Unit Four My Daily Routine

I want to describe my daily actions which I do, more or less regularly, on weekdays. All days except weekends look very much the same.

On weekdays my working day begins early in the morning. As a matter of fact, I am not an early-riser, that's why I hate getting up early, but I got used to it, I usually get up at about 7 o'clock. Then I do my morning exercises and go to the bathroom to wash my face and hands with soap and brush my teeth with toothpaste. I don't take a shower in the morning I generally do it late in the evening before going to bed. At a quarter past seven I am ready to have my breakfast. As a rule, I have a quick light breakfast which consists of a cup of coffee or tea, a boiled egg or an omelet and a cheese or a sausage sandwich. After breakfast I put on my coat take my bag and leave for university. As my university is not far from my house, it takes me 10 minutes to get there. I never take a bus on my way to the university, I usually walk there.

Three or four pairs a day is the ordinary timetable. I seldom have lunch in the canteen, because I usually have packed one in my bag (an apple and a sandwich).

The classes at the university are over at about two o'clock. Sometimes I stay at the university later to prepare some practical classes at the library.

When I come home my mother always has dinner ready just in time. Then I change my clothes and have a rest. While resting, I listen to music or look through the newspapers or magazines. Then I start doing my homework. It takes me about five hours to cope with my homework properly. I normally finish doing my homework at 10 o'clock in the evening. So I haven't much time for television and friends, because I have to work hard at all the subjects. But sometimes I manage to see an interesting film.

I do well in most subjects without any effort. Besides, I manage to help my mother about the house and do our shopping. And I must admit that I have good friends at the university and sometimes we prepare our homework together.

After supper I usually relax for some time and then go on with my homework.

As a rule, I go to bed at about 11 o'clock or even later.

Reading Texts

I. Read and translate the text. Out of work

In the United States a lot of people are out of work. Tracy Kowalski is 19. She dropped out of high school two years ago and got a job as a check-out clerk in a supermarket. She was fired four months ago and hasn't been able to find another job yet.

"My old man just doesn't understand. He started working in the steel mill here in town when he was 16. Things are different now, but he thinks I should start bringing home some money. I'm on unemployment, but it isn't very much and I'm just fed up with standing in line to sign for it every other week. I hate having to ask folks for money. My mom gives me a couple of dollars now and then, but she can't stand having me around the house all day. I've almost given up looking for job. I look at the paper every day, but I'm really tired of going through the want ads. There are at least fifty people for every job. I was interested in becoming a receptionist for a dentist or a doctor because I like meeting people, but now I'd take any job that came along. People ask me why I don't move to California or maybe Houston, but I really don't want to leave my family and my friends. Anyway, I'd be scared of living all alone in a strange place".

Tracy went to the state employment office to fill out one more questionnaire.