大城市小世界 Series 1 Episode 2 - Job offer

 　　Introduction

　　This support pack accompanies the audio soap opera 'Big City Small World'.

　　This support pack contains the following materials:

　　 a pre-listening vocabulary activity;

　　the transcript¹ of the episode²;

　　two comprehension activities;

　　two language activities

　　Before you listen

　　Exercise 01

　　In the table are 8 words from the programme. Below are synonyms³ of these words. Can you match them?

　　a. break

　　b. company

　　c. expert

　　d. handmade

　　e. last

　　f. mate

　　g. offer

　　h. supply

　　1. friend

　　2. virtuoso⁴

　　3. business

　　4. proposition⁵

　　5. rest

　　6. homemade

　　7. provide

　　8. latest

　　Transcript

　　Harry⁶:  So how are things going, mate?

　　Johnny:  Good.  Things are good.  I’m really enjoying my job...lots of work, but I’ll be rich in three years!

　　Harry:  You work all the time.  I don’t know how you manage it.  You should take a break some time, come and play football with me!

　　Johnny:  Too busy, mate, too busy.  Venture capital –it’s so exciting right now.  All the opportunities opening up in China.  And I’m here to make the most of it!  You should think about changing your job, Harry – get a piece of the action!

　　Harry:  You’re right...I’m always thinking about changing jobs...but I only know about computers, nothing else.

　　Johnny:  There are lots of computer experts around.  You need to specialise!

　　Harry:  Perhaps you’re right, but I really like my job.

　　Johnny:  Is the money good?

　　Harry: Not bad...

　　Johnny:  But not good?

　　Harry:  Well, I could find a job that pays more, but I would enjoy it less...

　　Johnny:  You could come and work for our company!

　　Harry:  Hmmm..is that an offer?

　　Johnny:  Yes...I’m serious!  Listen, I’ll have a word with the human resources people tomorrow.  I know there are some vacancies⁷ at the moment in the IT team...you’d easily get it.  Have to go now, see you soon.

　　Harry:  Yeah, cheers, see you mate.

　　Olivia:  Hi there!  You on your own?

　　Harry:  Yeah, Johnny’s just gone off to work...

　　Olivia:  As always.  Never stops, that boy.

　　Harry:  Talking of which, what are you doing here.  Shouldn’t you be in the shop?

　　Olivia:  I’m just taking a break.  I’m fed up of standing⁸ in that shop selling shoes all day, to tell you the truth.

　　Harry:  They’re very nice shoes, though.

　　Olivia:  All hand made, of course.  But, like I say, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life running that shop.

　　Harry:  You could sell your shoes on the web.

　　Olivia:  That’s right!  I’ve thought about that already...

　　Harry:  Have you got anybody to set up a website for you?

　　Olivia:  No…but I did think...I was wondering...I don’t suppose....

　　Harry:  What?

　　Olivia:  ...that you’d be interested?

　　Harry:  Me?  Do your website for you?

　　Olivia:  Well, yeah...I’d like someone I know...someone I can trust...

　　Harry:  Well, I guess I could do it, sure...I’ll have to think...

　　Olivia:  Hi Fadi!  How are you doing?  Do you know my friend Harry?

　　Fadi:  No...nice to meet you!

　　Harry:  Yeah...you too...cheers.

　　Olivia:  Fadi works in the restaurant business, don’t you Fadi?

　　Fadi:  Well, sort of, not exactly...we supply food to lots of restaurants, but...I tell you..it’s a nightmare⁹ at the moment...

　　Olivia:  Oh dear.  What’s the problem?

　　Fadi:  Well, there’s just too much work really...can’t keep up.  It’s my dad’s business, but he’s getting old now.  My uncle works with us too, but he’s not really interested, so it’s all up to me...I can’t keep track of what’s coming in and going out...

　　Harry:  Sounds like you need a better stock management system!

　　Fadi: Yeah!  That’s exactly what I was thinking – how did you know that?

　　Harry:  That’s my job, innit?  I set up computerised stock management systems, all kinds of business IT solutions...

　　Fadi:  Wow!  That’s brilliant!  Listen...seriously now...would you be interested in some work?

　　Harry:  Erm...well..yeah!....  That’s three job offers in the last five minutes!  What should I do?

　　After listening

　　Exercise 02

　　Choose which of the word(s) in bold is correct in each sentence, based on the information from the programme.

