Задания к тексту по теме Моя будущая карьера

My future career

What do you want to be when you grow up? We have heard this question many times during our school years. Perhaps, it was difficult for us to give a definite answer earlier. But now we understand that the time to choose our future profession has come. Finishing school is the beginning of an independent life for millions of school-leavers. Many roads are open before us: technical schools, colleges and universities. Centuries ago there were only a few jobs: people were farmers, bakers, butchers or carpenters. Today there are thousands of different kinds of jobs, and new ones are constantly appearing. No wonder that it is not an easy thing to make the right choice.

When choosing a future career, we should consider different factors. In my opinion, money is one of the most important factors when you make a choice. There are highly paid jobs and low-paid jobs. For example, a businessman, a president or a film star, are highly paid jobs. A worker, a doctor or an engineer, are low-paid jobs. I think everybody wants to earn as much money as possible. Training, promotional prospects and conditions should be also taken into account.

On the other hand, it's good when you get satisfaction from your job. It is very important to choose a profession that suits your interests. In my opinion, a job should be interesting and socially important. Some jobs are considered to be more suitable for men and others for women. For example, the professions of secretary or nurse are more suitable for women. A lifeguard or a pilot are more likely the jobs for men. You should also decide whether you want to work indoors or outdoors.

To make the right choice, you should take into account your traits of character. It goes without saying that to become a good doctor you must be patient, caring and kind. Teacher's work requires love for children, profound knowledge of subjects, and the ability to explain. A secretary has to be efficient and careful in order to do her work quickly and accurately. Salespeople need to be friendly and persuasive, to get people buy their products.

There are so many people who influence us in choosing our occupation. Parents and friends play a very important role in our choices.

My father works for an international company as a managing director. It is a highly paid job and it offers a lot of opportunities. You can travel abroad and meet different people. My father is a friendly person and he is easy to talk to. He thinks that I must choose my future profession according to my taste and preferences. I respect him and I want to become a businessman, too.

I have always been interested in economics and I am good at Maths. I have an aptitude for working with people, and I think I'm rather communicative and have good social skills. I have good analytical abilities and I am good at problem-solving. Besides, I am good at English. English has become the standard language for all kinds of international business communications. To know English today is absolutely necessary for every businessman. To become a successful businessman you should know a lot. So after finishing school I want to enter the university and to study marketing or management. Management deals mainly with people. A manager is a person who directly supervises people in an organization. Managers spend a great deal of time communicating, coordinating and making decisions affecting the daily operations of their organization. Almost everything, a manager does, involves decisions, and in decision-making there is always uncertainty and risk. So managing is a very interesting, but difficult, job.

Marketing deals with market research and commercial activity in general. It involves analyzing business situations, evaluating market opportunities, developing market strategies and controlling their implementation. It is important for a specialist in marketing to be flexible and prepared to make adjustments where necessary, as it is unlikely that any marketing plan will succeed exactly as planned.

I haven't decided yet what to study. But I still have time to think and to choose.

Ex 1. Read and guess what the underlined words mean. Look these words up to make sure you have guessed "">My sister grew up in the countryside.

Tom works as a carpenter. He repairs things that are made of wood.

A butcher is a person whose job is to sell meat and sometimes also to kill animals for meat.

Bob makes bread and cakes. He is a baker.

After school I have a choice to enter the university or to work.

The rainbow appears in the sky when rain and sun come together.

Television influences on people.

A lifeguard is a person who saves people's lives.

The republic of Brazil became independent from Portugal in 1822.

Either today or tomorrow is fine for me. Do you have a preference?

Ex 2: Read the words, look them up and then study the word combinations and sentences to know how to use them:

1. To earn (v): to earn money, to earn 400 dollars a week, to earn one's living. To earn means to get money for doing work. Working at school she earned 800 pounds a month.

2. Suitable (adj): a suitable flat, to be suitable for something. Do you think she is suitable for living there? Such flats are not suitable for large families.

3. Low-paid (adj): A worker, a doctor or an engineer are low-paid jobs.

4. A trait (n): a particular quality in someone's character (character/personality traits).

5. Patient (adj): someone who is patient is able to wait for a long time. A teacher should be very patient.

6. Persuasive (adj): good at making people agree to do or believe what you want (a persuasive argument, case).

7. To evaluate (v): to evaluate a picture, a work, a beauty. Our study is always evaluated.

8. An adjustment (n): a change in something that makes it better, more accurate, or more effective. We'll see how this schedule works; then we'll make adjustments as necessary.

Ex 3: Think and answer the questions with the help of the text:

1. What types of jobs were popular earlier?

2. What factors we should consider when we choose a future career?

3. What jobs are considered to be highly paid and low-paid?

4. Should a job suit your interest or not? Explain why.

5. What jobs are considered to be suitable for men? And for women?

6. How do you think what traits of character a manager must have?

7. Who influences us in choosing our occupation? Did your parents influence on your choice to be a manager?

8. Where does the narrator's father work? What opportunities can this work offer?

9. Who is a manager? What he does?

10. What is marketing? What problems does it involve?

Ex 4. Look through the text and complete the sentences:

1. Finishing school is the beginning of…

2. You should also decide…

3. It goes without saying…

4. Teacher's work requires love for children,…

5. He thinks that I must choose…

6. I have an aptitude for working with people,...

7. Management deals…

8. Almost everything, a manager does,…

9. Marketing deals…

10. It is important for a specialist in marketing…

Ex 5. Say: "True" or "False":

1. When you finish school you should think about your future career.

2. Centuries ago there were a lot of different professions and jobs.

3. A doctor, a worker, an engineer are highly-paid jobs.

4. Parents and friends influence on our choices.

5. If you are a secretary you have to be efficient and careful.

6. German has become the standard language for all kinds of international business communications.

7. A good teacher should be flexible and prepared to make adjustments where it is necessary.

Ex 6. Give English equivalents for the following words and word combinations:

начало самостоятельной жизни

выпускник школы

техникум

мясник

плотник

не удивительно

сделать правильный выбор

подготовка (обучение)

принимать во внимание

условие

удовлетворение от

соответствовать интересам

няня

черты характера

само собой разумеется

терпеливый

глубокие знания предмета

умелый (подготовленный)

убедительный

влиять на

предоставлять различные возможности

выбирать профессию в соответствии вкусам и предпочтениям

я умею решать проблемы

иметь дело с

контролировать (заведовать)

принимать решение

выполнение (осуществление)