UNIT 12.

MY FUTURE CAREER

LANGUAGE FOCUS
Topic:
My future career
Phonetics:
High tones
Grammar:
– Review: In spite of/Despite
– Verbs + to-infinitive/ Verbs + -ing
Vocabulary:
Jobs, careers, and factors affecting career choice
Skills:
– Reading about choosing a career
– Talking and writing about a person’s likes/dislikes, personality traits and abilities for a certain
job
– Listening about choosing future jobs and reasons for the choices

PRACTICE
I. Choose a word in each line that has different stress pattern.
1. A. carreer B. service C. leisure D. colleague
2. A. Dynamic B. consider C. management D. injection
3. A. Vocational B. architecture C. development D. compulsory
4. A. Economical B. administrator C. educational D. opportunity
5. A. Practical B. flexitime C. meaningful D. researcher

II. Give the correct form of the word in CAPITALS to complete each of the following
sentences.
1. Stephen Hawking is one of the greatest ________ of all time. His study on the Bing Bang is
famous all over the world.(PHYSICS)
2. You will never get a good job if you don’t have any_______ (QUALIFY)
3. Recent advances in________ science mean that many fatal diseases can now be
cured.(MEDICINE)
4. Although many people have some interest in history, few of them decide to become
_________ .(HISTORY)
5. My parents have _________ me to focus on social sciences and humanities.(COURAGE)
6. The number of ________ in the company has trebled over the past decade.(EMPLOY)
7. His explanation about why he became a biologist did not satisfy my_________ at
all.(CURIOUS)
8. My sister is _________ and she wants to become a fashion designer.(ART)
9. The possible career paths in education can be to become teachers, education _________ or
curriculum developers.(ADMINISTER)
10. You should choose a job that is based on your _________and your likes.(ABLE)

III. Join each pair of sentences into one, beginning with the words provided.
1. Quang would like more holidays. He doesn’t mind going to school.
Despite _______________________________________________
2. The work was hard and the wages were low. He decided to take the job.
In spite _______________________________________________
3. She is the boss. She works as hard as her employees.
Despite ________________________________________________
4. He has health problems. He is always smiling.
In spite ________________________________________________
5. I got good marks. The exam was difficult.
Despite________________________________________________
6. Nga went to school. She was ill.
In spite ______________________________________________________
7. We couldn’t win the match. We played well.
Despite_________________________________________________
8. It rained a lot. We enjoyed our holiday.
In spite_________________________________________________
9. He was injured. He managed to finish the race.
Despite _________________________________________________
10. He didn’t get the job. He had all the necessary qualifications.
In spite _________________________________________________

IV. Complete the sentences using the correct form (ing-form or to-infinitive of the verb in
brackets).
1. Reliable friends are always there for you. They never fail (help)_________ you.
2. Why don’t you stop (work) ________ and take a rest?
3. I was a bit lazy this time, but I promise (study) _________ harder next time.
4. If you want a quiet holiday, you should avoid (go) _________ to the coast in summer.
5. When we told him the plan, he agreed (join) _________ our team.
6. John missed (have)_________ dinner with his old schoolmates.
7. This is a very badly organized project. I will never consider (take) ________ part in it.
8. I can’t stand my boss. I have decided (look) ___________ for another job.
9. He only wants privacy. He can’t understand people (ask) _________ him personal questions.
10. Do you ever regret (not study)___________ at university, Peter?

