Unit 16 Social and personal

Lesson 61

1 Reading comprehension

显示原文 Read the text to find the answers to these questions. 1 What part-time job is mentioned as an example? 2 Find one reason for taking a part-time job. PART-TIME JOBS 　　Fred Pearson was walking through the university town of Oxford one morning in 1961. He was on his way to a lecture, when a tourist stopped him and asked him for directions. As Fred was going in the same direction, he walked along with the tourist. They got on so well that Fred decided not to go to the lecture but to show the tourist around the university instead. They spent a full and very enjoyable morning together, and Fred discovered that he had a gift for making a visit interesting and lively. At lunchtime, the tourist thanked him and gave him ten pounds, which was a lot of money in those days. 　　Fred realized that he had discovered an interesting and enjoyable way of making money. In the evenings he studied hard for his exams, and most mornings he took tourists around Oxford. He passed his exams, and even better, when he left university he had earned enough money to start his own business, offering guide services to tourists. 　　This is one example of a part-time job leading to greater things. It is a good idea to start a part-time job so long as it does not affect your studies. For one things, when you earn money, you will not have to keep on asking your parents for money. You can buy whatever you need if you have enough money. It is good preparation for the world outside schools and universities. We should learn the value of money and learn how many hours’ work has to be done before we can buy something. 　　There is another good reason for taking a part-time job. It is good to learn to work with others in a team. There are many things to be learnt when you start working. You have to be able to check instructions. You have to be able to plan your work so that all your jobs will be finished in time. You have to learn when to ask for help and when to ask for information. You will find that people will help you if you are ready to help them. 　　Another good reason for taking a part-time job is that employers usually prefer to hire someone who has already had some work experience. They value someone who leads an active life and is anxious to learn. For example, a newspaper might employ you if you have worked on a student magazine at university or at school. Generally you will have a greater chance of finding a suitable job if you have done some part-time jobs.

Lesson 62

1 Reading comprehension

显示原文 Read both letters fast to find the answers to these questions. 1 In the first letter, what problem does John have at work? 2 In the second letter, what advice does Marty give? Letters Dear Marty, 　　I’ve got a problem and as I don’t know what to do I thought I’d write to you and ask for your advice. 　　I’ve been working at a meat factory for about two months now. It’s a part-time job, so I only work evenings. I’ve recently noticed that one of my workmates is stealing. From time to time, I notice that he puts a piece of meat down his trousers just before he leaves the factory. Now the manager has found that things are missing. He says that all this happened after I started work. 　　What should I do? Maybe I should have told that workmate I knew what he was doing. Or possibly I should have gone to the manager and told him who was stealing meat. 　　I think I’m in a difficult position. Please tell me how I can solve this problem. I’d like to hear your advice. 　　Best wishes, John Dear John, 　　Thanks for your letter. I agree that it is a difficult situation. I’m afraid it is quite common that people steal things from their workplace. Besides, this man is a clever thief. He waited until someone new joined the company and then began to steal. 　　I think there is a possible problem if you tell the manager about the thief. The other people in the workforce may not trust you in future. They will think that you are the eyes and ears of the manager. 　　There is no need to say anything to the other worker. It’s his problem, not yours. Try not to worry. After all, you have nothing to lose if you are honest and a good worker. 　　But I advise you to check your bag every evening before going home. It is quite possible that the thief might put some meat in you bag, hoping you will be caught and called a thief. 　　Best regards, Marty

2、Reading comprehension

显示原文 Read a different letter by Marty. What advice does he give John? Dear John, 　　Thank you for your letter. I’m not sure why you decided to write to me asking for advice, as I think the situation is quite clear. Obviously you must report this other worker to the manager immediately. In fact I’m rather surprised you haven’t done so already. In my personal opinion, you should have done this as soon as you found out he was stealing. 　　There is no doubt about the correct thing to do. It is the duty of everyone in a work unit to report another worker to the manager if he/she does anything wrong, or tells lies. I hope you will do this in future. Yours, Marty