Episode 04

Carolina is having some problems with money. What can she do to solve them? Adam and Rob talk about all the different types of weather you have in your countries.

Transcript

Adam and Rob

Both: Hello!

Adam: Welcome back, listeners – and welcome back, Rob! How was your holiday?

Rob: It was really nice, Adam, thanks. I went to Slovenia and the weather was fantastic.

Adam: Sounds great. And the comments you sent about the weather in your countries were great too! Many of you have very hot weather. Abuhekmat in Oman told us about weather that reaches 49 degrees! I can’t imagine being that hot. Fazliddin12 in Uzbekistan sees temperatures of 45 degrees and Saandari in Mongolia told us about weather that was hot, but not quite as hot as Oman, 35 degrees. The big difference in Mongolia is that in winter it reaches -35 degrees! That’s a huge difference between summer and winter.

Rob: That’s very cold. Many of you also wrote to us about cold weather in your countries. Kosovac in Serbia says it can be -20 degrees. ValiantSpirit in Pakistan says it can be -15 degrees. But what is cold? In other countries, maybe it’s a bit different. In El Salvador, Daxrosales says 15 degrees is a cold day, while in Malaysia, Shokmin says 24 degrees is a cold day. You also told us about other weather conditions in your countries. For example, in China Diqiudashi told us about the typhoons that come to the mainland and bring heavy storms.

Adam: Tkazerooni in Iran told us about weather called ‘Wolf & Ewe’. (A ewe is a female sheep.) ‘Wolf & Ewe’ weather is when dark clouds and white clouds are in the sky at the same time. The ‘wolf’ (the dark clouds) chases the ‘ewe’ (the white clouds) and Iranians say that this is very changeable weather, with a very high chance of rain. Remember, you can write to us at www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish or via Facebook – look for ‘Elementary Podcasts’.

Rob: Now, do you remember what happened last time with Carolina, the student from Venezuela at Newcastle University? She returned from her summer holiday and talked with Emily about her new clothes, about missing English and, of course, about her boyfriend Jamie. Let’s see what’s happening this time!

Carolina

Carolina: Let me see. Oh dear. No, that's not right. Emily, what's seventy times twelve?

Emily: What?

Carolina: What's seventy times twelve?

Emily: Err, ten times seventy is seven hundred and two times seventy is a hundred and forty, so that makes erm, eight hundred and forty.

Carolina: What's seventy divided by fifty-two?

Emily: I don't know! I'm trying to read my book! Haven't you got a calculator on your phone?

Carolina: Oh, yes. Oooh. Oh dear!

Emily: What's the matter, Carolina?

Carolina: Nothing.

Emily: It doesn't sound like nothing. I can't read my book with your {big sigh} and {big sigh}. What's the problem?

Carolina: Well, I'm trying to work out my money. My money for the year.

Emily: Your money for the year. Mmm…

Carolina: And it's not very good.

Emily: It's not very good?

Carolina: Well, I haven't got enough.

Emily: You haven't got enough?

Carolina: Stop repeating everything I say!

Emily: Sorry.

Carolina: I don't know what I'm going to do.

Emily: Well, you did spend a lot of money in the summer, didn't you? You bought a lot of clothes and things.

Carolina: Yes. I did. And presents for my family and friends in Venezuela.

Emily: Oh dear. So, how bad is it?

Carolina: A disaster. After I've paid my rent for this room and the electricity and water, and my phone, and my travel card, well - there isn't very much left.

Emily: How much?

Carolina: About 20 pounds a week.

Emily: Twenty pounds a week!

Carolina: You're doing it again.

Emily: Sorry. But twenty pounds a week - you can't live on that. You have to buy food and books…

Carolina: And go out sometimes.

Emily: Can you ask your parents for some money?

Carolina: Oh, no. They've already given me a lot. I can't do that.

Emily: What about…

{doorbell}

Carolina: I'll go. It's probably Jamie.

Carolina: It’s so good to see you.

Jamie: It’s good to see you too. You been OK? Oh, hi Emily!

Emily: Hi Jamie. How's it going?

Jamie: Good, thanks. And you?

Emily: Yep.

Carolina: I'm going to get a job.

Emily and Jamie: Get a job?

Carolina: Now you're both doing it. I have to do something, Jamie. I can't live on the money that I've got for this year.

Jamie: Are you allowed to work here? Don't you need a special visa?

Carolina: No, I can work on my student visa - part-time. I'll check but I think I can work up to 20 hours a week.

Jamie: I'm not sure about this. You need time to study. And to go out and enjoy yourself - with me.

Carolina: I can't go out and enjoy myself if I haven't got any money, can I?

Jamie: I’ve got some money, I can pay.

Carolina: That's it. I've decided. Tomorrow morning I'm going to start looking for a job.

