Today we are going to do an exercise based on a Times article about “job seekers”. Just the opposite of what the protagonists of this song does.

You must choose which of the paragraphs A-G match the numbered gaps in the extract from a newspaper article (From the Times). There is a one extra paragraph which does not belong to any of the gaps.

Job hunters are abandoning the suit and dressing in outrageous clothes in order to stand out from the other candidates.

1______________________________

Another candidate, determined to show the prospective employer how desperately he needed the job had large holes in his shoes.

2______________________________

“Examples of odd interview attire offered by managers taking part in a survey we conducted varied from the merely inappropriate to the provocative, and even revolting: earrings, pony tails, shorts, bright yellow suits and pink corduroys were listed. And that was just for men.”

3______________________________

In a slightly different approach, another man tried to unsettle the interviewer by refusing to take off his overcoat although it was a sweltering hot day and the interview room was warm.

4______________________________

One woman showed how much she felt at home in the office by finishing off her interview attire with a rather delightful pair of gold slippers. Laddered tights, loud and revolting ties, sunglasses and tattoos were cited as pet hates on the interview circuit.

5______________________________

‘In creative environments such as advertising, people can get away with more unconventional dress than within, say, accountancy,” he explained.

6_____________________________

‘You are likely to score more points in that crucial time by looking smart and professional rather than by trying to stand out from the crowd with a style of dress that may be alien and ridiculous to the interviewer.’

A)

Mr Grout said: ‘To increase your chances of getting a job at the interview stage, you need to play the interview game and ensure that you are appropriately dressed for the profession and the position.

B)

Jeff Grout, Managing Director of Robert Hall, the financial recruitment specialist, said: ‘Many interview candidates are abandoning the conservative suit and sensible shoes for a look that is bound to get them noticed – but for the wrong reasons.

C)

While the men tended to be unconventional or just plain scruffy, the women dressed to kill.

D)

Another female candidate, who was extremely thin, managed to turn up in a suit which she had apparently borrowed from a friend several sizes larger.

E)

‘However, as the decision to hire is made within the first five minutes of the meeting, possibly before the candidate has spoken, dress and personal presentation are the key to the decision-making process.

F)

One young hopeful sped into the interview room on a skateboard.

G)

Other male candidates made their mark at important interviews by turning up in a boiler suit, baseball boots or different colour socks.

Vocabulary

Outrageous:  extravagant (ES:  escandaloso, vergonzoso, atroz)

ill-suited: not suitable; inappropriate (ES: inapropiado, mal vestidos)

Attire: clothes (ES: vestimenta, atuendo)

Revolting: repulsive, disgusting (ES: horrible, asqueroso, repugnante)

Corduroys : type of cotton fabric (ES: de pana)

To stand out: to be much better than other similar things or people or to be very noticeable (ES: destacar)

Turn up == show up (ES: Aparecer)

Speed into (ES: entrar corriendo)

Unsettle: trouble, make uneasy (ES: desconcertar, inquietar, perturbar)

Skateboard (ES: monopatín)

Scruffy: untidy person (ES: desaliñado)

Ensure (ES:asegurar)

Slippers: (ES: zapatillas de andar por casa)

Finish off : complete, perfect (ES: rematar)

Laddered tights (ES: pantys con carreras)

Pet hates:  something that annoys you a lot (ES: cosas odiosas)

Maths is my pet hates

Swelter:   be uncomfortably hot (ES: hacer un calor sofocante,)

Boiler suit: (Es: mono de trabajo)

Be bound +to + infinitive (ES: muy probable que) == Be certain == Be like + to + infinitive (ES: es probable que)

They are like to buy a new car

She is like to get married next summer

Keys

1) F

2) B

3) G

4) C

5) A

6) E

Fill each of the numbered blanks with one suitble word:

When the Stone of Destiny came back to Scotland, it was the culmination of a 700-year campaign to (1) it returned.
The Stone, which is little (2) than a lump of rock of no great commercial (3) or artistic merit, is of great (4) to the Scottish people, who, according to legend, could never be free while it was still (5) held on foreign soil.

It had originally being stolen by the English King Edward I in 1926. Prior (6) its repatriation, it was kept in Westminster Abbey in London, where it was used during coronations of English monarchs and on other ceremonial (7) but its absence from its (8) home was a continual (9) of grievance to the Scots.

The return of the Stone has once again raised the question of (10) should be done about other national treasures held in museums and private collections abroad. Sometimes the (11) under which an item was (12) make the decision simple; if it was stolen; it should go back. But more often that not the situation is far (13) straightforward. Artistic treasures may have been bought from colonial goverments who had no moral (14) to sell them, or donated by principalities and countries that no (15) exits.

There is also a moral problem here. The Getty museum, with its vast resources, could in all (16) buy the entire artistic heritage of Bangladesh quite legitimely, and (17) this would (18) most reasonable people being questionable. The (19) of every work of art being returned to its country of origin are remote, but nations should have right to house traseures of supreme cultural significance. As the return of the Stone of Destiny shows, this can be achive, but not (20) a struggle.

