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Reading T3

The document discusses the experience of working from home for one individual over the past two years. It describes the initial difficulty concentrating and working excessive hours, but learning to gain better control over time. It also discusses benefits like cheaper clothing, but challenges like isolation and managing work communications outside standard hours.

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Maria Lucila
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90 views

Reading T3

The document discusses the experience of working from home for one individual over the past two years. It describes the initial difficulty concentrating and working excessive hours, but learning to gain better control over time. It also discusses benefits like cheaper clothing, but challenges like isolation and managing work communications outside standard hours.

Uploaded by

Maria Lucila
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lengua Extranjera para Uso Profesional

Olaya Fernández Prieto

UNIT 3. READING:
Working from home
In the last few years, paying for large office spaces has become less attractive to many
company owners. Improvements in email, conference calling and cheaper phone lines
have helped to change the way we all work, and although online contact is not the
same as daily contact with colleagues, many employees are willing to do without chats
in the office if it means avoiding congestion in city centres.
I started working from home two years ago. At first, I found it hard to concentrate and
when five o’clock came around I had often only done half of the work I’d planned. I
found myself spending almost every waking moment doing something related to work.
It’s taken most of those two years to get some control over that, but I’m there now.
There are some benefits. I used to have to wear suits, and the informal stuff for around
home is just so much easier to afford. Because homeworkers are saving on food and
coffee and things, they can afford a nicer computer or a better phone plan, and that
feels good. Other annoying things are still the same though. We still end up being
interrupted regularly to take calls.
I think as well, it becomes more noticeable that you spend hours at your desk,
especially when you go from bed to desk and back again. But more than that, you don’t
have anyone to chat to during the day and you can feel very isolated. I think because of
the long hours alone, many people who work from home are more likely to sign up to a
monthly gym plan and actually do it.
Weekends are also a big issue. I always get a lot of work messages at the weekends.
When I had emails in my inbox, I used to feel I had to respond to them, but my wife got
mad whenever I replied to some work call on a Saturday evening. I found that the best
way to avoid that was to keep two mobiles and then I could leave the work one
switched off on my desk. It was the best solution.
I think that for a lot of people, it just makes life easier to be at home, especially if you
have kids and you basically need to be in two places at once – watching the kids and
working. I guess the challenges of managing the volume of emails and messages that
come in affects everyone these days, but people are getting better at dealing with it.
And at least it gives people a choice – I think that’s what everyone needs.

1. Read the article about working from home. For questions 1–5, choose the
correct option (a, b or c).

1 The writer says that when he started working from home …


a his old working habits continued.
b he put in longer working hours.
c the working hours were easy to manage.

2 The writer thinks that people who work from home …


a save a lot of money on clothing.
b answer fewer phone calls.
c learn to economize in everything.
Lengua Extranjera para Uso Profesional
Olaya Fernández Prieto

3 Why does the writer think that home workers get more exercise?
a They have more time available.
b They need a social activity.
c They understand better the health benefits.

4 During the weekend now, the writer has …


a more time with his family.
b emails that he needs to reply to.
c a separate phone he uses.

5 Why is the person writing this description?


a to offer a personal point of view on working from home
b to persuade people that they should work from home
c to show the disadvantages of modern communications

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