On Screen p 26. How Music Can Improve Worker Productivity. Extra Word Formation

By Amisha Padnany on The New York Times 

The guy in the next cubicle is yammering away on the phone. Across the room, someone begins cursing loudly at a 1____________ (JAM) copy machine.

The headphones on the other end of your desk suddenly look very 2___________ (APPEAL). Would anyone mind if you listened to your iTunes playlist for a while?

Some workers like to listen to music when they find themselves losing focus. They may also plug in their earbuds to escape an environment that’s too noisy — or too quiet — or to make a 3______________ (REPEAT) job feel more lively.

In 4__________ (BIOLOGY) terms, 5____________ (MELODY) sounds help encourage the release of dopamine in the reward area of the brain, as would eating a 6____________ (DELICATE), looking at something beautiful or smelling a 7___________ (PLEASE) aroma, said Dr. Amit Sood, a 8__________ (PHYSIC) of 9___________ (INTEGRATE) medicine with the Mayo Clinic.

People’s minds tend to wander, “and we know that a 10_____________ (WANDER) mind is 11______________ (HAPPY),” Dr. Sood said. “Most of that time, we are focusing on the 12_____________ (PERFECT) of life.” Music can bring us back to the present moment.

“It breaks you out of just thinking one way,” said Teresa Lesiuk, an 13_________ (ASSIST) professor in the music therapy program at the University of Miami.

Dr. Lesiuk’s research focuses on how music affects workplace 14_____________(PERFORM). In one study 15___________ (INVOLVE) information technology specialists, she found that those who listened to music completed their tasks more quickly and came up with better ideas than those who didn’t, because the music improved their mood.

“When you’re stressed, you might make a decision more 16___________(HASTE); you have a very narrow focus of attention,” she said. “When you’re in a positive mood, you’re able to take in more options.”

Dr. Lesiuk found that personal choice in music was very important. She allowed participants in her study to select whatever music they liked and to listen as long as they wanted. Those who were 17_____________ (moderate) 18____________ (SKILL) at their jobs 19_____________ (BENEFIT) the most, while experts saw little or no effect. And some novices regarded the music as 20___________ (DISTRACT).

Dr. Lesiuk has also found that the 21____________ (OLD) people are, the less time they spend listening to music at work.

Few companies have policies about music 22____________ (LISTEN), said Paul Flaharty, a 23__________ (REGION) vice president at Robert Half Technology, the 24____________ (STAFF) agency. But it is still a good idea to check with your manager, even if you see others wearing headphones in the office.

He said some 25___________ (SUPERVISE) might think that 26___________ (WORK) wearing headphones weren’t 27___________ (FULL) 28____________ (ENGAGE) and were blocking out important 29_______________ (INTERACT) “because they are going into their own world.”

“If someone’s not doing a good job,” he said, “then you can have a 30_____________ (HIRE)  manager say that all they do is listen to music all day and that it’s 31______________ (HAMPER) 32_____________ (PRODUCT).”

For those who choose to listen to music, it’s best to set limits, because wearing headphones for an entire shift can be perceived as rude by those 33_______________ (NEAR).

Dr. Sood, at the Mayo Clinic, said it takes just 15 minutes to a half-hour of listening time to 34__________ (GAIN) 35_____________ (CONCENTRATE). Music without lyrics usually works best, he said.

Daniel Rubin, a 36___________ (COLUMN) at The Philadelphia Inquirer, said he has listened to jazz and piano concertos for most of his 33-year newspaper career — but only when writing on deadline. He started off using a Sony Walkman, but now makes use of 76 days’ worth of music on his iTunes playlist.

“The person 37___________ (CLICK) their nails three desks away and the person 38__________ (HUM) next to me all sound 39_____________ (EQUAL) loud and it’s hard for me to block them out,” he said.

As a freelance journalist, he works 40___________ (MOST) alone, and people in the office seldom need to approach him. But when he was a 41____________ (BUD) reporter, he noticed that colleagues would become 42___________ (IRRITATE) when trying to get his attention.

 

KEY

cubicle: /ˈkjuːbɪkl/ a small room that is made by separating off part of a larger room. E.g. a shower cubicle, a changing cubicle (= for example at a public swimming pool), an office cubicle.

yammer (on/away) (about something): to talk continuously, especially in an annoying way. E.g. He was yammering on about his new job.

curse: utter offensive words in anger or annoyance. E.g. he cursed loudly as he burned his hand.

1. jammed: /dʒæmd/ not able to move. Stuck. E.g. I can't get the door open—it's completely jammed.

2. appealing 

plug something in: to connect a piece of electrical equipment to the main supply of electricity or to another piece of electrical equipment. E.g. Is the printer plugged in?

earbud: /ˈɪəbʌd/ a very small headphone that is worn inside the ear.

