1.1.

Reading: A FIRST DAY AT THE OFFICE

VOCABULARY
Carry on: continue (doing something)
Dictation: passage that is dictated
Duty – n: one's job or responsibility; what one must do because it is right and just
Fill in: write something in the empty space (of a form)
Former – adj.: earlier in time; not now
Kettle: Metal vessels with lid, spout, and handle, for boiling water.
Nod: bow the head slightly and quickly as a sign of agreement or as a familiar greeting
Overwhelming: weighing down
Personnel officer: one employed to deal with relationships between individual employees, their
problems, grievances, etc.
Plug in: make a connection with
Reply: give an answer to, in words or action.
Require - v.: to need or demand as necessary
Salutation: introductory phrase
Settle – v.: to end (a dispute); to agree about (a problem); to make a home in a new place
Smoothly- adv.: in a smooth manner (no troubles, obstacles, or interruptions)
Stationery: writing materials, etc.
Exhausted: tired out

Mr. Nagamo, the personnel Officer, was working in his office when there was a knock at the
door. "Come in," he said.
Emi, the new secretary, came into the room. "Have you settled in yet?" he asked.
"Yes, I have. I have already made some new friends, too, replied Emi.
"Good. I’d like you to type these letters for me. Then you’ve got to take some dictation. You
may have done this sort of thing in your former job. I hope will get on smoothly," said Mr.
Nagamo.
Emi nodded.
"I did not fill in the date, the address and the salutation," Mr. Nagamo continued. "Would you
mind checking and filling them in?"
Emi went down to the second floor to get the stationery she would require. Then she went
back up and started on her work. Within a few minutes, she had typed the letters.
After this, she was in and out of Mr. Nagamo’s office doing her various duties. Emi’s first
day at the office was quite overwhelming. She had to do various jobs. She had to answer the
telephone, hang on and search for any information required or connect the call through to Mr.
Nagamo. She also had to plug in the kettle and make tea for Mr. Nagamo and his visitors.
Meanwhile, she had to carry on with her typing.
By the end of the day, she was truly exhausted. She was very glad that she could finally go
home.
Exercises:
I. Answer these questions in complete sentences.
1. Whose first day was it at the office? (Emi)
2. Who is Emi? (The new secretary)
3. What was the first duty she was given? (Type letters)
4. Did she have any experience in typing and in shorthand? (No)
5. What were the items Mr. Nagamo might have missed out in the letters? (Sort of thing in
emi’s former job)
6. Why did Emi go down to the second floor? ( To get the stationery)
7. How long did it take her to type out the letters? (Afew minutes)
8. What other jobs did she have to do? (Answer the telephone, hang on and search for any
information required or connect the call through)
9. Why was Emi glad that she could finally go home?
10. Give a description of Emi’s first day at the office in your own words.

Exercises:

I. A. Use capital letters for Proper Nouns in the following sentences.

1. paris is the capital of france. (Paris is the Capitol of France)
2. william shakespeare is a famous english author.(William Shakespeare ia a famous english
author)
3. ‘war and peace' was written by leo tolstoy.('War and Peace' waspada written by Leo
Tolstoy)
4. The universities of oxford and cambridge offer degree courses at the highest level.(The
Universities of Oxford and Cambridge offer degree course at the highest level)
5. john's two dogs are named rover and boxer.(John two dogs are named Rover and Boxer)
6. david will travel to france to do a degree course on the french revolution.(David will travel to
France to do a degree course on The French Revolution)
7. suez canal joins the red sea and the mediterranean sea.(Suez Canal joins the Red Sea and the
Mediterranean sea)
8. republic of liberia is on the west coast of africa.(Republik of Liberia is on the West Coast of
Africa)
9. mick jagger is the lead singer of rolling stones(Mick Jagger ia the lead singer of rolling
stones)
10. mount kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in africa.(Mount Klimanjaro is the highest
mountain in Africa)

DI. B. Identify the Common Nouns in the following sentences.

