Practice English Listening A2 Exercises – Work

1

Alisha: working with people and helping them

John: not having to wear a suit or go to many meetings, being his own boss

Miriam: It’s exciting.

2

Alisha – nursing degree; good at making decisions; dealing with serious problems, lots of rules to remember

John – two or three years of training, a qualification; tiring, health and safety rules, dangerous

Miriam – a good university degree; good communicator, enjoy working hard; dealing with stress, can’t relax, not an easy job, not useful

ALICIA   I love my job … working with people and helping them … but it’s often stressful. I have to work long hours including weekends, and I sometimes deal with very serious problems. These days, to become a nurse you have to do well at school – especially in maths, science and English. Then you have to do a nursing degree before you can get a job. You also need to be good at making decisions and working in a team. There are lots of rules to remember. You can’t enter a room without washing your hands. You can’t lift a patient on your own. When you work with people who are very sick, every decision you make is so important.

JOHN   For my job, you need to do two or three years’ training – usually while you are working with a company. You can’t go to people’s houses on your own and start fixing things without a qualification. Now I have my own company, I usually work about 40 to 45 hours a week. It can be tiring. And of course you have to be careful even when you’re tired. There are a lot of health and safety rules … for example, you always have to switch off the mains power. I heard of one guy who forgot and nearly died. Anyway … there are good things, too – you don’t have to wear a suit or go to many meetings and I enjoy being my own boss.

MIRIAM   I’m in investment banking … and to get in I needed a good university degree, and, also, to be a good communicator. You have to enjoy working really hard … I work very long hours, a hundred hours or more a week … And, well … I have to deal with a lot of stress … I look after millions of pounds of other people’s money. You also can’t relax because if something goes wrong, you lose money – other people’s money. I suppose I also like that – it’s exciting. But it’s not an easy job and sometimes I feel that what I do isn’t really that useful.

1

They are at a careers fair.

most positive: Marco; least positive: Sara

2

1   There just aren’t enough jobs – you have to take what you can find.

2   They won’t be interested in me, because I don’t have any experience.

3   There are people from some really interesting companies here.

4   I know someone who found a job at an event like this last year.

5   Not many people do, straight out of university.

6   I’m happy to do anything.

INTERVIEWER   Are you enjoying the careers fair?

SARA   It’s not bad. It’s good to meet people from different companies.

I   Are you looking for work at the moment?

S   Yes. But it won’t be easy to find a job I’ll enjoy. There just aren’t enough jobs – you have to take what you can find. I applied for a job this week but I don’t think I’ll get an interview. They won’t be interested in me, because I don’t have any experience.

I   Are you enjoying the fair today?

MARCO   Yeah, it’s great. I’m sure I’ll make some really useful contacts. There are people from some really interesting companies here.

I   And are you applying for jobs at the moment?

M   Yes. I don’t think it’ll take long to find work. You never know … I might get a job today! I know someone who found a job at an event like this last year.

I   Are you enjoying it today?

KATE   Yes it’s good. It’s useful because I’m not sure what kinds of jobs I’m interested in.

I   So are you looking for work at the moment?

K   Not yet. I’m still studying and then I’ll try to get some work experience when I finish my course. After that I can start looking for a job. I might not get my perfect job, because not many people do, straight out of university.

I   And how do you feel about that?

K   Well … I just need to pay the bills, you know. I can work my way up. I’ve got time! I’m sure I’ll find some kind of work because I’m happy to do anything they’ll pay me for.

1   go and see Annie

2   finish the work

3   Tina will have too much work and won’t be able to leave early.

4   Rachel will tell Tina what she has to do and Tina will make a list.

Part 1

RACHEL   Oh, dear.

TINA   Is everything OK?

R   I’m not sure really. I’ve just got a text message from my friend Annie. Do you remember her?

T   Yeah, of course.

R   Yeah, well she says she’s had some bad news and she needs to talk to me.

T   Oh dear. I hope she’s OK.

R   Hmm, I’d better give her a ring. Or maybe I should go and see her.

T   Yeah, maybe you should. I’ll finish things here, if you want.

R   But I can’t leave you here on your own.

T   I’ll be fine! Don’t worry about it.

R   But we’ve still got so much to do.

T   Oh, it doesn’t matter. Honestly, I’ll be OK.

R   I don’t want to leave you with too much work. It doesn’t seem very fair. It means you won’t be able to leave early today.

T   Oh, never mind. Look, why don’t you tell me what we still need to do? And I’ll write a list. Then you can go and see Annie.

R   OK, well if you’re sure.

T   Of course. It’s no problem.

R   Well, …

1, 2, 4, 6

Part 2

RACHEL   Right, and after that . . .

