Read the text carefully.
AND NOW WHAT?
“When I was a kid I wanted to be an electronics engineer. I’ve already taken four
A-levels but now I want to quit. I don’t want to follow my father’s footsteps and
become a mechanic. On the other hand, I don’t want to join the long list of school
leavers who have no job. I want to work. Only I don’t know what to do.”
How often we hear this! It is not only the choice of a job, a career, but also the
fact that you don’t feel ready to face the real world.
If you look at the job market today, you will see that the types of jobs your
parents might have had are not around anymore. You can’t think of doing what
your parents did, unless they were something like a doctor, a lawyer or a nurse.
However, the variety of jobs today is much greater than it was years ago.
Industrial, scientific and technological development have created new types of
jobs, trades and professions, but you have to be ready for them; that is to say, they
are much more demanding and you have to be better prepared. For example, if you
apply for a job, you will certainly be asked about your computing abilities.
A. FIND IN THE TEXT SYNONYMS FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS/ EXPRESSIONS.
1. drop out _______________
2. option _______________
3. evolution _______________
4. requiring more than usually expected, especially great effort and skill _______________
5. request something officially and in writing _______________
6. capacities _______________
B. ACCORDING TO THE TEXT, ARE THE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? CORRECT THE
FALSE ONES.
1. The teenager in the text will be an electronics engineer in the future.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. He admires his father’s job.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. He wouldn’t like to depend on his parents for money.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Teenagers are prepared to face the job market today.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The types of jobs have changed.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Nowadays you don’t need many skills for a specific job.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
C. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEXT.
1. Why is the teenager in the text confused about his future job?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What frightens students most when they think about their future jobs?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Can you have the same jobs your parents had? Why/ why not?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why are there so many different jobs nowadays?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
D. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES USING JUST, ALREADY, YET, EVER, FOR OR SINCE
AND THE WORDS IN BRACKETS. PUT THE VERBS INTO THE PRESENT PERFECT.
1. __________ you __________ (see) Ann __________?
2. My friend Jessica was here a while ago. She __________ (leave) the building.
3. __________ Melissa __________ (write) an application letter?
4. He __________ (work) here __________ five years and he __________ (be) promoted.
5. They _______________ (not/ take) their driving test __________.
6. He __________ (make) ten films __________ he became a director.
7. Vicky __________ (have) that camera __________ ages.
E. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES, PUTTING THE VERBS IN BRACKETS INTO THE PRESENT
PERFECT OR PAST SIMPLE.
1. I first _______________ (meet) Tom at Art School when I _______________ (be) 18. I __________ (always/
admire) him because he’s a serious professional.
2. Daniel _______________ (never/ watch) this comedy show.
3. An accident _______________ (happen) an hour ago. The driver _______________ (receive) medical treatment.
4. __________ (she/ visit) her friends lately?
Yes, she __________. So far she _______________ (go) there twice but they _______________ (not/ be) at
home.
5. _______________ (new jobs/ catch) teenagers’ attention?
6. Kelly _______________ (not/ make) the right decision when she was a teenager and now she regrets it.
F. COMPOSITION.
Teenagers are often confused about what they want to be. What about you? Write about your job and don’t forget
to refer to:
a) The reasons why you wanted to have that job;
b) The qualifications you needed;
c) The positive and negative aspects of that job;
d) A job you wouldn’t like to have/ Why?
