Today is the last class of our current four-class set. Today's reading is about workplace environment. The vocabulary words will come from the reading. I will explain and discuss them in class. Our listening material is a nature video clip. Please listen for the keywords and phrases. 

Vocabulary

• flickering - (verb) (of light or a source of light) shine unsteadily; vary rapidly in brightness. Also make small, quick movements; flutter rapidly.
• autonomy - (noun) freedom from external control or influence; independence.
• underestimate - (verb) estimate (something) to be smaller or less important than it actually is. ALSO regard (someone) as less capable than they really are.
• cramped - (adj) feeling or causing someone to feel uncomfortably confined or hemmed in by lack of space. ALSO restricting or inhibiting the development of someone or something. ALSO (of handwriting) small and difficult to read.

Click HERE for the reading

Key Words and Phrases

• Big cats- this refers to lions, tigers, cheetahs, and jaguars. But in everyday conversation, we can call important people big cats. 

• Strength in numbers- this phrase means that you have an advantage with more members. Its a good phrase for project planning and business meetings. 

• Band of brothers- this is an American military term that refers to the closeness of a group of soldiers. 

• Lash out- attacking someone. If someone yells at you, they have verbally lashed out. 

• Find a way to foil such tactics- to solve or figure out something. To foil someone means to prevent them from carrying out their plan.