Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Work Your Proper Hours Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Work Your Proper Hours Day is usually around February 22. It was started in 2005 by Britain’s organization of labour unions the Trade Union Congress (TUC). This is the day when a worker decides he or she has had enough of doing unpaid overtime. They decide that from Work Your Proper Hours Day, they will completely stop doing unpaid overtime and start using the time for themselves. The TUC website has a quiz so you can decide if you are working too many extra hours for no pay. It asks you if everyone you work with is also doing extra hours and whether you seem to get busier and busier every year. It also asks if you are worried that if you go home on time, your boss will think you’re slacking.
The TUC says nearly five million people in Britain do unpaid overtime on a regular basis. If they got paid for this, the average employee would earn an extra £4,955 (around $10,000) a year. Working too long each day is bad for us. It causes stress, messes up our social life and relationships, and can have negative effects on family life. It is also bad for business if staff are worn out. There are signs that campaigns against overworking are beginning to make a difference. Within the past five years, fewer people are doing unpaid overtime and the average amount of time has gone down by 24 minutes a week. Take the TUC’s advice – take a proper lunch break and go home on time.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
usually around
a.
for themselves
2
she has had enough of doing
b.
busier every year
3.
start using the time
c.
you’re slacking
4.
working too many extra
d.
unpaid overtime
5.
you seem to get busier and
e.
February 22
6.
your boss will think
f.
hours for no pay
Paragraph 2
1.
do unpaid overtime
a.
day is bad for us
2
the average employee would earn
b.
beginning to make a difference
3.
Working too long each
c.
effects on family life
4.
have negative
d.
on a regular basis
5.
campaigns against overworking are
e.
go home on time
6.
take a proper lunch break and
f.
an extra £4,955
LISTENING GAP FILL
Work Your Proper Hours Day ___________________ February 22. It was started in 2005 by Britain’s organization of labour unions the Trade Union Congress (TUC). This is the day when a worker decides ________________ enough of doing unpaid overtime. They decide that from Work Your Proper Hours Day, they will completely stop doing unpaid overtime and ________________ time for themselves. The TUC website has a quiz so you can decide if you are working too many __________________ pay. It asks you if everyone you work with is also doing extra hours and whether you seem to ________________ every year. It also asks if you are worried that if you go home on time, your boss ________________ slacking.
The TUC says nearly five million people in Britain ________________ on a regular basis. If they got paid for this, the average employee ___________________ £4,955 (around $10,000) a year. Working too long each day is bad for us. It causes stress, messes ________________ and relationships, and can have negative effects on family life. It is also bad for business if __________________. There are signs that campaigns against overworking are beginning to make a difference. ________________ five years, fewer people are doing unpaid overtime and the average amount of time has gone down by 24 minutes a week. Take the TUC’s advice – __________________ break and go home on time.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Work Your Proper Hours Day is usually __________ February 22. It was started in 2005 by Britain’s organization of labour unions the Trade Union Congress (TUC). This is the __________ when a worker decides he or she has had __________ of doing unpaid overtime. They __________ that from Work Your Proper Hours Day, they will completely stop doing unpaid overtime and start __________ the time for themselves. The TUC website has a quiz so you can decide if you are working too __________ extra hours for no pay. It asks you if everyone you work with is also doing extra hours and whether you __________ to get busier and busier every year. It also asks if you are worried that if you go home on time, your __________ will think you’re slacking.
many decide day boss using around seem enough
The TUC says __________ five million people in Britain do unpaid overtime on a regular basis. If they got __________ for this, the average employee would earn an extra £4,955 (around $10,000) a year. Working too long each day is bad for us. It causes stress, __________ up our social life and relationships, and can have negative __________ on family life. It is also bad for business if staff are __________ out. There are signs that campaigns against overworking are beginning to make a __________. Within the past five years, fewer people are doing unpaid overtime and the __________ amount of time has gone down by 24 minutes a week. Take the TUC’s advice – take a __________ lunch break and go home on time.
proper effects paid difference nearly average worn messes
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Work Your Proper Hours Day is usually / usual around February 22. It was started in 2005 by Britain’s organization of labour unions the Trade Union Congress (TUC). This is the day when a worker decision / decides he or she has had enough of / for doing unpaid overtime. They decide that from Work Your Proper Hours Day, they will completely stop doing unpaid overtime and start used / using the time for themselves. The TUC website has a quiz so you can decide if you are working / worked too many extra hours for no payee / pay. It asks you if everyone you work with is also doing extra hours and whether you seem to get busier and busiest / busier every year. It also asks if you are worried / worry that if you go home on time, your boss will think you’re slacking.
