Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Fun At Work Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Fun at Work Day is a day to have fun at work. Not everyone agrees when it is. Some websites say it is in the final days of January, while others say it is April the 1st – the same as April Fools Day. The workplace is usually not such a fun place. It is often a stressful place to be and there is little time to relax and have fun. Fun at Work Day changes this a little so that people’s jobs are not all work and no play. The idea behind this event is that workers perform better if they can relax and laugh. Production increases and there is better customer service. It is also better for the health of the staff. Having fun at work also creates better relations, especially if the bosses join in and share the fun.
Having fun at work is an important part of many large companies today. Internet companies like Google and Yahoo encourage their workers to relax and do things at work to let off steam. Workers set up mini basketball hoops in their offices and people can wear what they want and decorate their desks. Fun at work has been studied by experts. Psychologist and author Matt Weinstein wrote a book on management called ‘Managing to Have Fun’. He says: "Successful companies are discovering that fun at work helps them reduce stress, increase productivity, and boost employee morale." Perhaps every day should be fun at work. It would certainly make people happier, and that’s what life’s all about.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
Mail this lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
Some websites say it is in the final
a.
of the staff
2
The workplace is usually not
b.
days of January
3.
people’s jobs are not all work
c.
better relations
4.
workers perform better if they can
d.
such a fun place
5.
It is also better for the health
e.
and no play
6.
Having fun at work also creates
f.
relax and laugh
Paragraph 2
1.
do things at work to let
a.
reduce stress
2
people can wear
b.
all about
3.
Fun at work has been
c.
morale
4.
discovering that fun at work helps them
d.
off steam
5.
…and boost employee
e.
what they want
6.
that’s what life’s
f.
studied by expert
LISTENING GAP FILL
Fun at Work Day is a _________________ work. Not everyone agrees when it is. Some websites _________________ days of January, while others say it is April the 1st – the same as April Fools Day. The workplace is usually _________________ place. It is often a stressful place to be and there is little time to relax and have fun. Fun at Work Day changes _________________ that people’s jobs are not all work and no play. The idea behind this event is that workers perform better if they can _________________. Production increases and there is better customer service. It is also better for the health of the staff. Having fun at work also creates better relations, especially if the bosses _________________ the fun.
Having fun at work is an important _________________ large companies today. Internet companies like Google and Yahoo encourage their workers to relax and do things _________________ off steam. Workers set up mini basketball hoops in their offices and people can _________________ want and decorate their desks. Fun at work has been studied by experts. Psychologist and author Matt Weinstein wrote a book on management called ‘_________________ Fun’. He says: "Successful companies are discovering that fun at work helps _________________, increase productivity, and boost employee morale." Perhaps every day should be fun at work. It would certainly make people happier, and that’s ___________________.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Fun at Work Day is a day to have fun at work. Not everyone __________ when it is. Some websites say it is in the __________ days of January, while others say it is April the 1st – the same as April Fools Day. The workplace is __________ not such a fun place. It is often a stressful __________ to be and there is little time to relax and have fun. Fun at Work Day changes this a little so that people’s jobs are not all work and no __________. The idea behind this event is that workers perform better if they can relax and __________. Production increases and there is better customer service. It is also better for the health of the __________. Having fun at work also creates better relations, especially if the bosses join in and __________ the fun.
place laugh agrees share staff final usually play
Having fun at work is an important part of many __________ companies today. Internet companies like Google and Yahoo encourage their __________ to relax and do things at work to let off steam. Workers set up mini basketball hoops in their __________ and people can wear what they want and decorate their desks. Fun at __________ has been studied by __________. Psychologist and author Matt Weinstein wrote a book on management __________ ‘Managing to Have Fun’. He says: "Successful companies are discovering that fun at work helps them __________ stress, increase productivity, and boost employee morale." Perhaps every day should be fun at work. It would certainly make people happier, and that’s what life’s all __________.
reduce workers work large called offices about experts
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Fun at Work Day is a day to have fun / funny at work. Not everyone agrees when it is. Some websites say it is in the finally / final days of January, while others say it is April the 1st – the same with / as April Fools Day. The workplace is usually not such a fun place. It is often a stressful / stress place to be and there is little time to relax and have fun. Fun at Work Day changes this a small / little so that people’s jobs are not all work and no play. The idea behind this event is that workers perform better if they can relax and laughter / laugh. Production increases and there is better customer service. It is also better for the health / healthy of the staff. Having fun at work also creates better relations, especially if the bosses join in and sharing / share the fun.
