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Chairman of the Board at 14
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While other boys are playing football or computer games, Paul Woodbury is running his own travel company: Corringham Ferry Travel. (о) C.
Paul is only fourteen but he has the very grown-up title of Managing Director. He and his staff of six other fourteen-year-olds organize coach trips, ferry crossings and short weekend holidays from his ‘office’ –a spare bedroom in his parents’ Essex home. (1) ….
So far Paul has booked more than fifty trips for individuals and groups, and he is an official agent of many big ferry companies. At the moment, he is busy organizing Christmas shopping trips to Dunkirk, and a trip to France for sixty pupils from his school.
Paul’s passion for ferries started when his mum and dad took him to France for the day. ‘When he was very small he was nervous and didn’t like boats,’ says Paul’s mum. (2) ….
Surprisingly, Paul became a ferry enthusiast and started writing to different companies, asking for details about their ships.
Paul soon became an expert; he knew everything about each ferry – how big it was, how many passengers it carried and what sort of restaurant it had. (3) …. ‘People could ring me up and, for free, I’d tell them all about the ship they were traveling on,’ said Paul. The service was so popular that he developed it by making people’s ferry bookings as well.
Paul’s first customers were his neighbours and friends of his parents. His reputation has grown quickly, because he tries to offer a little bit more than similar services. (4) ….
They are also informed about all port facilities. Every trip is led by two of his staff, and he has just hired three new girls to help out. His employees have to work two hours after school, four days a week. (5) …. Instead, he hopes to join P&O Ferries, and sail the Channel regularly. He has already entered his name on their waiting list for jobs.
(6) …. But when Pat hears her son’s business voice speaking to a customer on the telephone, she still can’t believe it is the same fourteen-year-old boy who leaves his dirty socks on the floor and who disappears when he is supposed to do the washing-up.
a) ‘So when he was six we took him on a sea trip to help him get over his fear’.
b ) His parents, Pat and David, have now had a few months to get used to the idea of their schoolboy son running a business.
c) He started it in January this year, and it’s growing rapidly.
d) However, next year he hopes to expand the company and offer even more holidays to destinations including the Isle of Wight, Ireland and Spain.
e) As a result of this interest he set up a service called Ferry Information two years ago.
f) For example, his day-trip customers are given a fact sheet telling them all about the ferry they will travel on.
g) Young Paul hopes to get a computer for Christmas so that he can really improve his company, but he doesn’t want to be a travel agent when he leaves school.
h) He avoids fashionable hotels and restaurants.
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III. Vocabulary Exercises
Ex. 1. Would you call the following a trade, a profession or an unskilled job?
Vet, chef, plumber, architect, electrician, dressmaker, cleaner, tailor, refuse collector, lawyer
Ex. 2. Match each job in box a with a place in box b. More than one answer may be possible.
a) cashier, mechanic, receptionist, hairdresser, farmer, photographer, cook, miner, pilot, vicar, dentist, librarian, musician, porter, waiter.
b) bank, coal-mine, office, field, garage, cockpit, surgery, concert hall, studio, hotel, salon, restaurant, kitchen, church, library.
Ex. 3. Match each job in the list below with the sentence which best refers to the job.
accountant chef estate agent plumber fire-fighter carpenter vet
refuse collector guide photographer optician
1. Yesterday I had to give an injection to an injured bull.
2. Make sure that the fish is fresh by looking at the eyes.
3. I get rather tired of picking up rubbish all day.
4. Unless you keep the receipts you’ll pay more tax.
5. I can help you sell the house.
6. The cause was either an electrical fault or a cigarette.
7. I can make new doors for the wardrobe if you like.
8. The taps don’t work, and there is water all over the floor.
9. I want to visit as much of the old city as possible in an afternoon.
10. I want to have a special portrait made for my eighteenth birthday.
11. I can’t see to read very well and I think I need glasses.
Ex. 4. Choose the correct word in italics in each sentence.
1. Mrs Grant is a good employee / employer and pays her staff well.
2. Tom works in a local garage as a car engineer / mechanic.
3. I want to borrow some money, so I’m seeing the bank boss / manager.
4. Little Jimmy has got a new professor / teacher at his primary school.
5. Helen joined the army as an o fficer / official, and is now a captain.
6. The house really needed decorating so I called a painter / wallpaper.
7. Please ask the cash / cashier for a receipt.
8. Have you thought about getting a job as a typewriter / typist.
9. I waited for my letters, but the poster / postman was late as usual.
Ex. 5. Which person would you need in each situation?
a) One of the radiator has burst and flooded your bedroom.
b) One of my fillings has come out, and I’ve got terrible toothache.
c) You have to carry a lot of bags at the airport.
d) Your fringe is too long.
e) The floorboards in the living room need replacing.
f) Your pet goat has started sneezing.
g) You have read the menu twice and you are feeling hungry.
h) Your car makes a funny whistling noise.
i) When I turn on the television, all the lights go off.