1. We arrived early at the station.(Station)
2. There are different species of fish.(Fish)
3. The man was trying to steal his car.(Car)
4. They have gone to the zoo.(Zoo)
5. The baby is crying.(Baby)
6. My mother is in the kitchen.(Kitchen)
7. He threw some nuts to the monkeys.(Monkeys)
8. The children are playing in the field.(Children)
9. That temple was built before I was born.(Temple)
10. He has bought a new car.(Car)

II. Change the nouns in bold from the feminine to the masculine.
1. My aunt visits her niece every week-end.(My uncle visits her nephew every week end)
2. The lady has several mares on her farm.(The gentleman has severa stallions on his farm)
3. The daughter is more talkative than her mother.(The son is more talkative than her father)
4. Does any actress like to play the role of the widow?(Does any actor like to play the role of
the widower)
5. Their queen is married.(Their king is married)
6. The manageress is still single.(The manager is still single)
7. In the movie, the tigress was killed by the heroine.(In the movie, the tiger was killed by the
hero)
8. His daughter-in-law is a postmistress.(His son in law is a male postmaster)
9. The prince has one sister.(The Princess has one brother)
10. The authoress is writing a book about the empress.(The author is writing a booking about
the emperor)
III. Decide whether the following words are male, female or neutral. Write them into the
correct column: pedestrian, doctor, cousin, niece, saleswoman, astronaut, uncle, driver, sister,
reader

male Female neutral

_________ __________ Pedestrian
Doctor __________
Cousin __________
__________ Niece __________
__________ Saleswoman __________
__________ Astronaut
Uncle __________
__________ __________ Driver
__________ Sister __________
__________ __________ Reader

IV. Fill in the correct plural forms of the given words.

Singular Plural
River Rivers
Fireman Firemans
Table Tables
 Piano Pianos
Farm Farms
Zoo Zoo
Dress Dresses
Bush Bushes
Park Parks
Child Children

V. Complete each sentence by choosing the correct noun given in bracket.

1. There is so (smoke) coming out of the chimney. (smokes/ smoke)
2. There are (fishes) in the pond. (fishes/ fish)
3. The postman put (letters) into the bag. (letter/ letters)
4. He threw (nuts) to the monkeys.( nuts/nut)
5. The butcher sells (meat).(meats/ meat)

VI. Study the example, and fill in each blank with the noun of the adjective as given in the
first sentence.

EXAMPLE: She is beautiful.

She has beauty.
2. The library is a completely silent place. The library is a place of complete (silence).
3. The attic is a dirty room. The attic is filled with (dirty).
4. She was a famous singer. She first won (fame) as a singer.
5. I heard the joyful news. I could have shouted with (joy).
6. How deep is the lake? What (depth) is the lake?
7. The door is three feet wide. The (width) of the door is three feet.
8. That really is a high wall. I think it is at least 3 meters in (height).
9. I hope you won't think me rude if I leave now. Excuse my (rudeness) but I have to leave
now.
10. Why is she so jealous? She'd never felt (jealousy) before.
11. They were polite to accept the food. They accepted the food out of (politness).

Exercises:

I. Fill in the missing verbs or nouns into the correct gaps.

Verb Noun
defend defendant
wait wait
Marriage marriage
violate Violate
live Life
help Help
Different Difference
object Objected
Personal Personality
define Defined

II. Fill in the blanks with the nouns formed from the words in the brackets.

1. Once again he's proving himself to be a player of great availiable (able).

2. John will be in charge during the boss's absence (absent).
3. We met quite by accident (accidental) at the airport.
4. The police took quick action (act) to deal with the robbery.
5. I never ever shouted at you in anger (angry), have I?
6. He is always worried about his appearance (appear).
7. He was rushed to the hospital but was dead on arrival (arrive).
8. We must pay attention (attend) in class.
9. We pay our telephone bill at the beginning (begin) of the month.
10. The naughty boys were punished for their bad behaved (behave).
11. Saving a drowning man is regarded by most as an act of bravement (brave).
12. His bad breathness (breathe) is caused by heavy smoking.
13. He was allowed only one meal every day during his captivated (captive).
14. He always takes excessive carefully (careful) of his appearance.
15. He has a vast collected (collect) of foreign stamps.