B2 – Upper Intermediate
In some occupations, going places is one of the things that comes with the job. While it has a lot of benefits, it also involves some risks.
Read the article below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.
Although technology has enabled videoconferencing, complete with multiple participants in multiple locations, business travel still proves a necessity for some industries, organizations, and positions. A few reasons include: Difficulties with time zones, the need to have project participants together for brainstorming sessions, or even just an old-fashioned mindset in which an employee’s physical presence is a necessity to get anything done. However, new data confirms what has long been suspected: Frequent business travel is bad for you.
To start, in terms of health, a traveler’s circadian rhythm gets disrupted with travel. This refers to your physical, mental, and behavioral cycle each day, such as when you wake up at a regular time in the morning or experience a dip in energy in the early afternoon. Your mood, ability to concentrate, and judgment are all negatively impacted from travel.
Anyone who has experienced jet lag comprehends just what it feels like to be several hours off a regular schedule. However, the immune system is also compromised, and this can mean a greater likelihood for colds and flu. Even worse, the risk of a heart attack and stroke also increase with frequent travel. And lastly, the business traveler also receives increased exposure to radiation; monthly flights from New York to London put a person above the maximum annual dosage.
There are other negatives too, one of which is the effects on family. Missed birthdays and other important events like milestones can become a regular occurrence, and which lead to the loss of the traveler’s familial role. All in all, there are a lot of perils related to business travel.
Source: headsupenglish.com
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “peril” mean? “All in all, there are a lot of perils related to business travel.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘peril’ in your own sentence.
- What does “milestone” mean? “Missed birthdays and other important events like milestones can become a regular occurrence, and which lead to the loss of the traveler’s familial role.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘milestone’ in your own sentence.
- What does the adjective “compromised” mean in this context, “However, the immune system is also compromised, and this can mean a greater likelihood for colds and flu.“? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘compromised’ in your own sentence in this context.
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think about business trips?
- What are the benefits and drawbacks of always traveling for work?
- Is traveling an essential part of your job? If so, please explain the reasons why. If not, would you like to be given the opportunity to do so?
- Are there any places you wouldn’t want to visit for business? Why?
- Talk about one of the most memorable business trips you’ve ever had. What made it so unforgettable?
14 replies on “The Perils of Business Travel”
Vocabulary Questions:
What does “peril” mean? “All in all, there are a lot of perils related to business travel.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘peril’ in your own sentence.
It means danger or hazard. You are in peril every time you fly to a high-risk destination.
What does “milestone” mean? “Missed birthdays and other important events like milestones can become a regular occurrence, and which lead to the loss of the traveler’s familial role.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘milestone’ in your own sentence.
It means an important event or a significant achievement. In our business, we missed out on all milestones this quarter.
What does the adjective “compromised” mean in this context, “However, the immune system is also compromised, and this can mean a greater likelihood for colds and flu.“? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘compromised’ in your own sentence in this context.
It means that the health of the people was affected in a bad way. Users’ health was compromised by the virus.
Discussion Questions:
What do you think about business trips?
I think that nowadays they are a very rare occurrence, thanks to video calls and remote work. However, some jobs still require travel, and it’s okay if it doesn’t affect your health.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of always traveling for work?
Some benefits could be discovering new places, however, if you do it constantly, it could be an issue for your health, your personal life, and your psychology.
Is traveling an essential part of your job? If so, please explain the reasons why. If not, would you like to be given the opportunity to do so?
No, traveling isn’t an essential part of my job, and I prefer not to do it.
Are there any places you wouldn’t want to visit for business? Why?
I wouldn’t travel for work to a country with a high risk of abduction, like Brazil.
Talk about one of the most memorable business trips you’ve ever had. What made it so unforgettable?
I woldn’t travel for work to country with a hige risk of abduction like Brazil.
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1. What do you think about business trips?
Currently, meetings may not always be necessary due to advancements in communication technology. However, some trips remain essential.
2. What are the benefits and drawbacks of always traveling for work?
Benefits: Exposure to New Cultures and Ideas; Networking Opportunities; Personal Growth; Development of Communication Skills
Drawbacks: Work-Life Balance, Health Issues, Productivity Concerns, Cost.
3. Is traveling an essential part of your job? If so, please explain the reasons why. If not, would you like to be given the opportunity to do so?
I travel almost every month to attend meetings with different clients. The main reason is that the company has several operations abroad.