Ex. 6. Supply the best word or words.
1. The person in charge of a business is informally known as the ….
a) chef b) chief c) boss
2. The person who is in charge of a car is the ….
a) guide b) leader c) motorist d) driver e) conductor
3. A person who prepares food is a ….
a) cook b) cooker
4. A person who works in an office is an ….
a) officer b) office worker
5. A person who takes photographs is a ….
a) photograph b) photographer c) photography
6. A person who knows how to use a keyboard is a ….
a) typewriter b) typist c) typing machine writer
7. A woman who looks after other people’s children is a ….
a) nanny b) nurse
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8. The person you work with is your ….
a) college b) colleague c) collaborator
9. The person who is in charge of a restaurant is a ….
a) patron b) manager
10. The person who would service your car is ….
a) a mechanic b) an engineer c) a technician
11. A person who studies the origins of the universe is a ….
a) physician b) physicist c) physics
12. Another word for a ‘doctor’ is a ….
a) physician b) physicist c) medicine
13. The person who teaches you at school is a ….
a) teacher b) professor
14. If you are one of the people waiting to be served in a shop you are a ….
a) client b) customer c) patient d) guest
15. If you serve people who come into a shop, you are ….
a) an official b) a shop assistant c) an attendant d) a bank clerk
Ex. 7. Supply the most suitable words from the list on the right.
| 1. … is hard to find at the moment. 2. Nancy has started a new …. 3. Mrs Wilks is the … of the shop, not the owner. 4. If you want to know the way ask a …. 5. Who’s the … of the Boston Symphony Orchestra? 6. Brenda Mittens was a university … at the age of 26. 7. He has a car with a uniformed …. 8. An … designs bridges or roads. 9. I went into business after I left …. 10. Gordon is a … at the local hospital. 11. Has the nurse given you your …? 12. Smithers is a … of mine at the office. 13. There had been a burglary, so we called the …. 14. It’s useful to be a good … if you use a computer. 15. I can’t use a …, never mind a word processor! | a) chauffeur b) colleague c) college d) conductor e) doctor f) engineer g) job h) manager i) medicine j) police k) policeman l) professor m) typist n) typewriter o) work |
Ex. 8. Decide which answer best fits each space.
Choosing a Job
One of the most difficult decisions is choosing what to do for a (1) …. For example, do you want to follow a definite (2) …, and (3) … a low (4) … at the beginning, but have good (5) … in a company that trains its (6) …? Or are you more interested in taking any kind of work, because you need a(n) (7) …? You may have to face up to the fact that a good (8) … can be difficult to find. In that case, why not take a temporary one? You will gain some useful (9) …. Remember that even if you have the right (10) …, you may have to (11) … lots of application forms before you are asked to (12) … in an interview. But don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to (13) … exactly. You’ll enjoy finding out!
1. a) salary b) living c) employee d) work
2. a) company b) training c) business d) career
3. a) earn b) gain c) win d) take
4. a) money b) profit c) cheque d) salary
5. a) hopes b) prospects c) futures d) promotions
6. a) employers b) crew c) staff d) persons
7. a) money b) cash c) account d) income
8. a) work b) labour c) job d) seat
9. a) experiences b) experienced c) experience d) experiencing
10. a) qualifications b) exams c) letters d) degrees
11. a) fall through b) get on c) turn down d) fill in
12. a) be b) attend c) make d) advertise
13. a) work b) job c) do d) make
Ex. 9. Use the words in capitals to form a word that fits in the space.
The Job Interview
It is important to make a good (1) IMPRESS when going for a job interview. Interviewers usually ask a (2) VARIUOS of questions, many of which concern (3) QUALIFY. However, they also usually like to ask questions about previous (4) OCCUPY as well as (5) AHIEVE not connected to the workplace. Often, the (6) SUCCESS candidate is not the one with the most impressive (7) EDUCATE but the one who shows that he or she had made the most (8) EFFECT use of their time. Few employers want employees who are (9) ABILITY to think for themselves. The (10) POSSIBLE of advancement in any job rarely depends on the (11) ACCURATE of work but more on the enthusiasm and dedication of the employee.
