Are celebrities bad for you?

What´s wrong with enjoying a bit of celebrity gossip? It doesn´t do us any harm ... or does it? Read the article to find out if celebrities really are bad for you.

Celebrities are everywhere nowadays: on TV, in magazines, online. Is this preoccupation with famous people harmless fun or is it bad for us? How many people are truly obsessed with modern media idols? And on the other side of the coin, can fame be harmful to the celebrities?

Studies suggest that the vast majority of teenagers do not really worship celebrities. Researchers have identifies three kinds of fans. About 15% of young people have an ´entertainment-social´ interest. They love chatting about their favourite celebrities with friends and this does not appear to do any harm.

Another 5% feel that they have an ´intense-personal´ relationship with a celebrity. Sometimes they see them as their soulmate and find that they are often thinking about them, even when they don´t want to. These people are more at risk from depression and anxiety. If girls in this group idolise a female star with a body they consider to be perfect, they are more likely to be unhappy with their own bodies.

That leaves 2% of young people with a ´borderline-pahological´ interest. They might say, for example, they would spend several thousand pounds on a paper plate the celebrity had used. or that they would do something illegal if the celebrity asked them to.. These people are in most danger of being seriously disturbed.

Rules adverbs of frequency

What are adverbs of frequency?

Adverbs that change or qualify the meaning of a sentence by telling us how often or how frequently something happens are defined as adverbs of frequency.

An adverb of frequency is exactly what it sounds like – an adverb of time. Adverbs of frequency always describe how often something occurs, either in definite or indefinite terms. An adverb that describes definite frequency is one such as weekly, daily, or yearly. An adverb describing indefinite frequency doesn’t specify an exact time frame; examples are sometimes, often, and rarely.

Adverbs of Frequency Rules

These simple rules for adverbs of frequency will help you to use them correctly:

• Always use adverbs of frequency to discuss how often something happens.
• Adverbs of frequency are often used to indicate routine or repeated activities, so they are often used with the present simple tense.
• If a sentence has only one verb, place the adverb of frequency in the middle of the sentence so that it is positioned after the subject but before the verb. For example: Tom never flies. He always takes the bus.
• When a sentence contains more than one verb, place the adverb of frequency before the main verb. For example: They have often visited Europe.
• When using an adverb of frequency in the negative or in forming a question, place it before the main verb. For example: Do you usually get up so late?

Examples of Adverbs of Frequency

Each sentence contains an example of an adverb of frequency; the examples are italicized for easy identification.

1. The incubator turns each egg hourly.
2. We take a vacation at least once annually.
3. I usually shop for groceries on Saturday mornings.
4. He is often late for work.
5. We seldom see John.
6. My dentist told me I should floss twice daily.

Adverbs of Frequency Exercises

The following exercises will help you to gain better understanding about how adverbs of frequency work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. I ________________ late on Saturdays.

a. Get up usually

b. Get usually up

c. Usually get up

Answer: C. I usually get up late on Saturdays.

2. Jared ______________ late for work.

a. Never is

b. Is never

Answer: A. Jared is never late for work.

3. _______________ on weekends?

a. Often do you travel

b. Do you often travel

c. Often you do travel

Answer: B. Do you often travel on weekends?

4. Susan ________________ early for class.

a. Often is

b. Are often

c. Often are

d. Is often

Answer: D. Susan is often early for class.

5. When do you ____________ go on vacation each year?

a. Always

b. Never

c. Usually

d. Ever

Answer: When do you usually go on vacation each year?

Adverbs of Frequency List

This list of adverbs of frequency contains many of the most common; keep in mind though that there are many other words which can serve in this capacity.

Always

Annually

Constantly

Daily

Eventually

Ever

Frequently

Generally

Hourly

Infrequently

Later

Monthly

Never

Next

Nightly

Normally

Now

Occasionally

Often

Quarterly

Rarely

Regularly

Sometimes

Soon

Then

Today

Tonight

Weekly

Yearly

Yesterday

Yet

Business and ethics

The primary goal of a company may be to make money but some companies nowadays also recognise that they have a responsibility towards the society in which they operate.