Vocabulary

Lump: mass (ES: masa)
Straightforward: simple, uncomplicated (ES: simple, claro, directo)
Strike [sb] as [sth] : give the impression (Es: dar la impresión de que algo es)

Anna’s story strikes me as an exaggeration.

Keys

1) get
2) more
3) value
4) importance
5) being
6) to
7) occasions
8) true
9) source
10) what
11) circumstances
12) acquired
13) less
14) rights
15) longer
16) probability
17) yet
18) strike
19) chances
20) without

Complete each sentence with the correct form of “make” or “do”. Make sure you use the correct tense !
01 What do you  for a living? – I’m a dentist
02 He a big mistake when he changed his job
03 You look very tired. Would you like me you a cup of coffee/
04 What have I with handbag? I can’t find it anywhere!
05 I haven’t got a $20 note. Will two $10 notes ?
06 Why does it take them so long decisions?
07 They fun of him whenever he wore his new hat
08 That will , children! You’ve giving me a terrible headache!
09 Why does she such a fuss of him?
10 What have you to this table cloth? It’s got some kind of red liquid all over it!
11 Don’t forget to your hair before you go out
12 Could you me a favour? Please drive me to town
13 This car is very economical. It 40 miles to the gallon
14 He had difficulty his way through the crowd
15 It’s very important to a good impression at this meeting
16 Please sure you’ve switched off all the lights before you leave
17 This room could with a good clean
18 Please sit down and yourself at home
19 Don’t have anything to with him. He can’t be trusted
20 When he was younger, he a fortune selling clothes
21 I think the answer is 2,376. What do you it?
22 how would you like your steak ? – Medium, please
23 He so much noise that he woke her up
24 She wasn’t very happy about without sugar in her coffee
25 The new manager some changes as soon as he arrived
26 it doesn’t matter I your don’t come first as long as you your best
27 I want to a phone call. Have you got any change?
28 How did you in your exame? – Quite well, I think
29 have a nice cup of tea. It will you good
30 Take this medicine. It will you better
31 What time do you it? – Nearly six o’clock
32 Be quite! Don’t a sound!

Keys

1) do (make a living)
2) made
3) make
4) done
5) do
6) to make
7) made
8) do (ES: basta ya)
9) make
10) done
11) do
12) do
13) made
14) making
15) make
16) make
17) do
18) do (ES: no le vendría mal)
19) do
20) made
21) do
22) made
23) made
24) do
25) made
26) do
27) make
28) do
29) do
30) make
31) make
32) make

Read the following passage and choose the correct word to use in each blank.

Sugar was for a long time a luxury and in the opinion of the medical profession it still should be. During the nineteenth century, however, manufacturers discovered (1) of producing it in vast quantities and it has since become (2) of the staple articles of diet, particularly (3) the lower social classes. It has the advantages of (4) comparatively cheap, easily digested, rich (5) energy and useful for flavouring. It’s major (6) are that it lacks every nourishing quality (7) that of giving energy, and (8) of its attractive flavour it (9) to displace other much more valuable foods (10) the diet. Most serious of all is its adverse (11) on health, since excessive consumption can cause heart (12) , obesity and dental decay. The latter is widespread among the inhabitants of western countries. From the very young to the very old, (13) anyone escapes. Yet if parents (14) drastically reduce the (15) confectionery they allow (16) children to eat, the extent of dental decay would soon be checked. And (17) they were to (18) down their own consumption of sugar, they would suffer much (19) from ailments resulting directly or indirectly from their (20) overweight.

Keys

1) ways
2) one
3) for / among
4) being
5) in
6) disadvantages / drawbacks
7) except
8) because
9) tends
10) in / from
11) effects / influences
12) diseases
13) hardly
14) would
15) quantity / amount
16) their
17) if / although
18) cut
19) less
20) being

Vocabulary

staple: basic (ES: básico, esencial)

nourishing: nourishing (ES: nutritivo)

dental decay: (ES: caries)

cut down: reduce (ES: reducir)

almost everybody vs hardly anybody

• faults: Defectos de las personas
• defects: Defectos de las máquinas

were to… : Used for emphasise. (ES: se ha utilizado esta forma para enfatizar)

• If he worked harder, he would get better marks
• If he were to work (de esta manera se enfatiza la imposibilidad, si el trabajara)

• If she didn’t smoke so much she’d be in better conditions
• If she weren’t to smoke …

Inversion:

• Were he to work harder he would get better marks. (En esta inversión desaparece el if)
• Weren’t she smoke so much she’d be in better conditions

Both, the emphasize improbability

Se usa “were to” para todas las personas, y solo vale para la 2da condicional.

20)

She insists on me coming (more formal, She insists on my coming)

She is used to her working (more formal, She is used to her working)

I object to them smoking (more formal, I object to their smoking)

The Hitchhiker

It was a very wet and windy day and David Williams was (0) soaked to the skin (1) he stood at the side of the road (2) to hitch a lift. (3) far, only four cars had (4) along and each one had gone past (5) stopping . David was beginning to wonder if anyone (6) stop for him when a lorry suddenly (7) up and the driver told him to hop on the back as there wasn’t (8) in the cab. David accepted gladly and quickly climbed aboard.
To his (9) , in the back was an empty coffin. (10) it was still raining heavily, David decided to climb (11) it for shelter. Standing by the roadside had (12) him feel very tired, so it wasn’t (13) before he had fallen fast asleep.

