Short Texts from Oz © copyright Thorold May 1998 All Rights Reserved; published by The Plain & Fancy Language Company
go to end; go to Table of Contents / 38. Sad Lady / 39. Rubber Chicken Dinner / 40. The Job Interview / 41. Speaking to win / 42. Trang' s Story - Education and Employment
38. Sad Lady
pattern: ajectives, adverbs; when-Clause; as Time-clause
text:Dear Kitty,
[1] The air is crisp, but the light glows softly in Moonee Valley early in the morning. [2] I take off my glasses when I run, so the world looks blurry. [3] On Sunday I was loping along lazily when I saw two shapes that looked like police cars. [4] A grassy barbecue spot was the wrong time and the wrong place for police cars. [5] I fumbled in my pocket to find the glasses. [6] As the world came into focus, I noticed another, much older car parked near a gas barbecue. [7] It was a dirty, off-white colour, with a bit of rope hanging out of the boot. [8] The driver's door was slightly open and the window was down. [9] The driver looked back at me, a redhead in her thirties, her face pale with makeup. [10] Her small red mouth drooped unhappily, and her dark eyes didn't blink. [11] This sad lady was stone dead.
Love,
Panda
response:
1. Think of two adjectives to describe these things:
a) the feel of cool air on your skin;
b) early morning light.
2. How does the world look to someone who takes off their glasses?
3. Why was Panda surprised to see two police cars when he was running?
4. Why did Panda put his hand in his pocket?
5. What did he see when he put on his glasses?
6. Describe the colour of the car near the barbecue.
7. Make a question using these words: which / door / open
8. Make a sentence about the story using these words: The driver / makeup
9. How happy did the driver look?
10. What was unusual about the driver s eyes?
11. What was very unusual about the driver herself?
keywords:
[1] air; [2] glasses; [3] loping; [4] barbecue; [5] glasses; [6] focus; [7] boot; [8] door; [9] driver; [10] mouth; [11] dead
pattern: will be doing X; be going to do X
text:Dear Kitty,
[1] On Thursday I'm going to be a guest at a presentation dinner. [2] Some technical college students will be given gold and silver medals for high performance. [3] Most are apprentices and they will be bringing their employers as guests. [4] This will be an important night in their lives, and it will help their careers. [5] As for me, I will just have to eat the rubber chicken and listen to windy speeches. [6] One of my students will be getting a silver medal. [7] He is an older man and he will stand out like a sore thumb. [8] He will be remembering that two years ago he was expecting to die as a sergeant in Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army. [9] I expect we will be hearing a few jokes about that!
Love,
Panda
response:
1. What will Panda be doing on Thursday night?
2. Change this sentence to active voice: Some students will be given gold and silver medals.
3. Who will the apprentices bring to the dinner?
4. Why will the dinner be important for the students?
5. What does Panda think of the food he is likely to get?
6. Make a list of adjectives that could describe various kinds of speeches.
7. Why will Panda s student stand out from the crowd?
8. Finish this sentence: Two years ago he was expecting...
9. What kind of jokes do you make about your past experiences?
cultural note:
This text is especially "Australian" in its attitude to a formal event, and to recollection. Different cultures have different customs for recalling the past. There are also large personal differences. For example, some people will always present themselves as heroic. Other people will pretend to forget any experience that was not favourable. Some people will claim to have been always right while others will take blame, even for things they did not do. Some people will soften the pain of memory by making jokes about past events, and some will show some modesty by laughing at themselves.
discussion task:
In pairs discuss "official" or "traditional" attitudes in your culture to good & bad events., as well as to success & failure. Think of examples from particular events in history, and examples from your own experience. Compare "official" or "traditional" attitudes to your own attitudes on these matters. Note down three points on this topic that you can present to the class.
pattern: Imperatives
text:
[1] You have to sell your personality and skills in a job interview. [2] Be punctual, neatly dressed and keep a good posture. [3] Don't slouch, do' t smoke, and don't be negative in any way. [4] Speak clearly, but don't say more than you need to. [5] If asked, describe your qualifications and career history in the first two minutes. [6] Explain your skills in the second two minutes. [7] Come with some examples of SUCCESSFUL things you have done in the past. [8] Be ready to explain how you solved some work problem in the past. [9] Be ready to explain how you can help this new employer. [10] Think up a harmless answer to questions such as "what is your greatest weakness". [11] Keep all your personal doubts private. [12] Be ready to ask a couple of sensible questions about the new job.
response:
1. What are you selling in a job interview?
2. Think of three personal things that will make a good impression.
3. Name three things that will probably make a bad impression.
4. Finish this sentence: Speak clearly, but ...
5. Tell your neighbour your qualifications and career history in two minutes.
6. Explain your skills to your neighbour in two minutes.
7 .Make a question using the words: what / successful
8 .Think of two examples of successful job achievements.
9 .Give an example of how you, rather than someone else, could help an employer.
10. What is a question you could ask an employer about the new job?
pattern: discourse genre of advice
text:[1] Your voice is your strongest link with the rest of humanity. [2] You should try to speak in an interview with authority, certainty, consideration, credibility and empathy. [3] You show that you are in control when you speak with authority and certainty, and this impresses people. [4] Be careful not to confuse authority with arrogance. [5] Always show consideration for the feelings of people you talk to, and people you talk about.[6] It makes you look weaker when you talk badly about somebody else. [7] You must make other people feel that they are credible. [8] If you believe in them, they will believe in you. [9] Empathy is the ability to put yourself in another person's shoes, and share their feelings. [10] This is a great gift in human relationships.
response:
1. Make a question using these words: what / link / humanity
2. How should you speak in an interview?
3. Think of three adjectives to describe the sound of a person's voice.
4. What does speaking with authority and certainty show?
5. Give an example of arrogant behaviour.
6. Whom should you show consideration to when you talk?
7. If you speak badly about other people, what impression does it give?
8. Give another word that means the same as credible.
9. How will most people respond if you believe in them?
10 .What is empathy?
11. How do you think you can improve your empathy with other people?
keywords
[1] voice; [2] authority; [3] control; [4]arrogance; [5] consideration; [6] talk; [7] credible; [8] believe; [9] empathy; [10] gift.
42. Trang's Story - Education and Employment
pattern: X until Y; After X, (eventually) Y; At first, X; Since X, A has been B; have a chance to; have (only) been able to; have worked
text:
[1] I was born in a small town in South Vietnam in 1968, and my parents struggled to keep me at school until Year 10. [2] After the war finished in 1975, life was very hard. [3] The only work I could get was with a dressmaker in Saigon. [4] I became very skilled at dressmaking. [5] In 1982 my family fled Vietnam, and after two years in a refugee camp, eventually came to Australia. [6] It was natural for me to look for work in the garment industry. [7] At first I worked for the Trilock Company in Richmond, doing overlocking. [8] After two years I moved to Zilcrest Clothing in Fitzroy. [9] The money was better and I had a chance to learn more skills. [10] Unfortunately this company closed down in 1989, and since that time I have only been able to obtain some occasional piecework. [11] However, I have taken the opportunity to attend two English courses.
response:
1. Make a sentence explaining where (town/city + country) and when (year) you were born.
2. Finish this sentence: Trang's parents struggled to ...
3. How did Trang find life after 1975?
4. What did Trang do in Saigon?
5. What is a skill that Trang developed?
6. Make a question using these words: where / flee from
7.Finish this sentence: Trang's family fled to ... and eventually ...
8. What was Trang's first job in Australia?
9. Why did she change jobs?
10. How has Trang survived since 1989?
11. What steps has Trang taken to improve her life chances since 1989?
Short Texts from Oz © copyright Thorold May 1998 All Rights Reserved; published by The Plain & Fancy Language Company
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