1.4. Writing

1. Write an opinion essay in 200-250 words on the topic ‘The prospects for the interpreter’s profession in the future’.

2. Write an opinion essay based on the following statement in about 200-250 words ‘You never stop learning, no matter what age you are. When I was young I thought I knew everything – the confidence of youth, I am afraid – but as I have grown older, I have come to realize that I actually know far less than I thought I did – and the more I know the more I realize there is to know. It is a never-ending process – what I believe is called in some circles the university of life’.

3. Write an opinion essay on the topic ‘People learn in different ways. Some people learn on doing things; other people learn by reading about things; others learn by listening to people talk about things. Which of these learning strategies is the best for you?’

1.5. Listening and speaking

Ex. 1.You will hear a woman who works as a tour guide talking about her work. For questions 1-9 complete the sentences. You will hear the recording twice.

TOUR GUIDES

The countries where Natalie works most often are -------- and ---------- (1).

Natalie explains that prior knowledge of ----------- (2) is not essential for her job.

In Australia, Natalie worked in a ------------- (3).

Natalie found the --------- (4) the most difficult part of the recruitment procedure to complete.

Natalie describes herself as generally a ----------- (5) person.

The tours which Natalie leads can last as long as ---------- (6).

Natalie receives $150 per week as well as payment for ------------ (7).

Natalie disagrees with the idea of linking pay to what is written on ---------------- (8).

Natalie explains that the ------------- (9) nature of the work means that schedules are demanding.

Ex. 2. Choose one of the suggested topics and comment on it or discuss it with your partner.

1. How do you account for the spread of English in the world? Name a few reasons for its expansion.

2. How many different reasons for learning English can you think? Which language will be the most important in future?

3. Researchers suggest that the personality of the learner must affect the way he or she learns. Can you think of any personal qualities that might help or hinder language learning?

4. Do you agree that one has to be wired to become an interpreter or translator? Is it possible to efficiently combine translating and interpreting?

5. Why have you decided on the profession of a translator/interpreter? What makes the profession of a translator/interpreter prestigious?

6. How do you understand the term ‘professional ethics‘ in terms of interpreting/translation? What aspects in its reference would you point out?

7. Do you agree that an interpreter serves as a bridge across not only language but a cultural divide as well?

SELF-ASSESSMENT TEST

Ex. 1. You will hear five short extracts in which various people are talking about holidays where they studied as a group. You will hear the recording twice. While you listen, you must complete both tasks.

TASK ONE For questions 1-5, match the extracts as you hear them with what was studied on each course, listed A-H.

A a foreign language ------------- 1

B cookery ------------- 2

C creative writing ------------- 3

D drama ------------- 4

E music ------------- 5

F painting

G pottery

H photography

TASK TWO For questions 6-10, match the extracts as you hear them with the comment each person makes about their course, listed A-H.

A I appreciated the flexibility of the staff. ------------- 6

B I would have liked a change of scene occasionally ------------- 7

C I enjoyed observing the other people. ------------- 8

D I would have liked more guidance from the tutor. ------------- 9

E I was pleased to work on my own. -------------- 10

F I was glad to be kept fully occupied.

G I liked the great variety of people I met.

H I would have liked more time to practice.

Ex. 2. Match the following words with appropriate definitions.

1. tenure a. the state of being exact and without error

2. daunting b. conversation about unimportant matters

3. background reading c. turning easily from one occupation to another

4. the downside of sth. d. discouraging or frightening

5. versatility e. a negative aspect, a disadvantage

6. (cultural) inferences f. the ability to remember facts easily and long

7. small talk g. quality to speak and write accurately, easily

8. references h. coming one after the other

9. fluency i. the right to remain permanently in one’s job

10. a erudite j. estimation of sth. (knowledge)

11. streaming k. a written statement about a character or ability

12. consecutive l. a thing that is very easy

13. a piece of cake m. putting children in streams according to abilities

14. accuracy n. obtaining basic information in the field

15. assessment o. conclusions reached on the basis of knowledge,

16. retentive (memory) p. having or showing great learning

Ex. 3. Fill in the blanks (1 – 21) with the correct particle or preposition where necessary.

