4. WORD POWER
Here is another passage from the story. It is mostly about Vic Nairn, Harry's fellow.
1) Is Vic Nairn also unemployed? While reading find the equivalents of the highlighted Russian words and word combinations. (guessing by context/learning to translate)
Я работаю по сокращенному графику. Как унизительно: мне придется доказывать, что я не работаю и имею право на пособие по безработице.
Если он обанкротится, это будет конец света.
Он примет меры предосторожности.
Есть надежда, что его предприятие придет в упадок...
Какое унижение!
Это пройдет.
One day Harry saw Vic Nairn leave the swimming baths.
"I'd no idea you were a baths-goer," Harry said.
"I know what you're thinking. Why is a hard-working man like me to be seen coming out the baths on Friday afternoon? I'm on short time. Me, on short time!"
"I'm very sorry to hear that, Vic."
"Twenty-four years I've given that company. They'll be closing. I don't know what I'll do. And there's the humiliation coming, of having to sign on for the dole, for the unemployment benefit!"
'You'll get used to it," Henry said encouragingly.
"Do you have to stand in a queue, with other men? What I mean is," he asked secretly, "is it possible - I mean is there a time when they're not busy? You'll know this, Harry. Can I pop in," he whispered, "without having to stand in a queue?"
"They'll give you a time, Vic," Harry said.
"We'll not see the likes of Bob MacQueen in a dole queue," said Vic, his lips smacking with vindictiveness (мстительно).
"If he goes bust," said Harry, "it's the end of the world. MacQueen's self-employed. He isn't entitled to unemployment benefit."
"He'll have made provisions," said Nairn. "But even so, here's hoping, that the bottom falls out of the plumbing trade."
"I wouldn't go that far," said Harry. "No, you wouldn't say a thing like that if you'd been unemployed for as long as I have."
"Oh, don't say that, Harry. I'll find a job. I'll look for one."
"I looked as well, you know."
"I didn't mean it like that, Harry."
"It's new to you, Vic. But you'll find out."
"It's the indignity of it!"
"Forget that," said Harry. "Believe me, it'll pass. Think of all the time you'll have to spend with Mrs Nairn."
"Oh God, no."
"Must go. See you soon, Vic."
2) Imagine that Harry comes home and shares his impressions with Vera, his wife.
Is his story true? Does Harry assess the situation and Vic's behaviour in an adequate way? (understanding the main idea/summarising)
"Vera, who do you think I met this morning? Vic Nairn!
He is on short time at the moment. To say he is livid is to say nothing.
He's got roused by the situation as if he's been unemployed for a few months.
He cannot believe that it's happened to him, Vic Nairn, the most hard-working person ever! His fear of getting humiliated by having to sign on for the dole is so strong! I told him that he would get used to it but he was not listening. He's sure that it's impossible to get used to standing in a queue with other men. He thinks he's special and that he, Vic Nairn does not deserve the indignity all the unemployed experience every day. But what is most disgusting about all that is his vindictiveness! He seems not to feel sorry for Bob MacQueen in case he becomes unemployed. Bob must have made some provisions and Vic is getting to it. He's even hoping that Bob will become unemployed too! Can a person be so vindictive and self-confident! I told him that he wouldn't say a thing like that if he'd been unemployed for as long as I have, but he does not realize it yet. But it will pass, won't it?"
3) WORD POWER
The major topic of the story Getting Used to It is the unemployed and unemployment.
What words and word combinations does the author use to write on the topic? Complete the word web with words relating to the topic, (relating words to a topic)
4) Vic Nairn is unemployed.
Does he see any good points in unemployment or not?
Good points
Bad points
5) What do the unemployed do in order to survive? Use the story to support your ideas.
6) Read a short article on page 66 about an unemployment benefit and fill in the blanks to show the sequence of actions which people take when they become unemployed. What's new for you? (reading for detail)
Anyone below the retirement age of 65 who has previously worked for a certain minimum period of time can receive unemployment benefit (known colloquially as the dole). This is organised by the Department of Employment.
Receiving unemployment benefit is known as being on the dole and the money itself is often referred to as dole money. In order to get this money, people have to regularly present their UB40s (the name of the government form on which their lack of employment is recorded) at the local social security office and sign on (to prove that they don't have work). They will then get (either directly or through the post) a cheque which they can cash at a post office. This cheque is often referred to as a giro.
7) Add some more words, which relate to the topic 'Unemployment' into the word web on page 65.
8) IN YOUR CULTURE
Get ready to discuss the following questions.
Are there unemployed people among your relatives, your parents' friends?
What did they have to do to get an unemployment benefit?
What do you know about their situation?
What do you think their feelings are?
What would you say to encourage them/to cheer them up?
(Choose phrases from the story.)