3. repetitive /rɪˈpetətɪv/ 

4. biological 

5. melodious /məˈləʊdiəs/ (also melodic /məˈlɒdɪk/) 

6. delicacy /ˈdelɪkəsi/ (food of very good quality) 

7. pleasant (also pleasing) 

8. physician: /fɪˈzɪʃn/ a doctor

physic: treat with a medicine. E.g. he told Mrs Webb he had physicked himself  

9. integrative /ˈɪntɪgrətɪv/ 

integrate: /ˈɪntɪɡreɪt/ to combine two or more things so that they work together.

integrative medicine: medicine that integrates the therapies of alternative medicine with those practiced by mainstream medical practitioners.

10. wandering

wander: /ˈwɒndə(r)/  (of a person's mind or thoughts) to stop being directed on something and to move without much control to other ideas, subjects, etc. E.g. It's easy to be distracted and let your attention wander. Try not to let your mind wander.

11. unhappy

12. imperfections

break out (of something): to escape from a place or situation. E.g. Several prisoners broke out of the jail. She needed to break out of her daily routine and do something exciting.

13. assistant

14. performance

15. involving

come up with something: [no passive] to find or produce an answer, a sum of money, etc. E.g. She came up with a new idea for increasing sales. How soon can you come up with the money?

16. hastily (done quickly)

17. moderately

18. skilled

 19. benefitted (also benefited)

20. distracting

21. older

22. listening

23. regional

24. staffing

staffing agency: An employment agency. An organization which matches employers to employees.

25. supervisors

26. workers

27. fully

28. engaged

29. interactions

30.  hiring 

Hiring manager: The individual responsible for making a particular hiring decision, often the future employee’s supervisor.

31. hampering

hamper: to prevent somebody from easily doing or achieving something. To hinder or impede the movement or progress of. Sp. obstaculizar. E.g. their work is hampered by lack of funds. Our efforts were severely hampered by a lack of money.

32. productivity

33. nearby

34. regain: to get back something you no longer have.

35. concentration

36. columnist /ˈkɒləmnɪst/ a journalist who writes regular articles for a newspaper or magazine.

37. clicking 

Click: to make or cause something to make a short sharp sound. E.g. The cameras clicked away. The clicking cameras outside the church. Clicking long nails on a glass table.

38. humming

hum: to sing a tune with your lips closed. E.g. She was humming softly to herself.

39. equally 

40. mostly 

41. budding: beginning to develop or become successful. E.g. a budding artist/ writer

42. irritated

 

  

 

 

 

Objective Proficiency p 65. Keys and Vocabulary

Paintings which inspire

KEY

1 D

inscrutable: /ɪnˈskruːtəbl/ if a person or their expression is inscrutable, it is hard to know what they are thinking or feeling, because they do not show any emotion. E.g. His face remained inscrutable and unsmiling.

2 B

3 E

integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. E.g. personal/ professional/ artistic integrity. To behave with integrity. A man of great integrity.

4 A

5 C

endure: /ɪnˈdjʊə(r)/ to continue to exist for a long time. E.g. a success that will endure.

6 B

background: the circumstances or past events that help explain why something is how it is; information about these. E.g. the historical background to the war. Background information/ knowledge. The elections are taking place against a background of violence. Can you give me more background on the company?

7 C

8 D

9 A

10 C

Vocabulary

 
A

A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, by Edouard Manet

 

bridge the gap/gulf/divide (between A and B) to reduce or get rid of the differences that exist between two things or groups of people. E.g. the media were bridging the gap between government and people. How many times over the years has the music industry played up records bridging the gap between jazz and hip hop?

breakthrough: in which a performer or type of product is successful for the first time, when it is likely to be even more successful in the future. E.g. It was a breakthrough album for the band. Breakthrough technology/ products. An award for the best breakthrough band. The emphasis is on developing breakthrough technology that will lead to new business.

break the mould (of something) /məʊld/ to change what people expect from a situation, especially by acting in a dramatic and original way. E.g. She succeeded in breaking the mould of political leadership. 

reassess something to think again about something to decide if you need to change your opinion of it. E.g. After reassessing the situation, she decided to do nothing. 

prevailing: existing or most common at a particular time. Current, predominant. E.g. the prevailing economic conditions. The attitude towards science prevailing at the time. The prevailing view seems to be that they will find her guilty.