1. Written translation affords a rare opportunity to make money without leaving home and (1) …your own pace. 2. ‘People skills’ are an essential part of this job – getting (2) … … people and being able to communicate. 3. A translator has to be ready to sacrifice his own interests (3) … the benefit of the work. 4. You have to like the job or it will not come (4) … . 5. An interpreter must be able to speak (5) … public (6) … any trace of stage fright or even shyness. 6. The interpreter has to get (7) … the right meaning rather than the exact wording. 7. I’ll tell John that he can have every confidence (8) … you. 8. And even if this place was (9) … the back of nowhere, it was still a place (10) … their own. 9. The reason (11) … Jack’s dismissal was his poor attendance record. 10. (12) … the very last moment Tom backed (13) … and refused to go with us. 11. Now we can tell (14) … confidence that the results are not put (15) … … chance. 12. (16) … this stage, he still hovers (17) … his desk browsing (18) … the newspaper, leafing (19) … the entertainment section. 13. Interpreters are called (20) … to sit (21) … quick succession in meetings dealing with fantastic variety of subjects.

Ex. 4. For questions 1-10, read the following text and then choose, from the list

(A – K), the best phrase given below. Each correct phrase may be used once. Some of the suggested answers do not fit at all.

THE PROFESSIONAL WHO…

Surely nobody (1) …………. gives up a well-paid and prestigious job (2) ……… unless, by necessity, they are forced to? Ambition has always been considered a desirable quality; salary and professional status are advantages to be courted. And yet, (3) ……… of executive stress, burnout and compulsory redundancy, the idea of throwing (4) ……….. holds a strange appeal.

We interviewed someone who has quit the race rat. Gillian, 37, was a solicitor in a city law firm until earlier this year. She worked long hours and weekends and had come to the conclusion that her highly paid, high status job was just a ‘living death’. She found the isolation of the job difficult and wished she could have contact with people, rather than dealing with her clients only (5) ……….. When she left, her clients were surprised. When she told them she was going to work (6) ………… , they were, she laughs, ‘flabbergasted’.

She now works a 39-hour week, (7) ………… . Gillian doesn’t regret resigning from the law firm or having less money. ‘If only I’d done it sooner,’ she says. ‘I absolutely love the new job! There is a part of me that I ‘m not using; your brain feels what I call ‘stretched’ when you are drafting legal documents. But I don’t miss that (8) ……… . I’m too busy to feel bored.’ Any lack of intellectual stimulation has yet to prove frustrating, and, (9), … …….. , she now reads all those books that she wishes she had had time to read before. Not that Gillian has closed the door entirely to resuming her law career. (10) ……….. does not render professionals unemployable and some do manage to make a comeback.

A by phone and fax

B in the real world

C at all

D for the sake of the company

E in favour of a menial one

F a period out of the fast lane

G in the evenings

H in these alarming days

I in the towel

J at a very modest hourly rate of pay

K behind the counter of a supermarket

Ex. 5. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs in parentheses.

After a few days, classes (begin) (1) …… and we (have) (2)…….. another meeting place: the classroom. (Know, not) (3) ……. quite what (expect) (4)…….. the first day of class, I was a bit nervous, but also (excite) (5)…….. . After (find) (6) ……. the right building and right room, I walked in and (choose) (7)…….. an empty seat. I (introduce) (8)…….. myself to the person (sit) (9) …….next to me, and we sat (talk) (10)……. to each other for a few minutes. Since we (be) (11)……. from different countries, we (speak) (12)……… in English. At first, I was afraid that the other student (understand, not) (13)……….. what I (say) (14)…….. , I (surprise, pleasantly) (15)………when she (respond) (16)……… to my question easily. Together we (take) (17)……. the first steps toward (build) (18)…….. a friendship.

As the semester (progress) (19)…….. , I (find) (20)…….. out more and more about my fellow students. Students from some countries were reticent and shy in class. They almost never (ask) (21)…….. questions and (speak) (22)……. very softly. Others of different nationalities (be) (23)……… just the opposite: they spoke in booming voices and never (ask) (24)…… questions and sometimes they (interrupt, even) (25)…….. the teacher. I (be, never) (26)……. in a classroom with such a mixture of cultures before. The time spent (share) (27)…….. our ideas with each other and (learn) (28)……… about each other’s customs and beliefs (be) (29)……. valuable and fun. As we progressed in our English, we slowly learned about each other, too.

Now, several months after my arrival in the United States, I (be) (30)………. able to understand not only some English but also something about different cultures. If I (come, not) (31)……… here, I (be, not) (32)…….. able to attain these insights into other cultures. I wish everyone in the world (have) (33)………the same experience. Perhaps if all the people in the world (know) (34)……. more about cultures different from their own and (have) (35)……… the opportunity (make) (36)…….. friends with people from different countries, peace (be) (37) ……secure and wars (be) (38) ……. over.