(d) She took off her shoes and attracted a group of men.

5 What did a male colleague tell a female lawyer to do before she went to court? (a) To put on a jacket over her blouse. (b) To do up a button on her blouse. (c) To undo a button on her blouse.

(d) To wear something with darker colours.

6 What is a woman often asked to do when filling in a form? (a) Choose from four titles.

(b) Give both her married and unmarried name. (c) Give information about her married status. (d) Avoid using the title ―Dr‖. Dealing with unfamiliar words

5 Match the words in the box with their definitions. 1 the place where you work (workplace) 2 to mean something (denote)

3 to make something or someone become gradually less effective, confident, or successful(undermine) 4 to think that something is true because it is likely, although you cannot be certain (presume) 5 a regular and important part or feature of something (staple)

6 involving or consisting of many people, things, or parts (multiple)

7 expressing what you mean using clear and effective language (eloquent) 8 used to describe a word that refers to one person or thing (singular)

9 behaving in a very unfriendly or threatening way towards someone (hostile) 10 to say or write words that someone else has said or written (quote) 11 to give someone responsibility for an important job or activity (entrust) 6 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in Activity 5.

1 Melanie got to her feet and made a eloquent defence of the rights of women in the workplace.

2 There are a number of words in English, such as people, which although technically in the singular form, in actual fact denote a plural meaning.

3 The dark suit is a staple of the businessman‘s wardrobe, and I presume it will remain so for a long time.

4 The hostile reception he got at the meeting is likely to undermine all the work that has been done recently to improve relations between staff and management.

5 Jason suffered multiple injuries in the accident, and we didn‘t want to entrust an inexperienced surgeon with the operation.

6 I think that most world leaders in the next century will be women, but don‘t quote me on that.

7 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the following words. You may need to make other changes.

1 Don‘t forget to put on a bit of lipstick and mascara before you go out. (make-up)

2 The candidate displayed a lack of seriousness which we felt was not appropriate to the position he was applying for. (frivolousness)

3 I need to check my free dates in March before I can confirm whether I shall be able to attend the conference. (availability)

4 He has an attractive smile which people find hard to resist. (alluring)

5 This list of participants needs to be put into alphabetical order. (alphabetized)

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6 The first person officially suggested as general secretary had to withdraw due to ill health. (nominee)

7 After the first remarks offering congratulations the atmosphere at the prize-giving ceremony turned sour. (congratulatory)

8 The speaker made a comment which I found unfriendly and which meant the opposite of what he really meant. (sarcastic)

8 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.

1 Is a linguistic problem concerned with (a) words, or (b) figures?

2 If you are disqualified from an event, do the organizers (a) allow you, or (b) refuse to allow you to take part?

3 Is rub likely to mean (a) a problem, or (b) a solution?

4 If you have got myriad job offers, are you likely to be (a) concerned, or (b) optimistic about your future?

5 If you let on about something to someone, do you (a) tell them about it, or (b) keep it a secret? 6 If you duck something which has been thrown at you, does it (a) hit, or (b) miss you?

7 If someone speaks to you in an uppity way, is their manner (a) superior, or (b) humble and polite? Reading and interpreting 9 Answer the questions.

1 From which field has the writer borrowed the term marked? The term marked is borrowed from linguistics.

2 What are the differences between a ―marked‖ and an ―unmarked‖ word?

An ―unmarked‖ word is normal, common or neutral, while a ―marked‖ one is noticeable or used in a particular way or has a special meaning. Sometimes the unmarked one is positive and the unmarked on is negative.

3 What is the difference between a ―marked‖ and an ―unmarked‖ appearance in the workplace?

An ―unmarked‖ appearance would be normal, neutral and common, so it is unlikely that anyone would comment on it. A ―marked‖ appearance would be different, particular and noticeable because it would be a contrast to all those with an unmarked appearance – people would be likely to comment on the person with the marked appearance.

4 Why is no make-up ―marked‖ for women?

Because many or most women wear some make-up. A woman wearing no make-up in a context where it is expected that make-up would be worn is noticeably different, so it is ―marked‖. 5 How often do men wear ―marked‖ clothes in the workplace? Not often or rarely.

6 What is the connection between ―marked‖ and ―sexy‖?

Assuming that most women wear attractive and smart clothes, say in the workplace, this would be unmarked (among women), whereas if a woman wore sexy clothes (which for example were very

revealing), this would be noticeable and ―marked‖ (and inappropriate). In another context, the opposite might be the case, say at a party where most women were dressed in a sexy manner, someone dressed smartly and conservatively but not in a sexy manner would be ―marked‖. 7 Why are women‘s titles (Mrs, Miss and Ms) all marked?

