These days we are under pressure to increase the amount of work we can achieve in the shortest time. The pace of life threatens to leave many of us behind, and (1) _____ of this pressure, we spend time looking (2) _____ short-cuts in our working lives. However, these time-saving measures may actually cause more problems than they (3) _____.
Some organisations seem to expect staff to work more than the usual eight hours, without (4) _____ the fact that tiredness causes people to make silly mistakes and leads to inefficient working practices. Try setting clear (5) _____ in your everyday work, (6) _____ you must be careful that these are not unrealistic and can be achieved within the working day. We tend to (7) _____ people who can multitask because we think they are working hard - but do all the electronic gadgets they use increase their efficiency in the long (8) _____? Instead, they may distract them from the task (9) _____ and cause a loss of concentration. Maybe (10) _____ every email or mobile phone call immediately is not the best use of anyone's time.
To sum up, my advice is to keep everything simple, and prioritise tasks - you will become happier at work - and so will your boss!
1. A. as a result B. therefore C. owing D. due
2. A. through B. out C. for D. in
3. A. answer B. solve C. explain D. settle
4. A. recognising B. reminding C. revealing D. repeating
5. A. ambitions B. goals C. purposes D. intentions
6. A. however B. moreover C. since D. although
7. A. look up to B. get through to C. catch up with D. go out with
8. A. walk B. run C. race D. hike
9. A. in hand B. on hand C. by hand D. to hand
10. A. keeping in B. setting out C. dealing with D. taking on
These days we are under pressure to increase the amount of work we can achieve in the shortest time. The pace of life threatens to leave many of us behind, and (1) _as a result _ of this pressure, we spend time looking (2) _for_ short-cuts in our working lives. However, these time-saving measures may actually cause more problems than they (3) _solve_.
Some organisations seem to expect staff to work more than the usual eight hours, without (4) _recognising__ the fact that tiredness causes people to make silly mistakes and leads to inefficient working practices. Try setting clear (5) _goals_ in your everyday work, (6) _however_ you must be careful that these are not unrealistic and can be achieved within the working day. We tend to (7) _look up to_ people who can multitask because we think they are working hard - but do all the electronic gadgets they use increase their efficiency in the long (8) _run_? Instead, they may distract them from the task (9) _on hand_ and cause a loss of concentration. Maybe (10) _dealing with__ every email or mobile phone call immediately is not the best use of anyone's time.
To sum up, my advice is to keep everything simple, and prioritise tasks - you will become happier at work - and so will your boss!
1. A. as a result B. therefore C. owing D. due
2. A. through B. out C. for D. in
3. A. answer B. solve C. explain D. settle
4. A. recognising B. reminding C. revealing D.repeating
5. A. ambitions B. goals C. purposes D. intentions
6. A. however B. moreover C. since D. although
7. A. look up to B. get through to C. catch up with D. go out with
8. A. walk B. run C. race D. hike
9. A. in hand B. on hand C. by hand D. to hand
10. A. keeping in B. setting out C. dealing with D. taking on