TM

lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A BUSINESS ISSUES

Office hygiene
Lesson code: SSXN-N3GA-HBUU UPPER-INTERMEDIATE
British English

1 Warm-up
How clean is your desk?

2 Key words
Match the terms on the left to the definitions on the right.

1. a microbe (noun) a. able to cause disease

2. pathogenic (adj.)
3. grooming (noun)
4. deposit (something) (verb)
5. nasal (adj.)
6. coat (something) (verb)
7. harbour (something) (verb)
b. a very small living thing that causes disease that can only be
seen with a microscope
c. keeping your appearance clean and tidy
d. related to the nose
e. to contain (bacteria)
f. to cover something with a layer of a substance
g. to leave something somewhere

3 Before you read

You are going to read an article about the microorganisms that can be found in our offices. Before you
read, decide if the statements below are `T' (True) of `F' (False). Then read the text on the next page
to confirm or correct your answers.

1. The average office desk contains many more germs than a toilet seat.
2. More bacteria is found on women's desks than on men's desks.
3. Office bacteria in different parts of the United States are very similar.
4. Most bacteria in an office comes from people.
5. Up to 50% of the mugs in office kitchens are covered in germs.
LE

1/3
AB

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c

Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT

Office hygiene
A A A A
How clean is your desk? The unwelcome
reality of office hygiene
1 If you work in an office, the chances are there are
some colleagues you would rather sit next to than
others. But we're not just talking personality likes
or dislikes here - what can also be a factor is how
clean they keep their desk.
2 The average office desk is said to contain 400
times more germs than a toilet seat - meaning that
many office workers could be at risk of sickness
due to dirty desks.
3 Research by the University of Arizona found that
humans are the most common source of bacteria
and that, compared to women, men have three to
four times the number of bacteria in, on and
around their desks, phones, computers,
keyboards, drawers and personal items. Theories
as to why this might be include men having bigger
desks, meaning an increased surface area
available for depositing, as well as having on
average, lower standards of personal grooming.
4 As microbiologists, when we look at offices we
are looking at what is called the built environment.
It is thought that the built environment micro-flora 10 Paper and particularly library books are not a
(all the bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes
detected) is far less varied than the outside world.
5 It is also thought that it can be strongly affected by
the geography that surrounds it. For example it
was impossible to tell apart the microbial mix
between offices in San Francisco and New York.
The office bacteria in Tucson, in Arizona are quite
different due to the higher temperatures and the
desert environment that surrounds it. What is also
clear is that the microbes in two offices in
different cities are more similar than, say a kitchen
and an office in the same building.
6 Humans are the biggest source of
microorganisms at the desk - most bacteria in an
office comes from people. The computer
keyboard and mouse are a common part of office
life for many. Unsurprisingly each key strike both 13 Adapted from theconversation.com, 03/08/2018,
deposits and picks up microorganisms. Studies of
keyboards outside of offices have found
pathogenic bacteria within hospitals, whereas
within universities, multi-user keyboards have a
You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex
Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
c
Linguahouse.com
TM
lingua house
Innovation in Learning
BUSINESS ISSUES
greater range of organisms - including some gut
bacteria.
7 The microbial flora of mobile phones has also
been under scrutiny, heightened perhaps by how
close we bring them to vulnerable entry points
such as mouth and ear. Research varies on just
how many germs are on the average phone, but a
study at the University of Arizona found that
mobile phones carry 10 times more bacteria than
most toilet seats.
8 But touchscreen phones in a German university
were found to have lower levels of bacteria - and
these were typically skin, nasal and some
gastrointestinal species.
9 Most paperwork these days is digital, so is prone
to very different viruses and bugs. But still, many
of us will regularly come into contact with different
bits of paper - think, taking minutes in a meeting,
leaving notes on a colleagues desk, or even when
reading books or newspapers on a lunch break.
common source of contamination - but, despite
this, a requirement for UK readers suffering from
certain diseases to refrain from taking out any
books while ill still exists.
11 Health organisations advise that reusable coffee
mugs must be cleaned properly to prevent
bacterial growth. Research has shown that up to
90% of mugs in office kitchens are coated in
germs.
12 Office surfaces are not created to encourage
bacterial growth - so if they are kept clean they
harbour few nasty surprises. It is also becoming
clearer that we do personalise our environment
with our own microbes be that our keyboard,
coffee cup or the very shoes on our feet.
by Michael Loughlin, Senior lecturer in the School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University
LE
2/3
AB
PI
O
OC
P H OT
 TM
Office hygiene lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A BUSINESS ISSUES

4 Checking understanding
What do you remember? Answer the questions according to the article.

1. Why is it thought that men's desks contain more bacteria than women's? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.......................................................................................
2. Are you more likely to find similar bacteria in two cities or in two different types of rooms? . . . . . . . . .

.......................................................................................
3. Why does the writer think that the subject of bacteria on mobile phones has been looked at closely?

.......................................................................................
4. What about keyboards in universities means that they contain a greater range of bacteria? . . . . . . . .

.......................................................................................
5. What are UK readers asked not to do if they have certain diseases?

.......................................................................................

5 Find the words

Find a word or phrase in the text which means.....

1. it is likely (informal phrase, P.1):

2. in a situation in which something dangerous or unpleasant could happen (phrase, P.2):

3. discovered using special equipment (verb - ed, P.4):

4. carefully studied and observed (collocation, P.7):
5. made stronger (verb -ed, P.7):
6. likely to be affected by something bad (adj. + preposition, P.9):
7. deliberately don't do something (collocation, P.10):

6 Talking point
Answer the questions below in pairs or small groups.

1. Are you surprised by anything in the article? If so, what?

2. Do you think that where you work is a clean environment? Why or why not?
3. Does the article make you want to change any of your office habits? Why or why not?
LE

3/3
AB

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT
 TM
Office hygiene - Key lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A BUSINESS ISSUES

1- Warm-up

Encourage a short discussion.

2- Key words

Give examples of each word where necessary. Students can work alone and check in pairs.

1. b 2. a 3. c 4. g 5. d 6. f 7. e

3- Before you read

Students can work in pairs and then check their answers in the text.
1. T - It's said to contain 400 times more germs than a toilet seat.
2. F - More bacteria is found on men's desks.
3. F - Bacteria in desert areas for example is different due to higher temperatures.
4. T
5. F - Up to 90% of mugs in office kitchens are coated in germs.

4- Checking understanding

Students can work in pairs and check answers with the teacher.
1. Because they may have a larger desk which means a larger surface for bacteria to grow and on
average lower standards of personal grooming.
2. Two different cities - two different rooms, such as a kitchen and an office - are likely to contain
different types of bacteria.
3. Because we bring them close to 'vulnerable entry points' - areas of our body through which
bacteria can easily get inside.
4. They are multi-user - so used by many people.
5. To refrain from taking books out of the library until they're well.

5- Find the words

1. the chances are 2. at risk

3. detected 4. under scrutiny
5. heightened 6. prone to
7. refrain from

6- Talking point

Monitor the activity. Make a note of any typical errors and write useful vocabulary on the board.
LE

i
AB

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT