UNIT 5: OUT OF WORK

In Britain a lot of people are out of work. Tracey Chapman is 18, and she left school a year ago. She lives in the North East, an area of high youth unemployment. She hasn't been able to find a job yet.

“My dad just doesn't understand. He started working in a steel mill when he was 15. Things are different now, but he thinks I should start bringing home some money. Oh, I get my unemployment benefit, but that isn't much and I'm fed up with queuing for it every Thursday. I hate having to ask my mum and dad for money. Oh, my mum gives me money a couple of pounds for tights now and then, but she can't stand seeing me at home all day. I've almost given up looking for a job. I buy the local paper every day but I'm really tired of looking through the “Situations Vacant” column. There are 50 applicants for every job. I was interested in being a dentist's receptionist because I like meeting people, but now I'd take any job at all. People ask me why I don't move to London, but I don't want to leave my family and friends. Anyway, I'm scared of living on my own in a big city.”

George Morley is 54. Until last year he was a production manager in the textile industry. He had worked for the same company since he left school. He had a good job, a four-bedroomed house and a company car. When his company had to close because of economic difficulties, he became redundant.

“It's funny really... I don't feel old, but it isn't easy to start looking for a job at my age. I've had so many refusals. Now I'm frightened of applying for job. All the interviewers are twenty years younger than me. You see, I'm interested in learning a new skill, but nobody wants to train me. I can see their point of view. I'll have to retire in ten years. It's just... well, I'm tired of sitting around the house. I've worked hard for nearly forty years and now I'm terrified of having nothing to do. When I was still with Lancastrian Textiles I was bored with doing the same thing day after day, but now I'd really enjoy doing a job again... any job really. It's not the money... I got good redundancy pay, and the house is paid for... and I've given up smoking... no, it's not just money. I just need to feel... well, useful... that's all.”

Proper names

George Morley, Tracy Chapman.

Grammar notes

I. Word formation N+V (-ER, -OR)

to leave school - school-leaver

to make law - law-maker

to do one's hair - hair-doer

to open a can - can-opener

to seek a job - job-seeker

to tell fortune - fortune-teller

II. For — preposition of purpose

Study the following sentences. How can you rephrase them by using “for”?

Example:

1. They come to evening classes to learn English.

2. John was advised to apply to that head office so that he could get a new job.

III. Verb pattern S+V+V-ing

Here after are some of the verbs followed by a V-ing form (or gerund). Some of these verbs can also be followed by a to-infinitive: love, like, hate, dislike, enjoy, start, begin, commence, stop, end, cease, continue, go on, keep on, give up, consider, mind, admit, advise, avoid, depend, excuse, fancy, fear, finish, forbid, forget, can't help, can't bear, can't endure, leave off (=stop), miss, practise, remember, risk, can't stand, suggest, try, understand.

An V-ing form can also be found after preposition.

He agreed in selling it to me

Similarity: die from/of, tired of, bored with, insist on, assist in...

Expressions

now and then = sometimes

you see

day after day

that's all

out of work

on my own

at my age

in order of importance

can't stand

to be fed up with = to be bored with

Situation vacant