IN THE OFFICE
Listening
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Structure
Step 1
Nowadays if you work in an
office you
probably work on a computer most of the day. As a matter of fact, a
great number of activities that used to be performed with different devices
can now all be done with a computer. For example: writing, sending, and filing
letters or reports, issuing invoices, noting and looking
up one’s appointments or expiry dates in the electronic diary, using a
calculator.
But of course, this does not mean that you can do without general paperwork entirely. Official documents must be printed on paper and often stamped so you still need to keep paper files and arrange them in a filing cabinet. It is often a good idea to keep an in-tray on your desk for in-coming letters or orders and a notice board with all important notices that may, from time to time, be circulated in the office.
Listening
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Structure
Another activity that probably takes up a lot of your time is talking on the phone. You may have to call customers or suppliers or even ring your colleague at his extension, if you need urgent information. Another possibility now is to have conference calls with several people at the same time, all of whom are in different countries. This can be an excellent way of saving time and money, though in most cases people still prefer to meet face to face.
In the UK you don’t usually have a proper lunch break, like you still do in other European countries. People tend to have a sandwich or a light lunch without even leaving the office. Most offices have hot drink and snack dispensers or kettles so you can have coffee or tea breaks during the day. Office hours in the UK are usually from 9 o’clock in the morning to 5 o’clock in the afternoon.