります。

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TOEIC Intermediate/Advanced Reviewer – Basics (Vocabulary and Grammar)

Generally speaking, the verb should match the subject it is closest to. Please
note that there are a few exceptions depending on dialect and other things

2. Nouns and pronouns that indicate portions (percentages or fractions) are sometimes
followed by a prepositional phrase. In this case, the object of the preposition determines the
verb form to be used. Examples of these nouns and pronouns are some, all, half, one third,
none, etc.

(パーセントや比率などの割合を示す名詞と代名詞の後には、前置詞句が来ることがあ
ります。この場合、前置詞の目的語が動詞の形式を決定します。このような名詞や代名
詞の例としては、some、all、half、one third、none などがあります。)

Incorrect: Most of the applicants was qualified.

Correct: Most of the applicants were qualified.

(ほとんどの応募者が条件を満たしています。)

Incorrect: Half of the report were printed.

Correct: Half of the report was printed.

(報告書の半分が印刷されました。)

3. Periods of time and other units of measurement usually require a singular verb.
(時間の長さやその他の単位を表す表現には、動詞の単数形が必要です。)

Incorrect: Three dollars are roughly equivalent to three hundred yen.

Correct: Three dollars is roughly equivalent to three hundred yen.

(3 ドルはおよそ 300 円に等しいです。)

4. If both subjects are plural and are connected by conjunctions, they require a plural verb.
（2 つの主語が共に複数形で、接続詞で結ばれている場合、動詞も複数形となります。）

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TOEIC Intermediate/Advanced Reviewer – Basics (Vocabulary and Grammar)

Incorrect: Either the supervisors or their subordinates gathers around the lobby.

Correct: Either the supervisors or their subordinates gather around the lobby.
(上司、あるいはその部下たちがロビーに集まっています。)

Remember:

The verb only agrees to the subject regardless of any word that comes in between them.
Always look for the subject first before deciding which form of verb to use.
(動詞は、主語との間にどのような単語があるかに関係なく主語に連動します。どの動
詞の活用形を使うか決める前に、常に主語を最初に探すようにしましょう。)

Comprehension Check: How many of your colleagues are women? How about men?

Exercise 1: Incomplete Sentences (5-6 minutes)

Choose the word or phrase that would best complete the following sentences.

1. Two years ___ enough to finish the project.

a. is
b. are
c. has
d. have

2. None of the _________ were accepted today.

a. applicant
b. applications
c. applicants
d. application

3. Neither my father nor my ________ likes my decision to work overseas.

a. sisters
b. brothers
c. mother
d. parents-in-law

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TOEIC Intermediate/Advanced Reviewer – Basics (Vocabulary and Grammar)

4. It’s not only salaries _____________ important to us.

a. and the benefits
b. or the benefits that is
c. but also the benefit that is
d. but also the benefits that are

5. _________________ are attending the team building activity.

a. None of member
b. Half of the constructions
c. One third of the employees
d. Neither the employee nor the employer

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