应 Key to book4 unit1-4Unit 1
Active reading (1)
Looking for a job after university? First, get off the sofa
Reading and understanding Dealing with unfamiliar words
3 Match the words in the box with their definitions. 1 to make progress by moving to the next stage in a series of actions or events (proceed) 2 the process of changing from one situation, form or state to another (transition)
3 not feeling involved with someone or something in a close or emotional way (detached) 4 referring to something which will happen soon (upcoming) 5 to be sitting still in a position that is not upright (slump) 6 to return to a previous state or way of behaving (revert) 7 to say what happened (recount)
4 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 3. It isn’t easy to make the (1) transition from a busy university student to an unemployed young adult (2) slumped on a bar stool or half watching a mindless television show, wondering if and how their career is going to (3) proceed. Many people who have experienced a long period of inactivity like this, when (4) recounting how they felt at the time, refer to the same strange psychological effect. As the days pass, they begin to feel (5) detached from any sense of pressure to go and look for a job, and tend to regard (6) upcoming interviews as if they were not very important. Typically, back at home after three or four years away, they (7) revert to old habits, start seeing old friends, and, in many cases, become dependent again on their parents.
5 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. You may need to make other changes. 1 I went to a mixed-ability secondary school just outside London. (comprehensive) 2 I got stopped by a policeman who asked to see my driving licence. (cop) 3 Have you seen this beautiful from the air view of Oxford? (aerial)
4 Isabel tightly her bag as she walked down the corridor towards the office. (clutched) 5 You should speak to Toby; he’s an supporter of flexible working hours. (advocate)
6 I hurt my leg badly a couple of months ago, and it still hasn’t got better completely. (healed)
6 Answer the questions about the words. 1 Is a dead-end job one with (a) exciting prospects, or (b) no future? 2 Is a tricky problem (a) difficult, or (b) easy to solve?
3 If an activity saps all your energy, do you feel (a) tired, or (b) more active than usual?
4 Does a pushy person try to (a) persuade you to do something you don’t want to, or (b) help you by listening to what you have to say?
5 If you feel apathy, do you want to (a) change the world, or (b) stay at home and do nothing?
7 Answer the questions about the phrases. 1 Is fork out (a) a formal, or (b) an informal way of saying to pay for something?
2 If you are in the same boat as another person, are you (a) making the same journey together, or (b) in the same difficult or unpleasant situation?
3 If you feel you have come full circle, do you (a) feel you are back where you started, or (b) feel a sense of satisfaction because you have completed something?
4 If someone takes a soft line, do they deal with a person (a) in a kind and sympathetic way, or (b) in a lazy way without making a decision?
5 If you strike the right note about something, are you expressing yourself (a) well, or (b) badly? 6 If you do something by all means, do you (a) try your best to do it, or (b) not care about it? 7 If you nudge someone back into the saddle, are you encouraging them to (a) take responsibility again, or (b) take it easy?
8 If you talk through a problem with someone, do you (a) examine it carefully and sensitively, or (b) refer to it quickly and then change the subject?
Active reading (2) If you ask me
Dealing with unfamiliar words
4 Match the words in the box with their definitions. 1 funny or entertaining (amusing)
2 used for emphasizing that something good has happened, especially because of good luck (fortunately)
3 an amount of money that a person, business or country borrows, usually from a bank (loan) 4 to take an amount or number from a total (deduct)
5 the most exciting, impressive, or interesting part of an event (highlight) 6 to show that you understand someone’s problems (sympathize) 7 needing a lot of time, ability, and energy (demanding)
5 Complete the conversation with the correct form of the words in Activity 4. A After three years at university, I’m now quite heavily in debt.
B I (1) sympathize with you, I know what it’s like to have financial problems. But (2) fortunately I didn’t need to take out a student (3) loan when I was at university, because I had a part-time job. A What did you do?
B I worked in a restaurant at weekends. A That must have been very (4) demanding.
B Yes, it was. I had to get the right balance between work and study. But the other people who worked there were good fun to be with, so it was quite (5) amusing too. The (6) highlight of the weekend was always Saturday night when we worked overtime. A But I don’t expect you made a lot of money?
B No, there wasn’t much after they’d (7) deducted tax and pension contributions. But it was enough to keep me going.
6 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. You may need to make other changes. 1 When I was at college I kept all my personal things in an old cupboard.
2 A lot of people who leave university before getting a degree end up in good jobs. 3 I think she’ll get a good degree, but I wouldn’t risk my money on the exact result. 4 The money I spent at college was more than what I earned in my part-time job. 5 The chances of my being offered a job after that interview must be quite remote. 6 Our business has done very well since we changed our advertising. 7 I think telling the truth and not cheating is always the best policy. Key: (1) belongings (2) dropouts (3) gamble (4) exceeded (5) odds (6) has thrived (7) honesty
7 Answer the questions about the words and expressions. 1 If something is not all it’s cracked up to be, is it (a) valid and interesting, or (b) just a little bit disappointing?
2 If someone keeps banging on about something, are you likely to be (a) interested in, or (b) bored by what they say?
3 If there is a lot of hassle in your life, are you likely to feel (a) stressed, or (b) relaxed? 4 If something happens out of the blue, is it (a) unexpected, or (b) part of your plan?
5 If you say you ended up in a particular job, do you suggest that (a) you have fulfilled your ambition, or (b) it happened almost by chance?
