Упр.4 Unit 5 Reader ГДЗ English Кузовлев 10-11 класс
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,” Harry 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.
“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.”
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)
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)
Vic Nairn is unemployed. Does he see any good points in unemployment or not?
Good points Bad points What do the unemployed do in order to survive? Use the story to support your ideas.
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.
Add some more words, which relate to the topic “Unemployment” into the word web on page 65.
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.)
1) Yes, Vic Nairn is also unemployed. The equivalents are:
- Я работаю по сокращенному графику — I’m on short time.
- Как унизительно — It’s the humiliation / the indignity of it!
- мне придется доказывать, что я не работаю и имею право на пособие по безработице — having to sign on for the dole / unemployment benefit
- Если он обанкротится, это будет конец света — If he goes bust, it’s the end of the world.
- Он примет меры предосторожности — He’ll have made provisions.
- Есть надежда, что его предприятие придет в упадок — here’s hoping that the bottom falls out of the plumbing trade
- Какое унижение! — It’s the indignity of it!
- Это пройдет — It’ll pass.
2) Harry’s story is not fully true. He understands Vic’s situation, but his assessment is not quite adequate. Vic is really worried and angry, but Harry speaks to him rather lightly and even jokes about unemployment. Vic does not feel “special”; he is simply ashamed and frightened, like many unemployed people. Harry is right that Vic will get used to it, but he does not fully take Vic’s feelings seriously.
3) Words and word combinations related to unemployment:
- unemployed
- on short time
- the dole
- unemployment benefit
- sign on
- dole queue
- job
- look for a job
- go bust
- self-employed
- made provisions
- the bottom falls out of the plumbing trade
4) Vic Nairn sees both bad and good points in unemployment.
| Good points | Bad points |
|---|---|
| He will have more time. | He feels humiliated and angry. |
| He can spend more time with Mrs Nairn. | He has to sign on for the dole and stand in a queue. |
| He is afraid of losing his job completely. |
5) The unemployed try to survive by looking for a job, signing on for unemployment benefit, and living on the dole money. They also try to save money and make provisions for the future. In the story, Vic worries about getting the dole and asks how to avoid standing in a queue.
6) The sequence of actions is:
- People become unemployed.
- They get a UB40 form.
- They take it to the local social security office.
- They sign on.
- They receive a cheque.
- They cash it at a post office.
7) More words related to Unemployment:
- jobless
- out of work
- laid off
- redundant
- job centre
- benefits
- claim
- queue
- cash a cheque
- social security office
8) Possible answers:
- Yes, there are unemployed people among my relatives / my parents’ friends.
- They had to sign on at the social security office and fill in the necessary forms to get unemployment benefit.
- They feel worried, ashamed, upset and uncertain about the future.
- I would say: Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it. Keep looking for a job. It’ll pass. You’ll find one.