Adam and Rob

Adam: Oh dear. I hope Carolina manages to find a job or some other way to get more money.

Rob: It will be a lot easier for her if she has some experience, if she has done a job before. What was your first job, Adam?

Adam: I worked as a paperboy. That means I delivered newspapers to people’s houses early in the morning. It was quite interesting, although I didn’t have time to read anything more than the headlines. The real problem came when it was raining. What about you?

Rob: I worked as a waiter in a restaurant. It was quite hard work, but I didn’t earn a lot of money, unfortunately. Tell us about your first job. What did you do? Remember, you can write to us at www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish or via Facebook – look for ‘Elementary Podcasts’.

Adam: Now, do you notice anything about these sentences? Have a listen:

Emily: How much?

Carolina: About twenty pounds a week.

Emily: Twenty pounds a week!

Carolina: You’re doing it again!

Jamie: Are you allowed to work here? Don't you need a special visa?

Carolina: No, I can work on my student visa - part-time. I'll check but I think I can work up to 20 hours a week.

Rob: Carolina says she has about twenty pounds a week. She also says she thinks she can work up to twenty hours a week. ‘A week’ means ‘every week’. We use ‘a’ and ‘an’ with other words, too. For example, ‘hour’. I earned three pounds an hour when I was a waiter.

Adam: And I see my family three or four times a year. There will be some exercises about this and other language areas on LearnEnglish. That’s all we’ve got time for today – remember to write to us and tell us about your first job at LearnEnglish or on Facebook.

Rob: We’ll be back next time with Tess & Ravi. So, until then…

Adam and Rob: Bye!

Check your understanding

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Task 1: Matching_NzI4OA==
Task 2: GapFillDragAndDrop_NzI4OQ==
Task 3: GapFillDragAndDrop_NzI5MQ==

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Discussion

Tell us about your first job. What did you do? How much did you earn and what did you spend your pay on? Was it difficult or enjoyable? How did you get it?

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Language level

B1 English level (intermediate)

Hi everyone

My first job position a Relat selas Manger in 2016, I was steady in university, I have part time job, It is help me learn how to convince the celuin, and take course's for marketing I worked for 4 months abter that I foxes on my scientific specialty

My first job was on ten years ago after graduated from high school, my job is regulated people in the airport for embassy to check the visa valid or not, when i got my salary spend it on bought new cellphone, lol

My first job was as a Office-Assistent, It was part time and would paid 700€ per Month and that was enaugh for my pocket. I enjoyed and also save a small amount per month, because I didn't have any other responsibility. Thank you

My first job was production operation in a telecom company..bad salary and also condition but a good place to learn about it works.

I got my first job after I had gradueted Technical Music School in Ukraine. I was a teacher of playing the piano and music literature. It was enough difficalt work, because I went to the 5 different villages and often I walked when the weather was bad. In that years I earn too little for normal life. I remember that year without joy.

I haven't worked anything yet but I like this idea very much . I hope to work while my university studying inshallah because I want to depend on myself and to learn how I can arrange and use money in the right way

My first paid job was in a plant nursery when I was 15 and although I don't remember how much they pay me to work there I do remember that was enough at that time to buy my first set of tools to work as a carpenter apprentice a bit later and I was really happy for that. I enjoyed seeing plants growing and learnt how to grow lots of vegetables, nowadays I still use that knowledge to grow my owns plants and vegetables for my family. Thanks for the episode. Great site!

Hello everyone. My name is Gil and my first job was as an office-boy, I remembered that I don't earn a lot of money on this job, haha and I spent all of my money buying my clothes, shoes and helping my parents to pay the bills in our home. It's was an easy job, simples tasks to do. When was a young guy I go out to the company's in my city and delivered my CV and that specific day I was walking in the street and a saw a flyer with announcing about an "office-boy" vacancy and at the same time I saw this opportunity because was an entry-level vacancy without the experience necessary and applied for the job and an I got, I had a lot of luck that moment.

Hello everybody I worked in farm and sold vegetables when I was at secondary school. Actually I felt different to studied to get high marks. After I finished school I joined military technical college. So I graduated deploma as technician . However I decided to complete my study. Although I had worked as technician that time but I got bachelor in mechanical engineering from University. Really it was very hard-working to work and study. Everything will be easy with managing time and encouragement.

Hi I hope that I have a job ,but I am a student I can't study and work at the same time.

My first job was a baker. Then, l earned 500 naira about 15 years ago, actually this was spent on my upkeeps and feeding. It was quiet difficult, but later I get over it. I got it through a friend.

i got my first job withe a friend in a small resturant it was enjoy and tired i enjoy because i got to know friends and i learned how to dell withe the customers my work was serve the food tired because the resturant was busy . i got a good money

Hello sir, we use 'been' with ing-form and non-ing form. For instance: 'meat has been cut' so can I say 'meat has been getting cut'?

