3 Famous first jobs

1 What do you know about these famous people?

Jennifer Aniston Jim Carrey Johnny Depp Michael Douglas Tom Hanks
Madonna Brad Pitt Julia Roberts Steven Spielberg Quentin Tarantino

2 Read the article about famous people’s first jobs. Match the people in 1 to these jobs.
1 a cinema attendant Quentin Tarantino 6 a limousine driver
2 a doughnut seller 7 a waitress
3 a factory cleaner 8 a popcorn seller
4 a fruit farm worker 9 a pen salesman
5 an ice-cream seller 10 a petrol station attendant

Everybody has to start somewhere

W hen we think of famous film stars and musicians, we
think of the glamorous and exciting lives they have. It’s
hard to imagine that their lives were ever normal, difficult and
boring. But everybody has to start somewhere. Take Jennifer
Aniston, for example. She worked as a
waitress before becoming a successful TV
and film actress. She also spent some time as
One person who loved his first job was film
director Quentin Tarantino. His job as a
cinema attendant was perfect for him because
he could watch films all day and he didn’t have
to pay. Johnny Depp, however, probably didn’t
enjoy one of his first jobs – he used to sell
pens. Comedian and actor Jim Carrey probably

ExTRA READING:
a telemarketer, where she had to telephone didn’t enjoy his first job either – he cleaned

hundreds of people every day to sell them
things they didn’t want.
Jennifer Aniston wasn’t the only star to
Jennifer Aniston
start her working life selling things. Julia
Roberts worked in an ice-cream parlour
before she became famous, and Madonna
sold doughnuts in New York City. Tom
Hanks, now one of Hollywood’s top actors,
sold popcorn and peanuts at a cinema in
California. He also once worked in a luxury
hotel, where he had to carry heavy bags for
Julia Roberts
the rich hotel guests. Another actor with
several early jobs was Brad Pitt. He drove limousines, moved
fridges, and even dressed as a giant chicken to advertise a Mexican
restaurant!
photocopiable
Jim Carrey
the floors in a factory when he was only 15.
He says that it was a difficult time, but that he learned a lot from the
experience. Later, Carrey got a better job, as a security guard.
While most stars had indoor jobs, others
started working outside. Actor Michael
Douglas worked for a while as a petrol station
attendant. And Steven Spielberg, now one of
the richest men in Hollywood, had to protect
fruit trees from insects in his first job.
So whatever your job is now, or even if you’re
looking for your first job, don’t feel bad about
Steven Spielberg
it. Even the most boring or unpleasant job can
be a great way to learn about what you can do, what you want to
do – and what you never want to do again!

3 Read the article again and answer these questions. There are two or three answers to each question.
1 Who worked in a cinema? Tom Hanks Quentin Tarantino
2 Who had to guard or protect things?
3 Who had a job connected with cars?
4 Who sold things to eat?
5 Who sold other things to people?
6 Who had to carry heavy things?

4 Who had the best first job, do you think? Who had the worst? Why?

5 Jennifer Aniston, Johnny Depp 6 Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt

10 Michael Douglas 3 2 Jim Carrey, Steven Spielberg 3 Brad Pitt, Michael Douglas 4 Julia Roberts, Madonna, Tom Hanks
2 2 Madonna 3  Jim Carrey 4  Steven Spielberg 5  Julia Roberts 6  Brad Pitt 7  Jennifer Aniston 8  Tom Hanks 9  Johnny Depp

Instructions p210 © Cambridge University Press 2012 face2face Second edition Pre-intermediate Photocopiable 217