Business English test

TWENTY YEARS AGO  most people (1) have started / started  work around the age of twenty and (2) retired / have retired at the age of sixty-five.  Normally they worked for the same company all their life.  In the last twenty years things (3) are changing / have changed.  Today people often (4) work / are working for different employers, many are self-employed and many, unfortunately, are unemployed.  Companies employ fewer people and many processes (5) computerize / are computerized. 

People change jobs for different reasons.  ‘I was forty, says Jürgen Klimmer, and an engineer.  ‘I liked my job, but the prospects weren’t good, and there was very little chance of promotion.  I read the papers and wrote one or two letters.   One day I got a telephone call and an offer from Lufthansa.  I said immediately, (6) ‘I’ll take / I take it.  The job offered a better salary and excellent prospects, but I had to move which was a problem for my family.’  Jürgen took the job and (7) is / has been  with the company for the last three years.

Sergio Laguardia, an accountant in Milan, was less fortunate.  (8) ‘I am / was made redundant six months ago.  I am over fifty and it is hard to get another job.  People think I am too old.  I read the papers every day.  I (9) have written / write  a lot of letters of application in the last few weeks.  Next week (10) I will go / I’m going to Turin for an interview but I am not confident.  If they offer me the job I (11) will / would take it but the salary is not really high enough.’

Patrizia Rojas lives in Madrid.  She is a secretary with a pharmaceutical company, but she (12) is looking / looks for another job.  She has registered at a recruitment agency.  ‘I like my job but there was a merger between my company and another one last year.  I am employed by a large multinational now, instead of a small Spanish firm.  There are too many people in my department now, and (13) I’ll / I would probably leave quite soon.

Karel Sudek lives in Prague where he works for himself.   ‘I (14) worked / have worked for a car manufacturing company for six years.  I liked my job, but I had a bad relationship with my boss and I wanted to be more independent.  In 1995 I left to start my own business.  It is very stressful, but I like it.  At least I know that I am responsible for my own future.’

 

PART TWO

 

With the information from the text complete the following questions and answers.

 

15. What/Patrizia/do?

 

16. She/look/for/another job.

 

17. What/Jürgen/do?.

 

18. He/work/for/Lufthansa.

 

19. Where/Sergio/go/next week?

 

20. He/go/to/Turin.

 

21. How long/Karel/work/for/car manufacturing company?

 

22. He/work/there/for six years

 

23. How long/Jürgen/be/Lufthansa?

 

24. He/be/there/for three years.

 

25. When/Karel/start/his own business?

 

26. He/start/his own business in 1995.

 

27. What/Sergio/do?

 

28. He/write/a lot of letters.

 

29. Where/Patrizia/registered?

 

30. She/register/at a recruitment agency.

 

31. Who/Patrizia/employ/by?

 

32. She/employ/by/a large multi-national.