Finishing school is the beginning of the independent life for millions of school leavers. Many roads are opened before them: vocational and technical schools, institutes and universities. But it is not an easy thing to choose a profession. Some pupils do this still at the industrial training centres, some follow the advice of their parents, others don’t know about it yet even after leaving school.
As for me I made my choice long ago. I want to become a teacher of the English language. My choice of this occupation didn't come as a sudden flash. During all school years literature was my favourite subject. I read a lot of books by English, Russian writers. I understand that reading books helps people in self-education and in solving different life problems. I want to teach my pupils to enjoy reading, to encourage them to learn languages and literature.
My parents are also teachers and I know that teaching is a very specific and difficult job. A teacher is a person who is learning as well as teaching all his life. In the evenings after work he usually spends much time marking exercise-books and preparing for the next lesson. It is quite a stressful job because you encourage your pupils and keep them interested.
Teachers do not only teach their subjects. They bring up the younger generation in the spirit of high moral ideals. They develop their pupils' intellect, form their views and characters, their attitudes to life and to other people. It's a great responsibility and the teacher is always a model of competence himself. It's not an easy thing. But I think that love for children and the knowledge that I get at the University would be quite enough to succeed in my work.
Topical Vocabulary
actress актриса lawyer юрист
assistant ассистент musician музыкант
actor актёр nurse няня, медсестра
accountant (book-keeper) officer офицер, чиновник
бухгалтер painter художник architect архитектор physicist физик
baker пекарь pilot пилот
businessman бизнесмен playwright драматург
cameraman кинооператор photographer фотограф
chemist химик, аптекарь poet поэт
clerk служащий professor профессор
composer композитор research-worker науч работник
conductor дирижер sailor моряк
computer specialist salesman (-woman) продавец
dentist дантист shop assistant продавец
designer дизайнер scientist учёный
doctor врач sculptor скульптор
dressmaker портниха secretary секретарь driver водитель soldier солдат
engineer инженер singer певец
electrician электрик surgeon хирург
economist экономист student студент
editor редактор teacher учитель
engine-driver машинист turner токарь
fashion-designer модельер typist машинистка
farmer фермер writer писатель
fitter слесарь worker рабочий
gardener садовник locksmith слесарь
hairdresser парикмахер manager менеджер
housewife домохозяйка mechanic механик
interpreter переводчик militiaman милиционер
journalist журналист
vocational school профтехучилище
humane человечный, гуманный
qualified квалифицированный
skilled опытный
to apply to the University поступать в университет
to enter the University поступить в университет
to leave (finish) school заканчивать школу
to get (be) interested in интересоваться
to earn money зарабатывать деньги
to succeed in преуспевать, достигать цели
to work as a teacher работать учителем
to work at a plant (office) работать на заводе (в учреждении)
to bring up воспитывать
noble благородный
to mark exercises проверять тетради
Dialogue
Ann: What are you going to do when you leave school?
Bob: Oh, I’m planning to go to the University. And you?
Ann: I hope to enter the University too. Well ... if I pass my exams…
Bob: But you said you were going to get a job?
Ann: Yes, I planned to, but I changed my mind.
Bob: Oh, why's that?
Ann: Because there aren't any jobs going at the moment — at least,
unskilled ones.
Bob: Yes, it's a problem. But which profession would you choose?
Ann: Well, if it is possible, I think I'd like to be a famous writer.
Bob: Oh! Any particular reason you'd choose that?
Ann: Not really, except that it is nice seeing your name in print.
Vocabulary and Speech Exercises
I. а) Ask questions about relatives and their professions; use the given words in your answers:
a worker, an engineer, a teacher, a doctor, a surgeon, a dentist, a painter, an actor, an actress, a singer, a librarian, a nurse, a sailor, an officer, a secretary, a student, a housewife, a typist, a lawyer, a journalist, an interpreter, a driver, a photographer, a shop assistant, a pilot, an accountant (book-keeper), a militiaman, a musician, a businessman, a chemist, an economist, a scientist, a physicist, a professor, a cameraman, a fitter, a turner, an electrician, a gardener.
в) Ask your friend:
what professions she likes most of all;
what her father’s (mother’s) profession is;
what is she going to do if she doesn’t enter the institute;
why she chose this profession;
why she doesn’t want to be a doctor;
who influenced the choice of her profession;
who her favourite teacher was;
whether she knows much of this profession;
whether she knows about the difficulties of the future profession;
whether her parents are satisfied with their work.
II. Make up your own sentences using the expressions below:
to choose a profession to have a perfect command of
to make one’s choice to master the language
to make up one’s mind to make one’s best
to be disappointed to get acquainted with
to be satisfied with to give up the idea
III. Translate into English.
1. Профессии врача и учителя – самые гуманные. 2. Если ты хочешь стать учителем, надо окончить педагогический институт или университет. 3. Непросто выбрать профессию в школьном возрасте. 4. Перед выпускниками школ открыты все двери в высшие учебные заведения. 5. Что ты собираешься делать после окончания школы? 6. Я делаю всё от меня зависящее, чтобы овладеть иностранным языком, так как я собираюсь поступать в университет. 7. Очень важно стать действительно хорошим специалистом в своей области. 8. Иногда довольно трудно выбрать карьеру и говорить о будущей профессии. 9. Мой друг работает слесарем, но он не доволен своей работой. 10. Все профессии важны и почётны.
IV. Read and translate the text using a dictionary.
