Module 1.

The World of Jobs

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Lead in

Speak out
1. Describe the working environments in the pictures.
2. What are advantages and disadvantages of working in each place?
3. Describe your ideal work place.

Task 1. Read the questions and check the meaning of the words in bold.

1. Do your parents have 9 to 5 job or they work flexitime?

2. Do students take a gap year before going to University when they finish school?
3. Do your parents often work overtime?
4. Is their job rewarding? What are its challenges?
5. Are there many unemployed people in your country?
6. Would you like to work for a company or be self-employed? Why?
7. Do you have any work experience?
8. What qualifications do you need for your future job?
9. What age do people retire in your country?
1. 9 to 5 job - Refers to a typical full-time job that typically runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., often in an office
setting, with regular hours and a fixed schedule.
2. Gap year - A year-long break or interruption, usually taken by students after graduating from high
school before starting college or university, to travel, work, volunteer, or gain life experiences.
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3. Overtime - Refers to the hours worked beyond the regular working hours specified in a contract or
standard working schedule. This time typically carries additional pay or compensation.
4. Rewarding - In the context of a job, it means providing satisfaction, fulfillment, or a sense of
accomplishment. It might also include benefits or positive outcomes that make the job worthwhile.
Challenges refer to the difficulties or obstacles encountered while performing a task or job.
5. Unemployed - Describes individuals who are without a job and are actively seeking employment.
6. Self-employed - Refers to individuals who work for themselves rather than being employed by
someone else or a company. They are responsible for managing their own business or work activities.
7. Work experience - Refers to any practical or hands-on experience gained through employment,
internships, volunteer work, or other activities related to a particular field or industry.
8. Qualifications - Refers to the skills, knowledge, education, certifications, or
experience required for a particular job or occupation.
9. Retire - Refers to the act of leaving one's job or ceasing to work, typically after
reaching a certain age or meeting specific requirements, such as eligibility for pension benefits or social
security.

 Work in pairs. Ask and answer the questions.

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Part A Work-Life Balance
Task 2. a) Look at the picture story and match sentences with each picture.

a He was satisfied with his job because he had a good salary and could use company car. 5
b He found a vacancy in a food company and applied for a job there. 3
c He was dismissed and was unemployed again. 8
d After five months he was promoted to the position of manager. 6
e Mike was unemployed and was looking for a job. 1
f He had to do hard and work overtime. 4
g But then he had an argument with his boss. 7
h He had an interview and got the job. 2

b) Reproduce the story looking at the pictures.

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 Task 3. Read the text.

Are you happy with your work-life balance?

Although majority of people say that they
work “for the money”, salary isn’t actually the
only thing that they think about. Recently, re-
search has shown that people consider many
different factors to be of importance when
they make their career choice. A worldwide
survey of students showed that after
graduation they would be looking for jobs
that allowed them to balance their personal
lives with their work lives, so it’s not always
a full-time job. They are ambitious and
optimistic about their career prospects, and
look at their working future in a different way
to their parents.
For example, Katsuro works as a shop as-
sistant in one of big supermarkets in Japan.
He says: I work part-time and I am fully
satisfied
with my life. I’ve chosen a lifestyle that gives me enough money and quite a lot of free time.
But my father, on the other hand, works more than 70 hours a week for a car company.
Sometimes he has to work night shifts. I think, it’s madness. Lots of Japanese people do
overtime. There’s an expression in Japanese, karoshi, which means “to die because you
work too hard”. A lot of people in Japan get ill or die because they work too much. I
think my generation is different. We don’t want our lives to be ruled by work. I work a few
hours a day and get good wages. I spend the rest of my time seeing my friends and playing
baseball.
It’s not just the younger generation who think like this either. There has been an
increase in the number of middle-aged employees who are moving away from highly-paid
executive positions into less stressful jobs.
David is a project manager for a big software company in the USA. He says: Work
con- ditions in our company are great. Our office is in a park zone; there’s no dress
code. Also there’s a canteen and a gym. So the staff don’t have to worry about their
lunch and can regularly keep fit. But personally I’m not satisfied with my work-life
balance at all. I work overtime – at least 50 or 60 hours a week. So I don’t have much
time for myself or to see my children. I communicate with my wife by leaving messages
on the fridge. We almost don’t see each other because we work different hours. Our
work gets extremely stressful when we have deadlines – sometimes I and my team even
skip our lunch. A few weeks ago I missed my son’s birthday because it was another
project deadline. I earn а lot of money but I don’t have enough time for my private life.
Is it worth it? I want to live for myself not when I retire but now.

Task 4. Answer the following questions.

1. Why not many young people want to have a full-time job?

Because it takes too much time, which makes it impossible to enjoy life

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2. What does the Japanese phrase ‘karoshi’ mean?
to die because you work too hard
3. What is the difference between young and old generation in Japan, according to
Katsuro? The fact that the young generation maintains a balance between work
and personal life is completely safe

4. What are the working conditions in David’s company?

David has good conditions in the company, but his schedule is quite busy, which is why he is

considering quitting this job

5. Is David satisfied with his work-life balance? Why?
Not satisfied because the work takes too much time
6. How does David’s work harm his family life?
he has no time for his family, which is why he once missed his birthday
7. Which of the two situations is more typical for your country?
the situation in our country is similar to how the older generation works in Japan
8. Would you prefer a part-time or a full-time job?
Rather not full-time employment

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