Unit 8 Culture and tradition

I. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words or word forms.

Word bank: reputation | material | industrious | occupation | trait | compelling | frugal | diversify | intense | complain

  1. Confidence is a that can empower individuals to pursue their goals with determination.
  2. The shopper waits for sales and discounts, ensuring maximum savings on every purchase.
  3. Our company aims to create a workforce that reflects different perspectives and talents of our global community.
  4. The new product's features convinced many customers to make a purchase.
  5. The airline received numerous about flight delays and cancellations during the holiday season.
  6. The new CEO is determined to restore the company's after recent scandals.
  7. The heat during the summer months prompted people to seek refuge in air-conditioned spaces.
  8. The spiritual aspects of life are more important than wealth.
  9. Despite his humble beginnings, his spirit led him to great success.
  10. Job rotation is a common strategy used to prevent employee burnout and enhance skill diversity.

II. Translate the following sentences into English.

  1. 她敦促团队保持专注，寻找应对环境问题的创新型解决方案。
  2. 尽管面临诸多挑战，他仍致力于提高大众对野生动物的保护意识。
  3. 这家公司的招聘决策基于候选人的技能和资质，不论其先前工作经验如何。
  4. 有效的领导不仅仅是保持稳定的团队关系；更要营造一个成长和不断改进的环境。
  5. 在今天这个全球化世界，文化素养(cultural competence)不只是一种加分项(bonus)，而是一种必要条件，让你在多样化社会中游刃有余，并打破有害的刻板印象。
  6. 能购买经济适用房才是促进社会流动性的关键，而不是那种以房产所有权决定个人身份地位的体系。
  7. 创办一家成功的企业需要长期投入时间和资源，但潜在的收益是可观的。
  8. 成功企业家一个共同特质就是百折不挠的韧性。

III. Banked Cloze

  1. A) acknowledge
  2. B) fortunately
  3. C) expectations
  4. D) isolation
  5. E) related
  6. F) complicated
  7. G) perfectly
  8. H) suppress
  9. I) hidden
  10. J) shift
  11. K) feelings
  12. L) unique
  13. M) strengths
  14. N) external
  15. O) ease

Have you been hitting your deadlines and showing up to meetings, but internally feeling like you are falling apart? You are certainly not alone in this invisible struggle. A recent study of over 1,000 workers revealed a worrying trend: 55 percent are “quietly cracking.” They maintain professional (1) while silently dealing with severe internal distress.

The danger of this modern phenomenon is exceptionally profound. Those who quietly crack are over six times more likely to experience clinical burnout than their healthy peers. They smile on the outside but (2) intense stress on the inside. This creates a highly vulnerable workforce masking severe mental health risks.

Why is this happening? Research shows that about two-thirds of this (3) distress comes from (4) forces: financial pressure, global instability, and climate concerns. We are living through a relentless cycle of change that triggers constant waves of fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Meanwhile, work-specific issues like job insecurity account for the remaining third. Employees carry this intense burden into the office but feel pressured to hide it because personal anxieties are not strictly (5) to work.

Fortunately, small evidence-based habits can significantly reduce the risk of quietly cracking. First, (6) your feelings. Pushing these emotions down while trying to appear professional actually makes your nervous system work harder. Take a slow breath and whisper to yourself: “it is (7) okay to feel unsettled about money/work/the world. My brain is trying to keep me safe.”

Second, engage purposefully. While you cannot control major global events, finding small ways to exercise personal agency can (8) your anxious brain from feeling powerless to feeling capable.

Third, appreciate your (9) . Do not focus on what feels broken. Instead, tackle daily challenges using the specific skills you’re good at. This reminds your brain that you can handle difficulties.

Fourth, reach out for support. Quiet cracking thrives in (10) . Seeking practical advice or simply finding a listening ear calms your nervous system by proving you are not alone.

IV. Listen to the news report and choose the correct answer.













V. Listen to the conversation and choose the correct answer.





















VI. Listen to the conversation and choose the correct answer.





















VII. Listen to the passage and choose the correct answer.