6 Are the regulars in a pub (a) the customers who come very often, or (b) the food the pub offers most often?
7 If something is dead easy, is it (a) very easy, or (b) not easy at all?
8 If you treat someone to something, do you (a) buy something nice for them, or (b) behave badly to them?
9 If you cheer a place up, do you (a) make the place look brighter, or (b) make the people in the place happier?
Reading and interpreting
8 Look at the sentences from the passage and identify the style features. 1 Twelve years at school and three years at university, teachers banging on about opportunities in the big wide world beyond our sheltered life as students, and what do I find?
This shows the informality of an incomplete sentence in the first part, the use of an informal expression (banging on) and a rhetorical question to the reader (What do I find?)
2 Try as I might to stay cheerful, all I ever get is hassle, sometimes with people (especially boys, god, when will they grow up?) …
This has the use of an informal word (hassle), an informal exclamation (god) and a question to the reader (When will they grow up?)
3 Actually, I had my eye on the course at the London School of Economics (LSE).
Here there is a discourse marker typical of speech (Actually) and an informal phrase (had my eye on). 4 I kind of understand it, and not just because my degree is in economics.
Here “kind of” is a sort of discourse marker of informal speech (showing something is general, vague or not definite).
5 I wanted something in finance and investments, because you know, maybe with a job like that, I
could use my degree.
This has a discourse marker of informal speech (you know). 6 ... it’s true, he really did seem to have three hands.
Again here is a discourse marker of informal speech (it’s true). 7 I talked to him about ... well, about pretty well everything …
This has another discourse marker of informal speech (well) and an informal phrase (pretty well).
Language in use
word formation: compound nouns 1 Write the compound nouns which mean:
1 a degree which is awarded a first class (a first-class degree) 2 work in a hospital (hospital work)
3 a ticket for a plane journey (a plane ticket) 4 a discount for students (a student discount)
5 a pass which allows you to travel on buses (a bus pass) 6 a room where an interview is held (an interview room) 7 a period spent in training (a training period) word formation: noun phrases
2 Write the noun phrases which mean: 1 a career which is rewarding from the financial point of view (a financially rewarding career) 2 legislation which has been introduced recently (recently introduced legislation) 3 instructions which are more complex than usual (unusually complex instructions) 4 an institution which is orientated towards academic (academically orientated work) 5 work which makes physical demands on you (physically demanding work)
6 information which has the potential to be important (potentially important information) 7 candidates who have been selected after a careful procedure (carefully selected candidates) 8 a coursebook in which everything has been planned beautifully (a beautifully planned textbook)
try as … might
3 Rewrite the sentences using try as … might . 1 I’m trying to fill this last page, but I just can’t think of anything. Try as I might to fill this last page, I just can’t think of anything. 2 I try to be friendly with Marta, but she doesn’t seem to respond. Try as I might to be friendly with Marta, she doesn’t seem to respond. 3 I try hard to get to sleep, but I can’t help thinking about my family. Try as I might to get to sleep, I can’t help thinking about my family.
4 He just doesn’t seem to get the promotion he deserves, even though he keeps trying.
Try as he might, he just doesn’t seem to get the promotion he deserves. / Try as he might to get the promotion he deserves, he just doesn’t seem to get it.
5 I keep trying to remember her name, but my mind is a blank. Try as I might to remember her name, my mind is a blank.
given that …
4 Rewrite the sentences using given that … 1 Since I know several languages, I thought I would look for work abroad. Given that I know several languages, I thought I would look for work abroad. 2 Xiao Li has the best qualifications, so she should get the job.
Given that Xiao Li has the best qualifications, she should get the job.
3 Since we’re all here, I think it would be a good idea to get down to some work. Given that we’re all here, I think it would be a good idea to get down to some work. 4 Since it’s rather late, I think we should leave this last task until tomorrow. Given that it’s rather late, I think we should leave this last task until tomorrow. clauses introduced by than
5 Rewrite the sentences using clauses introduced by than . 1 She’s experienced at giving advice. I’m more experienced.
She’s less experienced at giving advice than I am. / I’m more experienced at giving advice than she is. 2 You eat too much chocolate. It isn’t good for you. You eat too much chocolate than is good for you.
3 She worked very hard. Most part-timers don’t work so hard. She worked harder than most part-timers do.
4 You have arrived late too many times. That isn’t acceptable. You have arrived late more times than is acceptable.
5 I don’t think you should have given so much personal information. It isn’t wise. I think you have given more personal information than is wise.
collocations
6 Read the explanations of the words. Answer the questions. 1 highlight A highlight is the most exciting, impressive, or interesting part of an event. (a) What would you like to be the highlight of your career?
I would like the highlight of my student career to be to receive a national award for the best student research project.
(b) How can you highlight an important sentence in a text?
You can underline it in pencil or pen or you can use coloured pens or highlighters. (c) What are the edited highlights of a football match?
The highlights are when someone scores a goal or prevents one from being scored. 2 loan A loan is an amount of money someone borrows from someone else. (a) Have you ever taken out a loan?
No, I haven’t. But my parents have taken out several loans to buy kitchen equipment. (b) What is the best way to pay off a loan?
It is best to pay a loan off quickly, although you will still have to pay some interest. (c) If you have a library book on loan, what do you have to do with it?
You have to return it before the date it is due, otherwise you may have to pay a fine. 3 thrive To thrive means to be very successful, happy or healthy.