62. Work CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR FCE

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR FCE

62. Work

Task 1. VERBS Read the text in the box below and match the words in bold with their definitions underneath. Use your dictionary to check your answers.

Brian James left University and decided to apply for a job which he saw advertised in the paper. He filled in the application forms and, a few weeks later, was asked to attend an interview. He was offered the job that same day. As he lived in a small town outside the city, he had to commute every day. He was good at his job and very soon was promoted. However, the company he worked for was having problems. Two people were dismissed for stealing and two of their friends resigned in sympathy, the directors decided to lay off five more because the company couldn't afford to keep them, and the managing director decided to retire early. The atmosphere was so bad that Brian eventually decided to hand in his notice.

1	to give up a job.
2	to ask for a job, usually by writing a letter.
3	to be removed from a job, usually because you have done something bad.
4	same as 1.
5	to stop work and take a pension, usually when you are in late middle age.
6	to write in the empty spaces on a form.
7	to be given a better job in the organization you work for.
8	to be questioned by one or more people when you are applying for a job so that they can decide if you are suitable for that job.
9	to travel to work from home each day, usually from one town to another.
10	to be dismissed from your job for a time until more work is available.

Task 2. NOUNS Read the text which follows and fill in the gaps with an appropriate word from the box below. Use your dictionary to help you. In some cases, more than one answer is possible.

commission	prospects	candidates	references	manager	salary
promotion	applicants	increment	vacancy	employee	perks
qualifications	shortlist	pension	salesman

A computer company had a (1)__________ for position of (2)__________, and decided to advertise for anew (3)__________. A lot of (4)__________ with good (5)__________ and (6)__________ applied for the job, and after all the interviews had finished, the directors made a (7)__________ of the best (8)__________, then invited them to come back for another interview. The person who eventually got the job was very happy. After all, he would receive an annual (9)__________ of £25,000, with a 5% (10)__________ twice a year, a 15% (11) __________ for each computer he managed to sell, excellent (12)__________ such as private health insurance and a company car, a company (13)__________ to make sure he would be well-off when he retired, and the chance of (14)__________ from salesman to sales (15)__________ if he was successful. All in all, his future (16)__________ looked very good.

Task 3. IDIOMS, COLLOQUIALISMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS Match the sentences on the left with an appropriate sentence on the right. The sentences on the right include an idiom or colloquialism connected with work in bold. Use your dictionary to help you.

1. My brother is a manual worker in a factory. 2. My cousin is a secretary in an office. 3. I need to do some more hours at work so that I can make more money. 4. The train drivers are refusing to work. 5. I work from 10.00pm to 6.00am. 6. I work for a very small amount of money. 7. Jo is unemployed and receiving unemployment benefit. 8. Jim applied to his boss for more money. 9. Our boss makes his staff work too hard. 10. Bob works too hard. Yesterday, he started at 7.30 in the morning and didn't finish until almost midnight! 11. Our company director was given a large sum of money when he retired before the end of his contract. 12. Sarah has great potential and ambition. 13. My boss made a mistake and made me take responsibility for it. 14. Our company is still working in the usual way in spite of difficulties. 15. Steve has an unusual job; he looks for top managers and offers them jobs in other companies. 16. Have you heard? John has been dismissed for coming late all the time.

(A) She's always been a high-flyer. (B) He put in for a rise. (C) Like me, he's a blue collar worker. (D) He's such a slave driver! (E) I'm glad to say it’s business as usual. (F) Of course, I get paid more for working the night shift. (G) If he continues like that, he'll burn himself out. (H) I really hate working for peanuts. (I) I think I'll ask if I can work overtime. (J) They've decided to come out on strike. (K) I hate it when I have to carry the can for someone else. (L) I wish I could get a golden handshake like that! (M) Like me, he's a white collar worker. (N) I always knew he'd get fired one day. (O) He's a headhunter. (P) There's nothing worse than being on the dole.

ANSWER KEY