PASSAGE 1
You are going to read a magazine article in which four different women talk about the importance of their
own personal space. For questions 1-10, choose from the people A-D. The people may be chosen MORE
THAN ONCE. When more than one answer is required, these may be given in any order. There is an example
at the beginning.
MY OWN PERSONAL SPACE
A. Katrin
I always need to get away from other people at some point during the day. It's not that I don’t get on with
others, I’ve loads of friends. But I work in a really busy office in the centre of town and from the moment I
leave home each morning it’s non-stop. Crowds on the buses, busy streets, office bustle, phones, e-mail, do
this, do that ... By the time the end of the day comes, I’m desperate for some peace and quiet. Even if I’m
going out later in the evening, I always make sure I have at least an hour to myself without anyone being able
to disturb me. I arrive home, make myself a drink and lie on the sofa. I close my eyes and relax by
concentrating on each part of my body in turn, beginning with my neck. Even if I’m away from home, I try to
find the time just to be alone in order to unwind and recharge my batteries. If I don’t make this space for
myself, I feel really tense and irritable.
B. Lia
I share a student flat with three others, so there’s never a quiet moment. When I come back from college in
the evenings it’s quite likely that there’ll be other people there as well and we’ll all have supper together. It’s
great fun but towards the end of the evening I feel really tired and so I like to disappear by myself for a while.
It’s hopeless to try and find any privacy in the flat, so I go out for a walk. Whatever the weather, I walk through
the park which is quite close. Late at night it’s usually empty. There are just shadows and the rustle of animals
and birds. It’s very peaceful and it gives me the opportunity to reflect on the day and to think about what I
have to do the next day. When I get back to the flat I like to go straight to bed. Usually I fall asleep pretty
quickly even if the others are still up and chatting or listening to music. If I don’t get this time to myself, I’ll
be like a bear with a sore head the next morning and not nice to know!
C. Beatriz
I'm a night owl and I absolutely hate getting up in the mornings. If people try and talk to me before midday, I
really snap at them. Being an actress means that I work late so it’s important that I create space for myself at
the beginning of each day. And because I use my voice so much, in fact totally depend on it, I like to rest my
voice and just listen to music when I wake up. I don’t even want to hear other people’s voices. Some people
find this very hard to understand and get quite cross when I tell them not to contact me before noon. I tell them
it’s nothing personal but they still sound offended. I’m sure it must be the same for singers and, who knows,
maybe teachers and lecturers get fed up with hearing the sound of their own voice and simply long to be by
themselves somewhere, in complete silence.
D. Natalie
I work in a call centre, which means I’m constantly on the phone. Apart from lunch and two short breaks
during the day I’m speaking to people all day long. And of course you never get to see who you’re speaking
to! By the end of my shift I’m exhausted, not because I’m rushing around or I’m on my feet all day but simply
because I’ve spent the day talking and listening. The breaks are so short that there’s no time to do anything
other than get a drink and something to eat. I’d love to be able to go for a walk but there’s nowhere to escape
to within easy walking distance. The building where I work is in the middle of an industrial estate, you can’t
even see a single tree. So my flat is full of house plants and when I get home it’s wonderful to be able to relax,
surrounded by all the greenery. I lie on the floor, stretch out, look up at the plants and try to imagine I’m in a
tropical rainforest miles away!
Which of the women
spends her day in conversation with others? 0 D
worries she might upset other people? 1
builds in a special time to be alone at home? 2 3
would like to take exercise during the day? 4
likes to prepare mentally for what is to come? 5
gets annoyed if she has no time for herself? 6 7
think other people may feel equally stressed? 8
feel pressurised by too many demands at work? 9
has no time to relax during her working day? 10
Keys
1. C
2/3. A; C
4. D
5. B
6/7. A; B
8. C
9. A
10. D
