Question

[Dương Minh]

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

A generation gap in the workplace can make workers both young and old feel inferior, as well as hamper productivity and teamwork. Differences between generations can be seen in work ethics, habits and communication styles. Younger workers might fear not being taken seriously by their older colleagues, while older workers might fear that their experience is not valued but replaced by workers with knowledge of more current technology. However, members of each generation can close the gap between them if they're willing to meet one another halfway.

Older workers can show respect to the younger set by asking for their opinions and recognizing their contributions to the workplace as valid, or complimenting them on a job well done. Younger workers can show their elders respect by asking for advice on how to manage a situation with work, based on the older worker's many years of experience. It's important for both entry- and senior-level workers to see each other as equals, regardless of the type of position in which they work. No one wants to feel inferior or irrelevant just because of their age. Rather, a generation gap at work can be a learning opportunity.

Workers can also put themselves in their colleagues' shoes to determine what might be bothering them about their generational age difference. If a person is much older than another, perhaps it is bitterness about fewer job opportunities, or fear that a younger worker might seem more relevant and edge him out of his job. If workers open their minds to understand where co-workers are coming from, it can help ease any tension between them and appreciate each other's work contributions.

If age seems to be a problem for someone at the workplace, it can be helpful to do the very opposite of what a co-worker might expect from someone of a different age set due to stereotypes. For example, if a worker is considerably younger such as right out of college, she can share researched information to indicate that she knows what she's doing, or show curiosity instead of upset to indicate emotional maturity if the person makes a disparaging remark about her youth. Older workers can maintain an enthusiastic attitude about work instead of showing boredom or bitterness from past experiences.

Workers can, moreover, directly address the concern of age differences at work with the colleague at odds with them by asking the person for constructive advice on how to handle the issue. For example, older workers who are unfamiliar with new software that younger colleagues understand might acknowledge to them that they did the same tasks differently in years past but show interest in learning the program to keep up with modern technology. Learning to speak their technological language can make them feel more connected. Likewise, a younger worker can admit to being green on the work scene, but eager to gain experience by learning from senior colleagues.

(Source: http://work.chron.com/ )

What does the writer mean by stating “put themselves in their colleagues' shoes” in paragraph 3?

A.Workers should try on their colleagues’ shoes to master the difference of their generation.

B.Workers should buy their colleagues’ shoes not to bother them about generational age difference.

C.Workers should determine the differences between their generational ages so that they can understand their colleagues’ situation.

D.Workers should imagine that they are in their colleagues’ situation to understand and sympathy the difficulties they meet.

Answer 1

[Nguyen Hoang Hai]

Đáp án D

Tác giả có ý gì khi nói “put themselves in their colleagues' shoes” trong đoạn 3?

A.Các công nhân nên thử đi giày của đồng nghiệp để hiểu sự khác biệt của thế hệ họ.

B.Các công nhân nên mua giày của đồng nghiệp để không làm phiền họ về sự khác biệt về tuổi tác thế hệ.

C.Các công nhân nên xác định những sự khác nhau giữa tuổi tác thế hệ để mà họ có thể hiểu hoàn cảnh của đồng nghiệp.

D.Các công nhân nên đặt mình vào hoàn cảnh của đồng nghiệp để hiểu và thông cảm cho những khó khăn mà họ gặp phải.

Thành ngữ put themselves in their colleagues' shoes được hiểu là “đặt mình vào vị trí của người khác” thông thường là khi những người đó đang gặp những tình huống khó khăn để hiểu họ hơn.