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Trouble with Teamwork
Mary Owen examines the role and efficiency of teams
Recruiters say that candidates who can give examples ofwork they have done as
members of a successful team are in asstrong a position as those who can point
to significant individualachievement. Indeed, too much of the latter may suggest
thatthe person concerned is not a 'team player' - one of the moreserious
failings in the book of management.
The importance of being a team player is a side effect of the increasing
interaction acrossdepartments and functional divides. Instead of pushing
reports, paperwork and decisions aroundthe organisation, 'teams provide a
dynamic meeting place where ideas can be shared and expertisemore carefully
targeted at important business issues,' says Steve Gardner, in his book
KeyManagement Concepts. He adds, 'Globalisation has added a further dimension to
teamwork.Multinational teams now study policy decisions in the light of their
impact on the local market.'
But is teamworking being overdone? 'Some managers are on as many as seven or
eightdifferent teams', says Dr Cathy Bandy, a psychologist who recently ran a
conference on thesubject. 'They take up so much time that managers can't get on
with core tasks.' Forming teamsand having meetings has, she says, become an end
in itself, almost regardless of purpose. There isalso the danger of an unhealthy
desire to keep the team going after the work has been done. 'People feel the
need to belong, and team membership can provide a kind of
psychologicalsupport.'
The idea behind teamworking is that, when the right group of people is
brought together, a'force' develops which is greater than the sum of their
individual talents. This is often true in sport,where good players can reach
unexpected heights as members of an international team.However,few business
situations have as clear a set of objectives, or as clear criteria of success
orfailure, as winning a match.
'In business, everyone needs to be clear about what the challenge is and
whether a team isthe right way of approaching it', says Steve Gardner.
'Unfortunately, people focus instead on whothe members of the team should be and
what roles they are to play' Dr Bandy agrees. 'There isalways a danger that
teams can turn into committees,' she says. 'In a lot of situations, one or
twoindividuals would be much more effective.'
So what makes a successful team? There are some general qualities that have
been identified.Steve Gardnerrecommends that in every team there should be
someone who is good atresearching ideas and another who is good at shooting down
impractical ones. There should bethose who can resolve the tensions that
naturally occur in a team and others who are focused ongetting the job done.
Also, providing a clear and achievable target at the outset is the best way
ofensuring that the team will move on to greater things.
13、 What point does the writer make about teamworking at the beginning of the
article?
A It is the most successful form of management.
B It has changed the recruitment procedure in companies.
C Well-run teams still allow individuals to demonstrate their talents.
D Being a team player is now considered an essential management skill.
14 、According to the article, teamwork developed within companies as a
response to
A modern office design.
B changing work practices.
C a reduction in administrative tasks.
D the expansion of international business.
15 、In the third paragraph, Dr Bandy suggests that
A many employees do not enjoy working in teams.
B some managers are not very effective team leaders.
C some teams are created unnecessarily.
D few teams are well organised.
16 、According to the writer, teamwork is more effective in the field of sport
because the players
A know what they want to achieve.
B are more competitive by nature.
C have more individual talent.
D can be driven by national pride.
17 、Steve Gardner and Dr Bandy agree that when a business team is created
people do notpay enough attention to
A the structure of the team.
B alternatives to the team.
C selecting the team members.
D directing the team's activities.
18、 What is Steve Gardner's advice on operating a successful team?
A Maintain a flexible approach to membership.
B Allow personalities to develop within the team.
C Select people who fit naturally into certain roles.
D Make every effort to avoid conflict between members.
Passage 3
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:
The idea of a special day to honor mothers was first put forward in America
in 1907. two years later a woman, Mrs. John Bruce Dodd, in the state of
Washington proposed a similar day to honor the head of the family—the father.
Her mother died when she was very young, and her father brought her up. She
loved her father very much.
In response to Mrs. Dodd’s idea that same year—1909, the state governor of
Washington proclaimed (宣布) the third Sunday in June Father’s Day. The idea was
officially approved by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. in 1924, President
Calvin Coolidge recommended national observance of the occasion “to establish
more intimate (亲密) relations between fathers and their children, and to impress
upon fathers the full measure of their obligations.” The red or white rose is
recognized as the official Father’s Day flower.
