Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DNI: ___________________________
ORDEN Nº: AULA Nº:
100
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
We have to make choices every day of our lives – But the fact is that there’s an element of chance in every
whether it’s what to have for lunch or choosing decision, so often our intuition is the only thing we’ve got
between the red or black jacket. Do you make up your to guide us. Whatever you decide at the time is right; it is
mind quickly or are you one of life’s ditherers? The only in the light of what happens next that it can seem
difference between having a tuna or chicken sandwich wrong. If you decide to spend your hard-earned money on
isn’t going to change the world, but sometimes you a battered old car and three months later it falls to bits,
have to make and important decision that will have a you’ll think you made a terrible decision. But if it goes
long-term impact on your life. along for years, you’ll congratulate yourself. So stop trying
to predict the future and trust your instincts.
Deciding whether to go to college or leave your job
and go travelling is not easy when you’ve got no Decisive people command respect because they know
experience to base your decision on. After all, how do what they think. Indecisive people have no personal
you know what backpacking around Borneo will be like power because they appear unreliable, out of control and
if you’ve never done it? What’s more, you’ve probably even selfish. Decisive people are successful because they
got everyone telling you what they think you should make a decision and move on – and if it doesn’t go the
do. Their advice may sound sensible, but if your heart way they planned, they make the best of it.
says no, it’s not the right choice for you. Learning to
make your own mind up is about becoming an adult. Some tips on decision making:
When we are young, our parents do a lot of our
Do all the research you need: if you want to move
decision-making for us, but as we grow up we take
home, work out how much it will cost before taking
responsibility for ourselves. However, grabbing the
such a big step.
power to make decisions for ourselves means taking
Set yourself a time limit: the sooner you make a
responsibility for the consequences – even when
decision, the better.
things go wrong.
Be firm: decisive people command respect because
People become indecisive because they don’t want to they say they’re going to do something and they do it.
do the wrong thing. The truth is that they are terrified Don’t think every decision is the biggest decision in
of making a big mistake – and the bigger the decision, your life: if you believe this, you’ll be paralysed with
the bigger the potential mistake. For example, if you indecision. Most choices seem crucial when you’re
buy a horrible pair of boots, you know that all you’ve making them, but remember – no decision is going to
done is waste a week’s spending money. But if you buy affect you forever.
a flat with someone and living together turns out to be
a nightmare, you could end up involved in a financial Glossary: ditherer: someone who can’t make a decision
and emotional mess. about doing something.
2. When making a decision, one should only pay attention to what more experienced people say.
4. According to the article, it is difficult to know what the consequences of your decisions will be at the time you
make them.
5. In the writer’s view, a crucial decision may change your life completely.
Rewrite the following sentences using the beginning provided. Both sentences must have the same
meaning.
1. Stephen had a car accident because he had drunk a lot at the party.
If Stephen ____________________________________________________________________________
2. Even though we got into a traffic jam, we arrived on time.
In spite of ____________________________________________________________________________
3. I do not find it difficult to get up at five o’clock in the morning since I have been doing so for five
years now.
I am used ____________________________________________________________________________
4. After the operation, she was too weak to go to the gym every day.
After the operation, she wasn’t _________________________________________________________
5. “When did you see the suspect for the last time?” the policeman asked me.
The policeman wanted to know ________________________________________________________
6. Someone stole Tina’s handbag last week.
Tina’s handbag _____________________________________________________________________
7. While were walking in the woods, we got hungry, but we hadn’t brought anything with us to eat.
We should ___________________________________________________________________________
8. They are building a new shopping mall in this area.
A new shopping mall _________________________________________________________________
9. You are hungry now because you didn’t have breakfast.
If you _______________________________________________________________________________
10. “I’m trying to help you!” Mary shouted at me.
Mary shouted at me that ______________________________________________________________
SECTION C: Writing
Choose ONE of the following options and write between 150 and 200 words.
A. A story.
Write a story beginning with the following words:
“I was on the bus to college when I realised that something was wrong.”
B. An informal email.
Imagine you get an email from an English-speaking friend of yours. Write an email to him/her apologising
for not writing in a long time. Tell him/her why you have been so busy.
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A successful job interview can change your life. So Most employers will have a few tricky questions up their
how do you make sure that you don’t ruin it? sleeve which the interviewee should have prepared
answers for. Some of these questions may be:
The most common mistake is also the easiest to avoid: “Tell me about yourself.” Resist the urge to babble. Your
not enough preparation. Recruitment companies answer should be a two-minute career resumé,
report that many candidates still don’t make enough emphasising the parts relevant to the job you are applying
effort to find out about their prospective employer and for.
the business they are in. Nor do they think enough “What are your greatest weaknesses?” Never talk about
about what they are going to say when the interview weaknesses that would affect your ability to do the job,
takes place. It’s a pitfall that even those going for instead try to mention a weakness which leads back to
senior jobs fall into. one of your strengths.
According to the director of one of the biggest When it comes to salary expectations, again much of the
recruitment companies in Britain, there is a lot of over- answer comes down to preparation. Find out what you
confidence. Before an interview, candidates should are worth and set a base amount in your mind. Establish
study the organisation’s annual report and accounts, what the job is about and what the employer would
plus look at the company’s market to determine expect from you before going into salary negotiations. It’s
whether it is expanding, consolidating or declining. also wise to ask what the company is prepared to offer.
The other side of preparation is knowing what the Last but not least, you may be invited to an informal
employer is looking for and matching it to your own interview, such as a dinner or a drink with your future
skills and experience. Go into the interview with your colleagues. On these occasions, ask intelligent questions,
mind fixed on the four or five key strengths you want dress smartly, even if the company professes to be
to get across. Never forget that you are in a sales informal, and beware of talking too much.
situation and that you need to convince the employer
that you are better than the other candidates.
Glossary: PITFALL: unexpected difficulty.
2. According to the article, having access to the Internet can help you get to know about your prospective
employer.
4. Mentioning a weakness that relates to one of your strengths can be a clever strategy.
5. It is advisable to say how much you expect to earn before dealing with salary negotiations.
Rewrite the following sentences using the beginning provided. Both sentences must have the same
meaning.
1. Edith was seriously injured in the car accident because she was not wearing a seat-belt.
If Edith ______________________________________________________________________________
2. I had the feeling that someone was following me.
I had the feeling that I __________________________________________________________________
3. It’s a pity I didn’t take the right decision.
I wish I _______________________________________________________________________________
4. I was very young at that time. That is why I couldn’t marry Luke.
I was too ______________________________________________________________________________
5. Although some ecological organisations try hard to protect some species, they are not always
successful.
Despite ________________________________________________________________________________
6. “I won’t go without you!” he said.
He said _______________________________________________________________________________
7. Look! That’s my old house.
Look! I used __________________________________________________________________________
8. “Where have you been lately?” the police officer asked me.
The police officer wanted to know _______________________________________________________
9. My parents don’t let me take an UBER.
I am not ______________________________________________________________________________
10. They have built a new roundabout near my house.
A new roundabout _________________________________________________________________
SECTION C: Writing
Choose ONE of the following options and write between 150 and 200 words.
C. A story.
Write a story beginning with the following words:
“I was on the bus to college when I realised that something was wrong.”
D. An informal email.
Imagine you get an email from an English-speaking friend of yours. Write an email to him/her apologising
for not writing in a long time. Tell him/her why you have been so busy.
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