Out of work

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

My old man just doesn’t understand. He started work 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 get my unemployment benefit now but it isn’t very much and I’m just fed up with standing in line for it every Thursday.

I hate having to ask my folks for money. My mother gives me a couple of dollars now and then, but she can’t stand seeing me at home all day. I’ve almost given up looking for a job. I look at the paper every day, but I'm ’really tired of looking through the want ads. There are at least 50 applicants 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 at all. People ask me why I don’t move to California or may be 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 big city.

GRAMMAR FOCUS

Ex. 18. Choose either the adjective or the adverb in each of the sentences below.

1. The first task for the interviewer is to make the candidate feel comfortable /comfortably.

2. In a panel interview the candidate may look at the interviewer nervous /nervously.

3. This approach proves clear /clearly the importance of a well-prepared strategy.

4. Well-prepared interviewers are usually good /well at interviewing.

5. In a good interview the candidates seem hard /hardly to notice the time.

6. If the atmosphere becomes tense /tensely, the interview leader should take charge.

Ex. 19. Complete the following sentences by putting the verbs in brackets into either

the Present Perfect or Past Simple.

1. At the end of last year the dollar __________________(stay) at 1.5.

2. Last January the dollar ______________(fall) to a new low of 1.45.

3. Since then it _________________(be stable) pretty.

4. As you can see on this graph, I __________________(plot) domestic and export sales.

5. Export sales ____________________(fluctuate) pretty widely.

6. We yet __________________(see) the full effect of the declining dollar.

7. Last quarter we _______________(see) one of the best results.

8. We already _______________________(notice) a slight drop in orders.

9. The low profit margins ____________________________(be reflected) in last year’s figures.

10. We ______________________(receive) two big orders so far this quarter.

UNIT 4 MEETINGS

DISCUSSION

Answer these questions before you read the text below.

1. Are meetings important in business?

2. What types of meetings do you know?

3. What are the responsibilities of a manager who is in charge of the meeting?

4. What does a successful meeting mean?

Text 1