Hello Muhammad Erad,

The meat has been cut (present perfect passive) tells us that the process has finished and the meat is ready.

The meat has been being cut would be the continuous equivalent (present perfect passive continuous) but I can't think of a situation when you would want to use such a sentence. Perhaps if the time taken were somehow noteworthy:

Where is the meat?

It's being cut.

It has been being cut for more than an hour now! How long does it take?

You can read more about the continuous aspect here:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/continuous-aspect

You can read more about the perfect aspect here:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/perfect-aspect

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello sir, if I have to mention two actions which had been taking place, not any more, so I use 'used to' and for second action, I use 'would'. For example: I used to swim in the ocean and I would surf on every Tuesday. I am confused whether it is correct or not.

Hello Muhammad Erad,

Provided you are taking about actions rather than states, you can use either used to or would. Stylistically, I think it would be more usual to use one for both actions in the same sentence, but grammatically there is nothing wrong with your sentence.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Cartographer.

My first job was a math teacher in charity school for grade 12( ministerial curriculum).I didn’t earn a lot of money but l liked my job. because I was teach students who is very need. But now I’m working in a new school ( British curriculum) so l want to improve my language and earn more money to help all people’s who needs

Difference between in the building and at the university First in the building ( you are existing inside building) but Incase you are existing around in building says at) As at the park when you say at the park means not inside but around it. I think that’s.

I’m student so i don’t have a job

Tell us about your first job. What did you do? How much did you earn and what did you spend your pay on? Was it difficult or enjoyable? How did you get it? My first job was as a sofa fitter here in my hometown. I dind't earn a lot of money but I kind of liked it.I used my payments paying bills and helping my mom out with the house's bills. First it was dificult to learn how to do this or that but was worth the effort. I got that job by delivering my resume in their store.

My first job was a waiter in a small coffee when I was 15 years old, really it was a very hard job because I was forced to wake up very early in the morning at 5 o'clock, but fortunately I continued my stay and now I'm a doctor and I'm working now at the university as an associated professor, now I'm trying to learn english because I love it very well, but unfortunately I have a lot difficult to learn it especially in the speaking skill, I hope to have some advices to improve my speaking skill. Thank you very much for your all efforts

Hello Fares1980

Thanks for your comment. I just thought I'd give you a few ideas to work on improving your speaking. One thing you can do as you listen as these podcasts (or any audio or video) is to make a note of phrases that you think might be useful ones for your speaking.

Choose phrases that are useful in lots of situations and which you don't currently use. Listen to them a few times and then repeat them yourself. Do this as many times as it takes for you to feel more comfortable saying them. Then, write these down somewhere so you can refer back to them. Also, as you go about your day at work and at home, say them to yourself (silently is OK, but even better if you say them aloud), especially when they are relevant to the situation you are in.

If you keep at this, slowly, your vocabulary and speaking fluency should improve. Your listening comprehension should also improve. It will take time, but imagine if you could just learn one new phrase every day, after a couple of months you would know a lot more!

Have you seen our Speaking videos? Those might be useful for you as well. I should also mention that we are working on some new Speaking videos. It will still be some time before they are ready, but please check the speaking section again from time to time.

Best wishes

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

I don't get what the difference between "in" and "at" is, that many specific things strictly get just one of them (such as "at the university", "in the building", "in / at the morning".). Is there a clear rule where to use this one (at) and where to use the second one (in)? Please explain the usage?

Hello Muhammad Erad

It can indeed be confusing! I would recommend you have a look at this dictionary page, which gives a nice summary of how 'at', 'on' and 'in' are used to speak about places. I think the explanation there should answer many of your questions, but if you have any other after reading it, please don't hesitate to ask us here.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

I work for few month as a receptionist in the restaurant it was quite spectacular , i saw more people and i enjoyed with a team.

My first job was to help my father in the fields, in banana plantations, corn, among others.

When i was fifteen years old i used to work as ball boy at sport club. i worked five hours per day through five years. I earned twenty pesos per hour. With my first job I was able to pay for necessities such as tickets, food, clothes and school supplies. it was a great and funny experience but also very tired. In my first job also i could practice tenis, it is my favourite sport. Now I want to return at sport club like a client

1) I object on wearing yellow colour. 2) I object to wearing yellow colour. Which sentence is correct. I am confused here, whether to use 'to' or 'on.'

Hello Muhammad Erad,

The correct preposition after 'object' is 'to', so the second sentence is correct. I think we would say 'the colour yellow' and not just 'colour yellow', however.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Thank you.

In 1993 that's the year of my first job at the Algerian Water Services Company, in Bechar city, located in the southwest of Algeria, when I took a trade framework, and I have got 10.000 Algerian Dinar about (45 Euro) in month. it's very easy work for me and l was very happy in my job,but sorry I left it in 1995, because I didn‘t do the duty of national military service.