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Ex. 10. What should you do to find a job? Write in the logical order the steps you should take.
a) get an invitation for an interview;
b) make an appointment with an employment agency counsellor;
c) read the classified ads;
d) think what kind of job you want;
e) analyse your skills, personality traits;
f) get ready for the interview;
g) find out what employment agency you can use;
h) find out as much as you can about the company
Ex. 11. Underline the most suitable word or phrase.
1. The building workers were paid their income / salary / wages every Friday.
2. When he retired he received a monthly bonus / pension / grant.
3. Apparently she earns / gains / wins over $60,000 a year.
4. While the boss is away, Sue will be in charge / in control / in place of the office.
5. Paul was arriving late, and in the end he was pushed / sacked / thrown.
6. When I left the job, I had to hand in my application / dismissal / notice three weeks beforehand.
7. How much exactly do you do / make / take in your new job?
Ex.12. Match each sentence (a – j) with a sentence (1 – 10) with a similar meaning.
| a) She was given the sack. b) She got a rise. c) She got a promotion. d) She retired. e) She applied for the job. f) She resigned. g) She was unemployed. h) She did it for a living. i) She was ambitious. j) She was hardworking. | 1. She was given a better job. 2. She answered an advertisement. 3. She decided to leave. 4. She did the job carefully. 5. She didn’t have a job. 6. She earned her money that way. 7. She was dismissed. 8. She wanted a better job. 9. She was old and stopped work. 10. She was given more money. |
Ex.13. Complete each sentence (a – g) with a suitable ending (1 – 7). Use each ending once.
a) If you work hard, the company will give you …
b) In a different job I could get a higher …
c) The best way to find new staff is to put an …
d) Because he has stolen the money, we decided that …
e) She has a pleasant personality but hasn’t got the right …
f) I think it would be a good idea to send in your …
g) We can not give you the job without …
1. qualifications for a job of this kind.
2. advertisement in the local press on Friday.
3. promotion to a more responsible position.
4. references from your previous employer.
5. dismissing him was the only possible action we could take.
6. salary and better conditions of employment.
7. application for the job as soon as possible.
Ex. 14. Rewrite each sentence so that it contains the word or words given, and so that the meaning stays the same. Do not change the words given in any way.
Example: Terry works in a different place now. (job) – Terry has a different job now.
1. A good boss looks after everyone in the company. (employer)
2. I’m sure you will learn a lot in this job. (experience)
3. This job is a good way to earn money, but that’s all. (living)
4. The firm raised my salary after I had worked there a year. (a pay rise)
5. I had to be interviewed at head office. (attend)
6. Jill is employed by a firm of accountants. (works)
7. My annual salary is $12,000. (a year)
Ex.15. Using your active vocabulary, say what you think has happened / is happening.
Example: I’m not working now; the baby’s due in three weeks. – She is on maternity leave.
1. I lost my job. They had to make cutbacks.
2. He is enjoying life on a pension.
3. One week it’s six-to-two, the next it’s nights.
4. They’ve made her General Manager as from next month.
5. I was late so often, I lost my job.
6. I get in at nine and go home at five.
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7. Your trouble is you are obsessed with work!
Ex. 16. Complete the sentences with a suitable word or phrase.
1. I don’t want a full-time job. I’d prefer to work ….
2. She’d like to go on another training ….
3. I’m bored in my job. I need a fresh ….
4. At the end of this year we should get a good pay ….
5. It’s a boring job and the pay is awful. Why did he …?
Ex. 17. Use the words given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.
Leaving the Company
| I recently left my job in an (1) …agency after a disagreement with my boss. She accepted my (2) … but warned me that because of the (3) … situation, I might have to get used to the idea of being (4) … for a while. I thought she was trying to make a point, but after I had made over fifty (5) … to other companies, I realised that she was right. Although I’m a (6) … designer, I didn’t receive any offers of a job. After that I tried working from home, but it wasn’t very (7) …. Then I became an (8) … in a fast-food restaurant, even though my (9) … were extremely low. I wish I had accepted early (10) … from my old job. That is what I disagreed with my boss about! | ADVERTISEMENT RESIGN ECONOMY EMPLOY APPLY QUALIFICATIONS PROFIT EMPLOY EARN RETIRE |
Ex. 18. Fill in the correct word derived from the words in bold.