V. Read the following passage and choose the best option for each numbered blank.
The nature of work is changing. You will probably change jobs numerous times
over your lifetime. The idea of a ‘job for life’ doesn’t (1) ______ any more. Your career
may involve a range of different jobs. New technology also means that there are new
occupations today that didn’t exist ten years ago. Many of these occupations (2) ____
working with computer-based systems, procedures, machinery and the Internet. Many of the
occupations of the future will mean being self-employed or (3) in small business.
The changing nature of work will provide many opportunities for those (4) ____are
prepared for them. This will mean being able to identify opportunities, tackle problems, take
initiative, persevere, be flexible and work in teams. It will mean developing the right ‘enterprise
skills’ (5) ______ the future.
However, choosing a career path is not always easy. For most people there is not
one (6) _____ occupation, but several occupations they could do and enjoy. Different
occupations will suit you at different times. Your career is your whole working life,
which can be made up of a wide range of occupations and involve many (7) _____ in
direction.
It is important that you take informed choices. It is wise to base your career
decisions on a good (8)__________of yourself, as well as a thorough knowledge of the
occupations and courses open to you.
It takes time to think about yourself to decide what sort of (9) ______ you want, to
talk to people and to explore occupations. If you want to find work that is satisfying,
(10) ______ , there are no shortcuts – and without this knowledge, you may be tempted
to react to whatever luck brings your way.
1. A. create B. exist C. open D. offer
2. A. involve B. satisfy C. apply D. discuss
3. A. searching B. designing C. suffering D. working
4. A. whom B. which C. who D. whose
5. A. of B. at C. in D. for
6. A. true B. right C. soft D. large
7. A. opportunities B. ideas C. changes D. sectors
8. A. understanding B. qualification C. interest D. profession
9. A. fashion B. approach C. lifestyle D. viewpoint
10. A. however B. despite C. furthermore D. although

VI. Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each question.
It is sometimes very difficult to decide which career to choose when you leave
school. British students are helped by careers teachers, who inform them about different careers,
the qualifications needed and try to help them make up their minds. Mr Hemmings, a careers
teacher as well as a History teacher, talks about his experience.
‘I’ve been a careers teacher for around five years and, on the whole, I’ve found it a rewarding
experience. Our students have careers lessons once a week for the fourth and the fifth years (15
and 16 years old). My task consists of explaining as accurately as possible the qualifications
required for each job, as well as the type of work and personal skills involved.
Advising teenagers can be rather difficult – some youngsters have no idea at all of what they want
to do, or of what the real world outside school really is. They come to me and say ‘I don’t like
routine nine-to-five jobs… I’d like something exciting that pays well…’ What can I say? That
we’re running out of exciting jobs? But they usually end up facing reality and come down to their
senses after a while…
Anyway here in school we only give them a piece of advice according to what we know about
their favourite and weakest subjects, pastimes and personality. But if you ask me, things are
happening so quickly around here, with our economy in the dumps that sometimes you just don’t
know what to say. A few days ago I asked a fifteen- year-old boy what job he had in mind and he
replied ‘I haven’t any plans… You see, Sir, I don’t know what new jobs will replace today’s’.
What could I say?
1. What do careers teachers in Britain help students?
A. Inform them about different careers
B. Tell them the qualifications needed for careers
C. Help them make up their minds
D. All of the above
2. How has Mr Hemmings found his job as a careers teacher?
A. An easy job B. a rewarding experience
C. A stressful job D. a challenging experience
3. How often do British students have careers lessons?
A. Once a week B. twice a week
C. Once a fortnight D. twice a month
4. Why is it difficult to advise teenagers?
A. Teenagers have no idea of what exciting jobs are.
B. Many youngsters never go outside of their houses.
C. Some of them don’t know what careers they want.
D. Many teenagers only like doing jobs that pay well.
5. Why hasn’t the student got any plans about his future job?
A. There will be many new jobs in the future.
B. His parents haven’t told him about his future job.
C. He is too young to think about it.
D. He is busy studying his favourite subjects.

VII. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar as possible in
meaning to the original sentence. Use the word given and other words as necessary. Do not
change the form of the given word.
1. I made an effort to submit the application by 11.30 but I couldn’t. (TRIED)
____________________________________________________
2. Even though I left home very early, I was late for the interview. (DESPITE)
____________________________________________________
3. My colleague said that she was willing to work late.( MIND)
____________________________________________________
4. He doesn’t want to become an artist though he’s interested in arts. (SPITE)
____________________________________________________
5. Don’t miss seeing Ms Molloy for her career advice. (FORGET)
____________________________________________________

VIII. What job would you like to do in the future? Write a paragraph of 120=150 words
about the three most important qualities for that job. You should give the name of the job,
three qualities, reasons and examples to support your opinion.