Compound dictation

We're now witnessing the emergence of the advanced economy based on information and knowledge. Physical labor, raw materials and capital are no longer the key ingredients in the creation of wealth. Now the vital raw material in our economy is knowledge. Tomorrow's wealth depends on the development and exchange of knowledge. And individuals entering the work force offer their knowledge, not their muscles. Knowledge workers get paid for their education and their ability to learn. Knowledge workers engage in mind work. They deal with symbols, words, figures, and data.

What does all this mean for you?

As a future knowledge worker, you can expect to be generating, processing as well as exchanging information. Currently, three out of four jobs involve some form of mind work. And that number will increase sharply in the future. Management and employees alike will be making decisions in such areas as product development, quality control, and customer satisfaction.

In the new world of work, you can look forward to being in constant training to acquire new skills that will help you keep up with improved technologies and procedures.

You can also expect to be taking greater control of your career. Gone are the nine to five jobs, lifetime security, predictable promotions, and even the conventional workplace as you're familiar with. Don't expect the companies will provide you with a clearly defined career path, and don't wait for some one to empower you. You have to empower yourself. veduchina

 

Passage one:

 

Time

I think a lot about time and not just because it's the name of the news organization I work for. Like most working people, I find time or the lack of it, are never ending frustration and an unwinable battle. My every day is a race against the clock that I never ever seem to win. This is hardly a lonesome complaint, according to the families and work institutes, national study of the changing work force, 55% of the employees say they don't have enough time for themselves, 63% don't have enough time for their spouses or partners, and 67% don't have enough time for their children. It's also not a new complaint. I bet our ancestors returned home from hunting wild animals and gathering nuts, and complained about how little time they had to paint battle scenes on their cave walls. The difference is that the boss of the animal hunting and the head of nut gathering probably told them to "Shut up!" or "No survival for you!" Today's workers are still demanding control over their time, the difference is: today's bosses are listening. I've been reading a report issued today called When Work Works, produced jointly by 3 organizations. They set out to find and award the employers who employ the most creative and most effective ways to give their workers flexibility. I found this report worth reading and suggest every boss should read it for ideas.

Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.

26. What is the speaker complaining about?

He's in a hurry to work everyday and doesn't have enough spare time.

27. What does the speaker say about our ancestors?

They were busy with finding food outside in order to survive.

28. Why does the speaker suggest all bosses read the report by the 3 organizations?

Because this report may help them keep their most creative and effective workers working without too much complaint.