Astronauts have to be physically and mentally ready for the stress and strain of a space mission. To prepare them, astronauts are given (1) … (intense) training, which includes years of classroom study on (2) … (vary) technical subjects, and working in a model spaceship where they can practice (3) … (complicate) flight operations and become used to all the (4) … (equip) on board.
Apart from high (5) … (intelligent), good qualifications and an excellent level of fitness, astronauts must have a strong character. They also have to be very (6) … (courage) in order to accept the high risks involved.
Astronauts also have to face other, more ordinary problems in space. What can be very (7) … (annoy) is the limited variety of food, but the greatest challenge is getting along with other members of their team as they often come from different countries, with different backgrounds and habits. Therefore they must be very (8) … (patience) with each other, since the lack of privacy can become (9) … (irritate).
All in all, it seems that being an astronaut is one of the most (10) … (challenge) jobs in the world.
Ex. 19. Fill in with the words in brackets.
1. A(n) … repairs car engines, whereas a(n) … uses scientific knowledge to develop machines. (mechanic/engineer)
2. A(n) … is responsible for the preparation and publication of a newspaper, book or magazine, while a(n) … prints them ready to be sold. (publisher/editor)
3. … work on beaches or in swimming pools and save people from drowning, but … are hired to protect famous people. (lifeguards/bodyguards)
4. … work in places from which you can buy books, whereas … work in places from which you can borrow books. (librarians/booksellers)
5. A … writes articles for newspapers or magazines, while a … presents new stories on television or radio. (journalist/newsreader)
6. An … is a scientist who studies the stars and planets, but an … makes predictions by studying the positions of stars and planets. (astrologer/astronomer)
7. A … informs people about the weather on the TV or radio, whereas a … studies weather conditions so that the weather forecast can be given. (weather presenter/meteorologist)
8. Catch fish which are then sold to … who sell them in their shops. (fishermen/fishmonger)
Ex. 20. Fill in the correct word.
profession job career occupation
1. Her … as a dancer came to an end when she broke her leg.
2. My father has been unable to find a … for the past two years.
3. You must write your name, age and … on the application form.
4. John is a doctor by …, and has his own practice in London.
Ex. 21. Underline the correct item.
1. My father gets a wage / salary of £ 15,000 a year.
2. The perks / bonuses of this job include a company car and a mobile phone.
3. Please bring a copy of your CV / application form when you come for your interview.
4. If you want to appoint / apply for the job you should write to the company.
5. I was made fired / redundant when the company closed down.
6. He left his post / vacancy at the company when he was invited to work for another firm.
7. She is a(n) experienced / trained lawyer; she has worked for several law firms since she left university.
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8. I am a full-time / part-time teacher – I only work twelve hours a week.
Ex. 22. Fill in the correct word(s) from the list below:
confidence socialize novice face masculine
professional support mature courage
1. Doctors don’t have much time to … as they work very long hours. (mix with people)
2. The experienced chess player easily beat the …, who was still learning the rules of the game. (beginner)
3. After months of training the young fire-fighter was ready to … a real fire. (deal with)
4. There aren’t many female boxers as it is a very … sport. (male)
5. My parents were a great … to me when I lost my job. (help)
6. My tennis coach is a …; he has been playing in international matches for years. (paid expert)
7. Working as a chef for five years gave Brian the … to open his own restaurant. (sense of self-worth)
8. Fire-fighters need a lot of … as their work is often very dangerous. (bravery)
9. The manager didn’t hire the young man, as he didn’t think he was … enough to deal with the stresses of the job. (emotionally developed)
Ex. 23. Choose the correct item.
1. The restaurant … are very well qualified.
a) members b) crew c) staff d) customers
2. My sister is a(n) … on computers.
a) individual b) expert c) agent d) experienced
3. There are excellent sports … at this school.
a) companies b) services c) bookings d) facilities
4. John is a regular … at this bookshop.
a) customer b) diner c) guest d) passenger
5. She has been … the shop for years.
a) holding b) having c) running d) completing
6. The company has … since last year.
a) extended b) expanded c) widened d) enlarged
7. He his own business … at the age of twenty.
a) set out b) set off c) set up d) set on
Ex. 24. Choose the correct item. For questions 1-15, read the text below and decide which word a, b, c, or d best fits each gap. The first has been done as an example.
When Brad Rollins left school, he wanted to become an airline (O) a, but since he had poor vision, he (1) … to enroll at the School of Air Traffic Control in Chicago instead.
