EPISODE 15
LEVEL A1.2/A2.1

 

READING COMPREHENSION

 

WORK: GETTING PAID    

There are a few ways in which you can get paid at work. Most people get a monthly salary, although in English-speaking countries it is also common to speak of one’s annual (= yearly) salary.  You get a salary in white-collar jobs (= jobs where you use your brain and not your hands), such as office jobs, teaching positions, managerial posts etc. In contrast, blue-collar workers get hourly, daily or weekly wages (= they are paid by the hour/ day/ week). These people usually work with their hands and include such jobs as cleaners, construction workers etc. In addition to the money you get, your boss can also offer you some perks (= fringe benefits, all the extras you get at work), such as private health insurance, a company car, or a company mobile. Although you might want to turn off your company mobile at the weekends, your boss might tell you to keep it on, so that they can contact you at any time.

 

More contexts for the new words:

 

  •  Many women spend their whole lives in pink-collar jobs.
    (= Secretarial jobs with no chances of promotion, not very well paid, usually reserved for women.)
  •  A lot of entertainment options is one of the perks of living in Warsaw. (= advantages)

 

 

EXERCISE 1

Match the sentence halves.

 

  1. My job gives me private                              a) health insurance.
  2. She has a white-                                           b) wage of $10.
  3. My company offers lots of fringe              c) collar job as a manager.
  4. He has an hourly                                          d) benefits.

 

 

EXERCISE 2

Complete the questions, then answer them.

 

  1. How big is your monthly s………………………..?
  2. Why do you think pink-c……………………….. jobs are mostly done by women?
  3. Do you have any of the p……………………….. mentioned in the text? What are they?

 

ENGLISH IN USE 

 

Although you might want to turn off your company mobile at the weekends, your boss might tell you to keep it on.

OR

Your boss might say that you should keep it on.

Remember that after „to tell” we need to say „who”.

Look at some more examples to help you remember how to use „to say”:

She said she liked him.
She said she wanted to get the job.
She said she was really happy.

 

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

 

a golden handshake

A/ Did you hear that John got a Rolex watch when he left the company?

B/ Wow, that’s what you call A GOLDEN HANDSHAKE! 

 

A golden handshake is a usually large payment made to someone when they leave their job, either when their employer has asked them to leave or when they are leaving at the end of their working life, as a reward for very long or good service in their job

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

 

There are many phrasal verbs which use the preposition ‘off’. Very often, the meaning of the phrasal verb is connected to the disappearance of something. Here are a few examples:

 

  1. If you TURN something OFF, you stop a piece of equipment working by pressing a button.

Will you turn off the television, please?

It is now safe to turn off your computer.

 

  1. If food or drink GOES OFF, it is no longer fresh.

This bacon smells a bit funny – do you think it’s gone off?

Fresh meat goes off after a day or two in the fridge.

 

 

EXERCISE 3

Rewrite the sentences keeping the same meaning and using the word in capitals. Use the idiom and phrasal verbs you have learned in this lesson.

 

  1. When he was fired, he got a car as a goodbye present.

GOLDEN ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

  1. Is this food still good to eat?

OFF …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

  1. Don’t forget to switch off the lights.

TURN …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

NEWS

 

EMPLOYEE ABSENTEEISM

More and more employers have to deal with increasing employee absenteeism. Many workers are on sick leave because of really insignificant reasons, such as a cold or a runny nose. If the situation continues this way, workplaces will need to take on temporary workers, who can do the job of the absent permanent employees.

 

 

GLOSSARY

– absenteeism – not being at work/ school when you should be

– on sick leave – away from work because of illness

– insignificant – not important

– runny nose – when your nose produces a lot of water because of a cold or allergy

– temporary – not needed for very long

 

 

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>>Answers

KEY TO EXERCISES 

 

Ex.1

  1. a
  2. c
  3. d
  4. b

 

Ex.2

  1. salary
  2. collar
  3. perks

 

Ex.3

  1. He got a car as a golden handshake.
  2. Hasn’t this food gone off?
  3. Don’t forget to turn off the lights.

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