Text 8 employment

Exercise 1. Read the text and give the gist of the article.

Britain has a lower level of unemployment than any other major European Union (EU) country. The total workforce is almost 30 million. Features of the labour market include the growing proportion of women in the workforce and increases in part-time and temporary employment among both women and men.

"Teleworking" — working from home using information technology - is also becoming more widespread, for example, in journalism, consultancy and computer programming.

About 3.3 million people are self-employed in Britain. The sectors with the highest concentrations of self-employed people are agriculture and con­struction.

Britain now has one of the least regulated labour markets among the major industrialized nations. The aim of the government is to create an economic climate in which business can flourish. It is done by increasing the flexibility of the labour market, by removing regulations which have restricted job creation, by encouraging better training and by tax policy.

Exercise 2. Compare the situation with the situation in Russia.

Text 9

Exercise 1. Read the dialogue.

Looking for a job abroad

Foreigner: I hear your friend Mary has left for France. She's taken up a job there.

Russian: France? She can't have done that. I don't believe it. She is so shy.

F.: Neither did I when I heard it.

R.: I don't think I could ever do the same. If I went abroad I'd be homesick, I'd miss my family and friends.

F.: By the way, many British university graduates work abroad though the level of unemployment in Britain is low now and job creation is widely encouraged by the government. I, for one, will work in China soon.

R.: In China? But you don't speak Chinese, do you?

F.: No, I don't. English is spoken in Chinese international companies. I've got the company's invitation. Doesn't it sound fantastic?

R.: Sure, it does. And what about a work permit?

F.: The company that invited me to work in China has arranged for the work permit.

R.: How did you contact them?

F.: I turned to an employment agency in London. They sent my resume to China.

R.: The job counselling must have cost a lot of money.

F.: Yes, it did, but it's worth the expense. China is in transition to a market economy. It has experienced rapid economic growth lately. My work will probably be interesting. Have you found anything? Have you been invited to an interview?

R.: No, not yet. I want a good job, with opportunities for advancement, attractive fringe benefits and short trips.

F.: I see. You should have told me. Why not make another attempt and turn to my employment agency!

R.: Good idea, thank you, but I want to work in Russia.

Exercise 2. Find in the dialogue English equivalents for these word combinations and sentences:

1. согласиться на работу. 2. уехать за границу. 3. тосковать по родине 4. скучать по семье. 5. уровень безработицы. 6. поощряется правительством. 7. Я, например. 8. Разве это не великолепно! 9. разрешение на работу. 10. возможность продвижения.

Exercise .3. Quote the sentences in which these words and word combinations are used in the dialogues.

take up a job, neither, level of unemployment, international companies, fantastic, a work permit, a lot of money, an interview, another attempt.

Exercise 4. Give the answers to the questions:

1. Why were the friends surprised at the news that Mary had taken up a job in France?

2. Do many British university graduates work abroad?

3. What arrangements did the foreign student make to get an invitation from a Chinese company?

4. Does China offer good employment opportunities for foreigners?

5. What job does the Russian student want to get?

Exercise .5. Speak about getting job abroad. Share your attitudes on this point with your group mate. Say if you are for or against it. Prove you statements if possible.