Workaholism

UNIT 3

Most workers spend eight or nine hours on the job. They work because it’s unavoidable. They need to make enough money for necessities: food, rent, clothing, transportation, tuition, and so on. They spend about one-third of their lives at work, but they hate it. They complain and count the minutes until quitting time each day or the days until their next vacation. 

By contrast, there are some people who actually enjoy work-in fact, they love to work. They spend many extra hours on the job each week and often take work home with them. These workaholics are as addicted to their jobs as other people are drugs or alcohol.

In some urban centers, workaholism is so common that people do not consider it unusual: They accept the lifestyle as normal. Government workers in Washington DC, for example frequently work sixty to seven hours a week. They don’t do this because they have to: they do it because they  want to. Hundreds of workaholics in New York City tried to go to work even in the famous blackout of 1977. There was no electricity-no air conditioning, elevators, or lights-but  many people went to their office anyway. They sat impatiently on the steps outside their office buildings and did paperwork or had business meetings.

Workaholism can be a serious problem. Because they true workaholics would rather work than do anything else. They probably don’t know how to relax: that is, they might not enjoy movies, sports, or other types of entertainment. Most of all, they hate to sit and do nothing. The lives of workaholics are usually stressful, and this tension and worry can cause health problems such as heart attacks or stomach ulcers. In addition, typical workaholics don’t pay much attention to thief families. They spend little time with their children, and their marriages may end in divorce.

Is  workaholism always dangerous? Perhaps not. There are certainly people who work well under stress. Some studies show that many workaholics have great energy and interest in life. Their work is so pleasurable that they are actually very happy. For most workaholics, work and entertainment are the same thing. Their jobs provide them with a challenge. This keeps them busy and creative. Other people retire from work at age sixty-five, but workaholics usually prefer not to quit. They are still enthusiastic about work and life in eighties and nineties.

Why do workaholics enjoy their jobs so much? There are several advantages to work. Of course, it provides people with paychecks, and this is important. But it offers more than financial security. It provides people with self-confidence. They have a feeling of satisfaction when they’ve produced a challenging piece of work and are able to say, “ I made that”. Psychologists claim that work gives people an identify, through participation in work. They get a sense of self and individualism. In addition, most jobs provide people with a socially acceptable way to meet others. Perhaps some people are compulsive about their work, but their addiction seems to be a safe even an advantagesous one.

People who are addicted to work are similar to one another in some ways. Here is a list of ten characteristics of workaholics. Which ones apply to you? Check your answers.

Yes            No

1.      Do you get up early even if you go to bed late?

                                         2.    Do you read or work while you eat?

                                         3.    Do you make lists of things to do?

                                         4.   Do you find it unpleasant to do nothing?

                                         5.   Do you usually have a lot of energy?

                                         6.  Do you work on weekends and on holidays?

                                         7.  Can you work anytime and anywhere?

                                         8.  Do you prefer not to take vacations?

                                         9.  Do you think you probably won’t want to retire?

                                         10.  Do you really enjoy your work?

                 

                  If you answered ‘yes’ to eight or more questions, you might be a workaholic.

Getting the Main Idea

Which statements are true about workaholics, according to the reading?

Check them

1.                  They spend no more than eight to nine hours on the job.

2.                   They complain a lot about their jobs and watch the clock.

3.                     They spend a lot of time working at their jobs and at home.

4.                     They work only because they have to.

5.                     They would rather work than rest.

6.                     They may have health problems from their inability to relax.

7.                     They may be happy because their work provides a lot of pleasure.

8.                     They retire from their jobs before the age of sixty-five.

9.                     They probably have a feeling of satisfaction and a sense of identity.

10.                  They probably meet people through their work.

Guessing Meaning from Context

A.    Circle the words that give clues to the meanings of the underlined word(s). Then circle the letter of the correct meaning of each underlined word.

1.      Most people need to work to make enough money for necessities: food, rent, clothing, and transportation.

a.       things in a city

b.      things that they need

c.       things for work

d.      things that they don’t have

2.      These workaholics are as addicted to their jobs as other people are to drugs or alcohol.

a.       people who drink too much alcohol

b.      drugs addicted people

c.       people who work

d.      compulsive workers

3.      The lives of workaholics are usually stressful  and this tension and worry can cause health problems such as heart attacks or stomach ulcers.

stressful:

a.       busy and afraid

b.      compulsive and addicted

c.       tense and worried

d.      emphasized and sure

ulcers :

a.       a break in the skin on area inside the body

b.      food that can be eaten by everyone

c.       headaches happened often

d.      difficulty with breathing, especially in certain work situations

4.      Hundreds of workaholics in New York City tried to go to work even in the famous blackout of 1977. There was no electricity.

a.       a very dark night

b.      time without electric power

c.       time of dirty streets

d.      increases in crime

5.      For more workaholics their jobs provide a challenge, this keeps them busy and creative.

a.       solution to problems

b.      advantage or benefit

c.       prediction of success

d.      call for energetic work

6.      Other people retire from work at age sixty-five, but workaholics usually prefer not to quit.

a.       avoid work

b.      leave their jobs

c.       lose power

d.      hold on their jobs

7.      their jobs keep them busy and creative, they are still enthusiastic about work and life-in their eighties and nineties.

a.       individualistic

b.      wanting a rest

c.       very interested

d.      impatient

8.      Work provides people with self-confidence, they have a feeling of satisfaction when they’ve finished a challenging piece of work and are able to say, “I made that”.

a.       belief in their ability

b.      inability to do something

c.       discipline to anything

d.      ability to memories

9.      Psychologist claim that work gives people an identify through participation in work, they get a sense of self.

a.       cultural individualism

b.      special creative qualities

c.       values and opinions ideas about who they are

d.      ideas about who they are

B.     Read the selection at the beginning of the chapter again carefully. Try to guess the meanings of new  words from the context. Use your dictionary only when absolutely necessary.

Check your answers in the “Getting the Main Ideas” section, which follows the reading selection. Correct your errors.

Understanding Reading Structure

A.     Match the paragraphs in the selection with their topics. Write the letters of the paragraph on the line.

1.                         The advantages of workaholism

2.                         Feelings of “normal” workers about their jobs

3.                        A definition of workaholism

4.                        Examples of workaholism in big cities

5.                        Problems of workaholism

6.                        People for whom workaholism is not dangerous

B.     Circle the number of the one main idea of the reading selection

1.      Workaholism can lead to serious problems, but it can also create a happy life.

2.      Workaholics are usually successful people, but they don’t stay married long.

3.      People who enjoy their work usually movies, sports, and other kinds of entertainment.

4.      People who work even under difficult conditions may be very creative.