4. Are there any places you wouldn’t want to visit for business? Why?
Places where health and safety standards exceed the norm, which might be considered undesirable for business visits
5. Talk about one of the most memorable business trips you’ve ever had. What made it so unforgettable?
Some visits to developing countries, particularly outside their capitals, were very enriching from a personal standpoint.
You gave interesting thoughts about this topic. Good work!
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1. What do you think about business trips?
Nowadays, I think is not necessary at all for meetings, every meeting can be done using online meeting rooms.
There are other situations where is needed, for example, it could be necessary to control the progress of a construction of a building.
2. Is traveling an essential part of your job? If so, please explain the reasons why. If not, would you like to be given the opportunity to do so?
No, my job doesn´t required any kind of travel, twice a year I go to the headquarters to make some teambuilding. In any case, I prefer to not travel for work reasons, I don´t like these types of impositions. I prefer to enjoy traveling on vacations and I will choose where I will go.
3. Are there any places you wouldn’t want to visit for business? Why?
There many countries close to starting a civil war and I prefer to avoid these types of situations.
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1. What do you think about business trips?
Althought it may have a darker side, I think in many jobs traveling is still necessary.
For example, when we compare the customer engagement that is created in on-site visits and in remote visits. In my opinion, an stronger bound can be created when an on-site visit takes place.
Techonology can nowadays replace many things, but some of them still need a real human connection.
2. Is traveling an essential part of your job? If so, please explain the reasons why. If not, would you like to be given the opportunity to do so?
Yes. I travel every week to meet doctors and to monitor clinical trials. Traveling is an essential part of my work because by law some patient´s clinical data can only be avaliable at the hospitals.
3. Are there any places you wouldn’t want to visit for business? Why?
Due to the fact that most days I travel alone, I would be comfortable as log as it is a safe country.
Even thougt I wouldn´t mind visiting other countries, I don´t want to spend frequently many hours in a plane, so I wouldn´t want to visit for bussiness countries that are far away from my home.
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Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think about business trips?
I think, these are less important and less necessaries than ever because after de Covid-19 pandemic in all over the world have been a lot of changes in the way we do the jobs nowadays… We can work remotely, we ussually have meeting using Teams, Skipe, Zoom, etc… and it’s not longer needed the face to face meetings, etc. Maybe is the only upside of the pandemic: put us in the 21th century using the digital tools and means that we have.
2. Is traveling an essential part of your job? If so, please explain the reasons why. If not, would you like to be given the opportunity to do so?
When I worked for the Bank I had to travel, but only occasionally, to some countries like Mexico, Portugal, UK… But it was not an essential part of my job, on the contrary, my girlfriend’s job is essential for her to travel, because she has a lot of congress to support, etc… Maybe she have to travel more than 18 times in a year.
3. Are there any places you wouldn’t want to visit for business? Why?
Well I really wouldn’t like to travel to some insecure countries p.e.: Venezuela, Afghanistan, etc…
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What do you think about business trips?
I think it has to be evaluated whether they are necessary or not since a lot of time and money is wasted on them.
2. Is traveling an essential part of your job? If so, please explain the reasons why. If not, would you like to be given the opportunity to do so?
Not at all. I would not mind traveling for work if it were a one-time thing, I would not want to spend my days in hotels and flying back and forth.
3. Are there any places you wouldn’t want to visit for business? Why?
I would like to travel to USA and see how they work there or if not somewhere in Asia.
1. What do you think about business trips?
It´s something I love to do everyonce in a while; but not as a fixed part of my job. Totally agree with the cons.
2. Is traveling an essential part of your job? If so, please explain the reasons why. If not, would you like to be given the opportunity to do so?
I´ve travelled only a few times and for very special events. I like it that way; right now i´m not travelling at all, work is 100% digitalized.
3. Are there any places you wouldn’t want to visit for business? Why?
Well, maybe places in a completely different time zone. My body takes a while adjusting, and I just can´t imagine myself deliverling high quality work immediately.
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Business trips are part of my job. I think that is a good way to meet different people from different countries and also to realize how they use to work. In my case, I use to travel to support heart operations as a technician and it helps me to realize that in each country physicians and nurses work different and how different hospitals look like.
I always travel around Europe but I wouldn´t mind to travel further like Asia, Africa or US. However, I would not be willing to travel to those male chauvinist countries.