Father’s Day took longer to establish on a national scale than Mother’s Day,
but as the idea grained popularity, tradesmen and manufacturers began to see the
commercial possibilities. They encouraged sons and daughters to honor their
fathers with small thank-you presents, such as a tie or pair of socks, as well
as by sending greeting cards.
During the Second World War, American servicemen stationed in Britain began
to request Father’s Day greeting cards to send home. This generated a response
with British card publishers. Though at first the British public was slow to
accept this rather artificial day, it’s now well celebrated in Britain on the
third Sunday in June in much the same way as in America.
Father’s Day seems to be much less important as occasion than the Mother’s
Day. Not many of the children offer their fathers some presents. But the
American fathers still think they are much better fated than the fathers of many
other countries, who have not even a day for their sake in name only.
11. When did Father’s Day officially begin to have national popularity?
A. 1907 B. 1909 C. 1916 D. 1924
12. Who first started the idea of holding the Father’s Day?
A. Mrs. John Bruce Dodd B. Mrs. John Bruce’s Mother
C. The government of Washington. D. Some businessmen.
13. What flower will be popular on Father’s Day?
A. Lily B. Water Lily C. Red rose or white rose D. Sunflower.
14. Which statement is true, a according to this passage?
A. It took even longer for Mother’s Day to gain national popularity.
B. The businessmen helped to make Father’s Day popular.
C. Father’s Day is only celebrated in America.
D. Father’s Day is only a trick of the businessmen to make money.
15. What was the first reaction of the British publishing towards Father’s
Day?
A. They thought highly of it and accepted it at once.
B. They just accepted it at once without any hesitation.
C. They just thought it a joke.
D. They thought it was too artificial and took a long time to accept.
Part III Cloze
Directions: There are twenty blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices. Choose the one that best fits into the passage and then marks your answer on the Answer Sheet.
What makes a child speak a language has long been a puzzle to linguists. 61 speaking, there are two schools of linguists, both of whom try to explain 62 a child picks up a language so easily. The fact that a child picks a language 63 is 64 : At one year old, a child is able to say “bye-bye”; at two, he is able to
use fifty; by there he begins to 65 tenses. The famous American linguist Noam Chomsky 66 that human being have a sort of built-in system for language use, and that the 67 is 68 . Children are not taught language 69 they are taught arithmetic. Other linguists, 70 , hold the view that a child learns 71 of his
language from the hints in the environment. 72 , theorists of both schools 73 that there is a biological basis for language use. The 74 is which is more important, the inner ability or the environment. This is certainly a field 75 to be explored. Researchers from both schools are busy finding evidence to 76 their own theory, but 77 side is persuading the other.
It seems that in order to 78 why a child learns a language so easily, we have to 79 the joint efforts of both schools. Some linguist, like De Villiers, has recognized the value of cooperation, and 80 linguists of both sides to work together.
61. A. Surprisingly B. Personally C. Properly D. Roughly
62. A. that B. when C. why D. how
63. A. independently B. naturally C. without help D. with ease
64. A. confusing B. surprising C. questioned D. suspected
65. A. master B. study C. have D. get
66. A. doubts B. believes C. realizes D. criticizes
67. A. help B. teacher C. environment D. hint
68. A. quite essential B. very important C. not necessary D. only
secondary
69. A. as B. for C. when D. though
70. A. in particular B. as a result C. however D. therefore
71. A. a little B. some C. nothing D. most
72. A. Before B. From now on C. Just now D. By now
73. A. suspect B. disagree C. agree D. realize
74. A. case B. argument C. problem D. question
75. A. waiting B. planning C. never D. unlikely
76. A. provide B. create C. supply D. support
77. A. not a B. one C. neither D. either
78. A. find out B. rule out C. search for D. look for
79. A. get rid of B. trust in C. rely on D. persist in
80. A. ordered B. criticized C. challenged D. urged
