Unit 1.  What's the job? 

Lesson 1. Jobs.

Lesson 1

Adverb intensifiers can be used to emphasize verbs. These emphatic expressions are used in formal English in written documents and when speaking at formal occasions such as business meetings and giving presentations. Here is a list of some of the most common of these intensifiers.

Intensifiers

categorically - in every manner, without reserve
deeply - strongly, with much feeling
enthusiastically - with great joy
freely - without hesitation
fully - completely, without any doubt
honestly - truly believing
positively - without any doubt
readily - without hesitation
sincerely - with best wishes
strongly - with conviction
totally - without any doubt
utterly - without any doubt

These are generally used with specific verbs to create emphatic expressions. These intensifier + verb combinations are strong collocations. Collocations are words that are always or often used together. Here is a list of the intensifier + verb combinations which make up the emphatic expressions:

Intensifier + Verb Collocations = Emphatic Expression

categorically deny - In no way did I do something.
deeply regret - I am strongly sorry for my actions.
enthusiastically endorse - I happily, and with my whole heart believe in something.
freely appreciate - I certainly understand something.
fully recognize - I am aware of some situation.
honestly believe - I think something is true without any doubt.
positively encourage - I hope that you do something very strongly.
readily endorse - I believe in something someone else does without hesitation.
sincerely hope - I honestly want something for someone else.
strongly recommend - I really think you should do something.
totally reject - I refuse to believe or do in any case.
utterly refuse - I completely do not want to do or believe.

Here are example sentences for each of these emphatic expressions:

We categorically deny any involvement in the scandal.
I deeply regret the loss of your loved one.
I enthusiastically endorse the local cancer society.
We freely appreciate the current difficulties in this market.
I fully recognize your need to improve your career.
I honestly believe he is telling the truth.
We'd like to positively encourage you to buy this stock.
Our company readily endorses his run for office.
I sincerely hope you are able to find employment soon.
I'd like to strongly recommend you visit an employment specialist.
They totally reject any compromise in these negotiations.
I'm afraid I utterly refuse to believe anything he says.

Collocations

Part I

Match the collocation (1-9) with the meaning (A-I).

1. Roll up your sleeves

2. Get the sack

3. Not be worth the paper it’s written on (a contract)

4. Moonlight

5. Sleeping partner

6. Jump ship

7. Talk shop

8. To work on the side

9. Donkey work

A. to not be legally valid

B. to prepare for hard work

C. a partner in a company who does not take an active part in its management

D. To be fired; to lose your job

E. To leave one job to work for the competition

F. to work an additional job without telling your main employer

G. the hard boring part of a job

H. to work a second job

I. To talk about work (outside of the workplace)

Part II:

Fill in the gaps with the collocations.

1. The boss told him that if he didn’t____________and get on with some work then he would be_______________.

2. I hate going for drinks with my colleagues. They don’t seem to have a social life – they only ever______________.

3. When I got the job I thought it would be a challenge but it turned out that I just ended up doing all the__________.

4. I was headhunted and told that if I______________they’d pay me double what I get now.

5. He was done for tax evasion when the tax man found out that he’d been______________.

6. Before Christmas I had to do some______________to be able to pay for all the presents.

Lesson 2

Introductions

(At a party)

Peter: Hello.
Jane: Hi!

Peter: My name is Peter. What's your name?
Jane: My name is Jane. Nice to meet you.

Peter: It's a pleasure. This is a great party!
Jane: Yes, it is. Where are you from?

Peter: I'm from Amsterdam.
Jane: Amsterdam? Really, are you German?

Peter: NO, I'm not German. I'm Dutch.
Jane: Oh, you're Dutch. Sorry about that.

Peter: That's OK. Where are you from?
Jane: I'm from London, but I'm not British.

Peter: No, what are you?
Jane: Well, my parents were Spanish, so I'm Spanish, too.

Peter: That's very interesting. Spain is a beautiful country.
Jane: Thank you. It IS a wonderful place.

 

Introductions

(At a party)

Peter: Hello.
Jane: Hi!

Peter: My name is Peter. What's your name?
Jane: My name is Jane. Nice to meet you.

Peter: It's a pleasure. This is a great party!
Jane: Yes, it is. Where are you from?

Peter: I'm from Amsterdam.
Jane: Amsterdam? Really, are you German?

Peter: NO, I'm not German. I'm Dutch.
Jane: Oh, you're Dutch. Sorry about that.

Peter: That's OK. Where are you from?
Jane: I'm from London, but I'm not British.

Peter: No, what are you?
Jane: Well, my parents were Spanish, so I'm Spanish, too.

Peter: That's very interesting. Spain is a beautiful country.
Jane: Thank you. It IS a wonderful place.

Pronouns

From Kenneth Beare, About.com

There are four types of pronouns: Subject Pronouns, Object Pronouns, Possessive Pronouns and Demonstrative Pronouns. Here is a list and explanation showing the different types of pronouns:

• Subject Pronouns - I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they function as the subject of a sentence:

  I live in New York.
  Do you like playing tennis?
  He doesn't want to come this evening.
  She works in London.
  It won't be easy.
  We are studying pronouns at the moment.
  You went to Paris last year, didn't you?
  They bought a new car last month.

• Object Pronouns - me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them serve as the object of a verb.

  Give me the book.
  He told you to come tonight.
  She asked him to help.
  They visited her when they came to New York.
  She bought it at the store.
  He picked us up at the airport.
  The teacher asked you to finish your homework.
  I invited them to a party.

• Possessive Pronouns - mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs show that something belongs to someone. That house is mine.
  This is yours.
  I'm sorry, that's his.
  Those books are hers.
  Those students are ours.
  Look over there, those seats are yours.
  Theirs will be green.

• Demonstrative Pronouns - this, that, these, those refer to things. 'this' and 'these' refer to something that is near. 'that' and 'those' refer to things that are farther away.

  This is my house.
  That is our car over there.
  These are my colleagues in this room.
  Those are beautiful flowers in the next field.

• Possessive adjectives - my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their are often confused with possessive pronouns. The possessive adjective modifies the noun following it in order to show possession.

  I'll get my books.
  Is that your car over there?
  That is his teacher, Mr Jones.
  I want to go to her store.
  Its color is red.
  Can we bring our children?
  You are welcome to invite your husbands.