The worst job in the history

In 18^th century London, the areas of the city where rich people lived had street lamps. However, poorer areas of the city were full of muggers, murderers and other criminals! Rich people whose journey home at night passed through these poor areas needed to take some form of lightning with them. A link boy was a boy who showed rich people the way home through the back streets. The children who did the job needed to have a map of the city in their heads and to be aware of the dangers that might be around any dark corner. And the money was not good. The rich people whose lives the link boy made safer normally paid only one penny per trip.

Do you agree that a link boy is the worst job in history? Can you think of any jobs that are worse?

UNIT 11. WORK

Section I Speaking

Discuss the following questions in class.

1) What are normal working hours for most office jobs in your country?

2) Is flexi-time common in your country?

3) How many weeks’ holiday do people get?

4) Would you like to get a good salary?

 

Read the statements about work customs in the USA. Which are true for your country?

1) Typical working hours are from 9 to 5.

2) If we work in an office we wear neat clothes and men wear a suit and a tie.

3) We have an hour for meal breaks.

4) Most people expect to work late sometimes.

5) We usually have two to three weeks’ vacation a year.

6) Men usually retire at 65 and women at 60.

7) We get paid at the beginning and in the middle of the month.

8) Some people get perks, such as a company car or a retirement plan.

9) Some people get bonuses.

10) Women have the same opportunities as men.

11) Most people change their jobs several times in their working lives.

12) Co-workers are often friends.

13) We often use personal connections to get work for relatives.

 

Work in groups of 3 or 4 and comment on the differences about the work customs in the USA and Russia.

Read the story and title it. Discuss all the advantages and disadvantages of this work.

I travel all over the world on business and my neighbour thinks my life is one long holiday. You know what the business travel is like: up at dawn to catch a plane; breakfast in London, lunch in New York, luggage in Bermuda. When you are in the sky you see only snow in the Arctic or Greenland. You have glimpses of the Andes or the Pacific. You are always exhausted. Your wife or husband complains you are never there to take the children or put them to bed. When you get home, your neighbor says, “Another nice holiday, eh?” Give me Home, Sweet Home any day!

Would you like to have such a job?

Section II Grammar in Practice

REPORTED SPEECH

Transform the dialog into reported speech.

- When do you intend to pay me back the money you have borrowed, sir?

- Oh, presently, dear uncle! I will do it directly I get the money from the publishing house.

- When will you get it, I would like to know?

- I will certainly get it as soon as the publisher accepts my novel.

- Do you think he will accept your novel, young man?

- No doubt he will when I finish it.

- Are you going to finish it soon, my boy?

- Of course I am. I will begin to write it the moment I have found a suitable subject and the necessary inspiration.

Start the text the following way:

Yesterday my uncle asked me when I intended to pay him back the money I had borrowed….

A. Decide where these sentences go in the conversation.

a) … it leaves at nine o’clock in the evening.

b) And where is the next hostel?

c) Where are you walking to?

d) Yes, it’s two kilometers.

e) We’ll stay for just one night.

Chris: Have you got any beds for tonight?

Receptionist: Yes, I think so. Sorry, but I’ve just started work at the hostel. How long would you like to stay?

Chris: ________

Receptionist: One night stay costs £6.50 each.

Chris: Is it far from the hostel to the center of Canbury?

Receptionist: _______. It takes an hour on foot.

Chris: Is there a bus service?

Receptionist: I think so. It takes about 15 minutes. There’s a bus every hour.

Chris: When does the last bus leave the city center?

Receptionist: I think _______. There is not much to do in the evening.

Chris: We’re very tired. We need an early night. What time does the hostel close in the morning?

Receptionist: Er, at eleven a.m. _______

Chris: We’re going to Oxton. Are you serving dinner tonight?

Receptionist: Yes, we’re serving dinner until eight o’clock. And breakfast starts at seven-thirty.

Chris: _________

Receptionist: I’m not sure. I think it’s in Kingscombe, which is about ten kilometers away. I started word last Monday so I’m very new here.