Page 110 - Complete First B2 (third edition) Student Book

^ called ‘A Journey of Self -Discovery’, written by Claire
Reading and Use of English Part 5 Work alone. You are going to read an extract from a book

Richardson. Before you read, look at the sentences and
• The answers to the questions come in the same order write A (agree) or D (disagree) next to each one.
in the text. For example, you will locate the answer 1 I often buy things that I don’t really need.
to question 2 after the part of the text that answered 2 I am good at saving money.
question 1.
3 Money can’t buy happiness.
• The final question may refer to the whole 4 I would jump at the chance to work abroad
text: In this case, consider the general 5 I’d rather work from home than in an office.
message, but also skim the text for ideas
which support your choice. Compare your answers in pairs. Give reasons for
your answers.

A journey of self-discovery Speaking of which, the first thing I realised was that I no longer
needed to waste money on clothes. In my previous job, everyone
° «o» ° 3 was very fashion-conscious, especially my younger colleagues,
who seemed to equate designer clothes with success.Ihad given
Iexpect you are wondering, dear reader, what made me decide up trying to compete with them some years earlier, onceI entered
to downsize, after half a lifetime of living the good life? After my 30s. However, part of my former role involved meeting potential
all, I had spent most of my professional life working for various investors face-to-face, and it was important to look the part. But
high-ranking financial institutions, advising them on investment in my new job, I was essentially performing a backroom function,
opportunities. I loved my job. The salary allowed me to live the sitting in an office all day, analysing investment opportunities. It
lavish lifestyle Ihad always yearned for, and the travel, which meant I could wear what I liked, for the first time ever, and that was
was the biggest perk of it, as far as I was concerned, meant that quite liberating.
Icould experience new countries and cultures that I would have PDF from sachtienganhhanoi.com
never otherwise seen. But then it soon stopped being a labour of One major advantage of working and living in a small town in
io love and everything changed. -i Germany rather than a big city like London or Frankfurt is the
difference in the air quality. It is so much fresher here, no doubt
Two years ago, the company I was working for had decided to because there is far less traffic, and I like to thinkI play a part in
reduce their workforce, which meant I had to say goodbye to that. Like most people who live here, I go nearly everywhere by bike
some of my closest colleagues. Others were making themselves or on foot, so most of the time my car just sits in the garage. And of
seriously ill with the stress of it all, and the idea of that happening 4 course there are health benefits. In fact Ihave to say, in all modesty,
to me filled me with dread. So after much thought, I made my that I have never been in such good shape.
mind up: I would find a job with a much smaller company in
Germany -a country I had always loved - where I would be One other major change in my lifestyle is my attitude to food. When
under less pressure. It was a tough one to make and meant I was earning the big bucks, and meeting important clients, I was
2 i leaving my family and friends behind, but in truth, I have never always going to expensive restaurants. To be honest, restaurant
looked back. food did not agree with me, but it was an unavoidable part of the
job. I always made an effort to select healthy options so at least
Of course, working for a smaller company meant getting less I did not pile on the pounds, but Inever got much pleasure from
money, and I very quickly realised that I would need to rein eating out. To my mind, food was a fuel that kept you going -it
things in, if I was going to make ends meet. It was strange, but was not a major part of my life. And when I was not at work or
all my working life, I had never given it much thought.I get how entertaining clients, Ijust used to buy ready-meals in the shop
23 that must sound and I know how fortunate I was to be in such a around the corner and heat them up in the microwave. Then I would
privileged position. But now I needed to cut my coat according to curl up on the sofa in my pyjamas, eating my dinner off a tray in
my cloth, as the saying goes. front of the TV.