DAVID_CRYSTAL
.docx4. Choose the right interpretation of the underlined job-related idioms and phrasal verbs. Come up with their Russian equivalents.
1) ‘My co-workers don’t pull their weight (c. to do your fair portion of work – выполнять свою часть работы, справляться со своими обязанностями (вытягивать), and I’m always picking up the slack (b. to do extra work because other people are not doing their part – продолжить кем-то ранее начатую работу, дорабатывать за кого-либо, доделывать что-то за кого-либо, спасти положение, прийти на выручку, восполнить нехватку).
2) I can’t stand the office politics (using gossip and manipulation to gain one’s advantage – офисные интриги). It seems like buttering up to the people (b. to say or do nice things to people because you want to get their ‘good side’ – умасливать людей, подлизываться, подхалимничать, полебезить, выслуживаться) who call the shots (a. to have influence/power – заправлять, командовать, диктовать условия, отдавать приказы) is the only way to move up the ranks (b. to climb career steps – продвинуться по службе/карьерной лестнице).
3) My boss loves to micromanage (c. to control every single detail of somebody someone’s work – контролировать каждый шаг) and I can’t do my best work when she’s constantly breathing down my neck (b. to watch somebody standing right behind them, which makes them feel uncomfortable – стоять над душой, дышать в затылок, пристально наблюдать).
4) The job itself is rewarding, but the salary and benefits leave a lot to be desired (b. it is not as good as you expected it to be – оставляет желать лучшего).
5) I feel like I’m spread too thin (b. trying to do too many things at the same time – разрываться, лезть из кожи вон, пытаться объять необъятное, перерабатывать, делать несколько дел сразу), but every time I wrap up (c. to finish – завершать, заканчивать) one project, I’m given two more – which, of course, need to be done yesterday (a. very urgently – в срочном порядке).
3. Use the link below and watch David Crystal describing the challenges of a teaching profession. Before you watch the video, discuss the questions with your fellow students.
Would you like to enter a teaching job?
It’s difficult to decide, really.
What are the rewards and challenges of a teaching profession?
Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, The Emperor’s Club, Lessons of French
Watch the video and list the challenges the linguist mentions. Discuss each challenge separately. To what extent do you agree that this or that point is really challenging? What challenges could you easily cope with? What other challenges might teaching pose?
The biggest challenge is to keep pace with language change. It’s changing for two reasons:
the Internet is fostering new varieties and experiences faster than ever before (to post a new word on Facebook – to create a new word – take a generation for everyone to learn this word)
the globalization of English (the only language you teach your students is British English and RP (only 2 per cent), but worldwide the vast majority of people speak different accents and dialects. But you retain this respect for the language. One accent you know. Improve their reading, comprehensive and listening skills.
1) Teachers have another language as they are older and might not know new words, not speak the language of their students – new slang, new words, new expressions.
2) Point the differences to make students ready for Indian, Nigerian English.
3) Examining students should be more conservative.
4) No aspect of human behaviour is harder than language.
5) Teachers’ salaries should be increased four times or even more.
6) Job is becoming easier.
5. Listen to Neil and Rob discussing what a CV is and how important it is for a jobseeker. While listening, fill in the gaps in the sentences below with their exact words:
1) CV is short for curriculum vitae – that's a Latin expression we use for the document in which people list their work history, education, interests and abilities.
2) It's a challenge to prove on a piece of paper or online document that you're really better than the other people who are competing for the same position.
3) According to a recent survey, managers decide quite quickly if they're going to really consider giving a candidate a job or not. So, when you go for a job interview how long do you have, on average, to make a good enough impression for an employer to hire you?
4) People have done all sorts of unusual things to reach the interview level. One of them is Briton Daniel Conway, who went from posing shirtless in the street with the phrase "employ me" written on his chest to uploading a video on social media asking to be hired.
5) I just thought as a young naive kid that I would kind of walk into a job, but the truth is, you know, there are a lot of good people out there who got just as great skills and I realised at that point that you've got to stand out and get your strengths across.
6) He was bold and courageous in his attempts to catch potential employer’s attention.
7) If you are not confident about your skills and abilities, then why should an employer have faith in you? So, don't be modest. This is your opportunity to really show your skills and experience and what a great performer you're gonna be in the job.
8) I've got some top tips for people writing their CV.
9) You have to be concise – it means brief, give the information in a few words. Maybe you could write a brief profile at the top and keep the CV to just two pages.
10) We wish everybody success when writing and sending out their CV, and we hope they are called for a job interview, in which they have a very short period of time to leave a good impression.