Read the text and then do the exercises.

Case study – James Carston, Fine Shirtmakers

Set up in the 1920s by James Carston, a Manchester tailor, the company has remained in the family and is now run by James’s grandson, Paul Carston.  Employing fewer than 50 people, the company has a reputation for producing high-quality men’s shirts, which it sells by mail order, and has a loyal customer base.  As Paul Carston says, ‘Once someone has tried our shirts, they tend to come back for more.  Our customers appreciate the attention to detail and the high-quality fabric we use.’ And it’s the fabric they now use that makes the company almost unique in the world of men’s shirt manufacturers.

When Paul Carston took over running the company in 1999, he inherited a business that prided itself on using local well-paid machinists rather than sweatshop labour, and looked upon its employees as members of an extended family. Paul, a committed environmentalist, felt that the company fitted in well with his values. The shirts were made from 100 per cent cotton, and as Paul says, ‘It’s a completely natural fibre, so you would think it was environmentally sound’. Then Paul read a magazine article about Fair Trade and cotton producers.  He was devastated to read that the cotton industry is a major source of pollution, and that the synthetic fertilisers used to produce cotton are finding their way into the food chain.

Paul takes up the story.  ‘I investigated our suppliers, and sure enough found that they were producing cotton on an industrial scale using massive amounts of chemicals.  Then I looked into organic cotton suppliers, and found an organisation of Indian farmers who worked together to produce organic cotton on a Fair Trade basis.  Organic cotton is considerably more expensive than conventionally produced cotton, so I did the sums. I discovered that if we were prepared to take a cut in profits, we would only need to add a couple of pounds to the price of each shirt to cover the extra costs.  The big risk, of course, was whether our customers would pay extra for organic cotton.’

Paul did some research into the ethical clothing market and discovered that although there were several companies producing casual clothing such as T-shirts in organic cotton, there was a gap in the market for smart men’s shirts.  He decided to take the plunge and switch entirely to organic cotton. He wrote to all his customers explaining the reasons for the change, and at the same time the company set up a website so they could sell the shirts on the internet.  The response was encouraging. Although they lost some of their regular customers, they gained a whole customer base looking for formal shirts made from organic cotton, and the company is going from strength to strength.

Task 1

Read the case study again and decide if the statements are true or false

James Carston was Paul’s grandfather.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

The company has over 50 employees.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

The shirts are sold in shops.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

When Paul started running the company, he immediately decided to change to organic cotton.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

Conventionally produced cotton is cheaper than organic cotton.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

The company didn’t lose any customers when they changed to organic cotton.

⧠ True                         ⧠ False

Task 2

Read this case study about an ethical business and choose the correct profile for the company:  A, B or C.

A

• began trading in 1923
• has always been a family business
• has always paid its employees well
• now produces men's shirts using organic cotton

B

• began trading in 1919
• was sold to Paul Carston in 1999
• stopped using sweatshop labour in 1999
• now produces t-shirts in organic cotton

C

• began trading in 1999
• set up by Paul Carston
• all employees are members of his family
• produces formal and casual men's clothes in organic cotton

The correct profile is letter ______.

Keys

Task 1

True, False, False, False, True, False

Task 2

A

An introduction to coaching

What is coaching? Here are the basic principles of coaching and what happens when somebody engages in a coaching partnership. Find out what a good coach does.

Read the text and then do the exercises.

An introduction to coaching

1
Coaching is a useful tool in today’s challenging world of business and commerce. Companies are downsizing, merging and restructuring and there is far more job transition than before. Sometimes managers are no longer equipped to do their work because their jobs have changed so much. They were originally trained to do one job but that training cannot be applied to the job they are doing today. Coaching is also one of the most powerful tools that a leader has in order to improve the performance of his team.

