TASK 1

a) Read the text below

Today we will discuss working under pressure. Below is an article on this subject. Read it
through. I have given you a glossary of the words and phrases in italics below. These terms may
be useful when we come to the discussion.

What is 'the ability to work under pressure'?

This relates to how you respond when put under pressure. In a work context, pressure can be
defined as;

'The stress or urgency of matters requiring attention, the burden of physical or mental
distress and the constraint of circumstances.'

The ability to work under pressure involves dealing with constraints which are often outside of
your control. These might be resource or time constraints, the difficulty of the task, having
insufficient knowledge required to complete the task, or unforeseen changes or problems.
Effective planning and time management (to mitigate or allow for unexpected problems, for
example), can reduce the likelihood of some pressure situations occurring, but will not eradicate
them completely.

Why do employers value the ability to work under pressure?

Changes and unexpected events, problems or challenges can, and do often occur, regardless of
how well-planned or organised you are. The ability to respond effectively to pressure and stress
is therefore extremely important in any line of work. How you respond will vary from person to
person; some people thrive on it and perform better when under pressure, others may panic or
become ineffective. It is important that you are aware of how you act in such situations and what
steps you can take to improve your effectiveness in such situations if necessary.

Examples of how the ability to work under pressure can be developed or evidenced.
- Dealing with an emergency.
- Overcoming problems or issues to achieve a goal, e.g. losing assignment data or work.
- Reorganising responsibilities in a group task if one member unexpectedly drops out.
- Managing well when work is unexpectedly busy or you are short staffed.
b) Match the pairs

Word/Phrase Alternative

Example: 1- j,…

1. matters requiring attention a. any job, any career, all types of

work
2. physical or mental distress b. boundary, blockage, restriction

3. constraint c. clear, destroy, eliminate, wipe

out
4. unforeseen d. leave, quit

5. mitigate e. make something less extreme

6. eradicate f. not having enough people to be

efficient
7. any line of work g. not predicted, not expected

8. to thrive on h. pain or negative emotions/panic

9. to drop out i. really enjoy, grow quickly

10.short staffed j. things we need to do

c) Answer the questions

Is stressful work the only type of work that puts you under pressure?
Do you feel pressure at work?
(Write no more than 180 words)
Useful phrases:

I really think that... Where I work, … There's not much pressure...