The TUC says nearly five million people in Britain do / make unpaid overtime on a regular basics / basis. If they got paid for this, the average employee would earn / earning an extra £4,955 (around $10,000) a year. Working too long each day is bad for us. It causes stress, messes / misses up our social life and relationships, and can have negative effects on family life. It is also bad for business if stuff / staff are worn out. There are signs that campaigns against overworking are beginning to do / make a difference. Within the past five years, fewer people are doing unpaid overtime and the average amount of time has gone / went down by 24 minutes a week. Take the TUC’s advice – take a properly / proper lunch break and go home on time.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Work Your Proper Hours Day is usually around February 22. It (1) ____ started in 2005 by Britain’s organization of labour unions the Trade Union Congress (TUC). This is the day (2) ____ a worker decides he or she has had enough of doing unpaid overtime. They decide that from Work Your Proper Hours Day, they will completely (3) ____ doing unpaid overtime and start using the time for themselves. The TUC website has a quiz so you can decide if you are working too many extra hours for no (4) ____. It asks you if everyone you work (5) ____ is also doing extra hours and whether you seem to get busier and busier every year. It also asks if you are worried that if you go home on time, your (6) ____ will think you’re slacking.
The TUC says nearly five million people in Britain (7) ____ unpaid overtime on a regular basis. If they got paid for this, the average employee would (8) ____ an extra £4,955 (around $10,000) a year. Working too long each day is bad for us. It causes stress, messes (9) ____ our social life and relationships, and can have negative effects on family life. It is also bad for business if staff are (10) ____ out. There are signs that campaigns against overworking are beginning to make a difference. Within the past five years, fewer people are doing unpaid overtime and the (11) ____ amount of time has gone down by 24 minutes a week. Take the TUC’s advice – take a (12) ____ lunch break and go home on time.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
is
(b)
be
(c)
was
(d)
began
2.
(a)
when
(b)
while
(c)
which
(d)
why
3.
(a)
stoppage
(b)
stop
(c)
stops
(d)
stopping
4.
(a)
payee
(b)
payment
(c)
payback
(d)
pay
5.
(a)
at
(b)
next
(c)
together
(d)
with
6.
(a)
boss
(b)
bossy
(c)
bossing
(d)
bossed
7.
(a)
force
(b)
do
(c)
slave
(d)
make
8.
(a)
earnings
(b)
earn
(c)
earner
(d)
earned
9.
(a)
in
(b)
on
(c)
up
(d)
down
10.
(a)
horn
(b)
born
(c)
torn
(d)
worn
11.
(a)
average
(b)
averaged
(c)
averages
(d)
averaging
12.
(a)
properly
(b)
property
(c)
proper
(d)
properness
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
usually dnauro February 22
2.
had hengou of doing unpaid overtime
3.
start isugn the time for themselves
4.
working too many traxe hours
5.
eerhtwh you seem to get busier
6.
It also asks if you are erwdroi
Paragraph 2
7.
aernly five million people
8.
on a rulareg basis
9.
It causes essstr
10.
negative efefsct on family life
11.
make a eedfiefnrc
12.
take a perorp lunch break
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
of doing unpaid overtime. They decide that from Work Your Proper Hours Day, they will completely stop
( 1 )
Work Your Proper Hours Day is usually around February 22. It was started in 2005 by Britain’s organization of labour
( )
hours and whether you seem to get busier and busier every year. It also asks if you are
( )
doing unpaid overtime and start using the time for themselves. The TUC website has a quiz so you can decide
( )
The TUC says nearly five million people in Britain do unpaid overtime on a regular basis. If they got paid
( )
the TUC’s advice – take a proper lunch break and go home on time.
( )
unions the Trade Union Congress (TUC). This is the day when a worker decides he or she has had enough
( )
overtime and the average amount of time has gone down by 24 minutes a week. Take
( )
for this, the average employee would earn an extra £4,955 (around $10,000) a year. Working too
( )
long each day is bad for us. It causes stress, messes up our social life and relationships, and can have negative
( )
effects on family life. It is also bad for business if staff are worn out. There are signs that campaigns against
( )
if you are working too many extra hours for no pay. It asks you if everyone you work with is also doing extra
( )
worried that if you go home on time, your boss will think you’re slacking.
( )
overworking are beginning to make a difference. Within the past five years, fewer people are doing unpaid
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
enough unpaid or had doing he has of overtime she
2.
will stop unpaid they completely doing overtime
3.
can decide if you are working too many extra hours you
4.
also you doing work extra with hours is everyone
5.
busier to every get year busier you and seem
6.
unpaid a people do on basis Britain overtime regular in
7.
extra an £4,955 the would average earn employee
8.
bad long for each us day Working is too
9.
life family on effects negative have
10.
a break home take lunch go time proper and on
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
Write five questions about Work Your Proper Hours Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.
Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.
STUDENT 1
_____________
STUDENT 2
_____________
STUDENT 3
_____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.
Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.
WRITING
Write about Work Your Proper Hours Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.
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 Work Your Proper Hours Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Work Your Proper Hours 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 Work Your Proper Hours 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.
