PART 1
Work and studies (always in use)
IDIOMS ABOUT WORK:
1. to be between jobs (to be unemployed)
2. to work one's fingers to the bone (to work very hard)
3. to go the extra mile (to go beyond what is necessary)
4. to learn the ropes (to learn how to do a particular job or task)
5. to be a change of pace (to be a variation in routine)
IDIOMS THAT CAN BE USED TALKING ABOUT STUDIES:
1. to miss the boat (to lose an opportunity to do something by being
slow to act): I've
missed the boat for the fall semester, so ....
Do you work or are you a student?
I've been working as an English teacher for about 15 years now, and for
the last 10
years I've specialized exclusively in teaching IELTS. And I absolutely love
what I do. Of
course, sometimes I feel tired and emotionally drained, especially when
I have to mark
my students' essays until midnight... but I just don't see myself being
happier doing
anything else.
What work do you do? What subjects are you studying?
I'm a student, and this is my final year at school. Now I'm working hard
in order to get
passing grades to enter college in Canada. If everything is ok, six
months from now I'll
already be studying there. I want to major in Journalism as I like writing
essays and
articles and want to work for some famous magazine or newspaper. I'm
going to do a
three-year course at X college.
Why did you choose that job?
Well, I guess the primary reason why I decided to pursue a career in
Finance was that I
really loved Maths at school as I was always good at numbers. And
because of this, I
thought it was the only possible choice I could make. So it wasn't a
tough decision. And,
thank God, I have never regretted it.
Why did you choose to study that subject?
Back in the day when I was a high school student, I had an idea that I
might like to do
something related to fashion, but my parents insisted on my choosing.
Accounting.
Frankly, I wish I hadn't listened to them as I don't really enjoy being an
accountant.
Do you like your job?
I do. Mainly because it's never boring. I love challenges. tasks. In fact,
the more
challenging, the better. Of course, I usually spend a lot of time and
energy, and put in a
lot of effort in order to complete such tasks successfully, but the job
satisfaction that it
gives me significantly outweighs the hours, the stress and the hard
work. Among other
things, there's nothing to complain about as my remuneration is more
than adequate, let
alone all the perks that my employer provides.
Is there anything you dislike about your job?
Well, I hate that I often have to work against the clock to meet
deadlines and it seems
that I'll never be able to escape this constant rat race. I feel this jam
packed schedule is
robbing me of my life.
What was your dream job when you were young?
Oh, when I was younger, I wanted to either become a CEO of a big
company or be self-
employed. I was really sure that this would bring me adequate
remuneration and, as a
result, a sense of satisfaction. What is more, I understood that I was
good at problem-
solving and managing people, could take on responsibility and work
under pressure,
which was very important for pursuing. such careers.
seems to me that the
most popular activity with adults is having barbeque parties or just chatting with
their
neighbours over the fence.
How has your town changed over the last 20 years?
Oh, I would say it has undergone sweeping changes 'cause those who haven't
been
there for a long time can hardly recognise it. First of all, the general quality of the
city
landscape has improved, so it's way more beautiful now. For instance, many
ancient
buildings have been restored and modern ones have been erected. Therefore,
