Better office Side Chat in the Break Room
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Anna, Jasmine, and Nick gathered around the coffee machine during their mid-morning break. Anna stirred her tea thoughtfully.
Anna: “Have you noticed how quiet the team’s been lately? Feels like we’re all just going through the motions (routine activities).”
Jasmine nodded. “Yeah, we only talk about tasks or deadlines (time limits). It’s like we’re robots, not people.”
Nick chuckled. “True. Even in meetings, everyone’s serious. Where’s the energy (enthusiasm)?”
Anna: “Maybe we need to start more side conversations. Something outside work. What do you guys think?”
Jasmine tilted her head. “Like what? We already talk about weekend plans or TV shows. That gets old fast.”
Nick sipped his coffee. “How about sharing random facts? Like, did you know octopuses have three hearts?”
Anna grinned. “That’s a good one! I love trivia (fun facts). It’s a great icebreaker (conversation starter).”
Jasmine smiled. “Or we could talk about dreams. Like, if you weren’t doing this job, what would you do?”
Nick: “I’d be a chef, no doubt. Cooking is my passion (strong love for something). What about you, Anna?”
Anna: “I’d run an animal shelter. I’ve always loved helping strays (homeless animals). What about you, Jasmine?”
Jasmine: “Travel blogger. Exploring the world sounds like the perfect job to me.”
Nick laughed. “See? This is already more fun than discussing reports. Side chats like these bring us closer.”
Anna: “True. When we know each other better, it builds rapport (friendly connection). It helps us work together too.”
Jasmine: “And it lightens (makes easier) the mood. A happy team is a productive (efficient) team.”
Nick nodded. “Let’s keep this up. Next time, I’ll bring a funny story. Maybe even one about my cooking disasters (big mistakes).”
Jasmine laughed. “I’d love that. And I’ll share a weird travel experience.”
Anna smiled. “And I’ll come with a trivia question. Let’s make side chats our thing!”
They returned to their desks, energized (refreshed) and ready to make the day better for themselves and their team.
Vocabulary Words and Meanings
- Motions – Routine activities
- Deadlines – Time limits
- Energy – Enthusiasm
- Icebreaker – Conversation starter
- Trivia – Fun facts
- Passion – Strong love for something
- Strays – Homeless animals
- Rapport – Friendly connection
- Lightens – Makes easier
- Productive – Efficient
- Disasters – Big mistakes
- Energized – Refreshed
Further reading
https://www.englishkahani.com/office-english-speaking-practice-sets-to-improve-english-fluency/
https://www.englishkahani.com/most-common-words-we-use-in-office/