Final сheck

1. Look at the words and expressions in the box, and answer questions 1 – 14. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

Adverse working conditions, applicant, application form, be laid off, blue-collar worker, boss, candidate, commission, demanding, dismiss, dismissal, downsize, employee, employer, fire, fixed income, flexible working hours, freelance, full time, hire, homeworker, incentives, incentive scheme, income, increment, interview, interviewee, interviewer, job satisfaction, job security, manager, manual worker, manufacturing industry, (on) leave, overtime, part-time, pension, pension contributions, perks, profession, promotion, raise, recruitment drive, repetitive strain injury (RSI), resign, retire, rewards and benefits, salary, self-employed, semi-skilled, service industry, sick building syndrome, sickness benefit, skilled, a steady job, stress, supervisor, unemployed, unemployment, union, unskilled, unsociable hours, wage, (on) welfare, white-collar worker, workaholic.

1. Replace the word in bold in this sentence with another word from the box which has a similar meaning: “A lot of people wanted the job, but she was the best candidate”.

2. What is the difference between a wage and a salary?

3. Complete this sentence: _____________ is a painful condition of the muscles in the hands and the arms caused by doing the same movement many times (for example, using a computer over a long period of time).

4. Replace the word in bold in this sentence with another word from the box which has a similar, but less formal, meaning (you will need to change the form of the word): “When he was caught stealing from the company, he was instantly dismissed”.

5. Complete this sentence: The word raise in the box is similar in meaning to _____________ (which is also in the box).

6. What is the difference between a blue-collar worker and a white-collar worker?

7. True or false?: When a company downsizes its work force, this means that it pays its workers less than before.

8. Complete this sentence: _____________ are extra payments or benefits that you get in your job (for example, free meals, health insurance, company car, etc.).

9. What do you think sick building syndrome is?

10. Complete this sentence: If you have _____________, you have work which is reliable and will last for a long time.

11. True or false?: retire and resign have the same meaning.

12. Complete this sentence: Banks, hospitals, and hotels are examples of _____________.

13. Would you be happy if you had adverse working conditions?

14. Complete this sentence: A person who is _____________ is not permanently employed by one company, but sells their services to more than one company.

2. Complete this essay with appropriate words and expressions from the box in Exercise 1. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

“Some people live to work and others work to live. In most cases, this depends on the job they have and the conditions under which they are employed. In your opinion, what are the elements that make a job worthwhile?”

In answering this question, I would like to look first at the elements that combine to make a job undesirable.

By avoiding such factors, potential (1) _____________ are more likely to find a job that is more worthwhile, and by doing so, hope to achieve happiness in their work.

First of all, it doesn't matter if you are an (2) _____________ worker cleaning the floor, a (3) _____________ (4) _____________ worker on a production line in one of the (5) _____________, or a (6) _____________ worker in a bank, store, or one of the other (7) _____________: if you lack (8) _____________, with the knowledge that you might lose your job at any time, you will never feel happy. Everybody would like a (9) _____________ in which he or she is guaranteed work. Nowadays, however, companies have a high turnover of staff, (10) _____________ new staff and (11) _____________ others on a weekly basis. Such companies are not popular with their workers.

The same can be said of a job in which you are put under a lot of (12) _____________ and worry, a job which is so (13) _____________ that it takes over your life, a job where you work (14) _____________ and so never get to see your family or friends, or a physical job in which you do the same thing every day and end up with the industrial disease that is always in the papers nowadays – (15) _____________.

With all these negative factors, it would be difficult to believe that there are any elements that make a job worthwhile. Money is, of course, the prime motivator, and everybody wants a good (16) _____________. But of course that is not all. The chance of (17) _____________, of being given a better position in a company, is a motivating factor. Likewise, (18) _____________ such as a free lunch or a company car, an (19) _____________ plan to make you work hard such as a regular (20) _____________ above the rate of inflation, (21) _____________ in case you fall ill and a company (22) _____________ plan so that you have some money when you retire all combine to make a job worthwhile.

Unfortunately, it is not always easy to find all of these. There is, however, an alternative. Forget the office and the factory floor and become (23) _____________ and work for yourself. Your future may not be secure, but at least you will be happy.