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ENGLISH CONVERSATION WORKSHEET
WORK
Part 2: Conversation File
WORK
1 Describe what you see in the pictures. What jobs do you think these people are doing? Have you ever
done similar jobs? Would you like to? Why? What are the advantages / disadvantages of each type of
work?
2a Work with a partner. Number the items from 1 (most important) to 10 (least important). Then
compare with the class.
__ making a lot of money
__ helping others
__ having plenty of free time
__ being outdoors
__ being involved with technology
__ doing what you enjoy
__ competing with others
__ having power over others
__ having a regular income
__ traveling a lot
2b Make a list of the three most popular choices in your class.
_______________ __________________ ___________________
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2c If you are working, which of the items was the most important in your choice of job? If you are not
yet working, which do you think will be most important to you?
3a Match the following work-related expressions to their meanings.
a. make the grade
b. get the boot / the sack
c. get a promotion
d. be laid off
e. get stabbed in the back f. get a raise g. take the blame h. bite the bullet
i. get brownie points j. pass the buck k. face the music l. get a demotion
1 receive an increase in pay ___
2 lose your job because of money problems in the company ___
3 be good enough ___
4 admit that you have done something wrong ___
5 lose your job because of bad performance ___
6 be moved to a higher position ____
7 accept a difficult task or situation ____
8 be moved to a lower position ____
9 blame someone else for a problem ____
10 receive praise for doing something good ____
11 accept the consequences of a problem or mistake ___
12 be the victim of someone's attempt to get ahead of you ___
3b Put the expressions above under the correct columns.
Good work!
Bad news.
3c Use two of the expressions in sentences.
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e.g. I got a raise, so now I can afford to buy a new car.
4 Interview your partner.
1 What types of work have you done, if any? If you have never worked, what do you imagine yourself
doing in the future?
2 Would you like to have a job that makes you famous? Why (not)?
3 Do you think people should work to live or live to work? Why?
4 What do you think is the best job in the world? Why?
5 Would you prefer to work directly with the public or in a private environment? Why?
6 If you had to choose one of these jobs, which would it be and why? Which would you definitely not want
to do?
a) teacher b) pilot c) police officer d) computer programmer d) writer
5 Read these quotes about work. What do you think about them? Why?
If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept it all to
themselves. ~ Lane Kirkland
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. ~ anonymous
Always be smarter than the people who hire you. ~ Lena Horne
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. ~
Thomas Edison
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
~ Winston Churchill
I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.
~ Jerome K. Jerome
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4b Explain your choices briefly. Use:
Expressing your opinion: I think I suppose Im fairly certain that I strongly believe that It's my
opinion that...
Explaining your reasons: The reason why... That's why... For this reason... Many people agree...
Considering...
4c Make your own work saying. Share it with the class / your partner.
5 Read and record (You can use Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/stream)
FACING REALITY
My very first job was as a personal assistant to the manager of the Fine Arts division of a
publishing company. I got the job for two reasons: a) I had a degree in Fine Arts; b) the manager
was a friend of a friend of my father. In other words, I had no real qualifications, no experience,
and my only motivation for accepting the job was that I needed money, and fast.
Unfortunately the manager, Ms. Dillard, was under the illusion that I was highly qualified and
experienced. As a result, she never gave me a clue as to what she expected me to do, how to do
it, or who to ask if I needed help. From the first hour at my new desk, I was drowning. I didn't
know how to work the phones, how to keep track of her appointments, what forms were used
for what or how she liked her coffee. I was clueless, and in a total panic from morning to evening.
I realize that I should have bitten the bullet, confessed my ignorance and passed the job on to a
real personal assistant. But instead I discovered something about myself that being at a total
loss made me furious, and being furious made me determined to do a good job. I stayed late
night after night, learning everything I needed to know, and at the end of the first month Ms.
Dillard who wasn't the most warm-hearted person in the world stopped by my desk on her
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way out and said, "You're certainly an improvement on my last assistant." Tepid praise, but to me
it felt like I had won an Olympic gold medal.
a Listen to a peers recording and answer the questions.
1 What sort of training did the writer have for her new job?
2 Why was her boss's praise so important to the writer?
b Listen again while reading. What do these words and expressions mean?
1 under the illusion (adj)
a believing something that is true b knowing that something is true
2 drowning (adj)
a coping well b unable to cope
3 furious (adj)
a perfectly calm b very angry
4 warm-hearted (adj)
a friendly and open b cold and critical
c What is your opinion of the article? How do you think you would react in a similar situation?
Tell the class about a similar experience you have had.
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