TINA   Shall I finish off those flowers? The ones you were doing?

R   OK. That would be great.

T   And would you like me to prepare some of the orders for tomorrow?

R   Yeah. You could start with that order for Mrs Thompson, because she’s picking it up early.

T   OK.

R   And then maybe you should start on the order for that big birthday party.

T   OK.

R   Actually, no – we can do that tomorrow morning – we’ll have time.

T   Yeah, fine.

R   OK, I think that’s everything. Oh, when you leave, you’ll need to put the alarm on. I’ll write down the code for you.

T   OK. Oh – do you want me to take out the rubbish when I leave?

R   Er, no, don’t worry. The bag’s not full yet. I’ll do it tomorrow.

T   OK, fine.

R   OK, great. I’ll text Annie to say I’m coming.

T   Oh, how about taking her some flowers? That’ll cheer her up.

R   Good idea … Oh, hello. How can I help?

CUSTOMER   Hi, yeah. Er, I just wanted to make an order for some flowers.

R   Of course. What would you like?

C   Well, actually, it’s for my daughter’s wedding. So … er … some red roses …

R   Yep.

C   Some white roses …

R   Hmm hmm.

C   Some lilies …

T   Rachel – why don’t I deal with this?

R   Are you sure?

T   Yes! Just go!

R   OK – bye!

C   Oh, bye.

T   So, that was some red roses …

C   Three dozen, please.

T   Three dozen …

C   Er, white roses, three dozen.

T   OK.

C   Lilies, two dozen …

1

1   barista, general assistant (at supermarket)

2   John recommends a barista job because you can get tips and training. A supermarket job isn’t good because it’s tiring with long hours.

2

1 has   2 likes   3 sometimes   4 hasn’t   5 is

PENNY   Are you working this summer?

JOHN   Yeah, I’ve got a job in a café, same as last year. How about you?

P   I don’t know. I usually work in a supermarket, but I don’t like it much. It’s so tiring and you have to start really early in the morning. I might look for a different job this summer. What’s working in a café like?

J   Oh, it’s good. It gets quite busy, so you need to be good at working really fast. But I like that.

P   Well, that’s the same as a supermarket.

J   Yeah. But it’s good fun, too. You’re working in a team and you meet lots of people. It’s great.

P   Is the pay good?

J   Not bad and you can sometimes make quite a lot from tips.

P   Really? How much do you make in tips?

J   It depends. I can sometimes make £20 in one day!

P   Wow! That sounds good.

J   It’s not always that much though. Listen, why don’t you apply for a job? I’m sure they’ll give you one. They’re always looking for new people.

P   Yeah, I don’t know. I’ve never worked in a café. I don’t know anything about it.

J   Oh, that doesn’t matter; they’ll give you training. You don’t need to know anything.

P   Really?

J   No, you just have to smile a lot and be nice to people. It’s easy.

P   Hmm, OK. What are they called?

J   Cuba Coffee Company, they’ve got a website.

P   OK thanks, I’ll have a look tomorrow, update my CV and apply!

J   Great – good luck!

INTERVIEWER   Thank you for coming, Josh. First of all, I’d like to talk about your CV. You have some good qualifications, but you’ve had a lot of different jobs in the last five years. Can you talk about those?

JOSH   Yes, I worked as a postman when I finished university. I enjoyed working outside, but I had to work many hours each day and start early in the morning, which I hated, so I decided to look for other jobs.

I   So, you don’t like working long hours then. Hmm. Tell me about your next job. You worked as a hairdresser, didn’t you?

J   Yes, I did. I learned a lot of skills while I was there and I really liked the place. But I didn’t like having to talk to people every day. I had to talk to the customers and make coffee.

I   Hmm. OK. What about your last job? You were an IT worker.

J   Yes, that was great. I earned a good salary and I worked with a nice team of people. Sometimes when we were busy I had to work at weekends, which wasn’t great, but I usually just worked Monday to Friday. I didn’t have to work with people so much, and I could often just sit at my desk and use the Internet, when we weren’t busy, of course. And my manager didn’t mind what time I started work.

I   And at what time did you usually start work?

J   The latest I could start was 10:30 am.

I   OK, Josh, so why would you like to work as a bank clerk for Mainland Bank?

J   I’d like to work in a team, and get some good experience of working in a bank. It looks like a nice environment to work in. And it also pays really well, too.

I   But you don’t like working hard or dealing with people every day. Those are important parts of the job.

J   Well …

I   I’m sorry, Josh, but I don’t think you’re what we’re looking for. Thanks for coming in today and good luck.

J   Oh. OK. I thought this would be a good job for me.

I   I don’t think so. But good luck with your search. Goodbye.

J   Bye.