B

Henry VII, 29 October 1505, by unknown artist

 

stunning:  extremely attractive or impressive. Beautiful. E.g. You look absolutely stunning! A stunning view of the lake. His performance was simply stunning.

parapet: a low protective wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, or balcony. E.g.  she stood on the bridge, leaning over the parapet to watch the water race by.


robe: a long loose outer piece of clothing, especially one worn as a sign of rank or office at a special ceremony. E.g. coronation robes. Cardinals in scarlet robes.

ledge: a narrow flat shelf fixed to a wall, especially one below a window. E.g. She put the vase of flowers on the window ledge.

be on the lookout (for somebody/something)/ keep a lookout (for somebody/ something) (informal) to watch carefully for somebody/ something in order to avoid danger, etc. or in order to find something you want. E.g. The public should be on the lookout for symptoms of the disease. 

provenance:  /ˈprɒvənəns/ the place that something originally came from. Origin. E.g. All the furniture is of English provenance. There's no proof about the provenance of the painting (= whether it is genuine or not).

stiff: (of a person or their behaviour) not friendly or relaxed. E.g. The speech he made to welcome them was stiff and formal.

remote: (of people or their behaviour) not very friendly or interested in other people. Distant.

shrewd: clever at understanding and making judgements about a situation. Astute. E.g. a shrewd businessman. She is a shrewd judge of character.

wily: /ˈwaɪli/ clever at getting what you want, and willing to trick people. Cunning. Sp. astuto. E.g.
The boss is a wily old fox. He was outwitted by his wily opponent.
outwit somebody/something to defeat somebody/something or gain an advantage over them by doing something clever.


C
James VI and I, 1618, by Paul Van Somer

 

buffoon: /bəˈfuːn/ a person who does silly but amusing things.

tactical: carefully planned in order to achieve a particular aim. Strategic. E.g. a tactical decision.

stately: /ˈsteɪtli/ impressive in size, appearance or manner. Majestic.

commission: to officially ask somebody to write, make or create something or to do a task for you. E.g. commission somebody to do something She has been commissioned to write a new national anthem.

convey: communicate  

regality: /rɪˈɡalɪti/ the state of being a king or queen.

D
Mr and Mrs Andrews, by Gainsborough

copyist: a person who makes copies of written documents or works of art.

make something of somebody/something to understand the meaning or character of somebody/ something. E.g. What do you make of it all? I can't make anything of this note. I don't know what to make of (= think of) the new manager.

E
An Old Woman Cooking Eggs, 1618, by Velázquez

veracity: /vəˈræsəti/ the quality of being true; the habit of telling the truth. E.g. They questioned the veracity of her story.

2002 edition:

The Rhythm of Life

• Just what the doctor ordered: (humorous) exactly what somebody wants or needs.
• Forebear: a person in your family who lived a long time ago. Ancestor.
• In the hands of somebody, in somebody's hands: being taken care of or controlled by somebody. E.g. The matter is now in the hands of my lawyer. At that time, the castle was in enemy hands. 
• Discord: /ˈdɪskɔːd/ disagreement; arguing. E.g. Marital/family discord. A note of discord surfaced during the proceedings. 

The Need for Aged Buildings 

• In good, bad, etc. repair. In a good, bad, etc. state of repair: in good, etc. condition. E.g. The house is not in good repair.
• Overrun: to fill or spread over an area quickly, especially in large numbers. Invadir. E.g. The house was completely overrun with mice.
• Downturn (in something) a fall in the amount of business that is done; a time when the economy becomes weaker. E.g. a downturn in sales/trade/business. The economic downturn of 2008/2009. 
• Uphold: to support something that you think is right and make sure that it continues to exist. Defender. E.g. We have a duty to uphold the law. The regime has been criticized for failing to uphold human rights.  
• Enterprise: a company or business. E.g. an enterprise with a turnover of $26 billion. State-owned/public enterprises. Small and medium-sized enterprises.
• Curb something: to control or limit something, especially something bad. E.g. He needs to learn to curb his temper. A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation.  
• Hamper somebody/something: to prevent somebody from easily doing or achieving something. Hinder. Dificultar. E.g. Our efforts were severely hampered by a lack of money.  
• Wear out, wear something out: to become, or make something become, thin or no longer able to be used, usually because it has been used too much. E.g. He wore out two pairs of shoes last year.
• Pull up: come to a halt after driving somewhere. E.g. He pulled up at the traffic lights.

Merchant@florence

• Ubiquitous: /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs / seeming to be everywhere or in several places at the same time; very common. E.g.The ubiquitous bicycles of university towns. The ubiquitous movie star, Tom Hanks.
• Stumble across/on/upon something/somebody: to discover something/somebody unexpectedly. E.g. Police have stumbled across a huge drugs ring (group). I stumbled across Thompson outside the hotel.
• Set on/upon somebody: to attack somebody suddenly. I opened the gate, and was immediately set on by a large dog. The farmer threatened to set his dogs on us.
• Come on: to begin. E.g. I can feel a cold coming on. I think there's rain coming on.
• Enhance something: to increase or further improve the good quality, value or status of somebody/something. E.g. This is an opportunity to enhance the reputation of the company. The skilled use of make-up to enhance your best features.