Having fun at work is an importance / important part of many large companies today. Internet companies like Google and Yahoo encourage / encouraging their workers to relax and do things at work to let off / on steam. Workers set up mini basketball hoops in their offices and people can wear what they want and decoration / decorate their desks. Fun at work has been studied / studying by experts. Psychologist and author Matt Weinstein written / wrote a book on management called ‘Managing to Have Fun’. He says: "Successful companies are discovered / discovering that fun at work helps them reduce stress, increase productivity, and boost employee morals / morale." Perhaps every day should be fun at work. It would certainly make people happier, and that’s what life’s all about.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Fun at Work Day is a day to have (1) ____ at work. Not everyone agrees when it is. Some websites say it is in the (2) ____ days of January, while others say it is April the 1st – the same as April Fools Day. The workplace is usually not (3) ____ a fun place. It is often a stressful place to be and there is little time to relax and have fun. Fun at Work Day (4) ____ this a little so that people’s jobs are not all work and no play. The idea behind this event is that workers perform (5) ____ if they can relax and laugh. Production increases and there is better customer service. It is also better for the health of the staff. Having fun at work also creates better relations, especially if the bosses join in and (6) ____ the fun.
Having fun at work is an important (7) ____ of many large companies today. Internet companies like Google and Yahoo encourage their workers to relax and do things at work to let off (8) ____. Workers set up mini basketball hoops in their offices and people can wear what they want and (9) ____ their desks. Fun at work has been studied by experts. Psychologist and author Matt Weinstein wrote a book (10) ____ management called ‘Managing to Have Fun’. He says: "Successful companies are discovering that fun at work helps them reduce stress, increase productivity, and boost employee (11) ____." Perhaps every day should be fun at work. It would certainly make people happier, and that’s what life’s all (12) ____.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
funny
(b)
fun
(c)
funny bone
(d)
funnier
2.
(a)
finally
(b)
finality
(c)
finalist
(d)
final
3.
(a)
such
(b)
so
(c)
as
(d)
was
4.
(a)
changing
(b)
change
(c)
changes
(d)
changer
5.
(a)
good
(b)
better
(c)
really
(d)
like
6.
(a)
sharing
(b)
share of
(c)
share
(d)
my share
7.
(a)
partner
(b)
party
(c)
parts
(d)
part
8.
(a)
steam
(b)
mist
(c)
vapor
(d)
hot water
9.
(a)
decorative
(b)
decorate
(c)
decoration
(d)
decorate
10.
(a)
in
(b)
as
(c)
to
(d)
on
11.
(a)
morality
(b)
morale
(c)
morals
(d)
morally
12.
(a)
about
(b)
around
(c)
anew
(d)
almost
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
Not everyone eagesr when it is
2.
The eokapcwlr is usually not such a fun place
3.
It is often a seulsrstf place
4.
workers mpferro better if they can relax
5.
Production raceneiss
6.
especially if the sosbes join in
Paragraph 2
7.
an ionamtrtp part of many large companies
8.
Google and Yahoo encourage their erowksr to relax
9.
tecerado their desks
10.
studied by rpeexts
11.
boost employee leomra
12.
It would certainly make people papehri
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
health of the staff. Having fun at work also
( )
creates better relations, especially if the bosses join in and share the fun.
( )
been studied by experts. Psychologist and author Matt Weinstein wrote a book on management called
( )
place. It is often a stressful place to be and there is little time to relax and have fun. Fun at Work Day changes this a
( )
better if they can relax and laugh. Production increases and there is better customer service. It is also better for the
( )
days of January, while others say it is April the 1st – the same as April Fools Day. The workplace is usually not such a fun
( )
stress, increase productivity, and boost employee morale." Perhaps every day should be fun at work. It would
( )
‘Managing to Have Fun’. He says: "Successful companies are discovering that fun at work helps them reduce
( )
basketball hoops in their offices and people can wear what they want and decorate their desks. Fun at work has
( )
like Google and Yahoo encourage their workers to relax and do things at work to let off steam. Workers set up mini
( )
certainly make people happier, and that’s what life’s all about.
( 1 )
Fun at Work Day is a day to have fun at work. Not everyone agrees when it is. Some websites say it is in the final
( )
little so that people’s jobs are not all work and no play. The idea behind this event is that workers perform
( )
Having fun at work is an important part of many large companies today. Internet companies
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
at a to fun work day have
2.
workplace a is fun usually place not The such
3.
people’s work jobs and are no not play all
4.
customer better is there and increases Production service
5.
Having relations better creates also work at fun
6.
relax things to steam do work off and at let
7.
people what wear want they can
8.
has work at Fun experts by studied been
9.
happier people make certainly would It
10.
life’s that’s all what about
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Fun At Work Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Fun At Work Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Fun At Work Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