Here is another passage from the story. It is mostly about Vic Nairn, Harry's fellow.
1) Is Vic Nairn also unemployed? While reading find the equivalents of the highlighted Russian words and word combinations. (guessing by context/learning to translate)
Я работаю по сокращенному графику. Как унизительно: мне придется доказывать, что я не работаю и имею право на пособие по безработице.
Если он обанкротится, это будет конец света.
Он примет меры предосторожности.
Есть надежда, что его предприятие придет в упадок...
Какое унижение!
Это пройдет.
One day Harry saw Vic Nairn leave the swimming baths.
"I'd no idea you were a baths-goer," Harry said.
"I know what you're thinking. Why is a hard-working man like me to be seen coming out the baths on Friday afternoon? I'm on short time. Me, on short time!"
"I'm very sorry to hear that, Vic."
"Twenty-four years I've given that company. They'll be closing. I don't know what I'll do. And there's the humiliation coming, of having to sign on for the dole, for the unemployment benefit!"
'You'll get used to it," Henry said encouragingly.
"Do you have to stand in a queue, with other men? What I mean is," he asked secretly, "is it possible - I mean is there a time when they're not busy? You'll know this, Harry. Can I pop in," he whispered, "without having to stand in a queue?"
"They'll give you a time, Vic," Harry said.
"We'll not see the likes of Bob MacQueen in a dole queue," said Vic, his lips smacking with vindictiveness (мстительно).
"If he goes bust," said Harry, "it's the end of the world. MacQueen's self-employed. He isn't entitled to unemployment benefit."
"He'll have made provisions," said Nairn. "But even so, here's hoping, that the bottom falls out of the plumbing trade."
"I wouldn't go that far," said Harry. "No, you wouldn't say a thing like that if you'd been unemployed for as long as I have."
"Oh, don't say that, Harry. I'll find a job. I'll look for one."
"I looked as well, you know."
"I didn't mean it like that, Harry."
"It's new to you, Vic. But you'll find out."
"It's the indignity of it!"
"Forget that," said Harry. "Believe me, it'll pass. Think of all the time you'll have to spend with Mrs Nairn."
"Oh God, no."
"Must go. See you soon, Vic."
2) Imagine that Harry comes home and shares his impressions with Vera, his wife.
Is his story true? Does Harry assess the situation and Vic's behaviour in an adequate way? (understanding the main idea/summarising)
"Vera, who do you think I met this morning? Vic Nairn!
He is on short time at the moment. To say he is livid is to say nothing.
He's got roused by the situation as if he's been unemployed for a few months.
He cannot believe that it's happened to him, Vic Nairn, the most hard-working person ever! His fear of getting humiliated by having to sign on for the dole is so strong! I told him that he would get used to it but he was not listening. He's sure that it's impossible to get used to standing in a queue with other men. He thinks he's special and that he, Vic Nairn does not deserve the indignity all the unemployed experience every day. But what is most disgusting about all that is his vindictiveness! He seems not to feel sorry for Bob MacQueen in case he becomes unemployed. Bob must have made some provisions and Vic is getting to it. He's even hoping that Bob will become unemployed too! Can a person be so vindictive and self-confident! I told him that he wouldn't say a thing like that if he'd been unemployed for as long as I have, but he does not realize it yet. But it will pass, won't it?"
3) WORD POWER
The major topic of the story Getting Used to It is the unemployed and unemployment.
What words and word combinations does the author use to write on the topic? Complete the word web with words relating to the topic, (relating words to a topic)
4) Vic Nairn is unemployed.
Does he see any good points in unemployment or not?
Good points
Bad points
5) What do the unemployed do in order to survive? Use the story to support your ideas.
6) Read a short article on page 66 about an unemployment benefit and fill in the blanks to show the sequence of actions which people take when they become unemployed. What's new for you? (reading for detail)
Anyone below the retirement age of 65 who has previously worked for a certain minimum period of time can receive unemployment benefit (known colloquially as the dole). This is organised by the Department of Employment.
Receiving unemployment benefit is known as being on the dole and the money itself is often referred to as dole money. In order to get this money, people have to regularly present their UB40s (the name of the government form on which their lack of employment is recorded) at the local social security office and sign on (to prove that they don't have work). They will then get (either directly or through the post) a cheque which they can cash at a post office. This cheque is often referred to as a giro.
7) Add some more words, which relate to the topic 'Unemployment' into the word web on page 65.
8) IN YOUR CULTURE
Get ready to discuss the following questions.
Are there unemployed people among your relatives, your parents' friends?
What did they have to do to get an unemployment benefit?
What do you know about their situation?
What do you think their feelings are?
What would you say to encourage them/to cheer them up?
(Choose phrases from the story.)
