Unit 4

UNIT 4 WORD LIST comfortable When something is comfortable, it makes you feel relaxed, confident, and not worried. Will loves his comfortable new sofa. education Education is the process of teaching and learning, usually at a school, college, or university. These students are receiving their education at a private school. encouragement Encouragement is something that makes someone more determined, hopeful, or confident. The mother gives constant encouragement to her son. endorse To endorse is to express formal support or approval for someone or something. The committee will endorse their leader for the upcoming election. equal When something is equal, it is the same in size, number, amount, or value as something else. The apple and orange are equal in weight. face To face is to deal with something in a direct way. Justin will face many challenges at work. field A field is a subject that people study or an area of activity that they are involved in as part of their work. Jane works in the healthcare field, foster To foster is to help a skill, feeling, or idea develop over a period of time. The afterschool program is designed to foster a sense of community at school. guidance Guidance is help and advice that is given to someone about their work, education, or personal life. Ms. Smith provided valuable guidance to all her students. hold To hold is to have a particular degree, titlet record, job, or position. Damian will soon hold a degree in business administration.

inclusion Inclusion is the act of including someone or something in a larger group or set. The school promotes the inclusion of parents in their students' education. inspire To inspire is to encourage someone by making them feel confident and eager to do something. Jim's father likes to inspire his son by encouraging him to follow his dream. mere Mere is used to emphasize how smalt or unimportant something or someone is. Scott lost the race by a mere two seconds. position A position is a rank or role of someone in an organization or company. Kyle is interviewing for a marketing position. power Power is the ability to influence people or give them strong feelings. The coach has the power to keep the players from playing if they don't show up to practice. responsibility Responsibility is a task or duty that you are expected or required to do. Parents have the responsibility to raise their children with love. soar To soar is to increase quickly to a high level. The temperature today will soar to a high of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. tool A tool is a piece of equipment or a skill that is useful for doing your job. Presentation skills are an important tool for communication. vocal When someone is vocal, he or she expresses a strong opinion publicly. Shawn gets vocal when someone disagrees with his opinions. workplace A workplace is the room or building where you work. Diversity is important in the workplace.

Women in Tech The digital economy is soaring. There are over seven million jobs in the computer science and technology industries in the United States alone. Yet there is still a major gender gap when it comes to women in tech. These women face many challenges, as seen in a quit rate of 41 percent. So what can be done to close this gender gap? How can we ensure fair pay and equal opportunities? First, women need to be inspired and motivated to enter the fields of science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as well as computer science. According to statistics, 74 percent of young women express interest in STEM subjects and computer science. However, women hold only 18 percent of undergraduate computer science degrees and 26 percent of tech jobs. Early education must convey technology as a tool that can be applied to real life to solve problems. Many young women are put off because they view the technology sector to be too male-dominated. Women lack prominent roles, holding only a mere five percent of tech leadership positions. Therefore, women who are already in tech positions must act as mentors and endorse other women in these fields. They can play a huge role for young women by giving them encouragement, support, and guidance. These women can help attract and retain more women and, therefore, create a level-playing field. However, it is not just the women in tech who must be vocal. Men working in the tech industry have a responsibility to listen to women and foster a comfortable work culture. The leaders in the industry have the power to create new opportunities and promote the inclusion of women to close this gender gap. There must be a systematic approach from schools to workplaces, including the motivation of young women to study STEM and computer science. Women must provide support and mentorship, and men must listen to and encourage women. If we continue to empower women in the tech sector, it will be good for everyone.