Listening:
1.Listen to an internet security expert talking about ways to protect yourself while using the internet. Choose the correct answer.

1.1. According to Alison, people nowadays tend to use social networking sites………… .

1.2. Friends who accidentally reveal information about others’ …………. are actually putting them at risk.

1.3. Alison advises against ……………….. certain attachments in messages.

1.4. In terms of your online profile, it’s a good idea to…………….. .

1.5. Alison suggests that people may get in trouble …………….. because of an inappropriate comment.

Grammar:

2. Choose the correct answer.

2.1. Jack encouraged …………… a new hairdresser’s.

2.2. John regretted …………… how much the hotel was before he booked it.

2.3. Sheila insisted …………… for all our drinks.

2.4. Peter convinced me ……………. playing soccer.

2.5. I suggested …………. Anne some flowers, but Lisa said she’d prefer chocolates.

2.6. My neighbor threatened …………… down the trees in the garden.

3. Choose the correct words.

3.1. You should book early in order ……….. get tickets at the lowest prices.

3.2. …………. the cost, I’m really glad we flew first class.

3.3. I called the hotel ………… they would know we’d be arriving late.

3.4. We enjoy playing tennis ……………… we’re not very good at it.

3.5. You should take the exam, ……………. you’ll need to study hard for it.

3.6. I ignored her mistake …………… embarrass her.

4. Choose the correct words.

   4.1. Politics ……….. a stressful occupation.

4.2. The Shard is a famous London building made mostly of…………….. .

4.3. Bring two ……………. in case you need to change.

4.4. Would you like ………… toast with that coffee?

4.5. Do you have any ………… about traveling in Mexico?

4.6. I live …………….. of Los Angeles.

5. Select the correct answer.

5.1. The talk isn’t just for university students – …………….. can come.

5.2. Let’s go to the coast today. I feel like I need to see ………… ocean.

5.3. Helen’s a vegetarian. She doesn’t eat ……….. fish or meat.

5.4. It’s 9:30. Matt will be at ………….. work by now.

5.5. Kevin’s mom offered us some sandwiches, but …………… of us were hungry.

5.6. I never realized that ……………  elephants don’t eat meat.

5.7. It’s a shame that there aren’t ………… places left on the walking tour.

Vocabulary:

6. Choose the correct answer.

6.1. That news report isn’t at all objective – it’s very ……………. .

6.2. If you …………. two companies, the one big company will need fewer staff.

6.3. This store is only one of many ……….. owned by that chain.

6.4. Six men were all ………… to a minimum of ten years in prison.

6.5. I was a war ……….. when I was young, but I cover economics stories now.

7. Choose the correct word for each definition.

7.1. A young person who works for an employer:

7.2. The crime of destroying public property:

7.3. To persuade sb to do sth:

7.4. people who buy good and use services:

7.5. To say sth officially:

Reading:

8. Read and choose the best answer.

A Step In The Right Direction

It was once famously said that some things in life – like paying taxes and death – are inevitable. And leaving education trying to find employment is something that young people everywhere have to face. But despite the large amount of research that has been undertaken on young people in the job market, relatively little is known about what happens once young people start their first job. A team of researchers from Leeds Metropolitan University looked into this aspect. The survey focused on 30 people and 39 employers, and addressed a range of issues in relation to recruitment, employment, and particularly young people entering into the workplace.

It is clear from the interviews with young people that, for the vast majority, the idea of a “job for life” no longer exists. While some had clear career ambitions, the majority appeared to be unclear on what they wanted to do. One consequence of this is that many young people saw their early work experiences as temporary – a “stop gap” until their ideas on what they wanted to do had developed, or simply a way of earning money to pursue other ambitions such as travel.

This tendency has also been noted by many employers and  is particularly disappointing to smaller businesses looking for long-term loyalty in their staff. However, some employers – for example in areas such as financial services and call centers – had adjusted to the new situation and
appeared to accept that they cannot expect young people to be loyal and see a long-term future with one employer. Like a number of other studies, the findings confirm that employers tend to focus on “softer” skills and behavioral qualities in the recruitment process, with a less prominent role played by formal qualifications. The opinions of this sample of young people were remarkably consistent with those of the employers. Most of the young people seemed to have understood the message that formal qualifications are often a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for obtaining the types of jobs which they hope to do in the future. They recognized that skills like communication, team-working, organization, and customer service are all important. There was evidence that many young people had clearly worked on developing such skills.

Where there does appear to be a significant difference of opinion between the views of young people and employers related to the extent to which young people actually possess the necessary “employability” skills. By and large, the young people interviewed were confident in their ability
to demonstrate these skills and qualities. Employers, on the whole, were much less positive about this, often feeling that educational institutions were focusing too strongly on academic skills and qualifications, at the expense of employability.

Another area where employers’ and young peoples’ views differed was in relation to Information Technology (IT) skills. When asked about the things they value most about young recruits, many employers mentioned their ability with computers. On the other hand, few young people mentioned this explicitly. The probable explanation is that young people simply take their IT skills for granted, often not realizing how valuable they might be to some employers. Encouraging young people to be more positive about this aspect might help some to improve the way they are viewed by potential employers.
In terms of the orientations provided for their young recruits, the results of this study confirmed both expectations and the findings of earlier research – that employers vary widely in the nature of the training they provide. Differences included the length of time the orientations ran, how formal the training was, and how often training occurred. The reaction of most young people to the orientation they had experienced was positive, or at least neutral. There is clearly a tension between the need for new recruits to become good at their jobs, and their understandable desire to get involved as quickly as possible.

From the point of view of the employer, much depended upon the nature of the job, the type of employer (particularly size and sector), and the frequency with which they recruit young people. In general, the more regularly young people were recruited and the larger the employer, the more formal the orientation process. In uncertain economic times, it seems that young people more than ever are having to do all they can to find employment.

8.1. The survey revealed that, in general, young people ………

8.2. What do employers think about formal qualifications?

8.3. What can we learn from the survey about young people and IT skills?

8.4. The survey suggests that young people themselves value skills such as being able to ………

8.5. Orientation processes vary in terms of ………

Writing:

9. Write about the following topic:
   “Workplaces of the future.”

Include the following information:
• say what you think the workplaces of the future will be like
• say why you think changes in the workplace will take place
• discuss how the changes will affect employees’ lives.