Because whichever choice a woman makes it tells people something more than their title: If they choose Mrs, they are married but perhaps conservative or traditional; if they choose Miss they are unmarried but perhaps also traditional; if they choose Ms, you don‘t know whether they are married or

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not, but you do know that they don‘t want to give information about being married and that they are more modern, liberated, rebellious or feminist. Men do not have to make any of these choices. 8 In what sense are women‘s surnames marked?

In some English-speaking countries, say the US, married woman‘s surname is marked because traditionally they take their husband‘s surname as their married surname. So if a woman uses this name, it may signal that she is traditional or willing to adopt her husband‘s identity. Some married women, especially in professions, continue to use their original surname from their own family, and then this is ―marked‖ – it may be a signal that they are modern, liberated, or wish to keep their own identity. Of course, this is not a problem in Chinese and those other languages in which a married woman doesn‘t take her husband‘s name.

Language in use

say + something / nothing / a lot etc about

1 Rewrite the sentences using say + something / nothing / a lot etc about . 1 The boots she wears give a lot of information about her. The boots she wears say a lot about her.

2 The way he talks about other people gives an indication of his personality. The way he talks about other people says something about his personality. 3 The way she behaves doesn‘t give any indication of her previous career. The way she behaves says nothing about her previous career.

4 This statement is very revealing about the organization‘s attitude to women. This statement says a lot about the organization‘s attitude to women.

5 This type of task gives some idea about the structure of the final examination. This type of task says something about the structure of the final examination. on + gerund

2 Rewrite the sentences using on + gerund.

1 When they checked the figures again, they realized there had been a mistake. On checking the figures again, they realized there had been a mistake.

2 When she was asked, she said she would like to be known by her first name. On being asked, she said she would like to be known by her first name. 3 When we investigated more completely, we made an important discovery. On investigating more completely, we made an important discovery. 4 When they heard the news, most people reacted with offers to help. On hearing the news, most people reacted with offers to help.

5 When people are accused of a crime they haven‘t committed, most of them don‘t know how to react. On being accused of a crime they haven‘t committed, most people don‘t know how to react. anything but

3 Rewrite the sentences using anything but .

1 The organizer of the conference was the opposite of helpful. The organizer of the conference was anything but helpful. 2 The instructions you left were certainly not easy to follow. The instructions you left were anything but easy to follow. 3 I felt extremely unsafe wearing those four-inch-high heels. I felt anything but safe wearing those four-inch-high heels.

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4 The weather last week was quite the opposite of warm and sunny. The weather last week was anything but warm and sunny.

5 I think that attitudes towards women in the company where I work are a long way from being progressive.

I think that attitudes towards women in the company where I work are anything but progressive. other than

4 Rewrite the sentences using other than .

1 The only thing we do when the three of us meet is gossip. When the three of us meet we do nothing other than gossip. 2 Men have no real alternative unless it is to wear a suit. Men have no real alternative other than to wear a suit.

3 The only thing I wish to add is to say how much I have enjoyed the whole day. I have nothing to add other than to say how much I have enjoyed the whole day. 4 They told her she didn‘t have to do anything except sit quietly and look pretty. They told her she had nothing to do other than to sit quietly and look pretty. 5 The only reason I have for being here is the free lunch. I have no reason to be here other than the free lunch. Collocations

5 Match the adjectives in Column A with the nouns in Column B. A B

bright colours conservative tastes correct tone popular belief

heavy make-up highbrow subject face value

6 Complete the sentences with the collocations in Activity 5.

1 Both of us have rather conservative tastes, so we‘re unlikely to buy modern furniture. 2 I‘m afraid these bonds are worth a lot less than their face value.

3 It‘s not easy to find the correct tone in which to speak to new customers. 4 I like wearing bright colours; I think they reflect my outgoing personality.

5 Yesterday‘s lecture was on such a highbrow subject that I couldn‘t get interested. 6 Why do they put such heavy make-up on people in television studios? 7 The popular belief that men don‘t cry is nonsense. 7 Translate the paragraphs into Chinese.

Women can‘t even fill out a form without telling stories about themselves. Most application forms now give four choices for titles. Men have one to choose – ―Mr.‖ – so their choice carries no meaning other than to say they are male. But women must choose among three, each of them marked. A woman who checks the box for ―Mrs.‖ or ―Miss‖ communicates not only whether she has been married but also that she has conservative tastes in forms of address, and probably other conservative values as well. Checking ―Ms.‖ declines to let on about marriage (whereas ―Mr.‖ declines nothing since nothing was asked), but it also marks the woman who checks it on her form as either liberated or

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