　　1. Harry / Johnny plays football.

　　2. Harry likes / doesn’t like his job.

　　3. There are vacancies for computer / human resource experts in Johnny’s company.

　　4. Olivia sells cheap / expensive shoes.

　　5. Fadi prepares / sells food.

　　6. Fadi’s uncle / father owns the business.

　　Exercise 03

　　Fill the gaps in the sentences with one of the words from the table.

　　a. alone

　　b. exclusive¹⁰

　　c. job

　　d. online

　　e. solutions

　　f. workaholic

　　1. Johnny is a ..........................

　　2. Olivia’s shoes are ..........................

　　3. Harry has had three ......................... offers.

　　4. Harry is ......................... in the café when Olivia arrives.

　　5. Olivia has thought about selling shoes ..........................

　　6. Harry finds ......................... for companies with computer problems.

　　Exercise 04

　　Match the words and phrases in the table with the verbs below to make common verb collocations.

　　a. a break

　　b. a job

　　c. a shop or a business

　　d. a website

　　e. football

　　f. more

　　g. the most of something

　　h. the truth

　　1. find

　　2. make

　　3. pay

　　4. play

　　5. run

　　6. set up

　　7. take

　　8. tell

　　Exercise 05

　　Choose the correct option; a, b or c.

　　1. You should ......................... a break.

　　a. take

　　b. to take

　　c. taking

　　2. I’m here to make ......................... of it!

　　a. most

　　b. the most

　　c. more

　　3. I only know ......................... computers.

　　a. of

　　b. about

　　c. at

　　4. There are ......................... vacancies.

　　a. any

　　b. a lot

　　c. some

　　5. I’m fed up with ......................... in that shop.

　　a. to stand

　　b. stand

　　c. standing

　　6. I ......................... about that already!

　　a. ‘ve thought

　　b. thought

　　c. did think

　　7. ......................... too much work.

　　a. There is

　　b. There are

　　c. There

　　8. Would you be interested ......................... some work?

　　a. on

　　b. by

　　c. in

　　Answers

　　Exercise 01

　　1. f; 2. c; 3. b; 4. g; 5. a; 6. d; 7. h; 8. e

　　Exercise 02

　　1. Harry; 2. likes; 3. computer; 4. expensive; 5. sells; 6. father

　　Exercise 03

　　1. f; 2. b; 3. c; 4. a; 5. d; 6. e

　　Exercise 04

　　1. b; 2. g; 3. f; 4. e; 5. c; 6. d; 7. a; 8. h

　　Exercise 05

　　1. a; 2. b; 3. b; 4. c; 5. c; 6. a; 7. a; 8. c

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 episode   

n.（作品的一段）情节，插曲，系列事件中之一

参考例句：

• The episode was a huge embarrassment for all concerned.这段小插曲令所有有关人员都感到非常尴尬。
• This episode remains sharply engraved on my mind.这段经历至今仍深深地铭刻在我的心中。

3 synonyms   

同义词( synonym的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• If you want to grasp English, you must carefully discriminate synonyms. 如果你想掌握好英语，你必须仔细区分同义词。
• Study the idioms and synonyms l wrote down before your test. 学考试前我给你写的习惯用语和同义字。

4 virtuoso   

n.精于某种艺术或乐器的专家，行家里手

参考例句：

• He was gaining a reputation as a remarkable virtuoso.作为一位技艺非凡的大师，他声誉日隆。
• His father was a virtuoso horn player who belonged to the court orchestra.他的父亲是宫廷乐队中一个技巧精湛的圆号演奏家。

5 proposition   

n.建议，命题，主张；vt.向...提议，向...调情

参考例句：

• The two teams prepared to debate the given proposition.两个队准备就所给定的命题展开辩论。
• It is clearly illogical to maintain such a proposition.坚持这种主张显然是没有道理的。

6 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

7 vacancies   

n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺

参考例句：

• job vacancies 职位空缺
• The sign outside the motel said \"No Vacancies\". 汽车旅馆外的招牌显示“客满”。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 nightmare   

n.恶梦，可怕的事物，无法摆脱的恐惧

参考例句：

• I was glad to awake from such a nightmare.我庆幸终于从噩梦中醒来了。
• I had a nightmare last nightand,lost sleep.昨夜我作了个恶梦，失眠了。

10 exclusive   

adj.不包括的，不算在内的，独有的，独享的

参考例句：

• The hotel charges 6 pounds a day,exclusive of meals.这家旅馆一天收六英镑，不包括饭钱。
• This bathroom is for the President's exclusive use.这间浴室是总统专用的。