人教全日制普通高中英语（必修）高三UNIT11-1

We are often asked to work in small groups, but why? Is it necessary to work with others? What if you feel comfortable doing a task by yourself? Especially at school, it sometimes feels as if we are being asked to work in teams for the sake¹ of just that. In reality, however, after leaving school, you' will find out that almost all work in many fields is done in teams. School life is a preparation for our working days to come.
 
       A team is a group of individual people brought together in order to accomplish a task that cannot be efficiently² or effectively completed by any member of the group alone. The group may be temporary or stay together for a long period of time.
 
       A type of team that we are all familiar with are sports teams. Sports teams are made up of a certain number of players, whose common goal is to work together to win a match. Different team members may have different skills. Although the coach is usually not counted as a team member, his role is to discuss strategy³ and make decisions about the composition of the team. A sports team can only function well when all team members cooperate⁴. The atmosphere in the group affects the performance of the team, so social relations within the team are important. It is not necessary for all team members to be friends. On the other hand, all team members should respect each other. It is important that all members of the team feel that each of them makes an equal contribution and that they help and support each other.
 
       In a sports team each player has a clear role, and there are few occasions⁵ when members are confused or uncertain of their roles. Roles of team members are accepted and there are no conflicts about expectations and responsibilities attached to each role. However, when forming teams to complete tasks at school, we are often hardly aware of this.
 
      Working in groups at school is an opportunity to learn more about teamwork. Group work makes us aware of the role that is most suitable for each of us. Practice also brings the benefit of getting experience working with other people. Group work shows us how other people's roles fit the purpose of the group, and it teaches us to be patient and how to respond to different personalities⁶.
 
       As with sports teams, group work can only be successful when group members respect, help and support each other, while the work division⁷ is clear and each member performs at the right level in the role that is most suitable to him or her. But a project team requires very different roles from those of a rugby team.
 
       Teams require leaders, and people who create ideas, who develop ideas, and people whose role it is to comment and help improve plans. Teams also need people to identify problems, and others to suggest solutions. In small teams, members may combine roles according to their personalities. People full of action and ideas are often the ones to bring new energy to the group, while people who are mainly listening and commenting are often the ones to keep an eye on procedures⁸ that must be followed. Some are good at evaluating, while others are good at compromising⁹ in conflicts, and keeping peace and harmony in excited discussions¹⁰.
 
       Rules and regulations help teams function well, but we should always guard against making teams too bureaucratic¹¹. Working in a team, we have to take into account how each individual member works¹² best. Some work best on tasks alone, while others work best in groups. How the tasks of the group are divided depends on the personalities and abilities of the individuals in the group.
 
       In a dynamic¹³ team, people with quite different personalities work well together. In fact, their differences are the strength of the team. To make the best of working with our classmates, it is important to recognise their strengths and weaknesses. Knowing other people's shortcomings can help us avoid embarrassing¹⁴ them.
 
      To know someone's personality type and ability is to know a great deal about that person. The lack of recognition¹⁵ of differences in human functioning has led to much misunderstanding, conflict, and waste of energy -- in the classroom, in the workplace and at home. To understand means we can build strong and good relationships between members of a team, and make the best use of each other's talents.

1 sake   

n.缘故，理由

参考例句：

• He loves poetry for beauty's sake.他因为爱美而喜欢诗歌。
• We can't risk big things for the sake of small ones.我们不能因小失大。

2 efficiently   

adv.高效率地，有能力地

参考例句：

• The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
• Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。

3 strategy   

n.方法，策略，战略

参考例句：

• The only way to take the enemy position is by strategy,not by forceful attack.只可智取，不可强攻。
• Tactics differs from strategy.战术有别于战略。

4 cooperate   

vi.合作，协作，相配合

参考例句：

• We hope we can cooperate even more closely in the future.希望我们今后能更加密切地合作。
• I hope you can cooperate on this matter.我希望你在这件事上能给予合作。

5 occasions   

n.机会( occasion的名词复数 )；时刻；原因；需要

参考例句：

• The prosecution stated that intercourse had occurred on several occasions. 控诉方称发生过数次性交。
• He has been late on numerous occasions. 他已经迟到过无数次了。

6 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

7 division   

n.区分，分开，除法，公司，部门，师(军队里)

参考例句：

• Have you learnt division?你学会除法了吗？
• The division commander ordered that we start the attack before dawn.师长令我们在拂晓前发起攻击。

8 procedures   

程序； 手续； 步骤； 常规； 程序( procedure的名词复数 )； 手续； [计算机]过程； （为解决一个特殊问题而专门设计的）文字程序

参考例句：

• procedures that must be followed to ensure full compliance with the law 为确保严格遵守法律所必须遵行的程序
• You need to become fully conversant with the company's procedures. 你得对公司的程序了如指掌。

9 compromising   

adj.妥协的；让步的vt.“compromise”的现在分词

参考例句：

• They were discovered together in a compromising situation . 他们被人发现在一起，场面有伤风化。
• He made the fatal mistake of compromising early. 他犯了过早妥协的致命错误。 来自辞典例句

10 discussions   

n.讨论( discussion的名词复数 )；商讨；详述；论述

参考例句：

• Discussions are held on an informal basis within the department. 讨论限于在本部门内非正式地进行。
• Her specialist input to the discussions has been very useful. 她在这些讨论中提供的专家建议很有助益。

11 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

12 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

13 dynamic   

adj.有活力的，能动的；力的；动力的

参考例句：

• This is a dynamic world.这是一个不断变化的世界。
• There is a dynamic ball in the computer.在电脑里有个动态的球。

14 embarrassing   

adj.使人尴尬的，令人为难的v.（使）窘迫，（使）局促不安( embarrass的现在分词)

参考例句：

• His jokes didn't even raise a smile, which was embarrassing. 听了他讲的笑话，都没人笑一下，真是太尴尬了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was in the embarrassing position of having completely forgotten her name. 当时我完全忘记了她的名字，很是尴尬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 recognition   

n.承认，认可，认出，认识

参考例句：

• The place has changed beyond recognition.这地方变得认不出来了。
• A sudden smile of recognition flashed across his face.他脸上掠过一丝笑意，表示认识对方。