2 
Coaching is a partnership between an individual or a team and a coach. For the purpose of this article we will refer to an individual but the concepts are exactly the same for a team. First of all the individual identifies his objectives. Then, through the process of being coached, he focuses on the skills he needs to develop to achieve those objectives. In professional coaching the individual begins by leading the conversation and the coach listens and observes. Gradually, as the coach begins to understand the individual’s goals, he will make observations and ask appropriate questions. His task is to guide the individual towards making more effective decisions and eventually achieving his objectives. Coaching looks at where the individual is now and where he wants to get to.

3
Between the initial interview and an individual achieving the goals he identified, there is a process in which the two parties meet for regular coaching sessions. The length of time each session lasts will be established at the start of the partnership. Between sessions an individual might be expected to complete specific tasks. A coach might also provide literature for the individual to study in preparation for the following session. Most coaches employ an “appreciative approach” whereby the individual identifies what is right, what is working, what is wanted and what is needed to get there. An appreciative approach focuses more on the positive rather than problems.

4 
An individual who enters into a coaching partnership will usually adopt new perspectives and be able to better appreciate opportunities for self-development. Confidence will usually grow and the individual will think more clearly and be more confident in his roles. In terms of business, coaching often leads to an increase in productivity and more personal satisfaction. All of this leads to a growth in self-esteem.

5
In a coaching partnership the coach first needs to listen carefully in order to fully understand the individual’s situation. He needs to support and encourage forward-planning and decision-making. A coach also needs to help an individual recognise his own potential and the opportunities that are on offer. A good coach will guide an individual to fresh perspectives. Finally, the coach must respect the confidentiality of his partner.

6
Coaching can bring out the best in workers, highlighting what they can achieve if they are given the right support. Both individuals and teams can enjoy an increased level of motivation after receiving the right coaching. When individuals are keen to make progress in their jobs, they usually enjoy being coached and find the experience extremely useful.

Task 1

Read the text and match the titles to the paragraphs.

Paragraph 1

1. The recent growth in coaching
2. The growing need for coaching

Paragraph 2

1. Coaching: What does is mean?
2. Why do we need coaching?

 Paragraph 3

1. The process of coaching
2. What happens in a coaching session?

 Paragraph 4

1. Becoming a better person
2. The benefits of coaching

 Paragraph 5

1. How to be a coach
2. The role of the coach

Task 2

Match the verb with their definitions.

to downsize     to guide     to observe     to merge     to restructure     to support

• to join together or combine
• to make a company smaller by reducing the number of workers
• to organise something in a new way so that it operates more effectively
• to carefully watch the way that something happens
• to give somebody help and advice on how to do something
• to give encouragement to someone because you want them to do be successful

Task 3

Complete the sentences.

individual     listening     an individual or team     well     outdated     change

1. Some managers are unable to do their jobs well because their training is           .

2. Coaching is a partnership between a coach and                .

3. A coach needs to have excellent                   skills.

4. The                       identifies the objectives.

5. In an ‘appreciative approach’ the individual focuses on what is going                    .

6. It is important for the individual to                         their perspectives.

Task 4

Enter the correct forms (infinitive or –ing) of the verbs in the brackets.

1. Managers often want                           coaches themselves. (use)

2. Coaches need                          what a worker’s goals are. (know)

3. Employees enjoy                      an opportunity to identify their strengths. (have)

4. Companies need                      productivity. (increase)

5. Businesses have stopped                        the old techniques of training. (use)

6. Coaches recommend                        regularly to discuss progress. (meet)

7. Some employees refuse                  coached. (be)

8. The business risks                       clients. (lose)

Keys

Task 1

2, 1, 1, 2, 2

Task 2

to merge          

to downsize

to restructure

to observe

to guide

to support

Task 3

outdated    

an individual or team

listening

individual

well

change

Task 4

to know

having

to increase

using

meeting

to be

losing