EPISODE 7
LEVEL A1.2/A2.1

 

READING COMPREHENSION

 

 ALL BOUT WORK  

 

Mark works hard (= he has a lot of work and he works long hours). Whenever he has work to do (=he must do something), he gets to work quickly (=he starts doing his job quickly). He was out of work (=he didn’t have a job) a few years ago, so now when he is in work (=he has a job), he tries to be a very good employee. It is because he was looking for a job (=trying to find a job) for a very long time and couldn’t get a job (=start working) and now he is afraid that he will get fired (=lose his job). He says: ‘I advise clients and handle their complaints. It may sound difficult, but it’s all in a day’s work (=this is my work routine). I try to do my job as well as I can.

 

 

More contexts for the new words:

  • He works shifts (=one day he starts in the morning, another day he starts in the evening).
  • She works out every evening (=she goes to the gym to do exercise).
  • He works the land (=he is a farmer).

 

 

EXERCISE 1

Match phrases from the first column to their opposites in the second column.

 

  1. to work hard a. to get fired
  2. to be in work b. not to do your job well
  3. to get a job c. to be out of work

                                              

 

EXERCISE 2

Complete the questions with the key words from the text. Then answer them.

 

  1. Do you ……………… to work as soon as you come in the morning?
  2. How much work do you usually …………….. to do in one day?
  3. Have you ever been ………………. of work?

 

ENGLISH IN USE 

 

Look at this sentence from the text:

 

He was looking for a job for a very long time and couldn’t get a job.

 

When you talk about something possible / impossible in the present, you use can / can’t.

 

You can check offers on the internet.

 

The past form of can / can’t is could / couldn’t.

 

I couldn’t find a job for a very long time.

 

Can / can’t and could / couldn’t are always followed by the basic form of the verb without ‘to’.

 

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

 

 

A/ I need to stay longer to finish this…

B/ Go home! Remember: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY!

 

The phrase ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ is a way of saying that to be happy and healthy, a person needs to have fun and relax, not only work all the time.

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

 

The phrasal verb WORK OUT has a few different meanings:

 

  1. ‘to find a solution, to solve’

There was a problem with the computer system, but the IT guys worked it out.

 

  1. ‘to formulate, to develop’

Let’s try to work out a plan.

 

  1. ‘to be successful and effective’

I’m sure the strategy is going to work out.

 

  1. ‘to do physical exercise’

I work out at the gym twice a week.

 

 

EXERCISE 3

Put the words in the correct order to make meaningful sentences. Use the idiom and phrasal verb you have learned.

 

  1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

had, some, We, worked, but, personal, differences, we, out, them

  1. ‘……………………………………………………………………….’……………………………………………………

my, a, play, dull, and, work, Jack, no, All, personal, makes, boy, is, motto

  1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

going, out, to, am, I, everything, sure, is, work

 

 

NEWS

 

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

The increasing problem of the work-life balance issue is now being given more and more attention by both employers and scientists. A recent study found that, on average, two out of every five employees are dissatisfied with the balance between their personal and working life. People deal with working at one or more jobs, long commuting time, managing a household, attending school or other training, raising one or more children and dealing with ageing parents. The days simply seem not to be long enough and the days off and holidays are consumed with issues other than relaxation. Employers also experience consequences of this, of course, as their workers’ effectiveness goes down as tiredness goes up.

 

 

GLOSSARY

– work-life balance – how much time you spend at work in relation to how much time you have for yourself

– to deal with sth – to manage, to try to solve

– commuting (to commute) – the journet to and from work

– a day off – a day when you don’t go to work

 

 

download lesson (pdf)

>>Answers

KEY TO EXERCISES 

 

Ex.1

  1. b
  2. c
  3. a

 

Ex.2

  1. get
  2. have
  3. out

 

Ex.3

  1. We had some personal differences but we worked them out.
  2. ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ is my personal motto.
  3. I am sure everything is going to work out.

hide