What piece of advice does Margaret give to her friend?

Peter: Hi, Margaret. Congratulations on your new job!

Margaret: Thanks, Peter. To tell you the truth, I’m not so sure I like it.

Peter: Oh, come on. Don’t complain. You’re making a good salary now. Last year you didn’t make anything.

Margaret: Right. Now, I’ve got money, a nice apartment and a car. But I haven’t got any time to enjoy it all. It’s just work, work and work. I work hard all day, every day.

Peter: It can’t be all that bad. You can still go to parties, and you can stay up late.

Margaret: Right, but then I’m tired at work.

Peter: I think you are too serious about everything.

Margaret: That’s easy for you to say. Anyway, what are you doing here?

Peter: Oh, I’m shopping for a new suit. I want to make the best impression possible at my job interviews!

Margaret: Are you looking for a new job?

Peter: Yes, I am. And I’m not doing very well, actually. I can’t seem to find a job. Unfortunately, I’ve only had two interviews so far.

Margaret: How about going to some of those networking groups? They’re groups of people who are also looking for work. They help each other discover new opportunities.

Peter: That sounds great! I’ll definitely try some of them.

Margaret: I’m glad to hear that. I’m sure things will look up for you soon. Peter: Yes, you’re probably right. I hope so!

 

Why was the first speaker surprised?

When did the second speaker ask the girl out?

Why did the third speaker think that the girl was awful when they first met?

Speaker 1: The first time I saw Terry was at a local dance when I was 17. Oh, he

was so handsome in those days! I remember I was standing with my best friend Vera Mills and Terry walked towards us. Well, I thought he was going to ask Vera to dance — she was the type that men would cross a dance floor for. I was so surprised when he asked me instead. We dated for two years but Terry was quite shy really, so I was the one who asked him to marry me. Thank goodness he said “Yes” or I don’t know what I would have done.

Speaker 2: Cathy and I grew up in the same neighbourhood in Birmingham, but we didn’t actually meet until we were teenagers. Funny really, living so close all that time. We met in a lift at the Town Hall. I was only going to the first floor, but I stayed with her all the way to the sixth just to talk to her. We went out that night and I asked her to marry me a month later.

Speaker 3: I thought Amy was awful the first time we met. She was introduced to me by a friend. Tim Green was his name. Anyway, she practically ignored me and she spent all night chatting and laughing with Tim. I met up with her again a few months later at a charity dinner and we got on a lot better that time. We got married on St. Valentine’s Day.

 

What does the first speaker complain about?

How has the lifestyle of the second speaker changed?

What does the third speaker think about his way of life and the typical Japanese work-life balance?

Speaker 1: l am not happy with my work-life balance at all. I work at least 50—60 hours a week so I don’t have any time at all for myself to enjoy hobbies or to see my children and spend quality time with them. I communicate with my wife leaving messages on the fridge. We hardly ever see each other because we work different hours. Also, I eat very badly because my working lunch ‘hour’ is only 10 minutes and it is not enough to have a proper meal. OK, I earn a lot but I have no free time.

Speaker 2: I didn’t use to have much time for anything because I worked too much: 40—45 hours a week. Now I am working 30 hours a week. I feel much happier. I play tennis twice a week and have long weekends. I think if you have time to enjoy your personal life you work much better and your productivity is much higher.

Speaker 3: Yes, I am happy because I’ve chosen a lifestyle that I like and that gives me a lot of freedom. But my father, on the other hand, works 70 hours a week for a car company in Japan, which I think is madness. There’s an expression in Japanese ‘karoshi’ which means dying because you work too hard. A lot of people in Japan get ill and die because they work too much. I don’t want my life to be ruled by work. I want to have time for myself.

 

What country does the first speaker like most?

What makes Italy a favourite place for the second speaker?

Why does the third speaker like Argentina?

Speaker 1: What’s my favourite place? Well, that’s a really difficult question! So many countries are fantastic in different ways. I enjoyed my visits to Spain and Germany. But I think China is my favourite country and it is a very interesting place — such a mixture!

Speaker 2: My favourite country is Italy It’s got the most wonderful mountains, coasts, beaches and lakes. Its towns are fabulous — everywhere has lots of history and, of course, there are delicious things to eat. The people are so lively and friendly, too. I love it. Unfortunately, though, some of the towns are very big with lots of factories, as Italy makes things like cars, shoes and canned food products. Those towns aren’t much fun to visit.

Speaker 3: Visit Argentina if you get a chance. That’s my favourite country and you’ll just love it, too. Everyone says that Argentinians are really friendly, and it’s true! Of course, there is fantastic music and dancing as well, especially the tango. The country itself is wonderful if you love the great outdoors — huge prairies*, mountain ranges, waterfalls and in the south, glaciers*. My favourite food was the beef. I’ve never eaten such good beef before. It’s just so fresh and natural. It has a different taste to beef in other countries.