Today, Brad is one of the thousands of people around the world who monitors the skies twenty four hours a day. Aircraft are (2) … by radar and appear on screens in front of the controllers as little white dots. Brad and his (3) … watch where the aircraft are flying, while making sure that they maintain safe (4) … between one another. This not only helps to (5) … air crashes in the sky, but also (6) … the number of delays at airports. Another task of an air-traffic controller is to (7) … pilots if their own navigational systems fail.
Brad finds his job exciting but tough because of the huge (8) … of stress involved. This is understandable as things can go wrong very quickly (9) … the air.
A very important requirement made of air traffic controllers is the ability to stay perfectly (10) … in emergencies when they have to (11) … quickly so that they can prevent disasters.
Brad enjoys talking about the excitement of his (12) … and the thrill he gets from it, (13) … admits that the odd hours he works do affect his (14) … life. When he finds time to relax, though, he goes to his local pub for a (15) … of darts.
O a) pilot b) driver c) rider d) steward
1. a) announced b) decided c) considered d) suggested
2. a) observed b) noticed c) looked d) searched
3. a) friends b) classmates c) partners d) colleagues
4. a) places b) distances c) gaps d) blanks
5. a) prevent b) hold c) block d) pause
6. a) narrows b) drops c) reduces d) falls
7. a) suggest b) guide c) show d) accompany
8. a) number b) sum c) amount d) size
9. a) on b) in c) at d) through
10. a) still b) silent c) quiet d) calm
11. a) go b) answer c) act d) practice
12. a) employment b) shift c) activity d) job
13. a) because b) also c) but d) despite
14. a) social b) public c) local d) human
15. a) play b) game c) part d) se
IV. Dialogues
1. Read the dialogue in pairs.
Job Interview
Interviewer: Good morning, take a seat.
Oliver: Good morning, thank you.
Interviewer: My name is Judith Wainwright. I'm the personnel manager
for Camp Elizabet Holidays. And you are Oliver Blackstone?
Oliver: That's right.
Interviewer: I see that you're in your last year at school.
Oliver: Yes, I'm doing my 'A' levels this summer. I hope to go to university
to study information technology.
Interviewer: So, why do you want to work with us at Camp Elizabeth?
Oliver: Well, your company has a good reputation. I know some people
who have been to your camps and they say everything was well
organized. I enjoy working with children and I'd like to get some more
work experience.
Interviewer: What experience do you have?
Oliver: I help with the youth club at school. I've organized sports and trips
to various places – to concerts and plays and things like that.
Interviewer: What qualities do you think are important for the job?
Oliver: I'm sorry what do you mean exactly?
Interviewer: I mean, the qualities you need to work with children and organize
sports and other activities.
Oliver: Well, you certainly must have patience. A lot of patience! You've got to
show children that you enjoy things. And another important thing
is enthusiasm, and, well, you also have to be careful. Accidents can
happen very easily, so you need to be well-organized.
Interviewer: OK, are there any questions you would like to ask me?
Oliver: Yes, just one thing. Could you tell me what kind of accommodation
there is for people working at the camp?
Interviewer: Yes, most monitors have their own rooms but some will have
to share.
Oliver: Right, I see.
Interviewer: Well, thank you, Oliver. I'll be getting in touch with people
next week.
Oliver: Thank you very much, good-bye.
2. Working in pairs make up dialogues for the following imaginary situations:
a) The manager of an employment agency has a talk with a school leaver. Student A is an interviewer and student B is an interviewee. Read your role card and prepare for an interview for a holiday job in a restaurant.
| Interviewer:Decide on the pay and hours and what kind of person you want to employ. Think of questions to ask about these things: - education, languages spoken; - work experience; - personal qualities; - hobbies and interests. | Interviewee:Think of information about yourself or invent information about these things: - education (your school, your best subjects, languages you speak); - work experience; - personal qualities; - hobbies and interests. Think of a question to ask interviewer, e.g. about pay and hours. |
b) You’ve found a new job. Tell your friend how you managed to do it and what questions you were asked at an interview.
V. Speaking Tasks
1. Describe a job that you have done.
You should say:
- how you got the job;
- what the job involved;
- how long the job lasted.
Describe how well you did the job.
2. Describe the job or carrier you have, or hope to have.
You should say:
- what the job is;
- what it involves;
- why you chose it.
Explain why it is rewarding.
3. Your teacher has asked you to share your ideas on the following question.
Should everyone have a university education?
ACCOMMODATION
I. Topical Vocabulary
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