High 3 · Reading series
Lesson 36 · A Shift on Graduation Week
Audio track 36
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
During graduation week, my café manager asked me to cover an extra evening shift. A coworker was absent, and I wanted to help. I had also promised my family that I would attend a dinner with relatives who had traveled to see me.
Instead of giving an immediate yes, I checked the schedule and offered two earlier hours. The manager said those hours would help with preparation, while another worker could handle closing. I told my family the revised plan and arrived at dinner later than expected, but still in time to meet everyone.
The arrangement was not perfect. I had to give up a quiet afternoon, and the manager still had to reorganize the team. Yet a limited offer was more reliable than a promise I would break. I wrote down the agreed hours so there would be no confusion.
Work had taught me that responsibility is not measured by how quickly I say yes. It can be measured by whether I understand the effect of my answer on the people around me.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
毕业周，咖啡馆经理请我多上一班晚班。一位同事缺席，我想帮忙；但我也答应家人，参加与远道而来的亲戚共进的晚餐。
我没有立刻答应，而是先看排班表，提出可以提前工作两小时。经理说，那段时间有助于准备工作，另一个人能负责打烊。我把修改后的安排告诉家人，晚餐虽然到得比预想晚，仍赶得上见大家。
安排并不完美。我失去了一个清闲的下午，经理也仍得重新调配团队。但有限而可兑现的提议，比无法履行的承诺可靠。我写下商定的工时，避免误会。
工作教会我，责任感不取决于我说“好”有多快，而在于我是否理解答复会怎样影响身边的人。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- graduation
- 毕业；事件发生在毕业周。
- shift
- 班次；经理请求额外晚班。
- coworker
- 同事；有人缺席。
- relatives
- 亲戚；远道参加家宴。
- revised
- 修改后的；协调出新安排。
- preparation
- 准备工作；提前两小时能帮忙。
- closing
- 打烊；由另一位员工负责。
- arrangement
- 安排；仍有双方要协调之处。
- reliable
- 可靠的；承诺应能兑现。
- confusion
- 误会；写下商定工时可避免。
Background notes (Chinese)
面对临时加班，学生先核对已有承诺，再提出可履行的时段并记录双方约定。