While he was sleeping, the lorry (14) stopped again to (15) up another hitchhiker. Like David, he too climbed on to the back of the lorry. By now, the rain had stopped and the sun had come (16) . It began to (17) very hot inside the coffin and David suddenly woke up. Without thinking, he lifted the lid (18) the coffin, saw the stranger sitting there and shouted: ‘Have I (19) asleep for long?’

His fellow hitchhiker took one look at David, screamed (20) fear and jumped (21) the lorry in panic. Needless to say, he has never hitchhiked (22).

Keys

1. as /while
2. trying/ hoping/ waiting
3. so
4. passed / come
5. without
6. would
7. drove/ pulled / drew
8. space/room
9. surprise /horror /amazement /disgust /annoyance /delight etc
10. as/since/because
11. inside
12. made
13. long
14. had
15. pick
16. out
17. be / get / feel
18. of / off
19. been
20. with
21. from /off / out of
22. again / since

Vocabulary

• To drive up/ draw up / pull up: if a vehicle or driver drives up, the vehicle moves near to a person or place and stops (ES: pararse, detenerse)
• soaked to sb’s skin: (ES: calarse  hasta los huesos)
• needless to say (ES: ni que decir tiene)
• gladly: pleased and happy (ES: felizmente)
• so far: (ES: hasta entonces)
• coffin: a long box in which the body of a dead person is buried or burned (ES: ataud)
• fast asleep: (ES: profundamente dormido)
• hop on the backs: (ES: satar a la parte de atrás)
• wasn’t long: (ES: no tardó mucho)
• shelter: (ES: refugio)
• hitchhiker: (ES: hacer autostop. To hitch a lift / thumb a lift)

Each sentence in the first group uses the same phrasal verb as a sentence in the second group. Find the pairs of sentences by putting the following verbs into the sentences.

1. There’s a hole in the floor. Mind you don’t it.
2. Whenever there is a period without rain, all the lakes .
3. They said that the blue cheese was very tasty, but the smell me .
4. They quarrel almost every day, but they always kiss and afterwards.
5. I’ve had some bad luck, but things are beginning to , I’m glad to say.
6. Once you have started something, you ought to it to the end.
7. Hold the handlebars with both hands or you might .
8. This coat I bought is too small for me. Do you think I should it to the shop?
9. Have you seen Roger lately? Yes, I happened to him in Oxford last Week.
10. Janet’s children are very intelligent. When you explain something to them, they seem very quickly.

a) If you don’t know the meaning of a word, you can always it the dictionary.
b) Is that a true story, or did you just it ?
c) Sword swallowing is very popular in Rumania, they tell me. Do you think it would ever in this country?
d) Actors hate it when they forget their words and simply .
e) It is dangerous to let children busy roads.
f) He tried to deceive her with his talk about marriage, but she was able to him very easily.
g) His plans to go to Australia after he became seriously ill.
h) I said that Julie was a lazy good-for-nothing, but I was wrong. I everything I said about her.
i) We used to get a lot of people at our meetings, but attendance has started to lately.
j) The meeting that was due to take place today has been until next week.

Vocabulary

catch on:

• to understand, especially after a long time (ES: entender)
• to become fashionable or popular (ES: llegar a ser popular)

dry up

• forget speech, slang (ES: quedarse en blanco)
• dry completely (ES: secarse)

fall off

• become detached from (ES: caerse de)
• decrease (ES: disminuir)

fall through

• come down through sth  (ES: caerse por)
• be unsuccessful, come to nothing(ES: fracasar, venirse abajo)

look up

• lift your gaze (ES: mirar arriba)
• find meaning, improve (ES: buscar, mejorar)

make up

• invent, imagine (ES: inventarse)
• constitute (ES: montar una empresa…)
• make up (with somebody) (ES: hacer las paces)
• make up with your mind (ES: decidirte)

put off

• delay until later (ES: posponer)
• Put somebody off + ing: discourage  (ES: desanimar, quitar intenciones de)

run across

• encounter by chance (ES: toparse con alguien)  == come across == run into
• cross (ES: cruzar, correr a través)

see through

• See through somebody:  not be deceived (ES: verle las intenciones a alguien, calar)
• See something through: (task, project) complete (ES:terminar)

take back

•  (ES: retirar)
•  (ES: devolver)

deceive

•  fool into doing (ES: engañar, tomar el pelo)  == take somebody in

Keys

1) fall through
2) dry up
3) put off
4) make up
5) look up
6) see through
7) fall off
8) take back
9) run across
10) catch on

a) look up
b) make up
c) catch on
d) dry up
e) run across
f) see through
g) fall through
j) put off
i) fall off
h) take back