Hello sir, I want to know whether I use 'of' or 'to' after 'ask'? Here are two examples: 1) I want to ask question of you. 2) I want to ask question to you. One more thing, what is best to use 'he' or 'they' when gender is neutral and when gender is unknown?

Hello Muhammad Erad

The most common structure for this is actually 'I want to ask you a question.' But 1 is also correct (though 'a' is needed before 'question'). My students say 2 and it may be used in some varities of English, but is non-standard in British and American English.

Traditionally, 'he/him' was used to refer to unknown genders, but most people don't see it that way any longer. It is much more common to use 'they/them' instead, which makes it clearer than either gender could be referred to. You can see a little more about this on our Personal pronouns page.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

my first job was as a computer programmer at a local mobile phone reseller.i think i would earn 300 $ for a month.it was both enjoyable and hard for me,it was my first job and i didnt have enough experience so i couldnt manage things properly,and also my boss was angry most of the times,although i love programming so it was enjoyable too.

Hello The LearnEnglish Team. When I was a student at the university, I used to work as a waiter at café. My working shift consisted of 3 to 6 hours, and there were 3 to 4 times when I could work. All the rest time I dedicated to study and to my friends. Also, while my leasure time I used to go gym or play the guitar. My duties as a waiter were inviting new customers and asking for what they were going to order. After I took an order, I had to take it to the kitchen to chef who was responsible for cooking. After the dish was ready, all was left for me to do is just take it to customer and wish him or her Bon appetite. From time to time there were shifts which were especially hard for me. At weekends there usually much more customers come and it means more job for waiters. Those times I got tired a lot. But on the other hand, this job can be interesting and enjoyable cause you have to communicate with people and that’s really good to feel when they thank you and smile. I can’t say I earned much but all these money plus money that had given to me from University for good study, I mean stipend, all these were enough for me. My parents were also giving me moneys, of course. I had to take a part time job because I thought I need a bit more money to have fun after study.

Hello when I was at 10 years old I sold our garden fruit in yard of our house. That was fantastic.

How are things? My first job was fascinating to me. I was a chef's assistant in a cafe. U

My first time job was a vet at a pet clinic. That was also my major in university. I got it when I was a final-year student. I had worked there around 1 year. My works were to diagnose and give the treatment to animals. I had to work more 10 hours a day even dealt with the emergencies at midnight sometimes. It was a bit much of stressful but the wonderful things are that I had chances to play with cute animals and follow their recovery day by day. My salary was not much actually, I spent to pay for living partly and gave the rest to my family.

Sir I want to know about 'I wish' structure. Where, how and when to use it.

Hello Muhammad Erad You can read all about this on the following page in our Grammar section: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/intermediate-grammar/wish-and-if-only All the best Kirk The LearnEnglish Team

My first job was teaching . I went to students home and taught them mathematics, english etc, but I haven't done this job for a long time . my first real job was working in a bank and I' still work on that bank

My first job was teaching in elementary school. I was still studying, but I replaced another teacher a few days. My students were young children, and I told them a little story about a sheep. Their eyes so wide and bright as they listened to me convinced me to be a teacher forever. I spent my first payment on makeup and shoes, I remember it. It has some difficulties, but I love my job. I also teach music and direct a children's orchestra.

My first job was at an internet store. The store sold clothes and I taked pictures and published the products. I earned $500 for part time labor and spend this in different things for me because I lived with my parents and didn’t have main liabilities. The job was an offer of my sister’s friend and was very easy find it.

Scholar announced that his will be his successor on tv channel. When he announced, he preached his to persist in following rules of Sultanat and warned him about taking back successorship if he would bring a slight change even for a moment. Please correct if there is something gramatically wrong in this paragraph?

Hello Muhammad Erad

If you'd like to ask us a specific question about a specific word or short phrase, then please feel free, but otherwise I'm afraid we can't help you with this kind of proofreading.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

O Lord, supplications are mentioned in book accept those in our favour! is it correct? If not then guide me please.

Hello Muhammad Erad

I'm afraid that I'm not sure what this prayer is meant to communicate, but if I do, I would recommend 'O Lord, supplications are mentioned in the book; accept them in our favour'.

Does that look right to you?

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello sir! 'He is left by brilliant 13 books' Is it correct? Basically I want to say that they (books) are brilliant and writer had died long ago.

Hi Muhammad Erad

You're right in thinking that the verb 'leave' can be used to communicate this idea, but here you need to use it in the active voice to say what you want to: 'He left (us) 13 brilliant books.' I put the word 'us' in there, as usually there is an indirect object in this kind of construction.

Does that make sense?

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team